PPL Workout Program: Complete Push Pull Legs Training Guide

Push Pull Legs (PPL) is one of the most effective workout splits for building muscle and strength. It's popular among intermediate and advanced lifters for good reason—it works. Here's a complete guide to implementing PPL.

What is Push Pull Legs?

PPL divides training by movement pattern:

• Push: Chest, shoulders, triceps (pressing movements)
• Pull: Back, biceps, rear delts (pulling movements)
• Legs: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves

This organization groups muscles that work together, reduces overlap, and allows optimal recovery.

PPL Schedule Options

6-Day PPL (Most Common)

| Day | Workout | |-----|---------| | Monday | Push A | | Tuesday | Pull A | | Wednesday | Legs A | | Thursday | Push B | | Friday | Pull B | | Saturday | Legs B | | Sunday | Rest |

This is the classic PPL split—each muscle group trained twice per week.

3-Day PPL (Minimum)

| Day | Workout | |-----|---------| | Monday | Push | | Wednesday | Pull | | Friday | Legs |

Good for beginners or those with limited time. Each muscle trained once per week.

5-Day PPL (Rotating)

| Week 1 | Workout | |--------|---------| | Mon | Push | | Tue | Pull | | Wed | Rest | | Thu | Legs | | Fri | Push | | Sat | Pull | | Sun | Rest |

Continues rotating. Higher frequency over time.

Complete 6-Day PPL Program

Push A (Chest Focus)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes | |----------|------|------|-------| | Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 5-6 | Heavy, strength focus | | Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8-10 | Upper chest | | Cable Fly | 3 | 12-15 | Chest isolation | | Overhead Press | 3 | 8-10 | Shoulder compound | | Lateral Raise | 4 | 12-15 | Side delts | | Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 | Tricep isolation | | Overhead Extension | 2 | 12-15 | Long head tricep |

Pull A (Back Width Focus)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes | |----------|------|------|-------| | Pull-Up or Lat Pulldown | 4 | 6-10 | Vertical pulling | | Barbell Row | 4 | 6-8 | Heavy rowing | | Seated Cable Row | 3 | 10-12 | Constant tension | | Face Pull | 3 | 15-20 | Rear delts + health | | Barbell Curl | 3 | 8-10 | Bicep compound | | Hammer Curl | 2 | 10-12 | Brachialis |

Legs A (Quad Focus)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes | |----------|------|------|-------| | Barbell Back Squat | 4 | 5-6 | Heavy, strength focus | | Leg Press | 3 | 10-12 | Quad volume | | Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8-10 | Hamstrings | | Leg Extension | 3 | 12-15 | Quad isolation | | Leg Curl | 3 | 10-12 | Hamstring isolation | | Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 10-15 | Calves |

Push B (Shoulder Focus)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes | |----------|------|------|-------| | Overhead Press | 4 | 5-6 | Heavy, strength focus | | Incline Barbell Press | 3 | 8-10 | Upper chest | | Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10-12 | Chest volume | | Lateral Raise | 4 | 12-15 | Side delts | | Cable Fly | 3 | 12-15 | Chest isolation | | Close-Grip Bench | 3 | 8-10 | Heavy triceps | | Tricep Pushdown | 2 | 12-15 | Tricep volume |

Pull B (Back Thickness Focus)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes | |----------|------|------|-------| | Barbell Row | 4 | 5-6 | Heavy rowing | | Weighted Pull-Up | 3 | 6-8 | Add weight | | Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8-10 each | Unilateral | | Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10-12 | Lat volume | | Face Pull | 3 | 15-20 | Rear delts | | Incline Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 10-12 | Long head bicep | | Cable Curl | 2 | 12-15 | Bicep pump |

Legs B (Hamstring/Glute Focus)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Notes | |----------|------|------|-------| | Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 6-8 | Heavy hip hinge | | Front Squat | 3 | 8-10 | Quad work | | Hip Thrust | 3 | 10-12 | Glute focus | | Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 10 each | Unilateral | | Lying Leg Curl | 4 | 10-12 | Hamstring isolation | | Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 12-15 | Soleus focus |

