The Complete PPL Routine | Push/Pull/Legs Exercises and How to Run 3 or 6 Days a Week
PPL splits the body across three days: push, pull, and legs. It shines at 6 days a week (every muscle twice). At 3 days a week, be aware that every muscle drops to once.
Here's each day's exercise lineup and the right way to schedule it at each frequency.
How PPL works, and its biggest catch
Push = chest, shoulders, triceps; Pull = back, biceps; Legs = legs. Grouping muscles by movement means everything that works together trains together, so you can push hard efficiently, and each muscle group gets built-in recovery days. But one full cycle takes 3 days, so at 3 days a week, each muscle gets trained just once. Since twice a week is superior for muscle growth, PPL is fundamentally a 6-day (two-cycle) program. If you can only train 3 days, full body is the better choice for building muscle.
Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
| Exercise | Sets x reps |
|---|---|
| Bench Press | 4x6-8 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3x8-12 |
| Overhead Press | 3x8-12 |
| Lateral Raise | 4x12-15 |
| Cable Fly | 3x12-15 |
| Triceps Pushdown | 3x10-15 |
Pull (back, biceps)
| Exercise | Sets x reps |
|---|---|
| Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldown | 4x6-10 |
| Bent-Over Row | 4x8-10 |
| Seated Row | 3x10-12 |
| Face Pull | 3x15-20 |
| Biceps Curl | 3x10-12 |
| Incline Curl | 2x10-15 |
Legs (the entire lower body)
| Exercise | Sets x reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 4x6-8 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3x8-10 |
| Leg Press | 3x10-12 |
| Leg Curl | 3x10-15 |
| Leg Extension | 3x12-15 |
| Calf Raise | 4x10-15 |
Running PPL on 3 vs 6 days a week
- 6 days: Push, Pull, Legs, Push, Pull, Legs, rest. Every muscle twice a week: optimal for muscle growth. Slightly varying the exercises or rep ranges in the second cycle freshens the stimulus.
- 4-5 days: patch the frequency with PPL + upper/lower (see the programs-by-frequency guide).
- 3 days: each muscle drops to once a week; for muscle growth, consider switching to full body.
Six days a week piles up volume fast, so if progress stalls or your joints start complaining, schedule a deload.
FAQ
- Does PPL work on 3 days a week?
- It works, but each muscle gets trained once a week, which loses out to a twice-weekly full-body plan for muscle growth. If 3 days is all you have, go full body; if you can train 6, PPL is an excellent fit.
- Is the Push/Pull/Legs order fixed?
- There's no strict rule. But Push and Pull overlap at the shoulders and arms, so putting Legs between them helps your upper body recover. Push, Pull, Legs is the standard order.
- Isn't 6 days a week overtraining?
- Each session targets a narrow set of muscles and every muscle group gets 2-3 days between sessions, so as long as total volume isn't excessive, it's fine. Do use your log to watch for signs recovery is falling behind (dropping weights, persistent tightness) and respond with a deload when needed.
Key takeaways
- PPL divides the body into Push, Pull, and Legs across three days
- Its true home is 6 days a week, where every muscle gets trained twice
- At 3 days a week each muscle drops to once, so full body wins
- On 6 days, volume piles up fast: manage fatigue with deloads
References
- Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
- Resistance Training Frequency and Muscle Hypertrophy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
- ACSM Position Stand: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults
- Periodization, Strength and Muscle Hypertrophy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis