The 5-day push-pull-legs (PPL) split is one of the most popular intermediate training structures because it balances per-muscle frequency with sustainability. The format runs across 5 training days per week with various organization options: PPL/PP (push, pull, legs, push, pull) which trains push and pull twice per week and legs once; PPL/PL (push, pull, legs, push, legs) which trains push twice and pull and legs each once; or hybrid arrangements with 2 push, 2 pull, and 1 legs day. The 5-day frequency provides more per-muscle training than 3-day full-body programs while remaining more sustainable than 6-day PPL splits, which makes it particularly popular among intermediate lifters.
Below are ten foundational compound exercises organized for the 5-day PPL split: push-day work (bench press, incline press, overhead press, lateral raise), pull-day work (bent-over row, pull-up, deadlift), and legs-day work (squat, Romanian deadlift, walking lunge). Together they form the exercise foundation for productive 5-day PPL training. The split typically runs Monday-Friday with weekend rest days, or any other arrangement that maintains 48 to 72 hours between sessions training the same movement pattern.
Barbell Bench Press
The Barbell Bench Press lies flat on a bench and presses a loaded barbell from chest level to lockout above the chest. The exercise is the cornerstone push-day exercise in a 5-day PPL split, appearing on the heavy push day as the primary chest movement.
For the 5-day PPL split, the bench press appears on push day as the foundational chest exercise. The split structure runs 6 days of training across 5 days per week with one rest day mid-week, which means each muscle group trains 1.5 times per week (some lifters double up the popular muscle groups). Run it for 4 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps with 2 to 3 minutes rest as primary heavy chest work.
Lie flat on a bench with feet planted firmly on the floor. Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width. Lower the bar to mid-chest under control. Press back to lockout. Maintain a slight arch in the lower back, tight upper back, and feet planted throughout.
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
The Dumbbell Incline Bench Press lies on an incline bench (set to 30 to 45 degrees) and presses dumbbells from chest level to lockout. The incline angle shifts loading toward the upper chest and front delts.
For the 5-day PPL split, the incline press appears on push day as the secondary chest movement. The combination of flat bench and incline press produces broader chest development per session. Run it for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps as upper-chest specific work.
Set an incline bench to 30 to 45 degrees. Sit back with dumbbells held at chest level, palms facing forward. Press both dumbbells up to lockout above the chest. Lower under control to chest level.
Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press
The Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press stands tall with dumbbells held at the shoulders and presses both up to lockout overhead. The standing position forces full-body bracing.
For the 5-day PPL split, the overhead press appears on push day as the foundational shoulder exercise. The bilateral pressing pattern produces stronger shoulder development per rep than seated machine pressing. Run it for 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps as primary shoulder work.
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells held at the shoulders. Press both dumbbells up to lockout overhead. Lower under control to the shoulders. Brace the core hard throughout to prevent body sway.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The Dumbbell Lateral Raise holds dumbbells at the sides and lifts them out laterally to shoulder height. The exercise targets the side deltoids directly.
For the 5-day PPL split, the lateral raise appears on push day as accessory shoulder isolation work. The pattern hits the medial deltoid heads with maximum efficiency. Run it for 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps as accessory shoulder work after primary overhead pressing.
Stand tall with dumbbells held at the sides, palms facing the body. Lift the dumbbells out to the sides until the arms are roughly parallel to the floor. Pause briefly at the top. Lower under control. Avoid swinging.
Barbell Bent Over Row
The Barbell Bent Over Row hinges over with a barbell held at hip level and rows the bar to the lower chest by pulling the elbows back. The exercise is the foundational horizontal pulling movement on pull day.
For the 5-day PPL split, the bent-over row appears on pull day as the cornerstone horizontal pull. The bilateral barbell loading allows heavier total weight than dumbbell variations. Run it for 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps as primary heavy back work.
Stand with feet hip-width holding a barbell at the front of the thighs. Hinge over by pushing the hips back and bending the knees slightly, lowering the torso to roughly 45 degrees. Row the bar to the lower chest by pulling the elbows back. Lower under control. Keep the back flat throughout.
Pull Up
The Pull Up grips an overhead bar with palms facing away and pulls the body up until the chin clears the bar. The exercise is the foundational vertical pulling movement on pull day.
For the 5-day PPL split, pull-ups appear on pull day as primary vertical pull work. The pattern hits the lats more directly than horizontal rowing. Run it for 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps as primary vertical pull work in every pull session.
Hang from an overhead bar with palms facing away (overhand grip), hands shoulder-width apart. Pull the body up by driving the elbows down until the chin clears the bar. Lower under control to a full hang.
Barbell Deadlift
The Barbell Deadlift starts with the barbell on the floor and lifts it to standing position by hinging at the hips and extending through the legs. The exercise is the foundational pulling exercise that fits on pull day or legs day.
For the 5-day PPL split, deadlifts appear on either pull day or legs day depending on program preference. Most successful 5-day PPL programs put deadlifts on pull day to keep heavy posterior-chain pulling consolidated. Run it for 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps as primary heavy pulling work.
Stand with feet hip-width with the barbell over the middle of the feet. Hinge at the hips and bend the knees to grip the bar with shoulder-width grip. Drive through the legs and pull the bar up close to the body until standing fully upright. Reverse the motion under control. Reset before each rep.
Barbell Squat
The Barbell Squat (back squat) holds a barbell across the upper back and squats down by bending at the hips and knees. The exercise is the cornerstone legs-day exercise.
For the 5-day PPL split, the back squat appears on legs day as the primary leg exercise. The combination of bilateral heavy loading and full-body bracing demand drives quad, glute, and hamstring growth. Run it for 4 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps with 2 to 3 minutes rest as primary heavy leg work.
