Three sessions. A clear focus.
Push/Pull/Legs Workout at Home
Give every workout a purpose: press on push day, row and curl on pull day, then squat and hinge on legs day. Build your week around three straightforward sessions, with exercise guides and swaps for your home setup.
This push/pull/legs plan combines barbell, dumbbell, loop-band, and bodyweight exercises. Use the three-day schedule to start, or repeat the cycle across six days if you already handle that training workload comfortably.
What is a push/pull/legs split?
01 · Push
Chest, shoulders & triceps
Pressing movements form the foundation, with lateral raises and triceps work to round out the session.
02 · Pull
Back, rear delts & biceps
Combine a vertical pull with a row, then add rear-shoulder work and curls.
03 · Legs
Quads, glutes, hamstrings & calves
Use a squat, a hip hinge, a single-leg movement, and a calf exercise for a balanced lower-body session.
The sessions have different main targets, but fatigue can overlap through your grip, shoulders, and lower back. Add a rest day whenever your next session would suffer.
Make it fit your week
Three-day or six-day PPL?
Three-day schedule
Monday: Push
Wednesday: Pull
Friday: Legs
Each muscle group gets one main session per week. Use the other days for recovery, walking, or other activity that suits your routine.
Six-day schedule
Monday: Push · Tuesday: Pull
Wednesday: Legs · Thursday: Rest
Friday: Push · Saturday: Pull
Sunday: Legs
Each group gets two main sessions per week. This is a higher workload, not a requirement. Start with two working sets per exercise when moving up from three days and adjust to your recovery.
A more flexible option: Push → Pull → Legs → Rest, then repeat. This is an eight-day cycle when completed twice, so workout days shift across the calendar.
New to lifting? A full-body plan is another practical way to train on two or three days. Choose the routine you can follow consistently.
Before your first session
Spend 5–10 minutes warming up with easy movement, then do a few progressively heavier practice sets for your first lift. The sets below are working sets; warm-ups are extra. Begin with one or two working sets per exercise while learning.
Choose manageable weights
Finish most sets feeling you could do another two controlled reps. Reduce the load if your technique changes or you cannot reach the lower end of the rep range.
Rest between sets
Use about 2–3 minutes for presses, rows, squats, and hinges; about 60–90 seconds for raises, curls, and calf work. Take longer if you need it to perform the next set well.
Set up your space
Use a stable bench and secure anchors. Barbell bench presses and back squats require a suitable rack and safeties. Use the alternatives below if your setup does not allow them.
Workout 01
Push day: press with purpose
Start with your chest press, then train your shoulders and triceps. Keep the lowering phase controlled and choose a comfortable range of motion.
Push workoutChest · Shoulders · Triceps
- Barbell bench press 3 × 6–10
Use a rack with safeties. No bench? Choose dumbbell floor presses or push-ups. - Standing dumbbell shoulder press 2–3 × 8–12
Keep your ribs controlled and avoid leaning back to finish a rep. - Dumbbell lateral raise 2 × 12–15
Use light weights and lift without swinging. - Banded triceps pushdown 2 × 10–15
Use a secure overhead band anchor and keep your upper arms still.
No bench option: Replace the bench press with push-ups, 3 × 6–15, or dumbbell floor presses, 3 × 8–12. For easier push-ups, place your hands on a sturdy raised surface.
Workout 02
Pull day: back, posture & arms
Pair a vertical pull with a supported row, then finish with rear-delt work and curls. Choose assistance or resistance that lets you move smoothly.
Pull workoutBack · Rear delts · Biceps
- Pull-up 3 × 4–8
Use assistance as needed; do not force a rep target by swinging. - One-arm dumbbell row 3 × 8–12 per side
Brace on a stable bench or support. Row without twisting your torso. - Seated bent-over rear-delt fly 2 × 12–15
Keep the movement controlled and use a lighter load than your rows. - Barbell curl 2 × 8–12
Keep your upper arms quiet and avoid leaning back.
No pull-up bar? Use a loop-band pulldown with a secure, manufacturer-approved overhead anchor. Without a safe anchor, add a second rowing variation for now; it is a horizontal-pull substitute, not an identical movement.
Workout 03
Legs day: squat, hinge & step
Train your lower body through different movement patterns. Take your time with the setup and complete the same number of controlled reps on each side.
Legs workoutQuads · Glutes · Hamstrings · Calves
- Barbell back squat 3 × 6–10
Use a rack with safeties. Without a rack, choose a goblet squat. - Barbell Romanian deadlift 3 × 8–12
Push your hips back with a slight knee bend; stop before your back position changes. - Bulgarian split squat 2 × 8–12 per leg
Use a stable rear-foot support and bodyweight first. A floor split squat is the no-bench alternative. - Single-leg dumbbell calf raise 2–3 × 12–20 per side
Hold a stable support for balance and move through a controlled range.
No bench option: Keep both feet on the floor for a split squat, as shown above. Hold a stable support for balance if needed; add a dumbbell only when the movement feels steady.
Adapt the plan to your equipment
Dumbbells only
Swap barbell presses, squats, hinges, and curls for dumbbell versions. For a complete plan built around that setup, visit dumbbell workouts at home.
Without a bench
Use push-ups or floor presses, standing presses, a row supported on a sturdy surface, standing bent-over rear-delt raises, and floor split squats.
Loop bands
Use securely anchored pulldowns and pushdowns, or choose standing band exercises. Explore resistance band workouts for more options.
How to progress without rushing
- Keep a simple log. Record the exercise, weight, reps, and how each set felt.
- Add reps within the range. For 3 × 8–12, work toward three controlled sets of 12 before adding weight.
- Increase the load gradually. When you reach the top of the range with consistent technique and reps to spare, use the smallest available increase and return toward the lower end.
- Adjust when recovery dips. If performance keeps dropping or soreness disrupts your next workout, reduce sets or add rest. Progress does not need to happen every week.
Push/pull/legs questions
Is PPL suitable for beginners?
It can be adapted for beginners by reducing sets and choosing simple exercise variations. A two- or three-day full-body routine may be easier for learning the main movements more often. Start with manageable training rather than jumping straight into six days.
Do I need to train six days a week?
No. Three-day PPL gives each group one main weekly session; six-day PPL gives it two. The higher-frequency option also increases workload if you repeat the same sets. Pick a schedule that fits your experience and recovery.
Can I follow PPL without a bench?
Yes. Use the no-bench swaps in each workout: floor presses or push-ups, standing shoulder presses, supported or bent-over rows, standing rear-delt raises, and floor split squats. You still need appropriate equipment for your chosen pulling movements.
What if I miss a workout?
Continue with the next session in the push → pull → legs sequence when you return. Avoid repeatedly skipping the same workout or squeezing extra sessions together to catch up.
Can I do cardio alongside PPL?
Yes. Keep the amount and intensity manageable alongside your lifting. Easy walking or cycling may fit well on recovery days; place harder sessions where they do not compromise your next workout.
How long should I follow the plan?
Use it long enough to judge your consistency, technique, and training log rather than expecting visible changes by a fixed week. Review it after several weeks and adjust exercises or workload to your progress and preferences.
Find your next workout
Training context: the 2026 ACSM resistance-training position stand supports resistance training and emphasizes that several approaches can work. The sessions here are practical examples, not a program tested as a whole. Stop an exercise if it causes pain and review the fitness disclaimer.
Images are AI-generated illustrations of home training. Use the linked exercise guides for instructions.
