Push pull legs workout plan (6 days)
Push pull legs splits your training by movement: pushing muscles, pulling muscles and legs. Run it twice a week for six sessions, or three days a week if your time is tight.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Days a week
- 6
- Where
- Gym
- Session
- 60 to 75 min
Who it suits: Lifters with 6 to 12 months of consistent training who can train six days a week. Goal: Build muscle.
How to use this plan
- Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes with light cardio and a few easy sets of the first exercise.
- Choose a weight you could lift 2 or 3 more times than the reps listed. The last reps should feel hard but controlled.
- Log every set. Next time, try to beat your last session by one rep or a little more weight.
- Rest the time shown between sets, and a day or two between sessions that train the same muscles.
Push: Chest, shoulders, triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 4 | 6 to 8 | 2 to 3 min |
| Shoulder Press (Dumbbell) | 3 | 8 to 10 | 60 to 90 s |
| Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) | 3 | 8 to 12 | 60 to 90 s |
| Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) | 3 | 12 to 15 | 60 to 90 s |
| Overhead Tricep Extension (Dumbbell) | 3 | 10 to 12 | 60 to 90 s |
Pull: Back, biceps, rear delts
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | 2 to 3 min |
| Lat Pulldown (Cable) | 3 | 8 to 12 | 60 to 90 s |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 8 to 12 | 60 to 90 s |
| Face Pull | 3 | 12 to 15 | 60 to 90 s |
| Bicep Curl (Barbell) | 3 | 8 to 12 | 60 to 90 s |
Legs: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat (Barbell) | 4 | 6 to 8 | 2 to 3 min |
| Romanian Deadlift (Barbell) | 3 | 8 to 10 | 60 to 90 s |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10 to 12 | 60 to 90 s |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10 to 12 | 60 to 90 s |
| Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 12 to 15 | 60 to 90 s |
Notes
- Do Push, Pull, Legs, then repeat, with one rest day a week.
- If six days is too much, run it as three days (Push, Pull, Legs) with rest days between.
Common questions
- How long does this plan take?
- Each session takes about 60 to 75 minutes, 6 days a week.
- How do I know when to add weight?
- When you can complete every set at the top of the rep range with good form, add a small amount of weight (about 2.5 kg for upper body and 5 kg for lower body) and start again at the bottom of the range.
- What if I miss a session?
- Just pick up where you left off. Do not double up to make up for it. Consistency over months matters far more than any single week.
More workout plans
General information, not medical advice. Learn each movement with light weight first, stop if something hurts, and see a doctor or physiotherapist if you have an injury, a health condition or are pregnant.