If you’re looking for a push pull legs workout routine that involves only barbell exercises, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I’ve crafted three kinds of barbell PPL workout routines for diverse fitness goals, namely:
- Muscle-building
- Strength Gain
- Power and Endurance
Depending on your goal, you can follow one of the programs to improve your fitness.
If you want to lose weight, you can follow programs 1 or 3 to get strong and build aesthetics.
What is a Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Split?
The PPL is a prominent training split in the fitness world. It involves performing push, pull, and leg exercises on separate days.
Push day involves training of the chest, shoulder, and triceps; pull day focuses on the back, biceps, and rear delt; and leg day includes workouts for all lower body parts.
It is primarily used to build muscle and strength and shape the physique.
However, you can customize the PPL split to work on your power and endurance as well.
Notes for Fitness Enthusiasts (Read Before Starting Workouts)
- There will be some exercises that won’t match your current fitness level, and there will be other exercises that require a bench. In that case, you can replace those exercises with the ones that are convenient. You are also responsible for adjusting the plan to make it suitable for you based on your needs. (Resource for Substituting Exercises: Barbell Exercises List by Muscle Group)
- Push-Pull-Legs Split doesn’t comprise abdominal and oblique exercises. However, I recommend adding it to your routine as the strong core plays a key role in moving and lifting efficiently. (Examples of Barbell Core Exercises)
- I recommend doing 3-5 minutes of quick warm-up to get your heart rate up and prepare your muscles for lifting. You can do these bodyweight cardio exercises and dynamic warm-up exercises.
PPL Barbell Workout to Build Muscle and Get Jacked
This program involves performing six times weekly, two sessions each for push, pull, and leg workouts.
Each session will include four to five exercises and will take 45 to 60 minutes to complete.
If you’re a beginner, you can train on alternate days and complete all six sessions in two weeks.
Following this program consistently will help you build noticeable gains over time and enhance your physical appearance.
Monday – Push Workout
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 4 x 10-12 |
| Overhead Press | 4 x 10-12 |
| One-arm Landmine Press | 4 x 10/side |
| Front Raises | 4 x 10-12 |
Tuesday – Pull Workout
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Bent-over Row | 5 x 10-15 |
| Meadows Row | 4 x 10/side |
| Biceps Curl | 4 x 10-15 |
| Reverse Bicep Curl | 3 x 10-15 |
Wednesday – Leg Workout
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Back Squat | 4 x 12-15 |
| Front Lunges | 4 x 10/side |
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 x 8-10 |
| Hip Thrust | 4 x 8-12 |
Thursday – Push Workout
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Incline Bench Press | 5 x 10-12 |
| Decline Bench Press | 3 x 10-12 |
| Behind The Neck Barbell Press | 4 x 10-12 |
| Leaning Over Lateral Raises | 4 x 10/side |
Friday – Pull Workout
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | 4 x 6-10 |
| Close Grip T-Row | 5 x 10-15 |
| Rear Delt Row | 4 x 10-12 |
| Biceps Curl | 3 x 10-15 |
Saturday – Leg Workout
| Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Step-up | 3 x 10/leg |
| Reverse Lunges | 3 x 10/leg |
| Sumo Squat | 3 x 8-10 |
| BB Hack Squat | 3 x 8-12 |
| Calf Raises | 3 x 15-20 |
Push Pull Leg Barbell Training for Strength Development
This program is for those who want to get strong and increase their lifting ability.
It involves performing all three big lifts throughout the week: Bench Press on Monday (Push Workout), Deadlift on Wednesday (Pull Workout), and Squat on Saturday (Leg Workout).
It will also have some accessory exercise options, which you can do after the primary lifts.
With consistent training and proper nutrition, this Barbell powerlifting PPL routine will help you scale your 1RM over time.
Monday – Push Workout (Bench Press)
- 1st Round: 2 sets x 6-8 reps @50-60% of 1RM
- 2nd Round: 2 sets x 4-6 reps @60-75%
- 3rd Round: 2 sets x 2-4 reps @75-90%
- 4the Round: 2 sets x 1-2 reps @90-100%
Accessory Exercise Options:
- Close-Grip Bench Press
- Push Press
- Hack Squat
- Hip Thrusts
- 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per exercise.
Wednesday – Pull Workout (Deadlift)
- 1st Round: 2 sets x 6-8 reps @50-60% of 1RM
- 2nd Round: 2 sets x 4-6 reps @60-75%
- 3rd Round: 2 sets x 2-4 reps @75-90%
- 4the Round: 2 sets x 1-2 reps @90-100%
Accessory Exercise Options:
- Paused Deadlifts
- Bent-over Row
- Shoulder Shrugs
- Step-up/Lunges
- 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per exercise.
Saturday – Leg Workout (Squat)
- 1st Round: 2 sets x 6-8 reps @50-60% of 1RM
- 2nd Round: 2 sets x 4-6 reps @60-75%
- 3rd Round: 2 sets x 2-4 reps @75-90%
- 4the Round: 2 sets x 1-2 reps @90-100%
Accessory Exercise Options:
- Lunges
- Landmine Squat
- Sumo Squat
- Hack Squat
- 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per exercise.
Barbell Push Pull Legs for Power and Endurance
If building power and endurance is one of your goals, I recommend following this push-pull-leg barbell workout.
This program is based on circuit training, meaning you’ll do a series of exercises in a row with no rest in between.
Circuit training will level up your athletic fitness and help you achieve a shredded physique.
People who want to get lean and aesthetic can also follow this routine.
Monday – Push
- 10 Push Press
- 10 Barbell Front Raises
- 10 Single-arm Landmine Press (5 reps per side)
- 10 Barbell Floor/Bench Press
- Perform 3-5 rounds with 2-3 minutes of interval between them.
Wednesday – Pull
- 6-8 Hang Cleans
- 8-10 Bent-Over Rows
- 6-8 Power Cleans
- 6-8 High Pulls
- 10 Landmine Oblique Twist (5 reps per side)
- Perform 3-5 rounds with 2-3 minutes of interval between them.
Friday – Leg Workout
- 10 Zercher Squats
- 12 Walking Lunges (6 steps per leg)
- 10 Hack Squats
- 10 Step-ups (5 reps per leg)
- 8 Overhead Squats
- 1-minute Plank
- Perform as many rounds as possible with 2-3 minutes of break in between them.
Download The Workout PDF
Download the combined PDF and use the one you need.
