What a push/pull/legs split is, whether to run it 3 or 6 days a week, a sample PPL week with sets and reps, and how to progress it without burning out.
A push/pull/legs (PPL) split organises training by movement: push (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull (back, biceps), and legs. Run it 6 days a week to train each muscle twice, or 3 days if once a week is enough. Studies find splits and full-body routines build similar muscle when weekly sets match, so PPL is a great choice if you can train 5 to 6 days, not a requirement for growth.
Push/pull/legs is probably the most popular gym split on the internet. It is simple to remember and scales from three days a week to six. It is also commonly misused: people pick it because a favourite lifter runs it, then find they can only train three or four times a week.
This guide explains how PPL works, when it is the right split, and how to set it up so you keep progressing.
A push/pull/legs split divides your training into three session types based on the direction of the movement:
The appeal is that muscles that work together get trained together. Your triceps help on every pressing movement, so they get finished off on push day rather than being tired before a pressing session.
Six days is better for muscle growth if you can recover and attend every session, because each muscle gets trained twice a week. Three days works, but trains each muscle only once.
| Version | Days per week | Each muscle trained | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPL once through | 3 | Once a week | People who like the format and train hard with enough sets per session |
| PPL twice through | 6 | Twice a week | Lifters who can reliably train 6 days and recover |
| PPL rotating | 4 to 5 | About 1.5 times a week | People with a flexible schedule |
A 2016 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld and colleagues found that training a muscle at least twice a week produced more muscle growth than training it once, when other variables were similar. That is the main argument for the 6-day version. It is not a hard rule, since total weekly sets matter a lot, but if you only have three days, full body usually gets you more frequency for the same time. Our guide on how often to train each muscle covers this in more detail.
Not by itself. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis by Ramos-Campo and colleagues pooled 14 studies comparing split routines with full-body routines and found similar gains in strength and muscle size when training volume was equated. The authors concluded that people can choose a routine based on personal preference.
So the better question is: which split lets you do enough hard sets, often enough, for months? If you enjoy themed sessions and have the days, PPL is excellent. If your schedule is three days, see our comparison of full body vs. upper/lower vs. PPL for beginners.
A typical PPL week runs push, pull, legs, push, pull, legs, then a rest day, with 4 to 5 exercises per session.
Here is a 6-day PPL with two variations of each day. The A and B days use different main lifts so you train each movement pattern from two angles.
| Day | Session | Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push A | Bench press 3 × 6 to 8, overhead press 3 × 8 to 10, incline dumbbell press 2 × 10 to 12, lateral raise 3 × 12 to 15, triceps pushdown 3 × 10 to 15 |
| Tuesday | Pull A | Barbell row 3 × 6 to 8, pull-up or lat pulldown 3 × 8 to 12, face pull 2 × 12 to 15, dumbbell curl 3 × 10 to 12 |
| Wednesday | Legs A | Squat 3 × 6 to 8, Romanian deadlift 3 × 8 to 10, leg extension 2 × 12 to 15, calf raise 3 × 10 to 15 |
| Thursday | Push B | Incline bench 3 × 8 to 10, seated dumbbell press 3 × 8 to 12, cable fly 2 × 12 to 15, overhead triceps extension 3 × 10 to 15 |
| Friday | Pull B | Chest-supported row 3 × 8 to 12, lat pulldown 3 × 10 to 12, rear delt fly 2 × 12 to 15, hammer curl 3 × 10 to 12 |
| Saturday | Legs B | Deadlift or trap bar 3 × 4 to 6, leg press 3 × 10 to 12, leg curl 3 × 10 to 15, walking lunge 2 × 10 per leg |
| Sunday | Rest |
This gives most muscles roughly 10 to 16 hard sets per week. A 2017 dose-response meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn, and Krieger found that more weekly sets were associated with more muscle growth, with 10 or more sets per muscle per week sitting at the top of their analysis. If you are new, start nearer 10 and add sets later. Our guide to weekly sets per muscle explains how to adjust.
If you run PPL three days a week, keep the structure but add one or two extra sets to the key exercises so each muscle still gets close to 10 hard sets in its one session. Expect sessions to run longer.
Progress PPL with double progression: add reps until you reach the top of the rep range, then add weight. On every exercise:
The American College of Sports Medicine's 2009 position stand on progression describes the same idea: increase load in small steps once you can exceed your target reps. On PPL you train each lift once or twice a week, so write everything down. With six sessions and 25 or more exercises, nobody remembers last Tuesday's face pull weight.
The most common PPL mistakes are choosing more days than you can attend, doing too many exercises, and letting pushing volume outgrow pulling.
Alexandros is a personal lifting coach you talk to in a chat, currently in early access. You describe a session in plain English, like "push day: bench 185 for 3 sets of 7, last set was hard," and it logs every set with an effort rating. Next time you hit Push A, it tells you what to lift using double progression: more weight when you top the rep range with reps to spare, a back-off after a set you ground out, and a deload if a lift stays flat for three sessions. Jumps are realistic for the equipment, like 5 lb per hand on dumbbells or 2.5 lb plates per side on a barbell. Ask "How has my bench progressed?" and you get a chart of top weight, estimated 1RM, or volume.
It can work, but most beginners do better with full body three days a week or upper/lower four days a week. Those splits train each muscle more often with fewer gym days, and beginners progress fast when they practise the main lifts frequently.
Yes. You will train each muscle once a week, so put enough hard sets into each session, around 8 to 10 for the main muscles. If you want each muscle trained twice on three days, full body is the more efficient choice.
Push, pull, legs is the most common order, and it works because push and pull days share few muscles. Some people start with legs so the hardest session comes first. Either is fine, as long as you stay consistent.
About 45 to 75 minutes for four to five exercises with 2 to 3 minutes of rest on compound lifts. If sessions run past 90 minutes, cut an exercise rather than shortening rest on your main lifts.
Yes, if they fit your goals. Add 2 to 3 sets of ab work to two or three sessions, and do cardio after lifting or on separate days. Keep hard leg-heavy cardio away from the day before leg day.
