If figuring out how to organize and manage your strength-training routine seems more challenging than a heavy set of deadlifts, it’s time to consider a push/pull/leg schedule. Popular among weightlifters of all levels, this divide-and-conquer method of training identifies specific days — push days, pull days, and leg days — to target different muscle groups.
Amanda Herrera, CPT, describes this type of training plan as “strategic” because it allows you to build strength and muscle mass in all areas of the body with minimal rest. “It’s the idea of isolating and working similar muscle groups in one day,” she explains.
“That way, the next day, you’re training the opposing muscles and not overworking or overtraining your body. Sometimes in a full-body workout, certain muscle groups are used in multiple exercises and you don’t realize it, so they’re actually doing more work than you think,” he adds. “This push/pull/leg way of training is for everyone to prevent injury. Great.”
Below is an explanation of each type of day, sample exercises, and a straightforward seven-day schedule that can help provide structure to your workouts.
The push day workout is an upper body workout that targets the muscles used when pushing — primarily the triceps and chest and shoulder muscles. Here are some simple push exercises that require minimal equipment (you’ll need a set of dumbbells).
1. Push ups
- Assume a high-plank position with your feet together (or slightly apart for balance), your body from head to heels, and your hands in line with (but slightly wider than) your shoulders. Engage both your glutes and your core to lock your body into position.
- Keeping your elbows about 45-degrees away from your body and your head neutral, lower your torso until your chest is within a few inches of the floor.
- Pause, and then push yourself back up to the starting position.
2. Dumbbell lateral raises
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length by your side, palms facing forward.
- With a slight bend in the elbows, raise your arms by your sides until they are level with your shoulders. Keep your palms facing down.
- Pause, and then lower the weight back to the starting position.
3. Dumbbell overhead triceps extension
- Sit on a bench or chair, cup one end of a dumbbell directly overhead in both hands. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your chest up, core engaged and back flat, bend the elbows to lower the weight behind your head without moving your upper arms. Elbows should be close to the ears and pointed forward.
- Pause, and then press the weight to the starting position.
A stretching routine engages the upper body muscles: biceps, arms and back muscles. The sample exercises below require a set of dumbbells and a pull-up bar
4. Dumbbell bent-over row
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length by your side, palms facing in. Close your core, hinge at your waist to push your hips back, bend your knees slightly, and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Keep your glutes engaged to protect your lower back.
- Let the dumbbells hang at arm’s length with your palms facing each other. Engage your shoulder blades to keep your shoulders pulled back. This is the starting position.
- Without moving your torso, and keeping your elbows tucked and back flat, squeeze your shoulder blades together and align the weights to your rib cage. Make sure the elbows have a 90-degree bend, so you’re lining up with your ribs and not the armpits.
- Pause, and then lower the weight back to the starting position.
5. Zotman Karl
- Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length by your side, palms facing forward (underhand grip).
- Keeping your elbows tucked by your sides, curl the weights toward your shoulders.
- Rotate the dumbbells 180-degrees so that your palms are now facing down. Lower the weights down to your sides and then flip your grip again (underhand) to return to the starting position.
6. Pull up
- Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Hang at arm’s length with your arms straight (a position known as a dead hang) and your ankles crossed behind you.
- Without swinging or kipping (using momentum to propel you upward), engage your lats and bring your shoulder blades together as you pull your chin into the bar.
- Pause, and then give yourself a dead hang.
Leg and Core Day Workout
Although leg day is usually dedicated to strengthening the hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes and calves, it is common practice to include core work. Below are some bodyweight core exercises and basic lifts that target multiple muscle groups in the lower body.
7. Romanian Deadlift
- Stand tall, feet hip-width apart and parallel, knees slightly bent, holding a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing you.
- With your back flat, core engaged, and dumbbells within an inch or two of your body, push your hips back and lower the dumbbells until your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
- Pause, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
8. Dumbbell squat
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your side, palms facing forward.
- Keeping your back flat and core braced, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Pause, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
9. Bulgarian Split Squat
- Stand off a bench, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your side, palms facing in. Place your left toes on the bench behind you
- Keeping your torso straight, lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the ground (don’t let your left knee touch it). The front knee should track just above the ankle. If it doesn’t, you need to adjust your distance from the bench.
- Pause, and then return to the starting position. Repeat equally on both legs.
10. Plank
- Assume a push-up position: with your feet together (or slightly apart for more stability) and your body together from head to heels.
- Make sure your wrists are directly under your shoulders.
- Squeeze your glutes and close your core by pulling your belly button into your spine to lock your body into position. Hold for specified time.
11. Dead bugs
- Lie on your back and close the space between your back and the floor by pushing your back down. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and lift your feet off the floor. Your knees should be over your hips and shins should be parallel to the ground. Reach your arms straight up to the ceiling.
- Lower your right arm behind your head and at the same time, extend your left leg in front of you. Rotate both your arms and legs off the mat.
- Return to starting position. Complete all reps before switching sides.
12. Double leg lift
- Lie on your back and stretch your toes and heels towards the ceiling. Place your hands behind your head or place your fingers over your ears and keep your elbows wide. Engage your abs to press your lower back into the floor. Lift your chest up to bring your shoulders off the floor.
- Inhale and lower your leg down with control. Just lower your legs as far as you can without letting your lower back lift off the floor or your stomach pop up.
- Once you reach your end range of motion, exhale and return your leg to the starting position with control.
7-day push/pull/leg and core routine
Ready to start? The instructions are simple: alternate between push, pull and leg workouts. Doing this gives your muscles a built-in rest period, so you don’t need to take the day off (unless you want to). Here is a sample schedule:
Monday: Push workout
Tuesday: Pull the workout
Wednesday: Leg and core workout
Thursday: Push workout
Friday: Pull the workout
Saturday: Leg and core workout
Sunday: rest
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