Push Pull Legs Workout Split

Push Pull Legs Workout Split

The Push, Pull, Legs split has been popular for decades. It's an excellent way to split up your workout that gives you a good amount of time for each muscle to recover before you train it again.

This routine is ideal for people who have 6-days ​to work out per week. If you have 5-days then you might choose to drop out on the 2nd legs day each week.

Day 1: Push

The first day is a push day, all exercises will be in a 'pushing' motion, training your chest, deltoids and triceps.

Bench Press: 5-6 reps x 3 sets

Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 5-6 reps x 3 sets

Incline Dumbbell Fly: 10-12 reps x 3 sets

Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 12-15 reps x 3 sets​

Tricep Dips: 3 sets of maximum reps

V-bar Tricep Pushdown: 8-10 reps x 3 sets​

Day 2: Pull

​The second day is a pull day, all exercises are in a 'pulling' motion and will train your lats, traps and biceps.

Pullups: 4 sets of maximum reps​

Barbell Row: 5-6 reps x 3 sets

V-bar Pulldown: 10-12 reps x 3 sets

Barbell Curls: 8-10 reps x 3 sets

Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 8-10 reps x 3 sets

Dumbbell Shrugs: 10-12 reps x 3 sets​

Day 3: Legs

​Day three is a leg day and you'll be training your quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

Barbell Squat: 5-6 reps x 3 sets

Leg Press: 12-15 reps x 3 sets

Leg Extensions: 12-15 reps x 3 sets

Leg Curls​: 12-15 reps x 4 sets

Standing Calf Raise: 12-15 reps x 4 sets

This is a really great routine for intermediate and advanced lifters. Most beginners would be better off with a routine that has greater frequency and more compound movements such as Starting Strength.

As with most weightlifting routines, you should be progressively overloading. For any exercises where there is for example 8-10 reps, you should progressively increase each week in reps and once you reach the upper limit you should increase the weight by a small amount, which should drop you back to the lower limit.​

There is no real need to make any changes to this routine​, but if you wish to throw in some ab exercises or some additional exercises then you could throw that in on your leg day.

About the author

Jack Prenter

Jack has been fascinated by fashion for decades and spent huge amounts of time researching it and becoming an expert. He's written for many well-known publications and is in the process of opening an online clothing store for men. Jack studied at the University of Nottingham and is now based out of Toronto, Canada.