Push Pull Legs Split: A Beginner-Friendly 3- and 6-Day Plan
Push pull legs split explained: who it suits, full 3-day and 6-day plans with sets, reps and rest, how to pick weights, add load safely and adapt it to 4 days.
A push pull legs (PPL) split divides your training into three workouts: push (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull (back, biceps, rear shoulders) and legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves). Run it 3 days a week and each muscle gets trained once a week; run it 6 days and each muscle gets trained twice. For most people coming off a few months of full body training, the 3-day version is the right start, and the 6-day version is for later, once recovery, sleep and food are sorted.
Both plans below use equipment almost every neighbourhood gym in India has: barbell, dumbbells, Smith machine, cables, leg press and leg curl.
Who should use a push pull legs split?
- Beginners who have done 2 to 3 months of full body training. You can squat, press and row with decent form. If not, start with the beginner gym workout plan instead.
- Intermediate lifters who want more exercises per muscle and like a clear weekly rhythm.
It's a poor fit if your schedule is unpredictable: miss legs day on the 3-day split and your legs go two weeks untrained.
As a baseline, the WHO guidelines on physical activity recommend adults do muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, plus 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Either PPL version covers the strength part.
3-day vs 6-day: how much does frequency matter?
- A 2016 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger found that, with volume equated, training a muscle twice a week gave better muscle growth than once a week.
- A larger 2019 meta-analysis of 25 studies by Schoenfeld, Grgic and Krieger found no significant difference when weekly volume was the same, and concluded you can pick the frequency that suits you.
- A 2017 meta-analysis on weekly sets found a graded dose-response: more weekly sets per muscle were linked with more growth (each extra set added about 0.37% to the percentage gain).
So weekly sets per muscle matter most. Training a muscle twice a week is mainly a practical way to fit in more good sets without marathon sessions.
How the two plans compare (direct working sets only):
| Muscle | 3-day PPL (1x a week) | 6-day PPL (2x a week) |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | 6 sets | 14 sets |
| Back (lats, upper back) | 8 sets | 17 sets |
| Side shoulders | 3 sets | 6 sets |
| Triceps | 3 sets | 6 sets |
| Biceps | 3 sets | 6 sets |
| Quads | 6 sets | 14 sets |
| Hamstrings | 6 sets | 9 sets |
| Calves | 3 sets | 6 sets |
The 3-day push pull legs plan
Train Monday (push), Wednesday (pull), Friday (legs). Rest 2–3 minutes after the first big lift of each day, about 2 minutes on other compound lifts and 60–90 seconds on small exercises.
Day 1: Push
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press (or Smith machine) | 3 | 6–10 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 3 | 12–15 |
| Cable triceps pushdown (rope or bar) | 3 | 10–15 |
Day 2: Pull
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Lat pulldown | 3 | 8–12 |
| Seated cable row | 3 | 8–12 |
| One-arm dumbbell row | 2 | 10–12 each side |
| Cable face pull (rope) | 2 | 12–15 |
| Dumbbell biceps curl | 3 | 10–12 |
Day 3: Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell back squat (or Smith machine squat) | 3 | 6–10 |
| Romanian deadlift (barbell or dumbbells) | 3 | 8–10 |
| Leg press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Lying or seated leg curl | 3 | 10–15 |
| Standing calf raise (machine or Smith) | 3 | 12–15 |
| Plank | 2 | 30–45 sec |
The 6-day push pull legs plan
Run Push A, Pull A, Legs A, Push B, Pull B, Legs B, then rest a day. The A days are the 3-day plan above; the B days use different exercises, with the same rest times:
| Day | Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push B | Incline barbell or Smith press | 3 | 6–10 |
| Machine chest press | 3 | 10–12 | |
| Cable fly or pec deck | 2 | 12–15 | |
| Dumbbell lateral raise | 3 | 12–15 | |
| Overhead dumbbell triceps extension | 3 | 10–12 | |
| Pull B | Assisted pull-up or close-grip lat pulldown | 3 | 6–12 |
| Bent-over barbell row (or T-bar row) | 3 | 8–10 | |
| Machine or cable row | 3 | 10–12 | |
| Reverse pec deck | 2 | 12–15 | |
| Hammer curl | 3 | 10–12 | |
| Legs B | Leg press | 3 | 10–12 |
| Bulgarian split squat (dumbbells) | 3 | 8–12 each leg | |
| Leg extension | 2 | 12–15 | |
| Lying or seated leg curl | 3 | 10–15 | |
| Hip thrust (barbell or Smith) | 3 | 8–12 | |
| Seated calf raise | 3 | 12–15 |
Six days is a lot. Start with 2 sets per exercise for two weeks, then add the third set once you're recovering well.
How do you warm up?
- 5 minutes on the cycle, treadmill or cross-trainer at an easy pace.
- A few bodyweight moves for the day: arm circles and band pull-aparts on push and pull days, bodyweight squats and hip hinges on legs day.
- Ramp-up sets before your first big lift. Say your working weight on bench is 40 kg (hypothetical): do the empty 20 kg bar for 10 reps, then 30 kg for 5, then start your working sets. Later exercises usually need only one light set.
How do you pick the right weight?
Reps in reserve (RIR) and RPE
RIR is how many more reps you could have done with good form when you stop the set. The RIR-based RPE scale from Zourdos and colleagues links the two: RPE 10 means 0 reps left, RPE 9 means 1 left, RPE 8 means 2 left, and so on.