Set up under a barbell on a squat rack with the bar across the upper back. Step back to clear the rack. Stand with feet shoulder-width and toes pointed slightly out. Squat down by sitting the hips back while bending the knees. Drive back to standing through the whole foot.
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
The Barbell Romanian Deadlift starts standing with the barbell at hip level and hinges at the hips with a slight knee bend, lowering the bar in a controlled motion before driving the hips forward to stand. The exercise targets the hamstrings and glutes heavily.
For the 5-day PPL split, the Romanian deadlift appears on legs day as primary hamstring-focused work. The hip-hinge pattern emphasizes the hamstrings and glutes more heavily than squats. Run it for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps as primary hamstring work.
Stand tall holding a barbell at hip level with shoulder-width grip. Hinge at the hips with a slight knee bend, lowering the bar in a path close to the legs until the hamstrings stretch. Drive the hips forward to stand back up.
Barbell Walking Lunge
The Barbell Walking Lunge performs walking lunges while holding a barbell across the upper back. The walking pattern adds dynamic loading to the unilateral lunge motion.
For the 5-day PPL split, the walking lunge appears on legs day as accessory unilateral leg work. The pattern produces strong unilateral leg development that bilateral squatting alone cannot match. Run it for 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg as accessory leg work.
Set up under a barbell on a squat rack with the bar across the upper back. Step back to clear the rack. Step forward into a long lunge stance, lowering the back knee toward the floor while bending the front knee. Drive through the front foot to step the back foot forward into the next lunge.
How To Program These Workouts
A productive 5-day PPL split runs as follows (PPL/PP variation): Monday Push (bench press, overhead press, incline accessories, tricep work), Tuesday Pull (deadlift, bent-over row, pull-ups, bicep work), Wednesday Legs (back squat, Romanian deadlift, walking lunge, calves), Thursday Push (incline bench press, dumbbell shoulder press, fly variations, tricep accessories), Friday Pull (pull-ups primary, seated row, lat pulldowns, bicep accessories), Saturday/Sunday rest. The structure produces twice-weekly chest, back, and shoulder training with once-weekly leg training, which works well for lifters whose legs recover slower than upper body.
Run primary compounds (bench press, deadlift, squat) for 4 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps on heavy days. Run secondary compounds and isolation work for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps. Track every set in a training log and aim to add weight, reps, or sets every 1 to 2 weeks. The 5-day frequency drives faster progression than 3-day splits but requires careful recovery management. Most lifters need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night and adequate caloric intake to sustain 5-day PPL training long-term.
For other split structures, see our best push pull legs split and best 6 day push pull legs split. For shorter PPL training, see our best 3 day split workout.
Final Thoughts
The best 5-day push-pull-legs split delivers complete physique development through balanced per-muscle frequency that sits between 3-day full-body programs and 6-day high-frequency splits. The combination of foundational compounds run on each pattern day and accessory work that targets specific muscle groups produces strong long-term progression for intermediate lifters. For trainees with intermediate experience, good recovery capacity, and 5 weekly training days available, the 5-day PPL split is one of the most effective and sustainable programming structures available.
Stay focused on programming the rest day strategically. The most common 5-day PPL training mistake is placing the rest day at the end of the week (Saturday/Sunday off after 5 consecutive training days), which produces accumulated fatigue across the back half of the week. The fix: place rest days mid-week (e.g., Monday Push, Tuesday Pull, Wednesday Legs, Thursday rest, Friday Push, Saturday Pull, Sunday rest). The mid-week break allows recovery between training cycles and produces stronger sustained progression than back-loaded rest schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 5 day PPL different from 6 day PPL?
The 5-day PPL has one extra rest day per week, which means each muscle group trains 1.5 times per week (with one pattern training only once per week). The 6-day PPL trains every pattern twice per week. The 5-day version is more sustainable for lifters with limited recovery; the 6-day version produces faster progression for lifters with strong recovery capacity. Most intermediate lifters do well with either depending on schedule and recovery.
Which day should I rest in a 5 day PPL?
Most successful programs place the rest day mid-week (typically Wednesday or Thursday) rather than at the end of the week. The mid-week break allows recovery between training cycles. A common arrangement: Monday Push, Tuesday Pull, Wednesday Legs, Thursday rest, Friday Push, Saturday Pull, Sunday rest. The structure trains push and pull twice per week with one legs day per week.
Can beginners do a 5 day PPL split?
Most beginners do better with 3-day full-body programs for the first 6 to 12 months before progressing to 5-day PPL. The 5-day frequency requires solid recovery capacity and sustainable training habits that beginners haven’t developed yet. Beginners attempting 5-day PPL often experience burnout or inadequate recovery within 4 to 6 weeks. Programs like Starting Strength or StrongLifts work better for new lifters.
Should I train legs once or twice per week on 5 day PPL?
Once per week works for most lifters running 5-day PPL. The single legs day per week (typically Wednesday in PPL/PP arrangements) allows the legs to recover fully between sessions, which matters because legs typically take longer to recover than upper-body muscles. Lifters with strong recovery capacity who want twice-weekly legs training often do better with 6-day PPL splits.
How much volume should each muscle get on 5 day PPL?
Most successful 5-day PPL programs include 12 to 20 weekly sets per major muscle group. Chest gets 12 to 16 sets across two push days; back gets 14 to 20 sets across two pull days; legs get 12 to 16 sets in one legs day; shoulders get 8 to 12 sets across two push days; arms get 6 to 10 sets each across appropriate days. The volume range produces strong hypertrophy stimulus while remaining sustainable.
