Why Push Pull Legs Works
The push pull legs (PPL) split organizes your training by movement pattern rather than individual muscles. This is important because compound exercises — the movements that build the most muscle — always involve multiple muscle groups working together.
A bench press is a push. A barbell row is a pull. A squat is legs. By grouping movements this way, you avoid overlap problems and ensure adequate recovery.
The Three Training Days
Push Day — Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
These muscles all work together during pressing movements. By training them on the same day, you only need to recover once.Core exercises:
- Bench Press (flat or incline) — 4 sets × 6-8 reps
- Overhead Press — 3 sets × 8-10 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press — 3 sets × 10-12 reps
- Lateral Raises — 4 sets × 12-15 reps
- Tricep Pushdowns — 3 sets × 10-12 reps
- Overhead Tricep Extension — 2 sets × 12-15 reps
Pull Day — Back, Biceps, Rear Delts
Every pulling movement recruits back and biceps together.Core exercises:
- Barbell Rows — 4 sets × 6-8 reps
- Pull-ups or Lat Pulldowns — 3 sets × 8-10 reps
- Cable Rows — 3 sets × 10-12 reps
- Face Pulls — 3 sets × 15-20 reps
- Barbell Curls — 3 sets × 10-12 reps
- Hammer Curls — 2 sets × 12-15 reps
Leg Day — Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
The largest muscle groups in your body, trained together.Core exercises:
- Squats — 4 sets × 6-8 reps
- Romanian Deadlifts — 3 sets × 8-10 reps
- Leg Press — 3 sets × 10-12 reps
- Leg Curls — 3 sets × 10-12 reps
- Walking Lunges — 2 sets × 12 reps each leg
- Calf Raises — 4 sets × 12-15 reps
Frequency Options
| Schedule | Days/Week | Best For | Frequency/Muscle |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPL Rest PPL Rest | 6 | Intermediate-Advanced | 2x/week |
| P-P-L Rest Repeat | 5 | Time-limited lifters | ~1.7x/week |
| P-P-L Rest | 3 | Beginners | 1x/week |
The 6-day version is optimal for muscle growth because it hits each muscle group twice per week — the frequency most supported by research.
Progressive Overload in PPL
The single most important principle: do more over time.
- Add weight: When you can complete all prescribed reps with good form, add 5 lbs to barbell exercises or 2.5 lbs to dumbbells.
- Add reps: If adding weight is not possible, add 1-2 reps per set.
- Add sets: If you plateau on reps, add one more set.
REPVEX tracks all of this automatically. The app shows your previous performance for every exercise and alerts you when you beat a personal record. This removes the guesswork from progressive overload entirely.
Common PPL Mistakes
1. Too much volume on day one, none left for day six. Your Wednesday push day should look similar to your Saturday push day. Distribute volume evenly.
2. Skipping leg day. We know. Do it anyway. Your legs are half your body.
3. No deload weeks. Every 4-6 weeks, reduce volume by 40-50% to let your body recover. REPVEX's fatigue tracking helps identify when you need a deload.
4. Ignoring rear delts and face pulls. Shoulder health depends on balanced anterior/posterior development. Face pulls are non-negotiable. If you have hit a wall, check out our strength plateau guide.
Tracking PPL with REPVEX
The 3D muscle map in REPVEX is practically designed for PPL training. After a push day, you can see exactly which muscles were hit and how much volume they received. If your lateral delts are lagging behind your chest, the AI will adjust your next push day to compensate.
Download REPVEX free and let the AI build your PPL program.