# Push/Pull/Legs – 3-Day

> The classic push/pull/legs split, three days a week. Straight sets on the big lifts, with one last set to failure on the final exercise of each day.

Goal: Muscle Gain · Level: Intermediate · Equipment: Barbell، Dumbbells، Cables، Machine، Bench، Pull-Up Bar · 3 days/week · ~55 min/session · 8 weeks

Interactive version (free): https://stay-active.app/templates/int-ppl-3day-gym

_Updated 10 October 2026_

## Who is this plan for?

Push, pull, legs is the most popular way to organise a week of training, and the three-day version is a great fit if you have moved past full-body workouts but can only train three times a week.

Push day covers chest, shoulders and triceps; pull day covers back, rear shoulders and biceps; leg day covers quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Each day starts with a heavy compound lift and works down to smaller isolation exercises. The last exercise of each day gets one set to failure, an introduction to training harder without risking the big lifts.

Progress with double progression: when you hit the top of the rep range on every set of an exercise, add the smallest weight jump next session.

Train on non-consecutive days, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. When you are ready for more, move to the 6-day version.

## The full 3-day plan: exercises, sets and reps

### Day 1 – Push — Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

- **Barbell Bench Press** — 3 sets × 6-8 reps, rest 150s
- **Dumbbell Shoulder Press** — 3 sets × 8-10 reps, rest 120s
- **Dumbbell Incline Press** — 3 sets × 8-10 reps, rest 90s
- **Cable Lateral Raise** — 3 sets × 12-15 reps, rest 60s
- **Cable Triceps Pushdown** — 3 sets × 10-12 reps, rest 60s, last set to failure

### Day 2 – Pull — Back & Biceps

- **Cable Lat Pulldown** — 3 sets × 8-10 reps, rest 120s
- **Barbell Row** — 3 sets × 8-10 reps, rest 120s
- **Cable Seated Row** — 3 sets × 10-12 reps, rest 90s
- **Cable Face Pull** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 60s
- **Dumbbell Curl** — 3 sets × 10-12 reps, rest 60s, last set to failure

### Day 3 – Legs

- **Barbell Squat** — 3 sets × 6-8 reps, rest 180s
- **Romanian Deadlift** — 3 sets × 8-10 reps, rest 150s
- **Machine Leg Press** — 3 sets × 10-12 reps, rest 120s
- **Machine Seated Leg Curl** — 3 sets × 10-12 reps, rest 75s
- **Machine Seated Calf Raise** — 3 sets × 12-15 reps, rest 60s, last set to failure

## Frequently asked questions

### How many days a week is the Push/Pull/Legs 3-Day plan, and how long are the workouts?

The Push/Pull/Legs 3-Day plan is 3 days a week, with sessions of about 55 minutes, over 8 weeks.

### What equipment do I need for the Push/Pull/Legs 3-Day plan?

The Push/Pull/Legs 3-Day plan uses a barbell, dumbbells, a cable machine, gym machines, a bench and pull-up bar.

### Is the Push/Pull/Legs 3-Day plan good for beginners?

The Push/Pull/Legs 3-Day plan is an intermediate plan, best once you have trained consistently for a few months. If you are new to training, start with one of the beginner plans in the free library.

### Is the Push/Pull/Legs 3-Day plan free?

Yes. The full plan is free to read here and to follow in the StayActive app, with no subscription and no ads.

### Is three days of PPL enough to build muscle?

Yes for intermediate lifters, especially in the first year or two of serious training. Each muscle gets one hard session a week with good volume. To train each muscle twice a week, step up to the 6-day version or an upper/lower plan.

### What does "last set to failure" mean?

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.

### Can I add a fourth day?

Add an arms and shoulders day, or move to the 4-day Power + Size plan, which trains everything twice a week.

## Safety notes

Keep the main lifts one to two reps short of failure; only the final isolation exercise of the day is taken to failure. Use safety pins or a spotter for heavy bench and squat sets.