For this plan, stop most sets at 1 to 3 RIR (RPE 7 to 9). Beginners should stay at 2 to 3. Don't chase precision: a 2022 meta-analysis found people underestimated reps left by about one on average.
A percentage of your 1RM
If you know your one-rep max, use the NSCA training load chart: roughly 75% of 1RM for 10 reps, 80% for 8 and 85% for 6. Get an estimate from a recent set with the one-rep max calculator, and see the full one rep max percentage chart for every rep count.
Use percentages only on big barbell lifts; RIR is simpler for curls and raises.
Progressive overload, explained simply
Progressive overload means doing a bit more over time: more reps, then more weight. The easiest system is double progression:
- Pick a rep range, say 3 sets of 8–10.
- Start with a weight you can do for 8 reps with about 2 left.
- Add a rep or two each week.
- At 3 x 10 with good form, add weight and drop back to 8.
The American College of Sports Medicine position stand on resistance training recommends a 2 to 10% increase in load when you can do one or two reps more than your target. Hypothetical example: bench press 40 kg for 3 x 10, then add 2.5 kg (one 1.25 kg plate each side). That's a 6.25% jump, well within the range.
Dumbbell jumps are bigger: 10 kg to 12 kg is 20%, so expect reps to drop for a week or two.
Write every session down. You can't progress what you don't track.
When should you deload?
A deload is a planned easier week. A 2023 international Delphi consensus of strength coaches defined it as a period of reduced training stress to reduce fatigue, promote recovery and prepare you for the next block.
There's no fixed rule. In a 2024 survey of 246 competitive strength and physique athletes, deloads lasted about 6 to 7 days, came roughly every 5 to 6 weeks, and usually meant fewer sets and reps, lighter loads and more reps in reserve, while keeping the same exercises and training days.
Those were experienced athletes. A practical approach for you: deload when main lifts stall two weeks running or your joints ache. Halve your sets, drop the weight 10–20% and keep your usual days.
How do you adapt PPL to 4 days a week?
| Option | Mon | Tue | Thu | Fri | Each muscle trained |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling PPL | Push | Pull | Legs | Push (next week starts with Pull) | About 4 times every 3 weeks |
| PPL + upper | Push | Pull | Legs | Upper (2 sets each of 1 push and 1 pull exercise, plus arms) | Upper body twice, legs once |
Rolling PPL simply continues where you left off. If legs are your priority, make Friday a lighter second legs day instead.
Common mistakes
- Jumping to 6 days too soon. More days without enough sleep and food just means more fatigue.
- Skipping legs day. On a 3-day split, your legs then go a fortnight untrained.
- Adding weight before the reps are there. Hit the top of the rep range first.
- Ego reps. Half reps and bouncing squats don't count.
- Ignoring food. Muscle gain needs enough protein and usually a small calorie surplus. Check yours with the protein calculator and the calorie calculator. For meal ideas, see the weight gain diet for skinny people or 100 g protein on a vegetarian Indian diet.
Safety: form first, and when to stop
- Learn the barbell lifts with a trainer before going heavy, and use safety bars or a spotter on squats and bench.
- Stop the set if form breaks down, and stop the session for sharp or joint pain, dizziness, chest pain or unusual breathlessness.
- If you're a complete beginner, have an injury, or have a condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, a back or joint problem, or are pregnant, get advice from a qualified trainer and your doctor before starting. Under 18s should train with a qualified coach.
The short version
- Start with 3 days (Mon, Wed, Fri) after 2 to 3 months of full body training
- Move to 6 days only when you can recover from it
- Weekly sets per muscle matter more than how many days you train
- Stop most sets with 1 to 3 reps in reserve
- Add reps first, then 2 to 10% more weight
- Deload when you stall, ache or feel flat
This is general information, not medical advice.
Useful links
- WHO guidelines on physical activity (2020)
- Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2016), training frequency and hypertrophy
- Schoenfeld, Grgic and Krieger (2019), training frequency meta-analysis
- Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2017), weekly training volume and muscle mass
- American College of Sports Medicine (2009), progression models in resistance training
- Zourdos et al. (2016), RIR-based RPE scale
- Halperin et al. (2022), predicting reps to failure
- Bell et al. (2023), deloading Delphi consensus
- Rogerson et al. (2024), deloading practices survey
- NSCA training load chart (PDF)
Cover photo: Weights Fitness by %u0141ukasz%20Popardowski, CC0, via stocksnap.
Frequently asked questions
Is push pull legs good for beginners?
It can be, once you have done two to three months of full body training and know the basic lifts. In your first weeks, a 3-day full body plan is simpler and trains each muscle more often. After that, a 3-day push pull legs split is a sensible next step.
Is a 3-day push pull legs split enough to build muscle?
Yes, for most people starting out. It trains each muscle once a week, and research suggests that what matters most is your total weekly sets per muscle, not just how often you train it. If you later want more volume, the 6-day version spreads it over two sessions per muscle.
Should I train to failure on push pull legs?
Not on most sets. Stopping with 1 to 3 reps still in the tank gives plenty of stimulus with less fatigue and lower injury risk. Going to failure on the last set of a safe machine exercise, like a leg curl or cable pushdown, is fine now and then.
Where do abs and cardio go in a PPL split?
Add 2 or 3 core exercises at the end of any two or three sessions, for example after legs and pull. Do cardio after lifting or on rest days, and aim for the WHO target of 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week across all your days.
Can women follow a push pull legs split?
Yes. The same exercises, sets and reps work for anyone. Starting weights and progress depend on the person, not their gender.