One of the simplest yet rewarding routines out there is the Push Pull Legs Split. It is an easy template mould which harnesses all the required criteria for a balanced strength and hypertrophy program, perfect for beginner and intermediate lifters.
The split is based upon grouping exercises into three categories:
- Push: Upper-body movements that push away from the centre of the body e.g. bench press
- Pull: Upper-body movements that move resistance towards the centre of the body e.g. dumbbell rows
- Legs: Any movement which targets the muscles of the legs
Sets and Repetitions
As a general rule of thumb a single session should consist of 4-6 movements (exercises) and 16-24 sets. Here are the ideal sets and repetition ranges you should perform for each exercise:
- Primary Exercise: focus upon strength = 3-5 Repetitions x 3-6 Sets
- Main Assistance: aimed towards improving strength in the primary exercise, again, focused on strength and athletic development with a little muscle building = 5-8 Repetitions x 4-6 Sets.
- Compound Mass: aimed to improve upon strength and muscle weaknesses = 6-8 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets.
- Mass Assistance: directed towards gaining muscle mass and strength = 8-12 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets.
- Mass: solely focused on muscle development and conditioning = 10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets.
- Mass: solely focused on muscle development and conditioning = 10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets.
As you can see we begin with strength and athletic development exercises that focus on low repetitions and heavy weight which are used to develop strength. These require the most amount of energy and technique; therefore they must be performed at the start of the session. We slowly fade into mass building parameters, focusing on slightly higher repetitions.
Exercise Selection
Exercise selection is easy – on pull day you do pulling exercises, on push day you do pushing exercises, on leg day you do leg exercises.
You begin with compound movements and slowly move onto isolation movements. Here are some exercises you could use:
| Days | Primary Exercise | Main Assistance and Compound Mass | Mass Assistance | Mass |
| Push | Bench Press
Overhead Press Push Press | Overhead Press
Bench Press (and any variation e.g. close grip) Dips Dumbbell Bench Press Incline Press Push ups Dumbbell Overhead press (single or double) Push Press Floor Press | Push ups
Dips Cable fly’s Fly’s Skull crushers Pec Deck | Triceps Pushdown
Triceps Extension Push ups Cable fly’s Fly’s Dips Lateral raises |
| Pull | Deadlift Variations
Olympic Lifts | Olympic Lifts
Rows (any type) Chin ups Pull ups Shrugs Rack-pulls Pulldowns | Chin ups
Pull ups Shrugs Row variation (lighter) Pulldowns Straight arm pushdown Face pulls Band-pull aparts | Scarecrows
Band-pull aparts Face pulls Curls (any arm work) |
| Legs | Squat Variations
Olympic Lifts | Olympic Lifts
Split Squats Hip Trusts Good mornings Stiff-leg deadlifts Lunges Step ups Leg Press Hack Squats Glute-ham Raise Box Squats | Glute-ham raises
Pull-through Swiss ball leg curl Reverse hyperextensions Lunges Step ups Hip trusts Leg press | Sled drags
Leg extensions Leg curls Glute-ham raises Swiss ball leg curl Abdominal work |
Push Pull Legs Split – Example Plan
Here’s what an example push pull legs split may look like:
Push:
- Primary Exercises: Bench Press (3-5 Repetitions x 3-6 Sets)
- Main Assistance: Dumbbell Incline Bench Press (5-8 Repetitions x 4-6 Sets)
- Compound Mass: Dips (6-8 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets)
- Mass Assistance: Push-ups (8-12 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets)
- Mass: Triceps Extensions ( 10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets)
- Mass: Triceps Pushdowns (10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets)
Pull:
- Primary Exercise: Deadlift (3-5 Repetitions x 3-6 Sets)
- Main Assistance: Dumbbell Rows (5-8 Repetitions x 4-6 Sets)
- Compound Mass: Chin ups (6-8 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets)
- Mass Assistance: Face Pulls (8-12 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets)
- Mass: Barbell Curls (10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets)
- Mass: Hammer Curls (10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets)
Legs:
- Primary Exercise: Squat (3-5 Repetitions x 3-6 Sets)
- Main Assistance: Stiff-legged Deadlifts (5-8 Repetitions x 4-6 Sets)
- Compound Mass: Bulgarian Split Squats (6-8 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets)
- Mass Assistance: Leg Press (8-12 Repetitions x 3-5 Sets)
- Mass: Glute-ham Raises (10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets)
- Mass: Weighted Abdominal Rollouts (10-15 Repetitions x 3 Sets)
Push Pull Legs Split – 3 days vs 4 days
Push pull legs split can be put into a three or four day a week program:
| Day | 3 Days a Week | 4 Days a Week |
| Monday | Legs | Legs |
| Tuesday | Off | Push |
| Wednesday | Pull | Off |
| Thursday | Off | Pull |
| Friday | Push | Off |
| Saturday | Off | Legs |
| Sunday | Off | Off |
| Monday | Legs | Push |
| Tuesday | Off | Pull |
| Wednesday | Pull | Off |
| Thursday | Off | Legs |
| Friday | Push | Off |
| Saturday | Off | Push |
| Sunday | Off | Off |
Both have their benefits, if your goal is purely strength and size based or you’re going through a bulking phase, you may find the four day a week to be beneficial.
However, I personally prefer the 3 day a week program as it gives athletes plenty of time to work on skills needed in their sport, as well as sprinting and other conditioning sessions, while still gaining great amounts of strength and size.
If you’re an in-season athlete you’ll need something more refined, get your free in-season programme here – Game Ready: The Inseason Training Programme
Reblogged this on and commented:
This is a great article to build your knowledge of exercising, very comprehensive!
