Push Pull Legs Explained — The Most Popular Split in Lifting
Push pull legs — PPL — is the most popular training split in lifting, and for good reason: it is simple, it trains each muscle group twice a week, and it fits neatly into a six-day week. The idea is to divide exercises by movement pattern: push days train the chest, shoulders and triceps (movements that push weight away); pull days train the back and biceps (movements that pull weight towards you); leg days train the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Each muscle group gets its own day, a full recovery, and then another session later in the week.
The headline answer is that PPL works best as a six-day routine — push, pull, legs, push, pull, legs, rest — with each muscle group trained twice a week for 10–20 sets, and it suits intermediate lifters who have outgrown a three-day full-body programme and can commit to six sessions a week. It is not the only split that works, and it is not the best split for everyone: if you can only train three or four days a week, a full-body or upper-lower split is better. But for a lifter with six days available, PPL is hard to beat for simplicity and volume.
Use the calculator
Start with your own numbers: try our one rep max calculator to work out your figures before applying anything on this page. The worked examples below use round numbers so you can follow the maths; the calculators use your real weight, height, age and goal.
Related reading: Upper Lower Split Explained, How to Start Lifting Weights, Strength vs Hypertrophy. You can also browse the full guides section for the rest of the series.
The key points
Each muscle is trained twice a week. The evidence consistently finds that training a muscle twice a week builds more muscle than training it once a week at the same total volume, because muscle protein synthesis stays elevated for 24–48 hours after a session. PPL achieves this naturally: push muscles are trained on Monday and Thursday, pull muscles on Tuesday and Friday, legs on Wednesday and Saturday. Each session is focused, each muscle gets 48–72 hours to recover, and the weekly volume is high without any single session being exhausting.
The split is balanced by design. Push days pair the chest, shoulders and triceps — muscles that work together in every pressing movement — so a bench press trains all three at once. Pull days pair the back and biceps the same way. Leg days are separate because the legs are the largest muscle group and need their own session. The result is a programme with no muscle group neglected and no session that runs for three hours.
Six days is a real commitment. PPL's main drawback is the time: six sessions a week, 60–90 minutes each, is 6–9 hours of training, and it leaves little room for other sports, illness or a busy week. Missing one session unbalances the week — a missed leg day means legs are trained once, not twice. Lifters who can only train four days a week should use an upper-lower split instead, which gives the same twice-a-week frequency in fewer sessions.
Progression is the same as any programme. PPL is a structure, not a magic system: the muscle is built by progressive overload — adding weight, reps or sets over weeks — and the split is simply the container. A PPL routine without progression is just six days of going through the motions. Track the weights, add a little each week, and the split does its job.
At a glance
| Day | Focus | Main exercises | Sets per muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon — Push | Chest, shoulders, triceps | Bench, overhead press, dips | 12–16 |
| Tue — Pull | Back, biceps | Deadlift, rows, pull-ups | 12–16 |
| Wed — Legs | Quads, hamstrings, glutes | Squat, leg press, Romanian deadlift | 12–16 |
| Thu — Push | Chest, shoulders, triceps | Incline bench, lateral raises | 12–16 |
| Fri — Pull | Back, biceps | Rows, lat pulldown, curls | 12–16 |
| Sat — Legs | Quads, hamstrings, glutes | Front squat, lunges, calf raises | 12–16 |
| Sun | Rest | — | — |
The formula behind it
The volume prescription for hypertrophy is 10–20 sets per muscle group per week, split across two sessions (Schoenfeld et al., 2017, meta-analysis). PPL delivers this naturally: each muscle group gets two sessions of 6–10 sets, for 12–20 sets a week. The frequency rule is each muscle trained twice a week, because muscle protein synthesis stays elevated for 24–48 hours after a session. The progression rule is the same as any programme: add weight, reps or sets each week, and deload (volume cut 40–60%) every four to eight weeks.
