The Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) Split: Your 6-Week Blueprint for Hypertrophy
A scientifically-backed training protocol designed to maximize muscle growth through strategic frequency, volume, and progressive overload.
Introduction: The Gold Standard for Hypertrophy
The Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) split is arguably the most effective and popular training template for intermediate lifters seeking hypertrophy. By grouping muscle groups based on movement patterns rather than arbitrary divisions, the PPL split creates an optimal environment for muscle growth through strategic frequency, focused intensity, and adequate recovery.
Unlike bro splits that train each muscle group just once per week, the PPL frequency allows you to hit each muscle group twice in an 7-day period. This increased frequency aligns with the muscle protein synthesis (MPS) window, which remains elevated for approximately 48-72 hours post-training. By training each muscle group every 72-96 hours, you're effectively "resetting" the MPS window more frequently, creating more opportunities for growth throughout the training week.
Key Benefits of the PPL Split:
- Optimal Training Frequency: Training each muscle group twice weekly maximizes the anabolic response.
- Superior Recovery: Each muscle group receives 72+ hours of recovery while you train other movements.
- Focused Intensity: By grouping synergistic muscles, you can train with higher intensity and volume.
- Movement Pattern Efficiency: Exercises flow naturally from one to the next without interference.
This 6-week blueprint is designed specifically for intermediate lifters who have mastered basic exercise form and are ready to systematically pursue hypertrophy through strategic programming. The plan progresses through three distinct phases, each with specific goals and training parameters to ensure continuous adaptation.
Understanding the PPL Mechanics
Push Day: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
Push day focuses on all movements where you're "pushing" weight away from your body. This includes horizontal pushes (bench press), vertical pushes (overhead press), and extension movements (triceps exercises). The scientific rationale for this grouping lies in the synergistic relationship between these muscle groups.
When performing compound pushing movements like the bench press, your chest serves as the primary mover, while your shoulders (anterior deltoids) and triceps act as important synergists. By training them together, you're able to maximize the efficiency of your workouts through what's known as "potentiation" - where the fatigue from one exercise can enhance the performance of subsequent exercises targeting the same movement pattern.
Pull Day: Back, Biceps, and Rear Delts
Pull day encompasses all movements where you're "pulling" weight toward your body. This includes horizontal pulls (rows), vertical pulls (pull-ups/pulldowns), and flexion movements (biceps curls). The grouping follows the same synergistic principle as push day.
During compound pulling movements like bent-over rows, your back muscles (latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, traps) serve as primary movers, while your biceps and rear deltoids act as synergists. Training these muscle groups together allows for efficient sequencing from multi-joint to single-joint exercises, maximizing the training stimulus while minimizing setup time between exercises.
Legs Day: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, and Calves
Legs day focuses on the lower body, divided into knee-dominant movements (squats, leg extensions) that target the quads, and hip-dominant movements (deadlifts, leg curls) that target the hamstrings and glutes. The calves are trained separately with both standing and seated variations to target both gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.
Grouping all lower body muscles together allows for comprehensive development while respecting the high recovery demands of lower body training. The large hormonal response generated by heavy compound leg exercises like squats and deadlifts creates a systemic anabolic environment that benefits overall muscle growth.
Recommended Weekly Schedule
The most effective implementation of the PPL split for hypertrophy is the 6-day training week: Push, Pull, Legs, Rest, Push, Pull, Legs. This schedule provides the ideal balance of training frequency and recovery:
| Day | Training Focus | Recovery Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) | Followed by 72+ hours recovery |
| Tuesday | Pull (Back, Biceps, Rear Delts) | Followed by 72+ hours recovery |
| Wednesday | Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves) | Followed by 72+ hours recovery |
| Thursday | Rest | Active recovery recommended |
| Friday | Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps) | Followed by 72+ hours recovery |
| Saturday | Pull (Back, Biceps, Rear Delts) | Followed by 72+ hours recovery |
| Sunday | Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves) | Followed by 72+ hours recovery |
For those with recovery limitations, a 3-day or 4-day version can be implemented, though the 6-day version provides optimal frequency for hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy Principles for This Plan
Volume & Intensity
The hypertrophy sweet spot lies in 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise, with 60-90 seconds rest between sets for isolation exercises and 2-3 minutes for compound movements.
Exercise Selection & Order
Begin with heavy compound lifts while you're fresh, then progress to isolation exercises to fully fatigue the target muscles.
Progressive Overload
Systematically increase the challenge by adding weight, reps, or sets each week while maintaining proper form.
Time Under Tension
Control the eccentric (lowering) phase for 2-3 seconds, with a powerful concentric (lifting) phase for optimal muscle fiber recruitment.
Volume & Intensity: The Hypertrophy Sweet Spot
Research indicates that the optimal training volume for hypertrophy falls within 10-20 hard sets per muscle group per week. This PPL plan is designed to deliver approximately 12-16 sets per muscle group weekly, placing you squarely in the hypertrophy sweet spot.
The 8-12 rep range is ideal for hypertrophy as it provides the optimal balance between mechanical tension (the primary driver of muscle growth) and metabolic stress (a secondary but important growth factor). Training close to failure (leaving 1-2 reps in reserve) ensures sufficient stimulus without compromising recovery.
Exercise Selection & Order: Strategic Sequencing
Exercise order follows a logical progression from multi-joint compound movements to single-joint isolation exercises:
- Compound Lifts: Begin your workout with your heaviest compound movements (bench press, overhead press, squats, deadlifts) when your energy and focus are highest.