Fred (LHXC)
no shoulder press on push movement ?
Push press and overhead press are the two shoulder movements in the push section.
@ Genas mousas there is als dumbell shoulder press so yeah he has 3 big shoulder exercises listed there.
@ Jack, let me tell ya what I decided to do here. I am coming back from a shoulder injury and am also at a stage in life where time is at a premium and I have to be careful I get my sleep. So I’m gonna use this routine as follows;
Starting out I am using light weight to ensure my shoulder is rock solid. I am also using the min reps and sets you have listed (except for deadlifts which I am doing 5 x 5 at moderate to heavy weight). I am also only training 3 x/week for now.
As I get stronger I will use the wave method and increase the sets and tweak rep ranges where it will benefit myself. As long as the shoulder holds up I will work out to heavy weights at 3 x a week for about 6 to 9 weeks.
After 6 to 9 weeks I will evaluate. Am I hitting a plateau ? Is my shoulder healthy? Somehwere in the 6 -9 week range we usually peak our strength levels. At this point I will taper the wave back down to less intensity and restart with min reps/sets again.
Also when I feel I can handle things timewise I will go from the 3 day to the 4 day routine thereby “kicking up a notch” another way.
Question: I Did dead lifts and the next day I am feeling it but knowing myself I am probably gonna feel it tomorrow even more and its leg day tomorrow….. I though about doing Pull on monday instead of push and keep legs on friday to avoid not being fresh for leg day after crushing deadlifts. It just seems like one day off in between back day and leg day doesn’t give me the rest I need.
So what would be better, leave back day alone but just go lighter on deadlifts to make sure Im not too wiped out for squats 48 hrs later? Or just switch the push/pull days around?
Thanks !
Forgot this…..Or another option would be deadlift heavy then squat light (or skip squats and do another exercise) one week and then deadlift light (or skip deadlifts ) and go heavy on squats the next week and keep alternating.?
First of all, if you’re short on time, I’d recommend cutting some of the mass exercises out which are usually at the end of the session. As these are more optional, not vital. Also, do you know what your shoulder issue was?
In answer to your question – you can use the program in a pull,push,legs order but personally I would look into your dead-lift, the volume might be a bit much with 5×5. I would reduce the overall volume by reducing the amount of sets and reps, you don’t need to decrease the intensity.
No idk what exactly was wrong with my shoulder. My chiropractor was one week away from sending me for an mri when it started to feel better. It has progrssively gotten better over the past few weeks as I slowly ramp up in weight and intensity.
Concerning the deadlift you are most like correct. Deads are my fav and when Im doing them I feel like an animal. I usually end up going hard as hell and work my ass off. The next day I feel wiped out and hungry !!! Sometimes I dont even sleep well that night , even if I pulled early in the a.m.!
I like the idea of switching btween deads and squats on the intensity level. week 1 heavy deads & light squats (or no squats) week 2 Heavy squats & light deads (or no deads) repeat.
Hey! been deciding on a push pull legs routine for a while now! and came across yours, looks great with in depth details of what to do and why given me great info thanks 🙂 you say this is for beginners, what would you recommend for someone who has more experience, been lifting over a year now, SERIOUS hard gainer, now iv got my diet in check getting strength is a slow but steady progress i’m just really struggling with size! thanks again for the info i shall be looking at more of your stuff
thanks
Dom
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Rest between set?tank you
Generally:
Primary Exercise: 2-3minutes
Main Assistance/ Compound Mass: 90seconds- 2 minutes
Others: 30seconds-90sec
I specially go to my college gym because they have the trap bar. I love the trap bar deadlift. When I am training legs can I replace the split squats for the trapbar deadlifts? I am a hardgainner, my trapbar deadlift is about 275 lbs for 6 reps. I am 5`8, 140 lbs. If I do the 4 days program with full hard work and keep my calories in the 3500-4000 range, will I gain muscle? Keeping in mind that I will also be resting 8 hours, taking protein shake(3 servings divided. upon waking up, before workout, and after workout, and creatine(5-10 grams a day. Upon waking up and post workout). I will highly appreciate a reply. Also, I am confused on whether I am a beginner and a hardgeinner or not because being a hardgainner is not at all in my genetics. I can do 50 pushups, 20 pullups, I mostly do compound movements. My squat went up from 115 to 155, bent over row from 90 to 115. Chest press from 115 to 145. I have been training for long but not with seriousness.
Reblogged this on Strength and Sense and commented:
Thought I would re blog this post made me think about doing Push Pull Legs. 🙂
http://strengthstrategy.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/more-experimentation-push-pull-legs/
I will be trying a Push Pull Legs in the near future. just thought I would share. Thanks again for the great post!
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Thanks for sharing on your blog mate. Just followed your twitter, you’ve got some good stuff going on. Keep up the good work.
Reblogged this on 6 month tranformation and commented:
This sounds pretty great, after my deload week next week I’m going to give this a crack for 4 weeks. Focusing on the 3 sessions a week.
Hey man, thanks for this, looks great to me. Definitely going to give it a try. Cheers.
Thank you! Good luck with it mate. Great to have a fellow rugger on board!
Cheers man, just a quick question. I get alot of hamstring injuries recently and it seems to happen usually after stiff leg deadlifting. Any suggestions on another exercise to do instead of them?
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I’ve had a grade 1 tear in the left hamstring and an issue with the area around the tendon insertion in the right one in the last year. I’ve worked hard on flexibility in the last few months and they’re feeling much better but still reluctant to go back to stiff leg or romanian deadlift to be honest.
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Cheers man, much appreciated
Thanks! I shall do my best.
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