PPL for Fat Loss
PPL for fat loss is a knife's edge — six sessions is often too much recovery to ask of a body in a deficit. This template runs on a rotating 5-day pattern with tightened rest and a single cardio finisher.
Goal: Fat Loss — You are eating less than you burn. The training's only job is to protect muscle so the scale drops fat, not everything.
Split: Push / Pull / Legs — Push day trains everything that presses. Pull day trains everything that pulls. Leg day trains everything below the belt. Nothing overlaps day-to-day.
Frequency: 6 days/week · Session: ~65 min
Calories: 300–500 kcal deficit
Why this combo works
The classic 6-day PPL was designed for hard-gaining bulkers, not people in deficit. Cutting the frequency to 5 sessions (Push-Pull-Legs-Push-Pull, rest, Legs) protects recovery without giving up per-muscle frequency.
Weekly structure
Day 1 — Push
Chest, shoulders, triceps
- Barbell bench 3×6–8 RIR 2
- Incline DB press 3×8–10 RIR 2
- Seated DB press 3×8–10 RIR 2
- Cable lateral raise 3×12 RIR 0
- Rope pushdown 3×10–12 RIR 1
Day 2 — Pull
Back, rear delts, biceps
- Barbell row 3×6–8 RIR 2
- Lat pulldown 3×8–10 RIR 2
- Chest-supported row 3×10–12 RIR 1
- Face pull 3×15 RIR 0
- Barbell curl 3×8–10 RIR 1
Day 3 — Legs + Z2
Quads, hamstrings, calves + 15 min Z2
- Back squat 3×5–7 RIR 2
- Romanian deadlift 3×6–8 RIR 2
- Leg press 3×10–12 RIR 1
- Lying leg curl 3×10 RIR 1
- Standing calf raise 3×12 RIR 0
- 15-min incline walk
Day 4 — Push
Overhead-first rotation
- Overhead press 3×6–8 RIR 2
- Flat DB press 3×8–10 RIR 2
- Machine chest press 3×10–12 RIR 1
- DB lateral raise 3×12 RIR 0
- Overhead tricep 3×10–12
Day 5 — Pull
Vertical-first rotation
- Chin-up 3×AMRAP RIR 1
- Seal row 3×8–10 RIR 2
- Single-arm lat pulldown 3×10 RIR 1
- Reverse pec-deck 3×15 RIR 0
- Hammer curl 3×10
Day 6 — Legs (light)
Optional accessory day
- Bulgarian split squat 3×10/leg RIR 1
- Hack squat 3×12 RIR 1
- Seated leg curl 3×15 RIR 0
- Seated calf raise 3×15 RIR 0
- Ab wheel 3×10
Cardio
One 15-minute Z2 walk after Day 3. Skip on weeks where sleep is under 7 hours — recovery matters more than the finisher.
Progression
Double progression on compounds. Isolations: chase a rep, then chase a load. Deload every 5 weeks if working weights stall on more than one lift.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do 6 days on a fat-loss cut?
You can, but most people can't recover from it. If you're getting under 7 hours of sleep or your working sets are stalling, drop to 5 days.
How is this different from PPL for muscle gain?
Less total volume per session, rest capped at 90–120 seconds, one Z2 finisher. Compounds still at RIR 2 — grinding in a deficit is a shortcut to injury.
Should I do fasted cardio?
No meaningful fat-loss advantage. Do cardio when you have energy for it and treat it as a bonus, not a mandatory box.
Related
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