Push Pull Legs Workout Plan Athlean-X: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Graham Fisher

Updated November 2026

A push pull legs workout plan athlean-x style organizes your training into three movement groups: pushing muscles, pulling muscles, and legs. You will finish this guide with a six-day weekly schedule, set and rep ranges for each session, a simple way to progress your loads over time, and a checklist you can print and bring to the gym. The approach draws on the high-intensity, exercise-selection-focused logic that Athlean-X content is known for, adapted so you can follow it without guessing.

What the Athlean-X Push Pull Legs Split Is Built To Do

Athlean-X style programming emphasizes compound lifts first, controlled tempo, and targeted isolation work for weak points. The push pull legs structure fits this well because each training day groups muscles that share movement patterns and recover on a similar timeline. Pushing days hit the chest, shoulders and triceps. Pulling days hit the back, rear delts and biceps. Leg days cover quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

Shopping for one? See our guide: Athlean-X Push Pull Legs Workout: 6 Best Picks Compared (2026).

Running the split six days a week, with one rest day, gives each muscle group two sessions per week. That frequency is the main reason many lifters choose this format for muscle growth. If you are new to lifting, you can also run it three days a week and still get a complete program; the sample routines in our Quick Push Pull Legs Routine: A Step-by-Step 3-Day Plan show how to compress the same logic.

Step 1: Set Your Baseline Before You Program Anything

Before choosing weights, estimate a working load for each main lift. Pick a weight you could lift for about 8 reps with two or three reps left in the tank. Write it down. This becomes your starting point for progression. Do not test a one-rep max unless you have prior experience and a spotter.

• Bench press or dumbbell press: 8-rep working weight
• Overhead press: 8-rep working weight
• Pull-up or lat pulldown: 8-rep working weight (use assistance if needed)
• Barbell row or chest-supported row: 8-rep working weight
• Back squat or leg press: 8-rep working weight
• Romanian deadlift: 8-rep working weight

Step 2: Build the Weekly Schedule

A standard six-day rotation runs Push, Pull, Legs, Push, Pull, Legs, then one rest day. Some lifters prefer to rest after the third session instead. Either works, as long as you do not stack two leg days back to back when soreness is high. The table below shows one example week.

For a complete breakdown of how each day is structured, see Push Pull Legs Workout Plan: 6-Day Split With Sets and Reps.

Step 3: Program the Push Day

Push A Session (Heavier Emphasis)

1. Barbell or dumbbell bench press: 4 sets of 5 to 8 reps
2. Seated dumbbell overhead press: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
3. Incline dumbbell press: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
4. Cable lateral raise: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
5. Overhead triceps extension: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
6. Cable pushdown: 2 sets of 12 to 15 reps

Push B Session (Higher Rep Emphasis)

1. Incline barbell press: 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps
2. Dumbbell shoulder press: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
3. Flat dumbbell fly or cable fly: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
4. Machine or dumbbell lateral raise: 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps
5. Skull crusher: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
6. Rope pushdown: 2 sets of 15 reps

Step 4: Program the Pull Day

Pull A Session

1. Pull-up or lat pulldown: 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps
2. Barbell or chest-supported row: 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps
3. Seated cable row: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
4. Face pull: 3 sets of 15 reps
5. EZ-bar curl: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
6. Hammer curl: 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps

Pull B Session

1. Single-arm dumbbell row: 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side
2. Wide-grip lat pulldown: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
3. Straight-arm pulldown: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
4. Reverse pec deck or rear delt fly: 3 sets of 15 reps
5. Incline dumbbell curl: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
6. Preacher or cable curl: 2 sets of 12 to 15 reps

Step 5: Program the Leg Day

Legs A Session

1. Back squat or hack squat: 4 sets of 5 to 8 reps
2. Romanian deadlift: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
3. Leg press: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
4. Leg extension: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
5. Seated or lying leg curl: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
6. Standing calf raise: 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps

Legs B Session

1. Deadlift or trap bar deadlift: 3 sets of 5 reps
2. Bulgarian split squat: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg
3. Hip thrust: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
4. Walking lunge or leg press single leg: 2 sets of 12 reps per leg
5. Seated leg curl: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
6. Seated calf raise: 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps

Step 6: Apply Progression Over Time

A program without progression stalls. Use a double progression method: choose a rep range for each exercise, for example 8 to 12. When you hit the top of that range on every set with good form, increase the weight by the smallest increment available, often 2.5 to 5 pounds for upper-body lifts and 5 to 10 pounds for lower-body lifts. Then drop back to the bottom of the rep range and build again.

