The PPL upper lower split is a 5 day workout split that runs Push, Pull, Legs, Upper, Lower in one week. You will also see it called PPLUL, PPL x upper lower, or push pull legs upper lower. It is all the same routine.
The point is frequency. The push, pull and legs days train every muscle once. The upper and lower days train everything a second time. Five workouts, two rest days, each muscle worked twice a week.
Below is the routine itself: the schedule, all five workouts with sets, reps and rest, dumbbell and home swaps, and the rules for adding weight. Still choosing between the two parent splits? Read Upper Lower vs PPL first.
TL;DR
- PPLUL is Push, Pull, Legs, rest, Upper, Lower, rest: five training days, two rest days.
- Every muscle group is trained twice a week.
- Days 1 to 3 are the heavy days: barbell lifts, lower reps, longer rest.
- Days 4 and 5 are the volume days: dumbbells, cables and machines, higher reps, shorter rest.
- Each session has 6-7 exercises and takes 60-75 minutes.
- Add reps until every set reaches the top of the range, then add weight.
- Want it fitted to your schedule and equipment? Use the Free Workout Planner.
What Is the PPL Upper Lower Split?
It is two familiar splits joined into one week.
Push pull legs (PPL) sorts exercises by movement. Push day trains chest, shoulders and triceps. Pull day trains back, rear delts and biceps. Legs day trains the whole lower body.
Upper lower sorts exercises by half of the body: everything above the waist on one day, everything below it on the other.
PPLUL runs one round of each. By the end of the week your chest, back, shoulders and arms have been trained on a push or pull day and again on the upper day. Your legs have been trained on legs day and again on lower day.
Why the hybrid exists. With five days to train, each parent split leaves a gap:
- A 3-day PPL trains each muscle only once a week.
- A 6-day PPL trains each muscle twice, but leaves a single rest day.
- A 4-day upper lower trains each muscle twice, but every upper session has to fit chest, back, shoulders and arms into one workout.
The PPL upper lower split sits between them: twice-a-week frequency, three focused sessions, and two rest days.
Who Should Run PPLUL (and Who Should Not)
PPLUL is a good fit if:
- You can train five days in most weeks. Not your best week. Most weeks.
- You have lifted consistently for six months to a year or more. Your form on the main lifts is solid, and you no longer add weight every session.
- A 4-day upper lower feels cramped. Upper days run long, and shoulders and arms get rushed at the end.
- A 6-day PPL is more than your week can hold. You want the focused sessions and a second rest day.
Pick something else if:
- You are new to lifting. Three full body sessions a week will take you further. Start with the full body workout plan.
- You can only count on four days. Run a 4-day upper lower split. A PPLUL week with a day missing leaves some muscles trained once.
- You would rather open the week with Upper and Lower. The same five workouts can run in the opposite order. That version is in the 5-day workout split for muscle gain.
Not sure which structure suits you? The best workout split guide compares them all.
The PPLUL Weekly Schedule
| Day | Workout | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push | Chest, shoulders, triceps |
| Tuesday | Pull | Back, rear delts, biceps |
| Wednesday | Legs | Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves |
| Thursday | Rest | Recovery |
| Friday | Upper | Chest, back, shoulders, arms |
| Saturday | Lower | Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves |
| Sunday | Rest | Recovery |
Rest after Legs. Push, Pull and Legs are the three heaviest sessions. A day off after them keeps fatigue from piling up across five straight workouts.
Rest after Lower. You start each week's heaviest pressing fresh.
With this layout every muscle gets at least two full days off before it is trained again: push muscles on Monday and Friday, pull muscles on Tuesday and Friday, legs on Wednesday and Saturday.
You do not have to start on a Monday. Slide the pattern to any day and keep the rhythm: three on, one off, two on, one off.
If you cannot train on weekends, run the five workouts Monday to Friday. It works, but it is the harder version: five sessions in a row, with only one day between Legs and Lower. Keep the Lower day as written and do not add sets to it.
If you miss a session, shift the remaining workouts back a day and keep the order. Do not squeeze two workouts into one day to catch up.
The 5-Day Push Pull Legs Upper Lower Routine
The week has a heavy half and a volume half.
Days 1 to 3 (Push, Pull, Legs) are strength-biased. Barbell lifts come first, most work sits at 5-10 reps, and the main lifts get long rests.
Days 4 and 5 (Upper, Lower) are volume-biased. Dumbbells, cables and machines replace the barbell, reps move up to 8-15, and rests get shorter.
