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Beginner

Beginner Push / Pull / Legs Workout Routine

This beginner push/pull/legs plan runs one push day, one pull day and one leg day a week, built from machines and dumbbells with no barbell work. Five exercises a session, about 40 minutes. It is the split people ask for by name, sized for three gym days.

3 days a week · 15 exercises · Gym · free, no account needed to read

  • glutes
  • shoulders
  • biceps
  • chest
  • hamstrings
  • quads
  • calves
  • lats
  • triceps
  • upper back
Try Push free
Clay illustration of a lat pulldown machine

Push

5 exercises · ~40 min

  1. 1
    Dumbbell Bench PressDumbbell
    3 × 8-10
  2. 2
    Leverage Shoulder PressMachine
    3 × 8-10
  3. 3
    Leverage Incline Chest PressMachine
    3 × 10-12
  4. 4
    Side Lateral RaiseDumbbell
    3 × 12-15
  5. 5
    Triceps PushdownCable
    3 × 10-12
Customize this day

Pull

5 exercises · ~35 min

  1. 1
    Wide-Grip Lat PulldownCable
    3 × 8-10
  2. 2
    Seated Cable RowsCable
    3 × 10-12
  3. 3
    Face PullCable
    3 × 12-15
  4. 4
    Dumbbell Bicep CurlDumbbell
    3 × 10-12
  5. 5
    Hammer CurlsDumbbell
    2 × 10-12
Customize this day

Legs

5 exercises · ~40 min

  1. 1
    Goblet SquatDumbbell
    3 × 8-10
  2. 2
    Leg PressMachine
    3 × 10-12
  3. 3
    Dumbbell Romanian DeadliftDumbbell
    3 × 8-10
  4. 4
    Seated Hamstring CurlMachine
    3 × 10-12
  5. 5
    Standing Calf RaisesMachine
    3 × 12-15
Customize this day

Sets and reps are the beginner defaults: heavy compound lifts at 3 × 5-8 with two to three minutes of rest, everything else at 3 × 8-15 with about a minute. Change them to suit you.

Beginner Push / Pull / Legs questions, answered

Is PPL good for a beginner?

It works, though each muscle only gets trained once a week on three days. A full body plan covers everything three times a week and builds technique faster.

How long is each session?

About 35 to 40 minutes. Five exercises, with two to three minutes of rest on the presses and about a minute on everything else.

Can I run this more than 3 days?

Yes, run the cycle twice for six days. Do that once you have finished three sessions a week for a month without missing any.

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