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Training splits · PPL

Push Pull Legs — Indian Gym Version

PPL is the most popular intermediate split for a reason: high frequency, honest volume per muscle, and it maps to real gym equipment. This is the Indian-gym version — designed around the reality that the squat rack will be occupied and the cable station will have three people on it.

Days
6 (or 5 rotating)
Level
Intermediate
Session
60–75 min

Why PPL works

Push
Everything that presses — chest, front delts, triceps.
Pull
Everything that pulls — back, rear delts, biceps.
Legs
Quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

PPL groups muscles by movement pattern. Nothing overlaps day-to-day, so each muscle group gets 48+ hours to recover before it's hit again.

The 6-day template

Push AMonday, Thursday
  • Barbell bench press4×6–8
  • Incline DB press3×8–10
  • Overhead press3×6–8
  • Cable lateral raise3×12–15
  • Tricep pushdown3×10–12
  • Overhead tricep extension2×12–15
Pull ATuesday, Friday
  • Barbell row4×6–8
  • Lat pulldown3×8–10
  • Chest-supported row3×10–12
  • Face pulls3×15–20
  • Barbell curl3×8–10
  • Hammer curl2×10–12
Legs AWednesday, Saturday
  • Back squat4×5–8
  • Romanian deadlift3×6–8
  • Leg press3×10–12
  • Leg curl3×10–12
  • Standing calf raise4×10–15
  • Hanging leg raise3×8–12

Indian-gym substitutions

If the equipment is taken or missing
ProblemDo this instead
Squat rack always takenBulgarian split squats with dumbbells first, then move to the rack when it opens
Lat pulldown occupiedChin-ups (or negatives if you can't do full reps)
No cable stationDumbbell lateral raises and dumbbell rows
Missing a leg pressMachine hack squat or heavy goblet squats

Compressing to 5 days

Each session shifts by one day each week. You still hit each muscle ~1.7× per week — plenty for intermediate progress.

  1. MonPush
  2. TuePull
  3. WedLegs
  4. ThuPush
  5. FriPull
  6. SatRest
  7. SunLegs

RIR, tempo, rest — the doctrine

Working-set rules
Lift typeRIRRest
Compound22–3 min
Isolation0–145–90 s
Tempo: controlled eccentric (2–3 seconds down), no bouncing, full range of motion.
Miss even one of these and you're doing bodybuilder-shaped cardio, not hypertrophy training.
Exercise library Form cues for every lift aboveIndian bulking diet Fuel this volumeCreatine guide The one supplement worth buying

Frequently asked questions

Is PPL good for beginners?
No. Beginners should run a 3-day full body for 3–6 months first — six sessions a week overwhelms recovery before you know how to program a session.
How many days per week is PPL?
The classic template is 6 days (Push-Pull-Legs-Push-Pull-Legs). It also works as a 5-day rotation (each session shifts by a day) or a 3-day rotation if you can only train three times a week.
Can I run PPL if my gym doesn't have a leg press?
Yes. Substitute machine hack squat, Bulgarian split squats, or a heavy goblet squat. Any hip-and-knee extension movement with progressive overload works.
What's the difference between PPL and Upper/Lower?
PPL splits your upper body into pushing and pulling days, letting you handle more weekly volume per muscle. Upper/Lower is better if you can only train 4 days a week.
How long should each PPL session take?
60–75 minutes of actual work, plus warm-up. If it takes longer, your rest periods are too long or you're doing too many isolation exercises.

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