Why this way round:
- Time. A push, pull or legs day covers only a few muscle groups, so there is room for heavy sets with full rest. An upper day has to cover chest, back, shoulders and arms. With three-minute rests it would run far past an hour.
- Fatigue. By Friday you are carrying three heavy days. Dumbbells, cables and machines ask less of your joints and lower back than more heavy barbell work.
- Two kinds of loading. Every muscle gets heavy sets early in the week and higher-rep sets later.
Before each session, do five minutes of easy cardio and 2-3 lighter sets of the first exercise. Finish most sets with one or two good reps still in you. Each exercise name links to its page with a demo and instructions.
Day 1: Push
The week opens with its heaviest pressing. Bench press and overhead press get the long rests, then the session fills in upper chest, side delts and triceps.
| # | Demo | Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell Bench PressRest 3 min | 4 × 5-7 | 3 min | |
| 2 | Barbell Standing Military PressRest 2-3 min | 3 × 6-8 | 2-3 min | |
| 3 | Dumbbell Incline Bench PressRest 2 min | 3 × 8-10 | 2 min | |
| 4 | Dumbbell Lateral RaiseRest 60 sec | 4 × 12-15 | 60 sec | |
| 5 | Cable Triceps PushdownRest 90 sec | 3 × 10-12 | 90 sec | |
| 6 | Dumbbell Standing Triceps ExtensionRest 60 sec | 3 × 10-12 | 60 sec |
Session notes:
- Bench press is the lift to track here. Give it your longest rests.
- The two triceps exercises differ on purpose: one with your arms at your sides, one with them overhead.
Day 2: Pull
Heavy vertical and horizontal pulling, then rear delts and biceps. There is no deadlift on purpose: Legs day is tomorrow, and your lower back needs to be fresh for squats.
| # | Demo | Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pull-UpRest 2-3 min | 4 × 5-8 | 2-3 min | |
| 2 | Barbell Bent Over RowRest 2-3 min | 4 × 6-8 | 2-3 min | |
| 3 | Cable Seated RowRest 2 min | 3 × 8-10 | 2 min | |
| 4 | Cable Standing Face PullRest 60 sec | 3 × 12-15 | 60 sec | |
| 5 | Barbell CurlRest 90 sec | 3 × 8-10 | 90 sec | |
| 6 | Dumbbell Hammer CurlRest 60 sec | 3 × 10-12 | 60 sec |
Session notes:
- Once you can do 4 x 8 pull-ups, add weight with a belt. If you cannot do five clean reps yet, use the lat pulldown for 4 x 6-8.
- If your lower back tires before your upper back on the bent over row, switch to a chest-supported dumbbell incline row.
Day 3: Legs
The hardest session of the week. Squat first, then a hinge, then machine work that spares your back.
| # | Demo | Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell SquatRest 3 min | 4 × 5-7 | 3 min | |
| 2 | Barbell Romanian DeadliftRest 2-3 min | 3 × 6-8 | 2-3 min | |
| 3 | Leg PressRest 2 min | 3 × 8-10 | 2 min | |
| 4 | Lying Leg CurlRest 90 sec | 3 × 8-10 | 90 sec | |
| 5 | Standing Calf RaiseRest 90 sec | 4 × 8-10 | 90 sec | |
| 6 | Hanging Leg RaiseRest 60 sec | 3 × 10-15 | 60 sec |
Session notes:
- Squat as deep as you can with a neutral back and your heels down.
- On the Romanian deadlift, push your hips back and lower the bar until your hamstrings are fully stretched. It does not need to touch the floor.
Day 4: Upper
The first volume day. Every upper body muscle gets its second session, this time with dumbbells and cables, higher reps and shorter rests.
| # | Demo | Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dumbbell Bench PressRest 2 min | 3 × 8-12 | 2 min | |
| 2 | Lat PulldownRest 90 sec | 3 × 10-12 | 90 sec | |
| 3 | Dumbbell One Arm RowRest 90 sec | 3 × 10-12 each arm | 90 sec | |
| 4 | Cable Standing FlyRest 60 sec | 3 × 12-15 | 60 sec | |
| 5 | Cable Lateral RaiseRest 60 sec | 3 × 12-15 each arm | 60 sec | |
| 6 | Dumbbell Incline CurlRest 60 sec | 3 × 10-12 | 60 sec | |
| 7 | Skull CrusherRest 60 sec | 3 × 10-12 | 60 sec |
Session notes:
- Do not turn this into a second heavy day. If you are grinding out reps on the dumbbell press, the weight is too heavy for this session.
