The Best Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Routine (Free Tracker Guide)

In this guide

• Why Push-Pull-Legs remains the gold standard split
• The 3-day vs 6-day PPL split
• The complete 6-day PPL routine template
• Volume landmarks and progressive overload
• How to track PPL without hitting app paywalls
• Common PPL programming mistakes
• FAQ

Why Push-Pull-Legs remains the gold standard split

Most muscle-building splits suffer from overlapping recovery conflicts. If you train chest on Monday and shoulders on Tuesday, your anterior deltoids and triceps are fatigued before you even unrack the overhead press.

Push-Pull-Legs eliminates this interference:

1. Push Day: Every muscle involved in pushing weight away from your torso (pectorals, anterior/lateral deltoids, triceps) trains together.
2. Pull Day: Every muscle involved in pulling weight toward your torso (latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, rear deltoids, biceps, traps) trains together.
3. Leg Day: The lower body (quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves) trains independently, giving the entire upper body a full 48 to 72 hours of uninterrupted systemic recovery.

The 3-day vs 6-day PPL split

Depending on your weekly recovery capacity and schedule, PPL adapts cleanly into two frequencies:

The complete 6-day PPL routine template

To prevent overuse injuries and cover both horizontal and vertical movement planes, use alternating A and B sessions:

Push Days (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)

• Push A (Heavy Barbell Focus):
  • Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets × 5–8 reps
  • Standing Overhead Barbell Press: 3 sets × 6–8 reps
  • Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets × 8–12 reps
  • Cable Lateral Raises: 3 sets × 12–15 reps
  • Overhead Rope Tricep Extension: 3 sets × 10–12 reps
• Push B (Hypertrophy / Dumbbell Focus):
  • Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets × 6–8 reps
  • Flat Dumbbell Press: 3 sets × 8–12 reps
  • Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets × 8–10 reps
  • Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 4 sets × 12–15 reps
  • Tricep Dips or Pushdowns: 3 sets × 10–12 reps

Pull Days (Back, Rear Delts, Biceps)

• Pull A (Horizontal Row / Deadlift Focus):
  • Conventional Deadlift or Barbell Row: 3 sets × 5 reps
  • Lat Pulldown (or Weighted Pull-Up): 3 sets × 6–10 reps
  • Seated Cable Row: 3 sets × 8–12 reps
  • Face Pulls: 3 sets × 15–20 reps
  • Incline Dumbbell Curl: 3 sets × 10–12 reps
• Pull B (Vertical Pull / Lat Focus):
  • Neutral-Grip Pull-Ups: 3 sets × 6–10 reps
  • Chest-Supported T-Bar Row: 3 sets × 8–12 reps
  • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 sets × 10–12 reps
  • Reverse Pec Deck: 3 sets × 12–15 reps
  • Barbell Bicep Curl: 3 sets × 8–10 reps

Leg Days (Quads, Hamstrings, Calves)

• Legs A (Quad Dominant):
  • Barbell Back Squat: 3 sets × 5–8 reps
  • Romanian Deadlift (RDL): 3 sets × 8–10 reps
  • Leg Press: 3 sets × 10–12 reps
  • Standing Calf Raises: 4 sets × 12–15 reps
• Legs B (Hip / Hamstring Dominant):
  • Barbell Hip Thrust: 3 sets × 8–10 reps
  • Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 sets × 8–12 reps per leg
  • Lying Hamstring Curl: 3 sets × 10–12 reps
  • Leg Extension: 3 sets × 12–15 reps
  • Seated Calf Raises: 4 sets × 15 reps

Volume landmarks and progressive overload

For natural hypertrophy, research suggests aiming for 10 to 18 direct sets per muscle group weekly.

A 6-day split distributes this volume smoothly: 6 to 8 sets per session, twice weekly. Progressive overload should be tracked session to session:

1. Hit the upper rep range on all sets (e.g. 3 sets of 8 reps at 185 lbs).
2. Increase the load by 2.5–5 lbs on your next session.
3. If reps drop to 6, hold that weight until you build back up to 8 reps.

How to track PPL without hitting app paywalls

Here is the frustrating reality of tracking PPL in mainstream workout apps:

• Strong caps free accounts at 3 saved custom routines. A full PPL split with A/B variations requires 6 routines. Once you build Push A, Pull A, and Legs A, Strong blocks you and demands a $4.99/month PRO subscription to add Push B.
• Hevy caps free routines at roughly 4, similarly forcing lifters to delete routines weekly or upgrade to Hevy PRO ($2.99–$9.99/mo).

Stay Fit solves this without fees. You can build all 6 PPL templates as custom routines, customize your rest timers per exercise, switch between Home and Gym equipment variants, and review your multi-week volume charts without creating an account or paying a subscription.

FAQ

The questions below cover practical programming and tracking considerations for PPL lifters.