The Push Pull Legs Split: Complete Guide
The Push Pull Legs (PPL) split is the most popular and arguably most effective training split for building muscle. It organizes your training around movement patterns rather than individual muscle groups, allowing optimal training frequency and recovery.
Whether you're running a 3-day or 6-day PPL, this guide covers everything you need to know — from exercise selection to progressive overload implementation.
What is a Push Pull Legs Split?
Push Pull Legs (PPL) divides training into three movement categories: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps), Pull (back, biceps, rear delts), and Legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves). Each muscle group gets trained 1-2x per week depending on frequency.
PPL Schedule Options
6-Day PPL (Recommended for Hypertrophy)
| Day | Session | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push A | Heavy compounds (Bench 4×6) |
| Tuesday | Pull A | Heavy compounds (Rows 4×6) |
| Wednesday | Legs A | Heavy compounds (Squats 4×6) |
| Thursday | Push B | Volume focus (DB Press 3×12) |
| Friday | Pull B | Volume focus (Cable Rows 3×12) |
| Saturday | Legs B | Volume focus (RDLs 3×12) |
| Sunday | Rest | Recovery |
3-Day PPL (For Beginners or Limited Time)
Run Push/Pull/Legs once per week with higher volume per session. Each muscle group gets hit once per week, which is sufficient for beginners but suboptimal for intermediate+ lifters.
Exercise Selection by Day
Push Day
- Bench Press (flat or incline) — primary chest compound
- Overhead Press (barbell or dumbbell) — primary shoulder compound
- Incline Dumbbell Press — upper chest emphasis
- Lateral Raises — side delt isolation (4×15)
- Tricep Pushdowns — tricep isolation
- Cable Flyes — chest stretch and contraction
Pull Day
- Barbell Rows — primary back compound
- Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns — lat width
- Face Pulls — rear delts and shoulder health
- Barbell Curls — bicep compound
- Hammer Curls — brachialis and forearms
Legs Day
- Squats (back or front) — king of leg exercises
- Romanian Deadlifts — posterior chain emphasis
- Leg Press — quad volume
- Walking Lunges — unilateral strength
- Leg Curls — hamstring isolation
- Calf Raises — don't skip calves
How to Apply Progressive Overload to PPL
The beauty of PPL is that you train each movement pattern twice per week (in the 6-day version). This gives you two data points per week to apply progressive overload:
- Day A = Strength focus: Lower rep ranges (4-6 reps), heavier weights. Progress by adding 2.5-5 lbs per week.
- Day B = Volume focus: Higher rep ranges (10-15 reps), moderate weights. Progress by adding reps before adding weight.
PPL vs Other Training Splits
| Split | Best For | Frequency | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPL | Hypertrophy | 2x/week per muscle | Good |
| Upper/Lower | Strength + Size | 2x/week per muscle | Better |
| Bro Split | Volume per session | 1x/week per muscle | Best |
| Full Body | Beginners, 3x/week | 3x/week per muscle | Needs management |
| 5/3/1 | Powerlifting | 1-2x/week per lift | Built-in |
For most intermediate lifters looking to build muscle, PPL provides the optimal balance of volume, frequency, and recovery. If you can commit to 6 days a week, it's hard to beat.
Common PPL Mistakes
- Making Push Day "Chest Day": Your shoulders and triceps need equal attention. Don't do 6 chest exercises and 1 shoulder exercise.
- Skipping face pulls: Rear delts and rotator cuff health are critical for pressing longevity. Do face pulls on every pull day.
- Identical A and B days: Your two Push days should be different — vary the exercises, rep ranges, or intensity.
- No periodization: Running the exact same PPL with the same weights for months will stall. Use mesocycles with planned progressive overload and deloads.