- Pressing and pulling are balanced: two chest exercises, two back exercises. Keep it that way if you swap anything.
Day 5: Lower
The second leg session trades the barbell on your back for a machine squat and single-leg work. Your legs still work hard, and your spine gets a break.
| # | Demo | Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hack SquatRest 2 min | 3 × 8-12 | 2 min | |
| 2 | Barbell Hip ThrustRest 2 min | 3 × 8-12 | 2 min | |
| 3 | Dumbbell Bulgarian Split SquatRest 90 sec | 3 × 10-12 each leg | 90 sec | |
| 4 | Seated Leg CurlRest 60 sec | 4 × 10-15 | 60 sec | |
| 5 | Leg ExtensionRest 60 sec | 3 × 12-15 | 60 sec | |
| 6 | Seated Calf RaiseRest 60 sec | 4 × 12-15 | 60 sec | |
| 7 | Cable Kneeling CrunchRest 60 sec | 3 × 12-15 | 60 sec |
Session notes:
- No hack squat machine? Use the leg press from Day 3 for the same sets and reps.
- Start the split squats lighter than you think you need. Balance usually gives out before strength does.
How the Weekly Volume Adds Up
Here is what the five workouts total across the week. A compound lift counts toward each muscle it trains hard.
| Muscle group | Hard sets per week |
|---|---|
| Chest | 13 |
| Back | 17 |
| Shoulders | 13 |
| Quads | 16 |
| Hamstrings | 10 |
| Glutes | 9, plus every squat and leg press set |
| Biceps | 9, plus every row and pull-up set |
| Triceps | 9, plus every pressing set |
| Calves | 8 |
| Abs | 6 |
The big muscle groups land between 10 and 17 sets, a solid range for an intermediate lifter. Calves and abs sit lower on purpose. If either is a priority, add a set to each of its two sessions.
Start with the plan as written. If you are recovering well after three or four weeks and want more, add one set for the muscle you most want to grow.
Exercise Substitutions
The plan assumes a full gym. If you train with dumbbells or at home, keep the same five days and swap the exercises like this.
| Gym exercise | Dumbbell or home swap |
|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | Dumbbell Bench Press or a feet-raised Push-Up |
| Barbell Standing Military Press | Dumbbell Standing Overhead Press |
| Pull-Up, Lat Pulldown | Chin-Up on a doorway bar or an Inverted Row |
| Bent Over Row, Seated Row | Dumbbell Bent Over Row |
| Triceps Pushdown, Skull Crusher | Dumbbell Floor Skullcrusher |
| Squat, Hack Squat, Leg Press | Dumbbell Goblet Squat |
| Barbell Romanian Deadlift | Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift |
| Leg Curl | Exercise Ball Leg Curl |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | Dumbbell Hip Thrust |
Cable flys, cable lateral raises and face pulls all have a dumbbell version. Calf raises and leg raises need no machine at all.
Swap like for like. Replace a press with a press, a row with a row, a squat with a squat. The slot, the sets and the order stay the same.
When the dumbbells are too light, raise the reps. On the heavy days you may run out of weight before you run out of strength. Move those lifts to 10-15 reps, lower the weight slowly, and use single-leg versions for your lower body.
How to Progress on This 5 Day Workout Split
A routine only works if the numbers move. Use double progression on every exercise.
- Start at the bottom of the rep range. Pick a weight you can lift for the lowest number in the range on every set, with a rep or two to spare.
- Add reps before you add weight. Each week, try to get one more rep on at least one set.
- When every set reaches the top of the range, add weight.
- Drop back down and build again. With the heavier weight your reps fall toward the bottom of the range. That is expected.
Here is how that looks on the squat, with a target of 4 x 5-7:
| Week | Weight | Reps on each set |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 kg | 6, 5, 5, 5 |
| 2 | 100 kg | 7, 6, 6, 5 |
| 3 | 100 kg | 7, 7, 6, 6 |
| 4 | 100 kg | 7, 7, 7, 7 |
| 5 | 105 kg | 6, 5, 5, 5 |
How much weight to add. Use the smallest jump your gym allows. That is usually 2.5 kg (5 lb) on barbell presses, rows and curls, and 5 kg (10 lb) on squats, Romanian deadlifts and hip thrusts. With dumbbells, take the next pair up.
