Workout plan
6-Day Push/Pull/Legs: A Complete PPL Plan
Repeat push, pull, and legs twice per week without duplicating the same dose by making the first cycle heavier and the second cycle more moderate.
Reviewed by Dorsi editorial teamUpdated September 1, 2026
Plan details
- Level
- Intermediate
- Frequency
- 6 days per week
- Session length
- 45–65 minutes
- Equipment
- Full gym with barbells or dumbbells, bench, cables or pull-up station, and leg machines
Base version
Your starting week
Day 1 — Push A
Heavier horizontal pressing with moderate shoulder and triceps work| Exercise | Sets | Reps | First-week guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 4 | 4–7 | Leave two repetitions in reserve and keep the touch standard fixed. |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 | 8–12 | Use a low incline and stop before the shoulders roll forward. |
| Lateral raise | 3 | 12–18 | Add repetitions without adding torso momentum. |
| Triceps pushdown | 2 | 10–15 | Keep the upper arms stable across the set. |
Day 2 — Pull A
Heavier vertical pull plus supported back and elbow-flexion work| Exercise | Sets | Reps | First-week guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-up or lat pulldown | 4 | 5–8 | Use assistance that preserves a controlled full range. |
| Chest-supported row | 3 | 7–10 | Let the bench remove unnecessary lower-back fatigue. |
| Face pull | 2 | 12–16 | Use a load that lets the shoulder blades and arms move together. |
| Hammer curl | 2 | 8–12 | End the set before body swing is required. |
Day 3 — Legs A
Squat strength plus moderate hinge and calf work| Exercise | Sets | Reps | First-week guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat or hack squat | 4 | 5–8 | Use a repeatable depth and stop before repetitions grind. |
| Romanian deadlift | 3 | 7–10 | Keep the bar close and control the entire hinge range. |
| Leg curl | 2 | 10–15 | Keep the hips stable instead of chasing a heavier stack. |
| Standing calf raise | 3 | 8–15 | Pause briefly in the stretched and shortened positions. |
Day 4 — Push B
Vertical pressing and moderate second-cycle chest volume| Exercise | Sets | Reps | First-week guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead press | 3 | 6–9 | Keep the trunk position consistent throughout the set. |
| Dumbbell bench press | 3 | 9–12 | Use less effort than Day 1 and keep two repetitions in reserve. |
| Cable or dumbbell lateral raise | 2 | 12–18 | Stop when shoulder position or range changes. |
| Overhead triceps extension | 2 | 10–14 | Use a comfortable elbow path and controlled stretch. |
Day 5 — Pull B
Horizontal pulling and moderate second-cycle back volume| Exercise | Sets | Reps | First-week guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seated cable row | 3 | 8–12 | Match torso position and handle path across weeks. |
| Neutral-grip lat pulldown | 3 | 9–12 | Treat this as controlled volume rather than a second maximal pull day. |
| Rear-delt raise | 2 | 12–18 | Use a load that does not turn the movement into a row. |
| Dumbbell curl | 2 | 10–14 | Keep the shoulder position still as the elbow bends. |
Day 6 — Legs B
Hinge strength plus moderate knee-dominant and unilateral work| Exercise | Sets | Reps | First-week guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlift or trap-bar deadlift | 3 | 3–5 | Reset each repetition and finish when setup quality changes. |
| Leg press or front squat | 3 | 8–12 | Use a moderate load after the primary hinge. |
| Bulgarian split squat | 2 | 8 each side | Use support if balance would otherwise limit the legs. |
| Seated calf raise | 3 | 10–15 | Keep the same range and pause on every repetition. |
Progression
How the plan moves forward
- 1Keep two to three repetitions in reserve during the first week and use the second push, pull, and legs cycle as moderate practice rather than a second set of maximal sessions.
- 2Add repetitions within the listed ranges; after every set reaches the top with stable technique, add the smallest practical load and return to the bottom.
- 3After four to six build weeks, cut accessory sets roughly in half and reduce main-lift loads for a lower-fatigue week before rebuilding.
When conditions change
Three ways to adjust without starting over
Six consecutive training days harms session quality
The split needs six sessions, but the calendar does not have to force all six before one rest day.
- Place a recovery day after Legs A and run the cycle across eight days when that keeps the second cycle productive.
- Do not compensate by combining two complete sessions on the following day.
You miss one session
Skipping directly to the next weekday label can leave one movement group undertrained.
- Continue with the missed session and let the sequence roll into the next week.
- If six sessions stop fitting repeatedly, move to a four-day upper/lower plan instead of treating every week as a recovery emergency.
Elbows, shoulders, or knees remain fatigued
Repeating each movement group twice can create more overlapping joint stress than the labels suggest.
- Remove one isolation exercise and one set from the second cycle before changing the first main lift.
- Stop the aggravating movement and seek appropriate assessment when pain is sharp, persistent, or affects normal function.
Exercise demonstrations
See the main movement patterns
Incline Dumbbell Row
Mid-back + lats · chest-supported row
See substitutionsRomanian Deadlift
Hamstrings + glutes · hinge
See substitutionsDumbbell Lateral Raise
Side delts · shoulder abduction
See substitutionsSix sessions are a distribution tool, not a badge
Push/pull/legs becomes symmetrical at six sessions because every movement group appears twice. That symmetry does not guarantee better results. It is useful only when spreading the work across more days keeps the sessions focused and the second cycle productive.
The first push, pull, and legs sessions carry the heavier emphasis. The second cycle uses different exercises, higher repetition ranges, and slightly less work. That difference matters: repeating six hard sessions would turn frequency into accumulated fatigue rather than better practice.
Let the sequence roll when the calendar changes
If Tuesday disappears, the next workout is still the missed session. Moving straight to the next weekday label can leave one movement group behind while another receives extra work. Treat the plan as a sequence, and insert a recovery day after Legs A when six consecutive sessions reduce quality.
The workout-split guide compares lower-frequency choices, and the four-day upper/lower plan is the cleaner fallback when six appointments stop fitting. Dorsi can use completed sessions and changing availability when organizing what comes next; the personalized planning page shows how those details shape the next plan.
This plan is for generally healthy adults. Sharp pain, fainting, chest pain, unusual shortness of breath, or persistent loss of normal function needs appropriate medical guidance rather than another scheduling workaround.
Sources we drew from
The schedule is a practical template for generally healthy adults. Evidence statements are tied to the sources below; the exact exercise order is an editorial programming choice, not a clinical prescription.
- 1
Brad S Currier et al. · 2026 · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
The position stand emphasizes consistent resistance training of the major muscle groups and matching load, volume, frequency, and effort to the goal.
- 2
Jozo Grgic et al. · 2018 · Sports Medicine
The review found that apparent benefits of higher training frequency were largely explained by the additional weekly volume it enabled.
Frequently asked questions
Is six-day push/pull/legs too much?
It can be. Six days is appropriate only when the second push, pull, and legs cycle remains technically sound and recoverable. If performance declines, joints stay irritated, or sessions are repeatedly missed, four or five days will usually distribute the work better.
Should I repeat the same push, pull, and legs workouts twice?
No. Keep the same movement categories but change the emphasis and dose. This plan uses heavier first-cycle sessions and more moderate second-cycle sessions so the week is connected without duplicating fatigue.
Do I need to train six days in a row?
No. A rest day after the first legs session creates an eight-day cycle and may improve the second half. The name describes six training sessions, not a requirement to ignore recovery or force a Monday-to-Sunday calendar.