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The logic: pushers, pullers, carriers
Upper-body muscles do one of two jobs: push or pull. Pushing muscles (chest, front and side delts, triceps) work together in the same movements; pulling muscles (back, rear delts, biceps) do too. Putting them on the same day gives two advantages: a muscle is already warm from its neighbour's compound lift, and it rests completely the next day. Legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves) take the third day. Result: every muscle trains on its day and recovers on the other two.
- Push: Barbell Bench Press, Overhead Barbell Press, Incline Dumbbell Press, Dumbbell Lateral Raise, Cable Triceps Pushdown
- Pull: Conventional Deadlift or Barbell Bent-Over Row, Pull-Up / Lat Pulldown, Face Pull, Barbell Biceps Curl
- Legs: Barbell Back Squat, Romanian Deadlift, Leg Press, Lying Leg Curl, Standing Calf Raise (Machine)
3 days or 6?
| PPL × 1 (3 days) | PPL × 2 (6 days) | |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency per muscle | Once a week | Twice a week |
| Session length | 60–75 min (dense) | 45–60 min |
| Who | Intermediate with 3 days | Advanced with good recovery |
| Weakness | Low frequency; a missed day parks a muscle for two weeks | High time and recovery cost |
Honest note: for someone training three days a week, full body × 3 is often better than PPL × 1 because it hits every muscle three times. The 3-day PPL's advantage is focus within the session and room for more isolation work; it pays off as muscle goals and experience grow. For 4 days, Upper/Lower; for 5, a mix of Upper/Lower and PPL distributes better. See the day table in the program guide.
Distribute volume: don't forget the small muscles
The classic PPL mistake is piling volume on the big muscles (chest, back, quads) and forgetting side delts, rear delts, hamstrings and calves. Target 10–16 sets per muscle per week (intermediate), spread like this:
- Push: chest 6–8 sets, shoulders (front/side) 4–6, triceps 3–4
- Pull: back 8–10 sets, rear delts 3–4 (face pulls), biceps 3–4
- Legs: quads 6–8, hamstrings/glutes 6–8, calves 3–4, core 3–4
In the 6-day version every number halves and splits across two days; making one day heavy (4–6 reps) and the other moderate (8–12) is a proven arrangement ("strength PPL / hypertrophy PPL").
Which day for the deadlift?
The classic debate. The deadlift is a back and hip-hinge movement, so it goes first on Pull day. But if Legs day has Romanian deadlifts the same week, the lower back gets loaded heavily twice; keep one of them light. Alternative: deadlift on Legs day, a heavy row on Pull day. Both are correct; choose by how your lower back recovers.
Sample 3-day PPL skeleton
This skeleton follows FitCi's free "Push/Pull/Legs — 3 Days" template; sets × reps vary by goal (for muscle: compound 3 × 6–10, isolation 3 × 10–15).
| Day | Order |
|---|---|
| Push | Horizontal push (compound) → vertical push (compound) → chest isolation → side delts → triceps |
| Pull | Hinge/row (compound) → vertical pull → rear delts → biceps → forearms/core |
| Legs | Squat (compound) → hinge (compound) → quad isolation → calves → core |
Form for each move is in the exercise guide. In the app the template resolves to your equipment and four weeks of progression are written automatically.
Who PPL does not suit
Anyone training two days a week (full body A/B is better), beginners (frequency and technical repetition matter; full body × 3), and people with shoulder or lower-back injuries (push and pull days load the same joint on consecutive days, so exercise selection must be filtered). With an injury, check the "Caution" box on exercise pages; FitCi swaps the movement automatically based on your profile.
Frequently asked questions
Is PPL three days a week enough?
For muscle and fitness, yes; each muscle trains once a week with high volume. For faster progress, full body three days a week is a strong alternative.
Where does cardio go in PPL?
On a separate day or 15–20 minutes of low intensity after lifting. Do not put HIIT the day after Legs.
Is Push Pull Legs good for beginners?
For the first 3–6 months a full-body program is better: the basic lifts repeat three times a week and technique settles fast. Then move to PPL.
What is the difference between the Arnold split and PPL?
The Arnold split uses chest+back, shoulders+arms and legs days, putting pushing and pulling on the same day. PPL is cleaner for recovery; the Arnold split leaves more room for arm volume.
Related tools and pages
The PPL template is free in FitCi
The 3-day Push/Pull/Legs template resolves to your equipment; sets, reps and weight tracking, on Apple Watch too.