Go slower on small lifts. On lateral raises, curls and triceps work, the next dumbbell up is a big jump. Hit the top of the range two weeks in a row before you move up.
When a lift stalls. Look at sleep and food first. If one exercise has not moved for three weeks, swap it for a close variation. If everything stalls at once, or your joints ache, take a deload week: keep the exercises and the weights, and cut your sets roughly in half.
Run the routine as written for 8 to 12 weeks before you change exercises. For more ways to keep progress going, read the progressive overload guide.
PPLUL vs 4-Day Upper Lower vs 6-Day PPL
All three train every muscle twice a week. What changes is how many days you spend in the gym and how much each session has to carry.
| Factor | Upper Lower (4 days) | PPL Upper Lower (5 days) | Push Pull Legs (6 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rest days | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Frequency per muscle | 2x per week | 2x per week | 2x per week |
| Session length | 50-75 min | 60-75 min | 45-60 min |
| Room for weekly volume | Moderate | Moderate to high | High |
| Best for | Busy intermediates | Intermediates with five days | Experienced lifters who recover well |
Choose the 4-day upper lower if four sessions is what your week reliably allows. Three rest days make the plan easy to keep. The full routine is in the upper lower split guide.
Choose PPLUL if you have five days and your upper sessions are getting crowded. The extra day goes to your upper body, which is where a 4-day upper lower runs out of room first.
Choose the 6-day PPL if you like being in the gym almost every day, recover well, and want shorter sessions with the most room for volume. The push pull legs routine guide covers it in full.
Common PPL Upper Lower Mistakes
Making all five days heavy. The Upper and Lower days are lighter by design. Five hard barbell sessions a week is more than most lifters can recover from.
Deadlifting heavy on Pull day. Legs day is the next morning. A tired lower back turns a good squat session into a poor one. Keep the hinge on Legs day.
Using Upper day as a second Push day. It is tempting to fill it with pressing and tack one row on the end. Match every press with a pull.
Putting Lower straight after Legs. If you rearrange the week, keep at least one day between your two leg sessions, and two if you can.
Adding exercises until every session takes two hours. Six or seven exercises done with effort beat ten done on autopilot.
Not writing anything down. Double progression only works if you know what you lifted last week. Log the weight and reps for every set.
FAQ
What is a PPL upper lower split?
It is a 5-day routine that runs Push, Pull, Legs, Upper, Lower in one week, often shortened to PPLUL. The push, pull and legs days train each muscle once. The upper and lower days train everything a second time. Every muscle group is worked twice a week, and you keep two rest days.
Is the PPL upper lower split good for building muscle?
Yes. It trains every muscle twice a week and has room for roughly 10 to 20 hard sets per muscle group, which is plenty for an intermediate lifter. It only works if you can make five sessions in most weeks, keep adding reps or weight over time, and recover between workouts.
Can beginners run a push pull legs upper lower routine?
They can, but they do not need to. A beginner progresses quickly on three full body sessions a week and gets more from practicing the main lifts often than from extra volume. PPLUL fits best after six months to a year of consistent training, once simpler plans have stopped producing steady progress.
Where do deadlifts go in a PPL upper lower split?
This routine uses Romanian deadlifts on Legs day instead of conventional deadlifts on Pull day, because a heavy deadlift the day before squats leaves your lower back tired. If you want to deadlift from the floor, do it on Legs day in place of the Romanian deadlift for 3 x 4-6.
What is the difference between PPLUL and ULPPL?
Only the order. Both use the same five session types and train every muscle twice a week. PPLUL starts the week with Push, Pull and Legs and finishes with Upper and Lower. ULPPL starts with Upper and Lower and finishes with Push, Pull and Legs. Choose the order that puts your hardest sessions on the days you have the most time and energy.
Get Your PPL Upper Lower Plan
You have the full push pull legs upper lower routine: five workouts, a schedule, and a way to progress.
Option 1: Build your own version. The Free Workout Planner creates a plan around your goal, your schedule and the equipment you have.
Option 2: Start from a ready-made plan. The workout routines library has plans you can follow as they are. If the heavy half of this week is the part you enjoy most, look through the strength routines.
Option 3: Take it to the gym on your phone. The LoadMuscle app builds a personalized plan with AI, has ready-made plans you can start right away, shows demos for 4,000+ exercises, and tracks your progress. It is free on iPhone and Android.
Pick your five days, start with Push, and write down what you lift. Next week, beat it by one rep.
