Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Tyler DiGiovanni, BSBM
FACT CHECKED
Choosing the right workout split for your needs can be tough, as there are many to choose from. However, one of the newer splits to gain in popularity in the past few years is the push, pull, legs workout, also known as a PPL split. We're going to break down this unique training split, show you how to use it to optimize your gains, and even provide a workout.
What Is A PPL Training Split?
Regardless of what training split you're talking about, its primary goal is to help organize your training split. It tells you what muscles to pair together on what days.
A push-pull leg split is built by dividing your muscles into 3 different workout sessions. A cycle of workout sessions will look like;
- Push - Your push session will train your upper body pushing muscles, including your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
- Pull - On your polling day, you'll train your upper body pulling muscles, including your entire back and biceps. However, this will also include the deadlift. The deadlift is generally thought of as a lower body workout, but it trains your entire posterior chain. Also, since you're squatting on the leg session, deadlifting would be better on its own day.
- Legs - Your leg session has you train your total lower body, including your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. As we just mentioned, squats will be your primary exercise in your leg session. At the same time, you won't perform conventional deadlifts on this day but can perform some other variations, such as the Romanian deadlift.
Who Should Use The Push Pull Leg Split?
So, who can benefit from using a PPL split?
Everybody!
But remember that PPL is simply the split or tells you what muscles to train together. The exercises, loads, and even training frequency will differentiate a beginner's PPL workout from an intermediate or advanced PPL workout.
We'll discuss some of these variables below, but the main point is that anyone can benefit from using a PPL gym split.
5 Benefits Of A Push Pull Leg Routine
So why run a PPL routine? Does it have any benefits over other workout splits?
The best split for you will ultimately depend on your preference. Some people naturally progress better with a PPL split, while others may favor a simple push/pull or upper/lower split.
However, a PPL routine can be very effective, and many people seem to do really well with them. Here are five reasons you should check them out.
1. Balanced Muscle Development
Like all splits, the PPL split ensures that all major muscle groups are trained evenly across 3 sessions;
- Push - Chest, shoulders, and triceps
- Pull - Back and biceps
- Legs - Legs and glutes
Balancing your training helps prevent muscular imbalances, which ultimately reduces the risk of injury and optimizes overall strength and muscle growth.
2. Flexibility and Adaptability
A PPL routine can be adapted to suit various training styles and frequencies. You can use the same basic framework for training 3, 4, 5, or even 6 days per week.
For example, a 3-day PPL routine is excellent for beginners or those with a busy schedule, while a 6-day split is ideal for advanced lifters looking for more volume and frequency.
3. Optimal Recovery
Since muscle groups are trained on separate days (push, pull, legs), you can ensure each muscle group has enough time to recover before being targeted again.
For example, after a "push" workout, your chest and triceps have time to recover while you focus on your back and biceps on the "pull" day, and your legs get a break on the "legs" day.
4. Strength Gains and Hypertrophy Focus
Similar to this program, a PPL routine works well for training for strength and muscle growth.
This is because it divides the muscle groups into three training sessions. These three sessions allow a nice blend of frequency, volume, and recovery.
This is especially true if you train four or five days a week. Doing this will require you to alternate training a muscle group once or twice. This can give you plenty of time to rest and really hit the muscles hard.
5. Efficient Use of Time
With a PPL split, each workout is typically focused on a specific set of muscle groups, which allows you to train efficiently and effectively.
You can target all muscles in a week with relatively shorter, focused sessions, making it easier to maintain consistency and avoid fatigue. Plus, the routine allows for high frequency without overtraining any muscle group.
PPL VS Push Pull Split
We also want to quickly compare a PPL split to a Push-Pull Split. A push-pull split can work, and some people love it. However, every session trains the lower body.
While one day you train lower pulling and another you train lower pushing, you can't isolate your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes when performing compound movements.
PPL Vs. Upper Lower Split
Running an upper-lower split solves the problem of training your lower body every day.
However, now you're left with trying to train Squat and deadlift on the same day.
Now, you could alternate between training squats and deadlifts. However, another issue is your upper body has to move muscles and movement patterns to train. For example;
- Upper - Vertical push, vertical pull, horizontal push, horizontal pull
- Lower- Squat, hip hinge, lunge
Still, when you write out the program, you see how lopsided the number of exercises can be. With a PPL, the muscle groups are separated better.
PPL Split Training Variables
We're now going to look at some of the variables of this PPL training plan and the general format. This will include some of
What Training Frequency Should You Use?
Most people will note that PPL has three training sessions and automatically assume this is for a 3-day training frequency. While you could use this for a 3-day split, you can actually use it for 4, 5, or even 6.
To do this, you simply rotate through the training days. For example, let's say you want to train 5 days a week and use the PPL split. This is how it would look.
Week 1
Day 1 - PushDay 2 - Pull
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 - Legs
Day 5 - Push
Day 6 - Rest
Day 7 - Pull
Week 2
Day 1 - PushDay 2 - Rest
Day 3 - Legs
….And so on.
If you decide to use the PPL for 5 or 6 days a week, we recommend periodization. This basically means altering the load and volume of your exercises.
For example, let's say you train two push days with bench press for one week.
- Session 1: Bench press 4X4
- Session 2: Bench press 3X8
Your Push Pull Leg Workout Routine
We're now going through the workout routine including the push pull legs exercises as well as the rep scheme. We'll then cover some nuances and how to progress.
