OnionPatchMiddle Delts
29 effective weekly sets
5 Day Push Pull Legs Workout Program
A 5 day push pull legs workout program designed for lifters who want more specialization while keeping a balanced weekly structure.
60 min
Gym
Intermediate
Chest, Back, Quads, Hamstrings, Shoulders, Arms
Equipment Required
BarbellWeight BenchDumbbellPull Up BarResistance Band
Quick start
Want a single session before committing to the full plan?
Start with 50-Minute Chest and Triceps Workout, then come back to this program when you want the full weekly structure.
Recommended Warmup
5 Minutes Submaximal Aerobic Warm Up (Optional)
Dynamic Warm Up:
- 10 Leg Swings Front to Back
- 10 Leg Swings Side to Side
- 10 Arm Circles Forward
- 10 Arm Circles Backward
- 10 Cross Body Arm Slaps
- 10 Walking Lunges w/Trunk Rotation
Ramp-up sets for your first main exercise
For your first hard lift for a muscle group, build up with a few lighter ramp-up sets instead of jumping straight into your working weight.
Weekly muscle volume
Using a intermediate weekly target of 13-15 sets per muscle group.
Quick summary
Volume is trending high
Some muscles are being pushed above the recommended weekly set range.
Avg sets / muscle
17
LowTarget 13-15High
In range
5
Under target
1
Above target
8
Muscle-by-muscle detailsExpand to review each muscle group and its effective weekly sets.
Expand to review each muscle group and its effective weekly sets.
Note on smaller muscle groups
Minor muscle groups often show up with more effective sets than you may expect because they get trained indirectly as secondary muscles during many compound exercises.
Above target
Biceps
24 effective weekly sets
Triceps
23 effective weekly sets
Anterior Delts
21 effective weekly sets
Rear Delts
17 effective weekly sets
Glutes
16 effective weekly sets
Errectors
16 effective weekly sets
Scapular Retractors
16 effective weekly sets
Quads
13 effective weekly sets
Hamstrings
13 effective weekly sets
Lats
13 effective weekly sets
Chest
13 effective weekly sets
Calves
13 effective weekly sets
Abdominals
11 effective weekly sets
Weekly Plan
Day 1 · Lower
6 exercises · 23 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 5-9 | 7-10 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 4-7 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 5 × 15-19 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 5 × 18-22 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 2 × 13-15 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
Day 2 · Push
6 exercises · 20 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 8-12 | 6-10 | 150-210s | |
| 2 × 13-17 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 2 × 13-17 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 4 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 4 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
Day 3 · Pull
5 exercises · 21 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 5 × 10-14 | 7-10 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 12-16 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 4 × 17-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 4 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
Day 4 · Full Body
6 exercises · 23 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4-7 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 7-10 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 10-30 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 17-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 4 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
Day 5 · Full Body
7 exercises · 24 setsTap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 5-9 | 7-10 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 8-12 | 6-10 | 150-210s | |
| 4 × 10-30 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 10-13 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 17-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 3 × 16-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
How to Progress
- Progress primary compounds patiently and avoid chasing failure too early in the workout.
- Let isolation work add volume where it helps most rather than turning every day into a marathon.
- Use a lighter week when fatigue, soreness, and performance all trend in the wrong direction together.
Why this works
Push pull legs splits make it easier to concentrate hard effort on related movement patterns without too much overlap fatigue. Over a full week, that often means better session quality and more room for targeted volume.
FAQ
Is a 5 day push pull legs split good for muscle gain?
Yes. It can be excellent for muscle gain when recovery, food intake, and exercise quality are all in place.
Do I need a full gym for push pull legs?
It helps, but many versions can still work well with a solid free-weight setup and a few accessories.
Should legs only be trained once weekly on PPL?
Not always. The exact structure can vary, but a 5 day setup usually still finds a way to keep lower-body work meaningful.
What if my shoulders feel beat up?
Reduce some direct pressing or delt-isolation effort briefly while keeping the core movement patterns intact.
Related workout plans
Complete Gym Workout Plan
A gym-based plan built around full equipment access so you can balance heavy compounds with focused accessory volume.
50 Minute Intermediate Free Weight Hypertrophy Plan
A multi-day hypertrophy plan for lifters who want more upper-body specialization while still keeping full-week balance.
6 Day Bodybuilding Workout Program
A 6 day bodybuilding workout program for advanced lifters who want more weekly training exposure and better muscle-group specialization.
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