Walk into any gym and you will hear people talk about “push day” and “leg day”. These come from a training layout called push, pull, legs, or PPL. It sorts exercises by the way your body moves instead of one muscle at a time.
What the three days mean
| Day | Movement | Main muscles | Example exercises |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push | You press weight away from you | Chest, shoulders, back of the arms (triceps) | Bench press, shoulder press, incline press, triceps pushdown |
| Pull | You pull weight toward you | Back, rear shoulders, front of the arms (biceps) | Lat pulldown, rows, face pull, biceps curl |
| Legs | You squat, hinge and step | Thighs, glutes, hamstrings, calves | Squat, Romanian deadlift, lunge, calf raise |
The benefit is that muscles that work together get trained together, and the muscles you just used get a rest while you train the next group.
A sample 5-day week
This is the layout from our weekly planner. You can tap each day there to see every exercise animated.
| Day | Workout | Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push | Bench press, dumbbell shoulder press, incline dumbbell press, triceps pushdown |
| Tuesday | Pull | Lat pulldown, cable row, face pull, biceps curl |
| Wednesday | Legs | Squat, Romanian deadlift, lunge, calf raise |
| Friday | Upper | Push-up, dumbbell row, lateral raise, biceps curl |
| Saturday | Lower | Leg press, hip thrust, leg curl, plank |
What a push day looks like
Here is how a typical push session might run. Warm up first, then do the exercises in order with 1–2 minutes of rest between sets.
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Why this order |
|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 3 × 6–10 | The biggest push lift comes first, when you are fresh |
| Dumbbell shoulder press | 3 × 8–10 | Works the shoulders and triceps |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 8–12 | Adds upper chest work |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 × 10–12 | An isolation move to finish |
Is PPL right for a beginner?
Honestly, not always. A summary of the ACSM position stand for novice lifters suggests 2–3 days a week of total-body workouts. That fits a full body plan better than a 5 or 6-day split. When you are new, you improve fastest by practising the main movements often, and a full body week lets you squat, press and pull several times.
PPL makes more sense when:
- you have been training consistently for a few months;
- you can reliably train four or more days a week;
- you enjoy the gym and want more exercise variety.
If you can only train three days, you can still do PPL once through the week, but each muscle group is then trained only once a week. Many beginners find an upper/lower split on four days a good middle step: two upper-body days and two lower-body days.
A version for three days a week
If you can only train three days, you can run one cycle a week. Many beginners prefer to alternate a full body day with their split.
| Day | Workout |
|---|---|
| Monday | Push |
| Wednesday | Pull |
| Friday | Legs |
Each muscle group is trained once a week, which is less often than the 2–3 weekly sessions suggested for novices. If it feels too little, move to a full body plan.
How to rest
The same ACSM summary says muscles need about 24–48 hours between workouts. In a PPL week the days alternate muscle groups, so you can train on consecutive days. Keep at least one or two full rest days a week, and read our guide on how many days a week to train.
Tips for starting PPL
- Start with 2 sets per exercise for the first two weeks, then build up to 3.
- Keep the order the same each week so you can see your progress. See progressive overload.
- Do not skip legs. They are the biggest muscles in your body, and the exercises can be the most rewarding.
- Be flexible. If a day is missed, move on to the next workout instead of squeezing two in.
Common PPL mistakes
- Too many exercises. Four exercises per session is enough for a beginner. More is not better.
- Skipping the warm-up. Each day needs its own warm-up for the muscles you will use. See our warm-up guide.
- Neglecting legs. Legs are half your body, and the exercises build strength that carries over to everything else.
- Changing exercises every week. Keep the same exercises for at least 4 weeks so you can measure progress.
- Training the same muscles on consecutive days. For example, do not do two push days in a row.
Frequently asked questions
Where do arms and abs fit in?
Biceps work on pull days and triceps work on push days, because they help in those movements. Abs are used in almost every exercise, and you can add a plank at the end of a leg day.
How long should a session last?
About 45 to 60 minutes, including the warm-up.
Can I do PPL twice a week?
That means six training days, which is a lot for a beginner. Most people start with three or four days a week and add more only if they recover well.
A new split means new movements. Use weights that let you keep good form, and stop if something hurts.