The Push Pull Legs workout is a powerful training split designed to maximize muscle growth by dividing your exercises into three distinct categories: push muscles, pull muscles, and legs. This method ensures each muscle group receives adequate recovery time while maintaining a consistent training frequency, which is essential for achieving optimal gains.
Push Day: Sculpting Your Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
On Push Day, you focus on exercises that target the chest, shoulders, and triceps. This is your opportunity to maximize upper body strength through compound movements like bench presses and shoulder presses. Engaging in these exercises comprehensively works these muscle groups, setting the foundation for significant muscle development.
Pull Day: Fortifying Your Back, Traps, and Biceps
Pull Day allows your push muscles to recover as you shift focus to the back, traps, and biceps. This session is crucial for building a strong posterior chain, which is key for overall balance and reducing injury risk. Exercises like deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups are staples here, ensuring comprehensive upper body development.
Leg Day: Building Lower Body Power
On Leg Day, the focus shifts to maximizing the strength and endurance of your lower body. This session targets the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves, ensuring your lower half gets the attention it deserves. Compound movements like squats and leg presses help you build a solid foundation that supports all aspects of your training.
Mass-Building Basics for All Levels
The Push Pull Legs routine is ideal for beginners and advanced lifters alike. By prioritizing compound exercises, which engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, this split optimizes your workout for maximum growth in strength and size.
Beginner’s Routine: Laying the Groundwork
For beginners, the emphasis should be on learning proper form and technique. This routine typically involves training three days a week, with enough recovery time between sessions. It’s important to stop each set 1-2 reps short of failure to maintain form and prevent injury.
Training Days: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Monday: Pull
- Deadlifts: 3 sets of 5-8 reps
- Close Grip Chin-ups: 3 sets (Bodyweight > failure)
- Bent Over Rows: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
- Wide-Grip Cable Row: 2 sets of 10-12 reps
- Barbell Curls: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Wednesday: Push
- Flat Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 sets of 10-12 reps
- Standing Military Press: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
- Wide-Grip Upright Rows: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Narrow Grip Dips: 3 sets (Bodyweight > failure)
- Cable Pushdowns: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Friday: Legs
- Squats: 2 sets of 10-12 reps
- Leg Press: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
- DB Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Leg Extensions: 2 sets of 15-20 reps
Advanced Routine: Unlocking Full Growth Potential
For advanced lifters, the routine increases in complexity and frequency. Typically following a two days on, one day off pattern, this approach allows for greater training volume and intensity, leading to enhanced muscle growth.
Training Days: Days 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8
- Day 1: Pull 1
- Deadlifts: 1st set 3-5 reps, 2nd set 6-8 reps
- Underhand Pulldowns: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
- Dumbbell One-Arm Rows: 1st set 6-8 reps, 2nd set 12-15 reps
- Pendlay Rows: 1st set 6-8 reps, 2nd set 12-15 reps
- Skull Crushers: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Rope Hammer Curls: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Day 2: Push 1
- Incline Bench Press: 1st set 6-8 reps, 2nd set 8-12 reps
- Flat Dumbbell Press: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
- Wide-Grip Dips: 3 sets (Bodyweight > failure)
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
- Arnold Press: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Skull Crushers: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Underhand Pushdowns: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Day 4: Legs 1
- Front Squats: 1st set 6-8 reps, 2nd set 12-15 reps
- Feet Low & Close Leg Press: 2 sets of 15-20 reps
- Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 6-8 reps, then 8-12 reps
- Glute Ham Raises: Bodyweight > Failure
- Walking Lunges: 2 sets of 20 each leg
- Day 5: Pull 2
- Bent Over Rows: 1st set 6-8 reps, 2nd set 8-12 reps
- T-Bar Row: 2 sets of 6-8 reps
- Close Grip Chin-ups: 3 sets (Bodyweight > failure)
- Rack Deadlifts: 1st set 3-5 reps, 2nd set 6-8 reps
- Barbell Curls: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Reverse Grip Cable Curls: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Day 7: Push 2
- Decline Bench Press: 1st set 6-8 reps, 2nd set 8-12 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
- Flat Machine Press: 2 sets of 10-12 reps
- Seated Smith Machine Shoulder Press: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
- Wide-Grip Upright Rows: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Close-Grip Bench Press: 2 sets of 6-8 reps
- Overhead Rope Extensions: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Day 8: Legs 2
- Squats: 1st set 6-8 reps, 2nd set 8-12 reps
- Lying Leg Curls: 2 sets of 12-15 reps
- Hack Squats: 2 sets of 15-20 reps
- Smith Machine Front Squats: 2 sets of 15-20 reps
Key Tips for Success
For optimal results with the Push Pull Legs routine, incorporate stretching and foam rolling into your regimen to aid recovery. Advanced lifters should focus on progressive overload, aiming to increase weight or reps each session. Keeping a detailed log of your workouts can also help track progress and ensure continuous improvement.
Conclusion
The Push Pull Legs workout is a proven method for achieving impressive muscle gains and strength, regardless of your experience level. By following a structured plan and focusing on compound movements, you can reach your fitness goals and experience significant growth.
