Push, Pull, Legs: How to Organise Your Workout
GYMDONE editorial team
A push, pull, legs split sorts strength exercises by their main role: pressing goes on push days, pulling on pull days and lower-body work on leg days. That structure can make exercise selection easier. It won't make a program effective by itself, because weekly workload and consistency still matter.
What goes on each day?
| Session | Main movements | Possible accessories |
|---|---|---|
| Push | Bench press or chest press; overhead press | Lateral raise; triceps extension |
| Pull | Row; pulldown or assisted pull-up | Rear-delt movement; biceps curl |
| Legs | Squat or leg press; hip-hinge movement | Leg curl; calf raise |
You don't need every exercise on that list. Pick a manageable number, practise the setup and write down your working sets. A hip hinge involves the back as well, so think about what your pull day demands before you put heavy hinges on a leg day.
Three days and six days are different commitments
Push on Monday, pull on Wednesday and legs on Friday gets you through each session once a week. The schedule is simple. Each main muscle group does get fewer dedicated sessions than it would in a three-day full-body routine, though, so if you're new or can only visit three times, compare it with our full-body plan.
A six-day version runs push, pull and legs twice, then takes an easier day. Training gets more frequent across the week, at the price of a much larger calendar commitment. Don't automatically double the work from your three-day plan, since more visits can mean shorter sessions instead of twice as many hard sets.
Start with workload you can repeat
You might, for example, take two main exercises and one or two accessories per session, with a modest number of working sets. Leave some controlled repetitions in reserve and watch how you recover. Your experience and goals should decide the exact sets and repetitions.
ACSM's current guidance recommends regular training of the major muscle groups and an individualised program. What a split is called matters less than how much useful work it lets you repeat. To count that work, use our training-volume guide.
Review exercise overlap
Your triceps are already working when you press, and rows and pulldowns bring in the biceps. Accessory work piles on top of that. If your elbows, shoulders or performance are struggling, look over the whole week before you add more exercises. And stay with the same core movements for long enough to compare sessions.
Common questions
Is push, pull, legs best for beginners?
It can work. With two or three weekly visits, though, a full-body routine may be the simpler fit. Go with the schedule you can actually maintain.
What if I miss one day?
When it's practical, just carry on with the next planned session. Don't squeeze two demanding workouts into one day merely to keep the calendar intact.
Sources
ACSM 2026 resistance-training guidance; Training frequency and muscle growth: systematic review.
If this split fits your week, try recording your push, pull and leg sessions in GYMDONE, then adjust the workload from your own results.