- Secondary Compounds: Follow with slightly less demanding compound movements (incline press, bent-over rows, leg press) that still recruit multiple muscle groups.
- Isolation Exercises: Finish with targeted isolation work (triceps extensions, biceps curls, leg extensions) to fully fatigue specific muscles without systemic fatigue.
Progressive Overload: The Growth Mechanism
Progressive overload is the fundamental principle of muscle growth. Without consistently increasing the demands on your muscles, adaptation plateaus. This 6-week plan implements progressive overload through three distinct phases:
- Weeks 1-2: Focus on perfecting form while establishing baseline weights.
- Weeks 3-4: Increase volume by adding 1-2 sets or introduce intensity techniques.
- Weeks 5-6: Increase weight by 5-10% while slightly reducing rest periods.
Keep a detailed training log to track your progress and ensure you're consistently challenging your muscles beyond their comfort zone.
The 6-Week Progressive PPL Plan
This 6-week plan is divided into three distinct 2-week phases, each with specific objectives and training parameters. The progression systematically increases the training stimulus to promote continuous adaptation and avoid plateaus.
Foundation Phase
Focus: Perfecting exercise form and establishing baseline strength levels.
Training Parameters:
- 3 sets of 8-12 reps for all exercises
- 90-120 seconds rest between sets
- Focus on controlled tempo: 2-1-2 (eccentric-pause-concentric)
- Leave 2-3 reps in reserve (RIR)
Progression: Aim to add 1-2 reps to each exercise by the end of week 2.
Accumulation Phase
Focus: Increasing training volume and introducing intensity techniques.
Training Parameters:
- Increase to 3-4 sets for compound movements
- Introduce one intensity technique per workout:
- Push Day: Drop sets on triceps exercises
- Pull Day: Pause reps on rowing movements
- Legs Day: 1.5 rep technique on squats
- Reduce rest periods to 75-90 seconds
Progression: Increase weight by 5% on 2-3 exercises each workout.
Intensification Phase
Focus: Increasing intensity while managing fatigue.
Training Parameters:
- Increase weight by 5-10% on all compound lifts
- Reduce rest periods to 60-75 seconds
- Train to 1-2 RIR on all working sets
- Maintain volume from previous phase
Progression: Focus on increasing weight while maintaining rep ranges.
Important Note on Recovery
As intensity increases throughout the program, prioritize recovery strategies including:
- 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly
- Consuming 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight daily
- Staying hydrated (3-4 liters of water daily)
- Implementing active recovery on rest days (walking, light stretching)
Sample Workout Routines
These sample workouts represent the Foundation Phase (Weeks 1-2). Adjust volume and intensity according to the phase guidelines as you progress through the 6-week plan.
Push Day
- Barbell Bench Press 3×8-12
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3×8-12
- Incline Dumbbell Press 3×10-15
- Cable Triceps Pushdown 3×12-15
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises 3×12-15
- Overhead Triceps Extension 3×12-15
Rest Periods: 90-120 seconds for compounds, 60-90 seconds for isolation
Pull Day
- Deadlifts (alternate with Pull-ups weekly) 3×5-8
- Bent-Over Barbell Rows 3×8-12
- Lat Pulldowns 3×10-12
- Seated Cable Rows 3×10-12
- Face Pulls 3×15-20
- Barbell Biceps Curls 3×10-15
Rest Periods: 120-180 seconds for deadlifts, 90-120 seconds for other compounds, 60-90 seconds for isolation
Legs Day
- Barbell Back Squats 3×8-12
- Romanian Deadlifts 3×10-12
- Leg Press 3×10-15
- Leg Extensions 3×12-15
- Lying Leg Curls 3×12-15
- Standing Calf Raises 4×15-20
Rest Periods: 120-180 seconds for squats, 90-120 seconds for other compounds, 60-90 seconds for isolation
Exercise Substitutions
If any exercise causes discomfort or you lack the equipment, consider these substitutions:
- Barbell Bench Press: Dumbbell Bench Press, Machine Chest Press
- Barbell Back Squats: Goblet Squats, Hack Squats, Belt Squats
- Deadlifts: Rack Pulls, Trap Bar Deadlifts, Barbell Rows (heavy)
- Lat Pulldowns: Pull-ups, Chin-ups, Machine Pulldowns
Conclusion: Your Path to Hypertrophy Success
The Push/Pull/Legs split represents one of the most effective and efficient training templates for intermediate lifters seeking hypertrophy. By following this 6-week progressive blueprint, you're implementing a scientifically-backed approach that optimizes training frequency, volume, and intensity while allowing for adequate recovery.
Success with this program requires commitment not just to your workouts, but to your recovery and nutrition as well. Ensure you're consuming sufficient protein (1.6-2.2g per kg of bodyweight daily), staying hydrated, and prioritizing sleep—these factors are just as important as your training itself.
After completing the 6-week program, consider taking a deload week where you reduce volume and intensity by 40-50% to allow for full recovery and supercompensation. Following this, you can either repeat the program with slightly heavier weights, or introduce new exercises to provide novel stimuli for continued growth.
Remember that consistency is the ultimate determinant of success in hypertrophy training. Stick with the program, track your progress diligently, and trust the process. In just 6 weeks, you'll be amazed at the transformation your body is capable of achieving.
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