Push ,pull, leg days

Who else uses this method

Replies

  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,150 Member
    I’m not sure what you mean by method. It’s just a way of splitting up your training days over the week, right? It’s not a method as such. I have done a 3 day ppl training set up before when I could only commit to 3 days a week in the gym. I’m currently splitting my training up over 4 sessions so upper lower upper lower.
  • capgordon7741
    capgordon7741 Posts: 52 Member
    Sounds good
  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
    I do push/pull with associated leg isolations in each: push - calf raises, leg extension; pull - leg curls. I'd add cable pull throughs to pulls but I don't have a cable machine.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,856 Member
    I used to do PPL, but I couldn't reliably maintain the schedule while hitting each group more than once per week, and once per week just isn't enough volume unless you're really pushing it. I find it easier to do an upper/lower split, some times with an extra day of arms/shoulders, so I can hit most areas twice a week.
  • allother94
    allother94 Posts: 588 Member
    I was doing a 3day PPL, but people on here told me it’s not optimal to only work muscles once a week. I am trying to move to upper lower 3day. However, I’m thinking about a 3day full body if I can find a good program…
  • slade51
    slade51 Posts: 188 Member
    I’ve been doing PPL followed by an active recovery day, then repeat. I use an alternate set of exercises for the repeat block to avoid monotony.
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,479 Member
    I've done PPL in the past but am currently doing an upper/lower split
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    allother94 wrote: »
    I was doing a 3day PPL, but people on here told me it’s not optimal to only work muscles once a week. I am trying to move to upper lower 3day. However, I’m thinking about a 3day full body if I can find a good program…

    If you only have 3 days, use a full body.


    I do Lower, Upper, Conditioning split.
  • GaryRuns
    GaryRuns Posts: 508 Member
    I do Pull-Push-Legs the first three days of the week, rest on Thursday, then do Upper-Lower for Friday Saturday, rest again on Sunday.
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,479 Member
    GaryRuns wrote: »
    I do Pull-Push-Legs the first three days of the week, rest on Thursday, then do Upper-Lower for Friday Saturday, rest again on Sunday.

    This is actually what I did when prepping for a couple BB shows! For me, perfect for training 5x per week

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    allother94 wrote: »
    I was doing a 3day PPL, but people on here told me it’s not optimal to only work muscles once a week. I am trying to move to upper lower 3day. However, I’m thinking about a 3day full body if I can find a good program…

    You ideally want to hit each muscle group at minimum 2x per week...3x is even better. So if you only have 3 days for the gym a full body program would be the way to go. When I've done push/pull I've always done at least 4x per week and included legs with each session, not just a standalone session for legs...so push days would include things like squats, leg press, etc...pull days would include things like deadlifts and deadlift variations good mornings, things like that.
  • jlhflex
    jlhflex Posts: 107 Member
    I se so many people doing "push pull" and honestly Its not enough volume for me. As a competitive BB, this type of routine doesn't allow me to isolate body parts to the degree as I am on my current routine. Its an Ok routine for those trying to "stay in shape" or general fitness

    In case your wondering, my routing is as followed

    Day 1 Chest/Tris
    Day 2 legs
    Day 3 Back/Bis
    Day 4 Shoulder/arms
    Day 5 Rest ( every other week otherwise I start over at day 1, no rest day)
    Day 6 Start over at day 1
    Calves/Abs are every day usually evening.

    For me this allows heavy volume on each workout day and allows me to hit every body part at least twice a week. In 30 years of BB, Ive tried it all and then I created this. It works for me
  • etienne9920
    etienne9920 Posts: 2 Member
    So I do a push pull program. I don’t do it for BB, I do it to better my ability within CrossFit (weightlifting, gymnastics, fitness, endurance etc), all round strength and of course to look good naked.

    I have done a combination of the Extended Russian Power Routine (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday), which isolates legs & chest Monday & Saturday through squats and bench press, legs & back (Wednesday) through deadlift and hyper back extensions.

    So push on squat days and pull on the deadlift day.

    I then supplement it with push shoulder movements on Tuesday and pull shoulder movements on Thursdays.

    I also do a push/pull ab routine on Monday’s & Wednesday’s.

    I have been on it now for 5 weeks and I can feel and see the difference within the various disciplines that define CrossFit.

    I am of the opinion by weeks end my entire body has been targeted, maybe not my calves but I wasn’t blessed with those and no amount of calve work will get me a set of those.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 11,898 Member
    Depends on your goals. If you're serious about muscle growth and either bodybuilding or powerlifting, then a PPL routine is likely not enough for you.

    But I'm a 45yo father of four who simply wants to maintain fitness, blow off some steam by tossing heavy metal around, and stave off Father Time a bit. For me, a PPL routine fits easily into my work/life schedule, makes sure the whole body is hit at least once, and gets me in/out of the gym in 45 minutes (plus shower time).

    I've recently started experimenting keeping the PPL but lifting 4x per week, with one segment being repeated twice in a week, rotating each week. For example:

    Mon - Push
    Tues - Pull
    Wed - Cardio
    Thu - Legs
    Fri - Push
    Weekend - Off

    The next week I do Pull on Monday/Friday, week 3 I hit legs twice, and so on.
  • jlhflex
    jlhflex Posts: 107 Member
    Depends on the goal. If you are Bodybuilding or Powerlifting, then not the best. Volume is hard to meet, specially on upper body, since they categorize either Push or pull. Cant get the volume like other BB workouts. If your goal is to just stay active, then its fine. Ive just yet to see anyone get great results. What I mean by great results, is looking like you actually workout... lol
  • gninja2022
    gninja2022 Posts: 8 Member
    Agree with jlhflex. For me I tried Push Pull for about six months and could not make it work, so went to back to Shoulders/Forearms, Chest/Bicep, Back/Triceps, Legs/Abs, Cardio, Rest, Rest! Boom more size, better shape and less niggling injurys.
  • soulo_ridah
    soulo_ridah Posts: 50 Member
    PHUL will get you working as required.
    Check out "which lifting program is best for me" thread.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,240 Member
    edited January 2023
    I've found upper\lower splits better however to each his own. Nothing wrong with ppl
    Monday legs
    Tues Upper
    Wed off
    Thurs Legs
    Friday Upper
    Sat Lagging parts
    Sun Off

  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,856 Member
    I've heard the saying, the best workout split is the one that works for you and your lifestyle.

    For me, that's upper/lower with a rest day in between, though I'm typically on the stationary bike those days. That gets me both upper and lower done twice every eight days. At my age, early 50's, I've found I can't recover well enough to keep doing weights on consecutive days consistently.

    On my legs days I add about 15 minutes at the end for myo-reps for lateral raises and some arms. I don't do specific arm isolation work on the upper days.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 11,898 Member
    Here's a good explanation I've found for the differences, advantages, and intended users of three similar but different lifting styles: PPL, PHUL, and PHAT.