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The Complete Push Pull Legs (PPL) Routine Guide for 2026

Push Pull Legs is one of the most popular training splits for a reason: it works. It organizes your training around movement patterns instead of individual muscles, which means less overlap, better recovery, and more efficient workouts. Whether you're an intermediate lifter looking for structure or an advanced trainee wanting to increase frequency, PPL is worth understanding.

What Is Push Pull Legs?

PPL divides all your exercises into three categories based on the primary movement:

• Push — any exercise where you push weight away from your body. This covers chest, shoulders, and triceps. Think bench press, overhead press, and tricep pushdowns.
• Pull — any exercise where you pull weight toward your body. This covers back and biceps. Think rows, pull-ups, and curls.
• Legs — everything below the waist. Quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Think squats, deadlifts, and leg press.

The beauty of this split is its simplicity. Every muscle gets trained without overlap between sessions, so you can train hard and recover properly.

Who Is PPL For?

PPL works best for people who can train at least 3 days per week, ideally 6. Here's how to think about it:

• 3 days/week — Run the rotation once (Push, Pull, Legs) with rest days between. Each muscle group gets hit once per week. Decent for maintaining, not optimal for growth.
• 4-5 days/week — Run the rotation continuously. You'll hit each muscle group roughly 1.5 times per week. Good for most people.
• 6 days/week — Run the rotation twice (PPLPPL + rest). Each muscle group gets hit twice per week. This is the sweet spot for hypertrophy and the most popular way to run PPL.

If you can only train 3 days per week, a full-body program is usually a better choice. PPL really shines at higher frequencies.

The classic 6-day rotation

The 6-Day PPL Program

Here's a solid PPL split you can start running this week. The first rotation (days 1-3) emphasizes heavier compound work. The second rotation (days 4-6) shifts toward higher reps and more isolation work. This gives you the best of both strength and hypertrophy training.

Day 1 — Push (Strength Focus)

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Barbell Bench Press	4 x 5
Overhead Press	3 x 6-8
Incline Dumbbell Press	3 x 8-10
Lateral Raises	3 x 12-15
Tricep Dips or Pushdowns	3 x 10-12

Day 2 — Pull (Strength Focus)

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Barbell Rows	4 x 5
Weighted Pull-Ups	3 x 6-8
Seated Cable Rows	3 x 8-10
Face Pulls	3 x 15-20
Barbell Curls	3 x 8-10

Day 3 — Legs (Strength Focus)

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Barbell Squat	4 x 5
Romanian Deadlift	3 x 8-10
Leg Press	3 x 10-12
Leg Curl	3 x 10-12
Standing Calf Raises	4 x 12-15

Day 4 — Push (Hypertrophy Focus)

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Dumbbell Bench Press	3 x 8-12
Cable Flyes	3 x 12-15
Arnold Press	3 x 10-12
Lateral Raises	4 x 12-15
Overhead Tricep Extension	3 x 12-15

Day 5 — Pull (Hypertrophy Focus)

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Lat Pulldowns	3 x 10-12
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Rows	3 x 10-12
Cable Rows (Close Grip)	3 x 12-15
Reverse Flyes	3 x 15-20
Hammer Curls	3 x 10-12
Incline Dumbbell Curls	2 x 12-15

Day 6 — Legs (Hypertrophy Focus)

Exercise	Sets x Reps
Leg Press	4 x 10-12
Walking Lunges	3 x 12 each leg
Leg Extensions	3 x 12-15
Seated Leg Curls	3 x 10-12
Hip Thrusts	3 x 10-12
Seated Calf Raises	4 x 15-20

Day 7 — Rest. Stretch, walk, eat well, and recover. Growth happens outside the gym.

Exercise Selection Tips

This program is a template, not gospel. Feel free to swap exercises based on your equipment and preferences. A few principles to keep in mind:

• Keep compound lifts first. Bench, squat, deadlift, rows, and overhead press should come early in your session when you're freshest. These are the lifts that drive the most progress.
• Balance push and pull volume. If you do 15 sets of pushing per week, do at least 15 sets of pulling. Most lifters need more pulling work for shoulder health.
• Don't skip rear delts and face pulls. These are the most important exercises you're probably not doing enough of. They protect your shoulders and improve your posture.
• Swap freely within categories. Dumbbell bench instead of barbell? Fine. Chin-ups instead of lat pulldowns? Even better. The movement pattern matters more than the specific exercise.

How to Progress

The program only works if you're progressing over time. Here's a simple approach:

• Compound lifts (5-8 rep range): When you hit the top of the rep range for all sets, add 2.5kg (5 lbs) next session.
• Isolation lifts (10-15 rep range): When you hit the top of the rep range for all sets, add the smallest increment available.
• If you stall: Drop the weight by 10%, build back up. If you stall again, consider a deload week.

Tracking your weights and reps is essential here. If you're not writing it down, you're guessing. NorseLift has a built-in PPL template you can load and start using immediately, and it tracks your progression automatically so you always know what to aim for next session.

Common Mistakes

• Too much volume too soon. Start with the sets listed above. If you're recovering well after 4-6 weeks, add a set to one or two exercises. Don't start at maximum volume.
• Skipping legs. The full-body benefits of squats and deadlifts extend far beyond your legs. Don't be that person.
• No rest days. Running PPL 7 days a week without rest leads to burnout and injury. One full rest day per week is the minimum.
• Ego lifting. Use weights you can control through a full range of motion. A 60kg bench press with perfect form builds more muscle than a 100kg quarter rep.

When to Change Programs

PPL can work for months or even years if you keep progressing. But consider switching if:

• You can no longer train 4+ days per week consistently
• You've been doing PPL for 6+ months and want a change for motivation
• You have specific strength goals (like a powerlifting meet) that need specialized programming

For most lifters, PPL is a program you can always return to. It's simple, effective, and endlessly customizable.