You want to build muscle and strength. But your current routine isn’t cutting it.
I get it.
That’s exactly why I’m about to show you the exact 4-day push pull legs split that’s helped thousands of lifters break through plateaus and pack on serious muscle.
Here’s the deal:
Most people make the mistake of training 6 days a week, burning themselves out, and getting nowhere. Or they hit the gym 3 days a week and wonder why they’re not growing.
Then a 4-day split is perfect for you. Why?
Because it gives you:
Enough volume to stimulate growth
Perfect recovery time between sessions
Flexibility to fit your schedule
Maximum muscle stimulation without overtraining
The best part?
This isn’t some random workout split. It’s a proven system that works whether you’re a busy professional or a dedicated lifter.
This versatile regimen has gained popularity among fitness enthusiasts for a valid reason. It’s great for anyone who wants to build muscle, increase strength, and improve endurance.
Push Day
On Push Day, you will focus on the muscles engaged in pushing movements. This includes the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Think of exercises like bench presses, shoulder presses, and tricep dips.
These movements help you develop a strong upper body and enhance your pressing power.
Target Muscle
Exercises
Chest
Bench Press, Incline Dumbbell Press, Push-Ups
Shoulders
Shoulder Press, Lateral Raises, Front Raises
Triceps
Tricep Dips, Skull Crushers, Tricep Pushdowns
Pull Day
Next up is Pull Day, where you will focus on the muscles responsible for pulling movements. This includes your back and biceps. Exercises like pull-ups, rows, and bicep curls come into play here.
When you focus on pulling or rowing motions, you work your back and rear shoulders while also working your bicep.
Target Muscle
Exercises
Back
Pull-Ups, Bent-Over Rows, Lat Pulldowns
Rear Delt
Cable Rows, Face Pulls, Rear Delt Flyes
Biceps
Bicep Curls, Hammer Curls, Concentration Curls
Leg Day
Last but certainly not least is Leg Day! This day is all about dedicating your workout to your lower body. You’ll work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves by doing things like squats, lunges, and deadlifts.
Target Muscle
Exercises
Quads
Squats, Leg Press, Lunges
Hamstrings
Deadlifts, Hamstring Curls,
Glutes
Hip Thrusts, Glute Bridges
Calves
Calf Raises
Classic 4 Day push pull leg Workout split
Day 1: Push
Day 2: Pull
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Legs
Day 5: Upper Body Focus
Day 6-7: Rest
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press
4
8-10
Overhead Shoulder Press (Dumbbell/Barbell)
4
8-10
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
10-12
Lateral Raises
3
12-15
Tricep Dips
3
8-10
Tricep Pushdown (Cable)
3
10-12
Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlifts
4
6-8
Pull-Ups or Lat Pulldowns
4
8-10
Barbell Rows
4
8-10
Dumbbell Rows
3
10-12
Barbell Bicep Curls
3
10-12
Hammer Curls
3
10-12
Day 3: Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squats
4
8-10
Romanian Deadlifts
4
8-10
Leg Press
3
10-12
Lunges
3
10-12
Calf Raises (Seated/Standing)
4
12-15
Day 4: Upper Body Focus (Mix of Push & Pull)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press
4
8-10
Bent Over Rows
4
8-10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3
10-12
Pull-Ups
3
8-10
Barbell Shrugs
3
10-12
Face Pulls
3
12-15
4-Day Push Pull Legs (PPL) + Full-Body Routine
Day 1: Push
Day 2: Pull
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Legs
Day 5: Full Body
Day 6-7: Rest
Day 1: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press
4
8-10
Dumbbell Incline Press
4
8-10
Standing Overhead Press
3
8-10
Lateral Raises
3
10-12
Tricep Dips
3
8-10
Tricep Rope Pushdowns
3
10-12
Day 2: Pull (Back, Biceps)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Pull-Ups
4
6-8
Bent-Over Barbell Rows
4
8-10
Seated Cable Rows
3
10-12
Face Pulls
3
12-15
Barbell Curls
3
10-12
Hammer Curls
3
10-12
Day 3: Legs
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Squats
4
8-10
Leg Press
4
10-12
Romanian Deadlifts
3
8-10
Leg Curls
3
10-12
Calf Raises
4
12-15
Hanging Leg Raises
3
12-15
Day 4: Full Body
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Squats
4
8-10
Deadlifts
4
6-8
Dumbbell Bench Press
3
8-10
Pull-Ups
3
6-8
Plank
3
30-60 sec
Russian Twists
3
15-20
4 Day PPL Power Split
Day 1: Heavy Push
Day 2: Heavy Pull
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Legs
Day 5: Light Push/Pull
Day 6-7: Rest
Day 1: Heavy Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press (Heavy)
5
4-6
Overhead Barbell Shoulder Press (Heavy)
4
4-6
Incline Bench Press (Heavy)
4
4-6
Close-Grip Bench Press (Heavy)
3
6-8
Tricep Dips (Weighted)
3
6-8
