Push pull legs routine
Push pull legs splits your training by movement: a push day (chest, shoulders and triceps), a pull day (back and biceps) and a leg day. Because each session focuses on a few muscles, you can do more sets for each one without the workout dragging on, which is why it is one of the most popular splits among people who have been training for a while.
You can run it two ways: three days a week, each session once, or six days, going through the cycle twice with one day off. On three days each muscle is trained once a week; on six, twice, which lets you fit more weekly sets per muscle. Every exercise links to its own page, with the technique and the most common mistakes.
Push day
- Bench press
Sets 3 · Reps 6 to 8 · Rest 2 to 3 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell bench press, Chest press machine
- Dumbbell shoulder press
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Arnold press
- Incline dumbbell press
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
- Lateral raises
Sets 3 · Reps 12 to 15 · Rest 1 min
- Triceps pushdown
Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 1 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell skull crusher
Pull day
- Pull-ups
Sets 3 · Reps 6 to 10 · Rest 2 to 3 min
Alternatives: Lat pulldown
- Barbell row
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell row, T-bar row
- Seated cable row
Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 90 s
Alternatives: Machine row
- Face pull
Sets 3 · Reps 12 to 15 · Rest 1 min
- Bicep curl
Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 1 min
Alternatives: Hammer curl, Barbell curl
Leg day
- Squat
Sets 3 · Reps 6 to 8 · Rest 2 to 3 min
Alternatives: Hack squat, Lunges
- Romanian deadlift
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
- Leg press
Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Bulgarian split squat
- Leg curl
Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 1 min
- Leg raises
Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 1 min
How to lay out the week
On six days, the usual sequence is push, pull, legs, push, pull, legs and a day off; for example Monday to Saturday with Sunday as rest. On three days, leave at least one day between sessions. On the six-day version, if you miss a day, don't skip it: pick the sequence up where you left off, so no muscle group goes a full week without training.
Who it's for
If you are just starting, a two- or three-day full body routine will usually serve you better, because each muscle gets trained more often. Push pull legs really pays off on six days, once you have been training for a few months and find full body sessions too long for all the sets you need. The three-day version works as a stepping stone if you are coming from full body and can't train more often yet.
How to progress
On each day's main lift (bench press, pull-ups, squat), aim to add a rep or a little load every week or two. On accessories such as lateral raises or curls, progress is slower: add reps within the range before moving to the next weight. Logging every set is how you know whether you are moving forward; after a month, memory won't tell you. If you can't do six pull-ups in a row yet, use the lat pulldown until you can.
If you have four or five days
On four days, do push, pull and legs, then repeat whichever day you most want to improve, rotating which one repeats each week. On five, just keep the sequence running regardless of the day of the week: if the week ends after a pull day, the next one starts with legs.
Frequently asked questions
Is push pull legs good for building muscle?
Yes, especially the six-day version: each muscle gets two sessions a week with several sets in each. The three-day version works too, but each muscle waits a full week between one session and the next.
Which day do abs go on?
On leg day, as in this plan; on the three-day version, add them at the end of another session too. Two or three sets of an ab exercise, two or three times a week, is enough for most people.
Can I train six days in a row?
Yes, if you sleep well and keep each session to a reasonable volume: each day works largely different muscles, although your shoulders and lower back are involved on more than one. If your performance drops for several sessions in a row, add a second day off.
Gojan builds the routine and changes it when you tell it your week falls apart. Download Gojan