The Push/Pull/Legs Split: A Complete 2026 Guide (3, 4, 5 and 6 Days)
The push/pull/legs split is the gold standard for muscle growth and recovery. Complete workout tables, exercise lists, and 3, 4, 5, and 6-day routines.
The push/pull/legs (PPL) split organizes your training by movement patterns rather than isolated body parts: push days train chest, shoulders, and triceps; pull days train back, biceps, and rear delts; and leg days train quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. This structure provides optimal recovery between sessions, prevents joint overuse, and effortlessly scales across 3, 4, 5, or 6 training days per week for lifters of any experience level.
What is the Push/Pull/Legs split?
Traditional bodybuilding splits often assign one muscle group to each day of the week (the classic “bro split”: Chest Monday, Back Tuesday, Shoulders Wednesday, Arms Thursday, Legs Friday). While popular, bro splits have a fatal anatomical flaw: indirect overlap. Pressing heavy overhead on Wednesday irritates shoulders that already worked hard during Monday’s bench press, while heavy biceps curls on Thursday fatigue arms before Friday’s back rows.
The push pull legs split solves this by categorizing exercises by functional biomechanics:
- Push Day: Movements where you push resistance away from your body. Primary targets: pectoral muscles (chest), anterior and lateral deltoids (shoulders), and triceps brachii.
- Pull Day: Movements where you pull weight toward your torso. Primary targets: latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius (upper back), rear deltoids, and biceps.
- Leg Day: Movements targeting the lower body. Primary targets: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, calves, and core.
PPL split weekly schedules: 3, 4, 5, and 6-day layouts
One of PPL’s greatest strengths is schedule flexibility. You can match the routine to your personal calendar and recovery capacity.
| Frequency | Weekly Schedule | Muscle Frequency | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Days / Week | Mon: Push · Wed: Pull · Fri: Legs · (Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun: Rest) | 1× every 7 days | Beginners or lifters preferring dedicated movement days; for higher frequency, see our 3-day full body routine |
| 4 Days / Week | Rolling rotation: Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri (P-P-L-P, then P-L-P-P...) | 1.3× every 7 days | Balanced volume with generous rest days |
| 5 Days / Week | Mon: Push · Tue: Pull · Wed: Legs · Fri: Upper · Sat: Lower | 1.5–2× every 7 days | Intermediate lifters wanting a hybrid PPL / upper lower split |
| 6 Days / Week | Mon: Push A · Tue: Pull A · Wed: Legs A · Thu: Push B · Fri: Pull B · Sat: Legs B | 2× every 7 days | Experienced lifters with high recovery capacity |
The definitive 6-day PPL workout routine
For lifters targeting maximum hypertrophy, hitting each muscle group twice per week is the gold standard supported by exercise science. Below is a complete 6-day PPL program pairing heavy compound movements on Workout A with higher-rep hypertrophy work on Workout B.
Push Workout A (Chest & Triceps Emphasis)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | Mid Chest, Triceps | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2–3 mins |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | Upper Chest, Front Delt | 3 × 8–10 | 2 mins |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | Lateral Deltoid | 4 × 12–15 | 60–90s |
| Cable Chest Flye | Inner / Sternal Chest | 3 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Triceps Rope Pushdown | Triceps (Lateral Head) | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
| Overhead Cable Triceps Extension | Triceps (Long Head) | 3 × 12–15 | 60s |
Pull Workout A (Lat Width & Biceps Emphasis)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldown | Latissimus Dorsi | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2–3 mins |
| Chest-Supported T-Bar Row | Mid Back, Rhomboids | 3 × 8–10 | 2 mins |
| Close-Grip Seated Cable Row | Lower Lats | 3 × 10–12 | 90s |
| Face Pulls | Rear Delts, Rotator Cuff | 4 × 15–20 | 60s |
| Barbell EZ-Bar Biceps Curl | Biceps Brachii | 3 × 8–10 | 90s |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | Biceps (Long Head Stretch) | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
Legs Workout A (Quad Dominant)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | Quadriceps, Glutes | 3–4 × 6–8 | 3 mins |
| Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell or Barbell) | Hamstrings, Glutes | 3 × 8–10 | 2 mins |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | Quads, Glutes | 3 × 10–12 per leg | 90s |