Run each block for four to six weeks. At the end, take a deload week at roughly half the usual volume and about 60 percent of normal load. Then start the next block. This rhythm keeps fatigue manageable while still pushing your numbers up. For muscle-focused goals, the principles in Push Pull Legs Workout Routine for Hypertrophy: A 6-Day Plan With Sets and Reps pair well with this progression scheme.

Warm-Up Checklist

• 5 minutes of light cardio such as cycling or rowing
• One ramp-up set of the first exercise at about 50 percent of working weight
• One ramp-up set at about 70 percent
• Activation work for the target muscle, such as 10 band pull-aparts before pulling days

Step 7: Track Your Training

Log every set: exercise, load, reps and how hard it felt on a 1 to 10 scale. A simple notebook or phone app works. Review the log every two weeks. If a lift has not moved in three to four sessions, adjust the rep range, swap the variation, or check your recovery habits.

Common Mistakes

• Training every set to failure. Leave one to three reps in reserve on most sets. Only push to failure on the final set of isolation work.
• Skipping leg day. Leg sessions are often the first to get cut. Keep them on the calendar.
• Ignoring the pull muscles. Balanced push and pull volume protects the shoulders. Match your pulling sets to your pushing sets.
• Adding exercises without removing any. Each session should stay around 16 to 20 hard sets. More is not always better.
• Changing the program every week. Give a block four to six weeks before judging it.
• Poor sleep and under-eating. Muscle is built during recovery. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep and adequate protein.

Recommended gear

A few basic tools make this program easier to run consistently and safely.

• Adjustable dumbbells: They let you progress incline and single-arm work without buying a full rack of pairs. View on Amazon
• Lifting straps: Useful on heavy pulls once your grip becomes the limiting factor. View on Amazon
• Resistance bands: Ideal for warm-up activation and face pulls on days when cable machines are busy. View on Amazon
• Lifting belt: Can support heavy squats and deadlifts in the 3 to 5 rep range. View on Amazon

Tips for Making the Program Work

• Pick one main compound per session and build the rest of the day around it.
• Use a rest timer: 2 to 3 minutes for heavy compounds, 60 to 90 seconds for isolation.
• Control the lowering phase of each rep, roughly two to three seconds, to build muscle with less load.
• If you have a shoulder or lower-back issue, swap the flagged exercise for a pain-free alternative and keep the rep range.
• Check out Athlean X Push Pull Legs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Split if you want a deeper look at how exercise selection maps to the split.

FAQ

Is a push pull legs workout plan athlean-x style good for beginners?

It can be, provided you start with lighter loads and focus on form. Beginners often do better running the split three days a week, with each day a full push, pull or leg session, before moving to six days.

How many days per week should I train?

Six days with one rest day gives each muscle group two sessions weekly. Three days, one push, one pull and one leg session, is a solid option if your schedule is tight.

How long should each workout take?

Most sessions run 60 to 75 minutes including warm-up. If you are going longer, reduce the number of isolation exercises rather than cutting the compounds.

Should I train to failure?

Not on every set. Stopping one to three reps short of failure on most working sets lowers injury risk and still drives growth. Reserve true failure for the last set of select isolation exercises.

What if I miss a session?

Do not double up the next day. Resume the normal schedule. If you miss several days, drop your loads by about 10 percent for the first session back.

Can I add cardio to this plan?

Yes. Two to three sessions of 20 to 30 minutes of low-intensity cardio fit well without interfering with recovery. Keep hard intervals away from the day before your heaviest leg session.

Should I consult a professional before starting?

If you have an existing injury, heart condition, high blood pressure or any health concern, talk with a doctor or a qualified trainer before beginning a new strength program.

Conclusion

A push pull legs workout plan athlean-x style gives you a clear weekly structure, balanced muscle coverage and a built-in way to progress. Set your baselines, run the six-day schedule with the rep ranges above, and apply double progression across four to six week blocks. Log your work, respect recovery, and adjust based on results rather than guesswork.

About Graham Fisher

Graham Fisher is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our workout programs & splits guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.