Push Pull Legs (Intermediate)
The Program That Runs the Internet
Ask any lifting forum what program an intermediate should run. The answer, with almost suspicious unanimity, will be Push Pull Legs.
PPL is not one program. It is a template -- a way of organizing training by movement pattern rather than body part. Push days train chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull days train back and biceps. Leg days train everything below the waist. Run it six days a week, each workout hits twice, and you have a frequency-and-volume combination that modern hypertrophy research consistently supports.
This version is a well-structured intermediate template drawing from the most commonly recommended exercise selections across Reddit, lifting forums, and evidence-based coaches. There is no single author. It belongs to everyone who has ever typed "just run PPL" in a comment thread.
How It Works
Six training days per week. Each workout appears twice:
| Day | Workout | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Push | Bench Press + accessories |
| 2 | Pull | Barbell Row + accessories |
| 3 | Legs | Squat + accessories |
| 4 | Push | Overhead Press + accessories |
| 5 | Pull | Pull-ups + accessories |
| 6 | Legs | Deadlift + accessories |
| 7 | Rest | Recovery |
The two Push days alternate emphasis between Bench Press and Overhead Press as the primary movement. Same principle for Pull (Row vs Pull-ups) and Legs (Squat vs Deadlift). This gives each major compound two heavy sessions per week without repeating the exact same workout.
Volume and Progression
Each workout contains 5-7 exercises. Main compound lifts use heavier weight and lower reps (4x5 or 3x5). Accessories sit in the 3x8-12 range. Isolation work goes higher, 3x12-15, where metabolic stress does most of the work.
Progression model: Add weight to the main lifts when you complete all prescribed sets and reps. For upper body compounds, add 2.5 kg / 5 lbs per session. For squats and deadlifts, add 5 kg / 10 lbs. When you stall, deload 10% and build back up. This is standard linear progression -- it works until it doesn't, and when it doesn't, you are no longer an intermediate.
Why PPL Works
The research on training frequency is fairly settled at this point. A 2016 meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. found that training each muscle group twice per week produced significantly more hypertrophy than once per week, given equal volume. PPL does exactly this.
The split also solves a practical problem: it groups muscles that already work together. When you bench press, your triceps and front delts assist. Rather than training them on separate days and creating recovery conflicts, PPL puts them on the same day and lets you hammer them with isolation work while they are already fatigued.
Pull day follows the same logic. Your biceps assist on every rowing and pulling movement. Train them on the same day, finish with curls, and give them a full 48 hours before they need to work again.
Who Is This For?
This program is best suited for:
- Intermediate lifters who have completed a beginner program (Starting Strength, StrongLifts, or similar) and want more volume
- People who can train 6 days per week consistently
- Those whose primary goal is building muscle while still getting stronger
- Lifters who want a proven, flexible framework they can run indefinitely
If you are a true beginner -- less than 6 months of consistent training -- a full-body program three times per week will serve you better. You don't need this much volume yet, and your body can recover from full-body sessions at a rate that makes splits inefficient. Run Starting Strength or Reg Park's 5x5 first. PPL will be here when you are ready.
If you can only train 3-4 days per week, an upper/lower split is a better fit. PPL needs six days to work properly.
Exercise Selection Notes
The exercises in this template are chosen for broad applicability. Every exercise can be done in a standard commercial gym with barbells, dumbbells, cables, and basic machines.
A few substitution principles if needed:
- Barbell movements can be swapped for dumbbell equivalents (e.g., dumbbell bench instead of barbell bench)
- Cable exercises can be swapped for band equivalents at home
- Machine exercises (leg press, leg curl) can be swapped for free-weight alternatives (lunges, Nordic curls)
- Pull-ups can be substituted with lat pulldowns if you cannot yet do bodyweight pull-ups for reps
The best exercise is the one you will actually do consistently, with good form, progressively heavier over time. Everything else is details.
Download
Download the .trn file and import it into the TRN app to start running PPL. Six workouts, every exercise, set, and rep scheme -- ready to track from day one.