| Leg Extension | Quadriceps (Rectus Femoris) | 3 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Standing Calf Raise | Gastrocnemius | 4 × 12–15 | 60s |
Push Workout B (Shoulder & Upper Chest Emphasis)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Overhead Barbell Press (OHP) | Front / Lateral Deltoids | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2–3 mins |
| Flat Dumbbell Press | Mid Chest | 3 × 8–10 | 2 mins |
| Cable Lateral Raise (Behind Body) | Lateral Deltoid | 4 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Incline Cable Flye (Low-to-High) | Clavicular (Upper) Chest | 3 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Dips (Bodyweight or Weighted) | Lower Chest, Triceps | 3 × 8–12 | 90s |
| Cross-Body Cable Triceps Extension | Triceps Lateral/Medial | 3 × 12–15 | 60s |
Pull Workout B (Upper Back Thickness & Forearms)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bent-Over Row | Upper Back, Traps, Lats | 3–4 × 6–8 | 2–3 mins |
| Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown | Lats, Lower Traps | 3 × 8–10 | 90s |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Row | Lats, Rhomboids | 3 × 10–12 per arm | 90s |
| Reverse Pec Deck (Rear Delt Flye) | Posterior Deltoid | 4 × 12–15 | 60s |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | Brachialis, Forearms | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
| Preacher Curl (Cable or Machine) | Biceps Short Head Peak | 3 × 10–12 | 60s |
Legs Workout B (Hamstring & Glute Emphasis)
| Exercise | Target Muscle | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Hip Thrust | Gluteus Maximus | 3–4 × 8–10 | 2 mins |
| Leg Press (Feet High & Wide) | Glutes, Quads | 3 × 10–12 | 2 mins |
| Lying or Seated Leg Curl | Hamstrings | 4 × 10–12 | 90s |
| Walking Dumbbell Lunges | Glutes, Quads | 3 × 12 steps per leg | 90s |
| Seated Calf Raise | Soleus | 4 × 15–20 | 60s |
How to build a PPL split from workouts you save online
If your Instagram or TikTok bookmarks are stuffed with great creator routines, you do not need to discard them to run a PPL program. You just need to organize them correctly:
- Categorize your saved clips by day: Group your video saves into three master folders: Push Workouts, Pull Workouts, and Leg Workouts.
- Audit for missing movements: Creator videos often over-index on flashy biceps curls and skip back rows or hamstring curls. Review your weekly volume against our breakdown on how many sets per muscle per week to hit the 10–20 set sweet spot without accumulating junk volume.
- Assemble into a weekly template: Using our system for building a PPL split from saved workouts, extract exercises into Prept and drop each session onto your weekly calendar.
- Log progressive overload: To guarantee muscle growth, track your weights and repetitions every session following our progressive overload guide.
If you want to customize your days and rest periods, try our free workout split generator or compare digital tools in our review of the best workout planner apps.
Frequently asked questions
Is the push/pull/legs split suitable for complete beginners?
Yes, when run on a 3-day schedule (Monday: Push, Wednesday: Pull, Friday: Legs). This allows novices to practice compound movements with adequate recovery and avoid the extreme soreness associated with full-body sessions.
Should deadlifts be performed on pull day or leg day?
Conventional and sumo deadlifts can fit on either day. Most lifters prefer performing them on Pull Day to anchor the back workout, or substituting Romanian deadlifts on Leg Day to isolate the hamstrings and glutes.
How long should a typical PPL workout take?
An effective PPL session takes 45 to 65 minutes. Aim for 5 to 6 total exercises (around 15 to 18 total working sets) per session with focused rest periods of 60 to 180 seconds between sets.
Can I run a 4-day push/pull/legs split?
Yes, by using a rolling schedule. You train Push, Pull, Legs, Push in Week 1, and continue the rotation with Pull, Legs, Push, Pull in Week 2, cycling your workouts across consistent training days.
How do I know if I am doing too much volume on PPL?
If your strength regresses on primary compound lifts, joint soreness persists longer than 48 hours, or you exceed 22 working sets per session, you are likely accumulating junk volume and should scale back.
How do I track progressive overload on a PPL split?
Record every set’s weight and reps in a dedicated gym log like Prept. Aim to add one repetition or a small weight increase (1–2.5kg) on your key compound movements every one to two weeks.