Progression Strategy

For Main Lifts (Bench, Squat, Deadlift, OHP, Row)

Double Progression Method:

1. Start at bottom of rep range (e.g., 4x5)
2. Add reps each session until top of range (4x8)
3. Add 5-10 lbs, return to bottom of rep range
4. Repeat

Example:

• Week 1: 185 lbs x 5,5,5,5
• Week 2: 185 lbs x 6,6,6,5
• Week 3: 185 lbs x 7,7,6,6
• Week 4: 185 lbs x 8,8,7,7
• Week 5: 190 lbs x 5,5,5,5

For Accessories

• Add reps before weight
• Smaller weight jumps (2.5-5 lbs)
• Focus on feeling the muscle, not ego lifting

PPL Training Tips

Push Day Tips

• Bench before overhead press on Push A (heavy chest)
• OHP before bench on Push B (heavy shoulders)
• Save tricep isolation for last
• Face pulls can go on push day for shoulder health

Pull Day Tips

• Start with your weakest area (width or thickness)
• Use straps for heavy rows—don't let grip limit back
• Face pulls every pull session
• Biceps at the end (they're already fatigued from pulling)

Leg Day Tips

• Squats or deadlifts first when fresh
• Don't neglect hamstrings—injury prevention
• Single-leg work fixes imbalances
• Calves at the end (they're resilient)

Common PPL Mistakes

Mistake 1: Skipping the B Workouts Both A and B workouts are important. The variation prevents plateaus and ensures balanced development.

Mistake 2: Too Much Volume PPL already has high frequency. You don't need 30 sets per muscle per session. The program above is sufficient.

Mistake 3: Going Too Heavy on Accessories Save heavy lifting for main compounds. Accessories are for volume and isolation.

Mistake 4: Neglecting Rear Delts Front delts get hit by pressing. Do face pulls every pull day (and even push day).

Mistake 5: Same Intensity Every Day Vary intensity: Heavy days (A workouts), moderate days (B workouts). Deload when needed.

Mistake 6: Not Eating Enough PPL is demanding. Eat adequate protein (0.8-1g/lb) and calories for recovery.

Who Should Do PPL?

Good for:

• Intermediate lifters (1+ year training)
• Those who can train 5-6 days per week
• People wanting to maximize muscle growth
• Those who recover well from high frequency

Not ideal for:

• Complete beginners (try full body first)
• Those who can only train 3 days per week
• People with recovery issues
• During heavy life stress periods

Modifying PPL

For Strength Focus

• Lower rep ranges (3-6) on main lifts
• Longer rest (3-5 minutes)
• Fewer isolation exercises
• Add paused reps and heavy singles

For Hypertrophy Focus

• Higher rep ranges (8-15)
• More isolation work
• Shorter rest (60-90 seconds)
• Add drop sets and supersets

For Time-Crunched

• Cut each workout to 5-6 exercises
• Superset accessories
• 45-minute sessions are doable

Sample Weekly Schedule

| Day | Time | Workout | |-----|------|---------| | Monday | 6 AM | Push A (60 min) | | Tuesday | 6 AM | Pull A (55 min) | | Wednesday | 6 AM | Legs A (60 min) | | Thursday | Rest | Mobility/cardio optional | | Friday | 6 AM | Push B (55 min) | | Saturday | 9 AM | Pull B (55 min) | | Sunday | 10 AM | Legs B (60 min) |

Deload Protocol

Every 4-6 weeks, take a deload week:

• Reduce weight by 40-50%
• Keep sets the same
• This allows recovery and prevents burnout

Signs you need a deload:

• Weights feeling heavy
• Poor sleep
• Lack of motivation
• Joint aches

Summary

PPL is an excellent split for intermediate and advanced lifters who want to maximize muscle growth. The key principles:

1. Train each muscle 2x per week (optimal for hypertrophy)
2. Heavy compounds first (strength foundation)
3. Isolation after compounds (volume and detail)
4. Progressive overload (add weight or reps over time)
5. Adequate recovery (sleep, nutrition, deloads)

Commit to 12+ weeks of consistent PPL training, and you'll see significant progress in both strength and size.