Armstrong Team
Push Pull Legs Routine for Beginners: A Complete 6-Day Split Guide
Learn how to structure a push pull legs (PPL) workout split for beginners. Covers exercise selection, weekly volume, rest days, and how to track progress in the gym.
The push pull legs (PPL) routine is one of the most popular workout splits in bodybuilding because it groups muscles by movement pattern. Push days train chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull days hit back and biceps. Leg days cover quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.
If you are new to structured training, PPL gives you a clear weekly rhythm without overcomplicating your gym sessions.
Why Beginners Love Push Pull Legs
A PPL split solves three common beginner problems:
- Muscle overlap — you are not training chest and triceps on back-to-back days
- Recovery — each muscle group gets 48–72 hours before the next hard session
- Progress tracking — each day has a focused purpose, so logging sets and reps stays simple
Most beginners run PPL twice per week (six training days) or once per week (three training days) depending on recovery and schedule.
Sample Beginner Push Pull Legs Schedule
| Day | Focus | Example Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push | Bench press, overhead press, lateral raises, triceps pushdowns |
| Tuesday | Pull | Lat pulldown, seated row, face pulls, barbell curls |
| Wednesday | Legs | Squats, Romanian deadlifts, leg press, calf raises |
| Thursday | Push | Incline dumbbell press, machine shoulder press, dips |
| Friday | Pull | Pull-ups, cable rows, rear delt flyes, hammer curls |
| Saturday | Legs | Leg press, lunges, leg curls, standing calf raises |
| Sunday | Rest | Walk, stretch, meal prep |
How Much Volume Should You Do?
For most beginners, 10–14 hard sets per muscle group per week is enough to build strength and muscle. Start on the lower end and add sets only when progress stalls.
Track every workout. If your bench press stalls for two weeks at the same rep range, that is a signal to adjust volume, sleep, or nutrition — not to randomly change your entire program.
Rest Between Sets
Use these starting points:
- Compound lifts (squat, bench, row): 2–3 minutes
- Isolation work (curls, lateral raises): 60–90 seconds
Rest timers remove guesswork and keep sessions efficient.
How to Track a PPL Routine
The biggest mistake beginners make is training without a log. You cannot apply progressive overload if you do not know what you lifted last week.
Use a gym tracker to record:
- Exercise name
- Weight and reps for each set
- Rest time between sets
- Session notes (form cues, pain, energy level)
Armstrong was built for exactly this — push, pull, and leg days with set-by-set logging and an AI coach that adapts when your numbers change.
When to Progress
Add weight or reps when you hit the top of your target rep range across all working sets. Example: if your goal is 3×8–10 and you hit 10 reps on all three sets, increase weight next session.
Small jumps beat big ego lifts. Even 2.5 lb (1 kg) per week compounds into serious strength over months.
Final Takeaway
A push pull legs routine works because it is simple, repeatable, and easy to measure. Pick your exercises, log every session, and progress gradually. Consistency beats perfection every time.
Try it free: Build a custom PPL or full-body split with Armstrong’s free gym planner — pick days, equipment, and experience level, then import the plan into the app.