Push Pull Legs (PPL): The Complete Guide to This Proven Split

Push Pull Legs — commonly called PPL — is one of the most battle-tested training splits in strength and hypertrophy training. It divides your workouts by movement pattern rather than muscle group, which means less overlap, better recovery, and more volume where it counts.

How PPL Works

The split separates training into three types of sessions:

• Push days — chest, shoulders, triceps (all pressing/pushing muscles)
• Pull days — back, biceps, rear delts (all pulling muscles)
• Leg days — quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves

By grouping muscles that work together, you avoid the problem of training a muscle that's already fatigued from the day before. Your triceps aren't wrecked from chest day when you hit shoulder pressing the next session.

Who Is PPL For?

PPL works best for intermediate to advanced lifters — people who have already built a base of strength and can handle 4–6 sessions per week. Beginners can use a 3-day version but will get more out of a full-body program first.

Ideal for you if:

• You've been training consistently for 6+ months
• You want to hit each muscle group twice per week
• You can train 4–6 days without burning out
• Your goal is hypertrophy with a side of strength

The 6-Day PPL Program

Day 1 — Push (Strength Focus)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Bench Press	4	4–6
Overhead Press	3	6–8
Incline Dumbbell Press	3	8–12
Cable Lateral Raise	3	12–15
Tricep Pushdown	3	10–12
Overhead Tricep Extension	2	12–15

Day 2 — Pull (Strength Focus)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Row	4	4–6
Weighted Pull-Up	3	6–8
Seated Cable Row	3	10–12
Face Pull	3	15–20
Hammer Curl	3	10–12
Incline Dumbbell Curl	2	12–15

Day 3 — Legs (Strength Focus)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Squat	4	4–6
Romanian Deadlift	3	8–10
Leg Press	3	10–12
Leg Curl	3	10–12
Calf Raise	4	12–15

Day 4 — Push (Hypertrophy Focus)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell Bench Press	4	10–12
Machine Shoulder Press	3	12–15
Cable Fly	3	12–15
Lateral Raise	4	15–20
Tricep Dip	3	10–12
Single-Arm Pushdown	2	15

Day 5 — Pull (Hypertrophy Focus)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Lat Pulldown	4	10–12
Single-Arm Dumbbell Row	3	10–12
Machine Row	3	12–15
Reverse Fly	3	15–20
Cable Curl	3	12–15
EZ-Bar Curl	2	12–15

Day 6 — Legs (Hypertrophy Focus)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Hack Squat	4	10–12
Bulgarian Split Squat	3	10–12 each
Leg Extension	3	15–20
Lying Leg Curl	3	12–15
Hip Thrust	3	12–15
Seated Calf Raise	4	15–20

Day 7: Rest

3-Day PPL Option

If you can only train 3 days per week, run one session of each per week. You'll hit each muscle group once rather than twice, which is still effective — especially if you increase volume per session slightly.

Progressive Overload in PPL

The key to making PPL work long-term is progressive overload. Each week, aim to either:

• Add weight to the bar (even 2.5kg counts)
• Add a rep to your working sets
• Improve your form on heavier loads

Track your lifts every session. Without a log, you're guessing.

Common PPL Mistakes

Skipping leg day — Leg sessions are brutal, which is why people skip them. Don't. Legs are half your body.

Too much volume too soon — Start with the minimum effective dose. You can always add sets; it's harder to recover from doing too much.

Not deloading — Every 8–12 weeks, reduce volume and intensity for a week. Your body needs it, and your strength will come back stronger.

Is PPL Better Than Other Splits?

There's no universally "best" split — but PPL has a strong evidence base and has produced elite physiques for decades. Its advantages:

• High weekly frequency (each muscle 2×/week)
• Clean muscle group separation
• Easy to scale volume up or down
• Works for both strength and hypertrophy goals

If you're past the beginner stage and want a structured, proven system — PPL is hard to beat.