The three sessions
Push trains chest, shoulders, and triceps; pull trains back, rear delts, and biceps; legs trains quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Start each day with the most demanding movement.
- Push: press, secondary press, lateral raise, triceps
- Pull: vertical pull, row, rear delt, biceps
- Legs: squat pattern, hinge, single-leg work, calves
Choose frequency from your week
Run PPL once per week for three sessions, or rotate it across more training days. Six days doubles exposure and recovery demand; it is not automatically superior.
Progress one variable at a time
Keep a rep range. Add reps with stable technique before adding the smallest practical weight. Reduce volume when performance and recovery trend down together.
Questions, answered plainly
Can beginners use PPL?+
Yes, but a three-day full-body or upper/lower plan may provide more frequent practice with fewer sessions.
How many exercises per workout?+
Four to six well-chosen exercises are often enough. Effective sets and recovery matter more than exercise count.
Do I need an account to use the calculator?+
No. The web calculators are free and run in your browser without an account.