Push
- Incline Bench Press - 4X4
- Military Press - 4X6
- Dips - 3X6-8
- Close Grip Bench + Cable Fly - 3X8-12
- Lateral Raise + Tri Pushdown - 3X8-12
Pull
- Deadlift - 4X4
- Weighted Chin-Ups - 3X5
- T-Bar Row - 3X6-8
- Seated Row + Reverse Fly - 2X12-15
- Bicep Curl* - 3X8-12
- Back Extension - 3X8-12
*You can choose a curl or an equal alternate. You can also superset with back extension as well.
Legs
- Squat - 4X4
- Barbell Hip Thrust - 4X6
- Hack Press - 3X6-8
- Bulgarian Split Squat - 2-3X8-10/leg
- Romanian Deadlift - 3X10-12
- Leg Extension + Leg Curl - 2X8-12
How To Implement Periodization (5 Or 6 Day Frequency)
If you train for 5 or 6 days, you'll probably want to use some periodization in your program. Periodization is a method of programming in which you alter your intensity (load) and volume on different training days.¹
To do this, you would change the rep scheme for your strength movements (these are the movements with a set number of lower reps, e.g., 4X4, 3X5, 3X6).
For example, when you start your second rotation, change these rep schemes to 3X8. Further, don't train for absolute failure these days.
Another tool you could do is to use different movements with similar biomechanics along with the rep change. For example
- Incline Bench Press 4X4 → Dumbbell Press 3X8
- Deadlift 4X4 → Rack Pull 3X8
- Back Squat 4X4 → Box Squat 3X8
- Military Press 4X6 → Seated Dumbbell Press 3X10
There are many ways to do this, but you get the general framework. Again, this is mainly important for those who lift 5 or 6 days a week. Think about squatting and deadlifting heavily 4 times a week—goodbye, nervous system!
Now, to be clear, you would not switch exercises every week. You would use the same alternate program for the duration of your training, which should be 8+ weeks.
If you plan on training 6 days a week, and possibly 5 days, you'll be doing a lot of volume and likely train 7 days a week. We would recommend you check out this article on training 7 days a week to explore some of the nuances of this.
Progressing Through Your PPL Routine: Progressive Overload
The program above only provides the basic format for your training. However, to see results, you gotta use progressive overload!²
What is Progressive Overload? Progressive overload is the fundamental lifting principle that states that to keep progressing, you must consistently increase the demand placed on your muscles.
If you continue lifting the same amount of weight every session, your body will not grow as it has already adapted to the demands being placed on it.
It's a very simple concept, but it's routinely messed up. Therefore, this next part is very important. We'll show you how to implement progressive overload in this program.
Progressing With Strength Movements (Set number of reps)
For strength training, your primary method of progression will be increasing the load. These movements involve heavier weights and fewer reps, typically prescribed as 4x4 or 3x5 rather than 3x8-10.
For example, with the deadlift, your progression might look like this:
- Week 1: 315 lbs, 4x4
- Week 2: 325 lbs, 4x4
- Week 3: 335 lbs, 4x4
If you fail to complete the prescribed reps during any set, you can use cluster sets to complete the remaining reps. Rest for 20-30 seconds and perform 1-3 reps in a mini-set. Repeat this process until you've hit the required volume.
Example:
- Goal: 4x4 at 315 lbs, but only managed 2 reps on the last set.
- 1x2 (missed set)
- Rest 20 seconds
- 1x2
- Rest 20 seconds
- 1x1
- Rest 20 seconds
- 1x1
Progressing With Hypertrophy Movements (Rep range)
For hypertrophy movements, you will increase the load and reps simultaneously. These exercises typically have rep ranges (e.g., 3x8-10 or 3x10-12) designed for muscle growth.
Start by working within the lower end of the rep range and gradually increase the reps each week. Once you hit the upper end of the range, increase the weight, dropping you back to the lower rep range. Then, continue progressing by adding reps and increasing the load as needed.
For example, with the close-grip bench press, if you start with 135 lbs and follow a 3x8-10 rep scheme, your progression might look like this:
- Week 1: 135 lbs, 3X8
- Week 2: 135 lbs, 3X9
- Week 3: 135 lbs, 3X10
- Week 4: 140 lbs, 3X8
- Week 5: 140 lbs, 3X9
It's important to note that progression doesn't need to be linear. If you reach a point where completing all sets at 10 reps becomes difficult, don't worry. Simply add weight and start back at the lower rep range, or use the cluster set technique mentioned earlier to complete your sets.
By continuously challenging yourself with heavier loads and more reps, you will steadily increase your strength and muscle growth.
References
- Spineti, Juliano, et al. “Comparação Entre Diferentes Modelos de Periodização Sobre a Força E Espessura Muscular Em Uma Sequência Dos Menores Para Os Maiores Grupamentos Musculares.” Revista Brasileira de Medicina Do Esporte, vol. 19, no. 4, Aug. 2013, pp. 280–286, www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1517-86922013000400011&script=sci_arttext&tlng=en, https://doi.org/10.1590/s1517-86922013000400011.
- Plotkin, Daniel, et al. “Progressive Overload without Progressing Load? The Effects of Load or Repetition Progression on Muscular Adaptations.” PeerJ, vol. 10, no. 10, 30 Sept. 2022, p. e14142, https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14142.
Garett Reid
Author