Day 2: Heavy Pull (Back, Biceps)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlifts (Heavy)
5
4-6
Pull-Ups (Weighted)
4
4-6
Barbell Rows (Heavy)
4
4-6
T-Bar Rows (Heavy)
3
6-8
Barbell Bicep Curls (Heavy)
3
6-8
Day 3: Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squats (Heavy)
5
4-6
Romanian Deadlifts
4
6-8
Leg Press
4
6-8
Lunges (Weighted)
3
8-10
Calf Raises (Seated/Standing)
4
12-15
Day 4: Light Push/Pull (Chest, Back, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Bench Press
3
10-12
Lateral Raises
3
12-15
Lat Pulldowns
3
10-12
Dumbbell Rows
3
10-12
Cable Tricep Pushdowns
3
12-15
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
3
12-15
4 Day Push Pull Leg Hybrid Split
Day 1: Push + Abs
Day 2: Pull + Calves
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Legs + Core
Day 5: Upper Body
Day 6-7: Rest
Day 1: Push + Abs (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press
4
8-10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
4
8-10
Incline Dumbbell Press
3
10-12
Lateral Raises
3
12-15
Tricep Dips
3
10-12
Tricep Rope Pushdowns
3
12-15
Hanging Leg Raises
3
12-15
Plank
3
30-60 sec
Day 2: Pull + Calves (Back, Biceps, Calves)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlifts
4
6-8
Pull-Ups
4
8-10
Barbell Rows
4
8-10
Dumbbell Rows
3
10-12
Barbell Bicep Curls
3
10-12
Hammer Curls
3
10-12
Seated Calf Raises
4
12-15
Standing Calf Raises
4
12-15
Day 3: Legs + Core (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squats
4
8-10
Romanian Deadlifts
4
8-10
Leg Press
3
10-12
Walking Lunges
3
10-12
Leg Extensions
3
12-15
Cable Crunches
3
12-15
Russian Twists
3
20-30
Day 4: Upper Body (Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press
4
8-10
Bent Over Rows
4
8-10
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3
10-12
Pull-Ups
3
8-10
Dumbbell Chest Flyes
3
10-12
Barbell Shrugs
3
10-12
Tricep Pushdowns
3
12-15
Barbell Curls
3
10-12
Body Part Priority PPL Split
Day 1: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
Day 2: Back/Biceps
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Legs/Core
Day 5: Lagging Parts Focus
Day 6-7: Rest
Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Bench Press
4
8-10
Incline Dumbbell Press
4
8-10
Overhead Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3
10-12
Lateral Raises
3
12-15
Cable Chest Flyes
3
10-12
Tricep Dips
3
10-12
Tricep Rope Pushdowns
3
12-15
Day 2: Back, Biceps
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Deadlifts
4
6-8
Pull-Ups
4
8-10
Barbell Rows
4
8-10
T-Bar Rows
3
10-12
Barbell Curls
3
10-12
Hammer Curls
3
10-12
Face Pulls
3
12-15
Day 3: Legs, Core
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Barbell Squats
4
8-10
Romanian Deadlifts
4
8-10
Leg Press
3
10-12
Walking Lunges
3
10-12
Seated Calf Raises
4
12-15
Hanging Leg Raises
3
12-15
Russian Twists
3
20-30
Day 4: Lagging Parts Focus
Select the appropriate body part and exercises based on your lagging muscle requirements.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Dumbbell Chest Flyes (Lagging Chest)
3
12-15
Cable Lateral Raises (Lagging Shoulders)
3
12-15
Close-Grip Bench Press (Lagging Triceps)
3
10-12
Preacher Curls (Lagging Biceps)
3
10-12
Face Pulls (Lagging Rear Delts)
3
12-15
Calf Raises (Lagging Calves)
4
12-15
References
American College of Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Mar;41(3):687-708. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670. PMID: 19204579.
Pedersen H, Fimland MS, Schoenfeld BJ, Iversen VM, Cumming KT, Jensen S, Saeterbakken AH, Andersen V. A randomized trial on the efficacy of split-body versus full-body resistance training in non-resistance trained women. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2022 May 14;14(1):87. doi: 10.1186/s13102-022-00481-7. PMID: 35568897; PMCID: PMC9107721.
Bartolomei S, Nigro F, Malagoli Lanzoni I, Masina F, Di Michele R, Hoffman JR. A Comparison Between Total Body and Split Routine Resistance Training Programs in Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2021 Jun 1;35(6):1520-1526. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003573. PMID: 32168178.
Alves RC, Prestes J, Enes A, de Moraes WMA, Trindade TB, de Salles BF, Aragon AA, Souza-Junior TP. Training Programs Designed for Muscle Hypertrophy in Bodybuilders: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel). 2020 Nov 18;8(11):149. doi: 10.3390/sports8110149. PMID: 33218168; PMCID: PMC7698840.
Geanta, Vlad Adrian. (2021). Using Push-Pull-Legs Training : A Weight Training Method for Muscle Hypertrophy in Upper Body on Amateur Athletes ( in Arena – Journal of Physical Activities (2285-830X). 26-37.
Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.
Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.
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