Worked example — an intermediate lifter on a six-day PPL routine. Push day: bench press 4 × 6–8, overhead press 3 × 8, incline dumbbell press 3 × 10, lateral raises 3 × 15, triceps pushdowns 3 × 12. Total: 16 sets for the push muscles, about 75 minutes. Pull day: deadlift 3 × 5, barbell row 4 × 8, lat pulldown 3 × 10, face pulls 3 × 15, biceps curls 3 × 12. Leg day: squat 4 × 6–8, leg press 3 × 10, Romanian deadlift 3 × 8, leg curls 3 × 12, calf raises 4 × 15. Weekly total: about 96 sets, 6 sessions, 7–8 hours. Protein at 1.8 g/kg for an 80 kg lifter is 144 g a day, and calories at maintenance or a small surplus, above the 1,500 kcal floor.
Your plan, step by step
- Decide if you can train six days a week consistently — if not, use an upper-lower split instead.
- Build each day around one or two heavy compound exercises, then add isolation work for the same muscles.
- Train each muscle group twice a week for 10–20 sets total, split across the two sessions.
- Progress the compound lifts every week: add weight, reps or a set, and log every session.
- Deload every four to eight weeks, cutting volume by 40–60% for a week, and keep protein at 1.6–2.2 g/kg.
How to use this guide
Use PPL as a structure for progressive overload, not as a routine to follow blindly. The split works because it trains each muscle twice a week with enough volume, and it fails when the volume is there but the progression is not. Track your weights, add a little each week, and judge the split by whether you are stronger in eight weeks than you are today. If you cannot sustain six days, switch to upper-lower — the best split is the one you can actually do.
Common mistakes
Doing too much volume. Six days of 20 sets per session is 120 sets a week, which is more than most people can recover from. Start at 10–12 sets per muscle per week and add volume only if you are recovering well.
Skipping leg days. PPL has two leg days a week for a reason — the legs are half the body's muscle. Skipping them unbalances the programme and the physique. Treat leg day as non-negotiable.
Never deloading. Six hard days a week accumulates fatigue fast, and a deload every four to six weeks is more important on PPL than on a three-day programme. Schedule it in advance, not when you are already broken.
What this guide does NOT tell you
PPL guidance on this page is for healthy intermediate lifters; beginners should start with a three-day full-body programme, and people with injuries or medical conditions should follow their clinician's or physiotherapist's advice on training load. Six days a week is a large commitment, and the programme should be reduced if sleep, stress or life makes recovery difficult. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is a push pull legs split?
A training split that divides exercises by movement pattern: push days train the chest, shoulders and triceps; pull days train the back and biceps; leg days train the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves. The usual routine is six days a week — push, pull, legs, push, pull, legs, rest — so each muscle group is trained twice a week.
Is push pull legs good for beginners?
Not ideal. Beginners adapt fastest on a three-day full-body programme, where each muscle is trained three times a week and the movements are practised more often. PPL suits intermediate lifters who have outgrown full-body training and can commit to six sessions a week. A beginner on PPL usually does too much volume and progresses more slowly than on a simpler programme.
How many days a week is push pull legs?
Usually six: push, pull, legs, push, pull, legs, then one rest day. It can be run as three days (push, pull, legs, rest, repeat) for a lower frequency, but the classic version is six days. If you can only train four days a week, an upper-lower split gives the same twice-a-week frequency in fewer sessions.
Can you build muscle with push pull legs?
Yes — it is one of the most effective splits for muscle gain, because it trains each muscle twice a week for 10–20 sets, which is the volume range the evidence supports for hypertrophy (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). The split itself does not build muscle; progressive overload does. Track your weights, add a little each week, and the split provides the structure.
What is better: push pull legs or upper lower?
It depends on how many days you can train. PPL is better if you can train five or six days a week, because it gives each muscle group its own focused session. Upper-lower is better if you can train four days a week, because it gives the same twice-a-week frequency in fewer sessions. The results are similar when total volume and progression are matched — the best split is the one you can sustain.
Estimates only, not medical advice. Minimum safe intakes: 1,200 kcal/day women, 1,500 kcal/day men — consult a healthcare professional before a very-low-calorie diet.