Push, pull and legs twice a week. The first round is heavy straight sets; the second is higher-volume work with drop sets, failure sets and supersets.
PPL twice a week is one of the most effective layouts for experienced lifters: every muscle gets two sessions a week, and each day has a clear job. This version gives the two rounds different jobs too.
The A days are heavy. Each starts with a big compound (bench, deadlift, squat) in the 5-6 rep range with long rest, followed by a few strength-focused accessories. No intensity techniques. The B days are for volume: machines, cables and dumbbells in the 10-15 range, where you finish an exercise with a drop set, take a machine set to failure and pair accessories in supersets.
Weekly volume is about 14-18 hard sets per major muscle. Progress the A-day lifts by adding a little weight whenever you hit the top of the rep range, and the B-day work by adding reps.
Run Push A, Pull A, Legs A, Push B, Pull B, Legs B, then rest. After 6-8 weeks take a lighter week.
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 × 5-6 | 180s |
| Barbell Overhead Press | 3 × 6-8 | 150s |
| Dumbbell Incline Press | 3 × 8-10 | 120s |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 3 × 12-15 | 60s |
| Cable Triceps Pushdown | 3 × 10-12 | 60s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | 3 × 5 | 210s |
| Pull-Up | 4 × 6-8 | 150s |
| Barbell Row | 3 × 6-8 | 120s |
| Cable Face Pull | 3 × 15 | 60s |
| Barbell Curl | 3 × 8-10 | 90s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 4 × 5-6 | 180s |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 8 | 150s |
| Machine Leg Press | 3 × 10 | 120s |
| Machine Seated Leg Curl | 3 × 10-12 | 75s |
| Smith Machine Calf Raise | 4 × 10-12 | 60s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Incline Chest Press | 3 × 10-12 | 90s |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 × 10-12 | 90s |
| Cable Crossover | 3 × 12-15 · drop set on the last set | 60s |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 4 × 15 · last set to failure | 60s |
| Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension | 3 × 12 · superset A | 60s |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 3 × 15 · superset A | 60s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Cable Lat Pulldown | 3 × 10-12 | 90s |
| Machine Chest-Supported Row | 3 × 10-12 · last set to failure | 90s |
| Cable Straight-Arm Pulldown | 3 × 12-15 · drop set on the last set | 60s |
| Machine Reverse Pec Deck | 3 × 15 · superset A | 60s |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 3 × 12 · superset A | 60s |
| Cable Biceps Curl | 2 × 12-15 · last set to failure | 60s |
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Hack Squat | 3 × 10-12 | 120s |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 × 10 | 120s |
| Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 × 10 per leg | 90s |
| Machine Leg Extension | 3 × 15 · drop set on the last set | 60s |
| Machine Prone Leg Curl | 3 × 12 · last set to failure | 60s |
| Machine Seated Calf Raise | 4 × 15 | 45s |
The Push/Pull/Legs 6-Day plan uses a barbell, dumbbells, a cable machine, gym machines, a bench and pull-up bar.
The Push/Pull/Legs 6-Day plan is an advanced plan for experienced lifters. If you are new to training, start with a beginner plan first.
Yes. The full plan is free to read here and to follow in the StayActive app, with no subscription and no ads.
For an experienced lifter who sleeps and eats well, no. Each muscle still gets about 72 hours between sessions. If you cannot recover, run it as a rolling three-on, one-off schedule instead.
On that exercise, do your normal sets, then on the final set keep going until you cannot complete another rep with good form. It only appears on machine, cable and isolation work, where failing a rep is safe. Never take heavy squats, deadlifts or bench presses to failure.
When you finish the last set of an exercise marked "Drop set", the tracker adds a drop: reduce the weight by about 25% and keep going straight away with no rest. Log the drop like any other set.
Heavy, low-rep work builds strength and moderate-to-high-rep work drives size. Doing both every week covers both, and keeping the techniques on the B days means the heavy days are never done tired.
Six days is a lot: sleep, food and the rest day decide whether you recover. If performance drops two sessions in a row, take an extra rest day. Keep A-day compounds one to two reps short of failure and use a spotter or safety pins. Take a lighter week every 5-6 weeks.
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