Strengthara

Push Pull Legs

Six workouts in a push, pull, legs rotation, with heavy lifts and rep-range work. At three sessions a week, the full rotation takes two weeks. You choose how often to train and which workout comes next.

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Written by Strengthara (Zenta AB) · Updated

Intermediates who like training most days and want size and strength.

Push Pull Legs program cover

How to rotate the workouts

This is a six-workout rotation: Push A, Pull A, Legs A, Push B, Pull B, Legs B, then repeat. It is not a requirement to train six days every week. At three workouts per week, the full rotation takes two weeks; at four, continue where you left off the next week. Six days gives each workout one turn in a week, but only choose that frequency if you recover between sessions.

  1. Push A
  2. Pull A
  3. Legs A
  4. Push B
  5. Pull B
  6. Legs B

Take rest days between workouts as you need them. If you miss a day, continue with the next workout in the rotation rather than restarting. Strengthara lets you choose each workout; it does not schedule or advance the rotation for you.

Read the prescription

Sets are working sets. Reps show a fixed number, a range, or a duration; per side means repeat on each side. RIR means reps in reserve: 2 RIR means stopping when you judge you could do about two more clean reps. Rest is between working sets, or the easy interval in interval work. An empty value means that field is not prescribed.

Warm up before the working sets: practise the movement and build toward your working load with easier sets. The tables do not prescribe a starting weight. Choose one that lets you finish the reps with the stated RIR and controlled technique.

Push A

Heavy bench, then shoulders and triceps.

ExerciseSetsRepsRIRRestNotes
Bench Press452180 sMain lift of the day.
Overhead Press38–122120 sVolume variant.
Incline Dumbbell Press38–12290 s
Lateral Raise412–20160 sWide range on purpose: a 2 kg dumbbell jump is big at this weight.
Triceps Pushdown310–15160 s

Pull A

One heavy deadlift set, then back and biceps.

ExerciseSetsRepsRIRRestNotes
Deadlift152180 sOne work set after 3–4 warm-up sets.
Lat Pulldown38–12290 s
Seated Cable Row38–12290 s
Face Pull415–20160 s
Biceps Curl38–12160 sDumbbells or EZ bar.

Legs A

Squat, hinge, leg press and calves.

ExerciseSetsRepsRIRRestNotes
Back Squat352180 sSame prescription on Legs B, so the squat is trained twice a week.
Romanian Deadlift38–122120 s
Leg Press38–122120 s
Leg Curl310–15160 sLying or seated machine.
Calf Raise48–12160 sPause at the bottom.

Push B

Heavy overhead press, then chest and triceps.

ExerciseSetsRepsRIRRestNotes
Overhead Press452180 sMain lift of the day.
Bench Press38–122120 sVolume variant.
Dips36–12290 sCan't do 6? Do them on the assisted machine or swap for Incline Push-up. 3×12 → add weight with a belt.
Lateral Raise412–20160 s
Triceps Pushdown310–15160 s

Pull B

Heavy rows, chin-ups and arms.

ExerciseSetsRepsRIRRestNotes
Barbell Row452150 sMain lift of the day.
Chin-ups35–102120 sBelow 5: log Band-assisted Chin-up. 3×10 → add weight.
Dumbbell Row38–12 per side290 sOne arm at a time, braced on a bench.
Face Pull415–20160 s
Biceps Curl38–12160 s

Legs B

Squat, single-leg work, glutes and calves.

ExerciseSetsRepsRIRRestNotes
Back Squat352180 s
Dumbbell Split Squat38–12 per side290 sRear foot on the floor (regular split squat).
Hip Thrust38–12290 s
Leg Curl310–15160 s
Calf Raise48–12160 s

Choose your next load using Last time

Strengthara shows what you logged Last time. You decide the load and reps today. For exercises with a rep range, this is one way to use double progression:

  1. Begin with a load that lets every working set reach the bottom of the rep range at the prescribed RIR.
  2. Keep that load and add reps over later sessions while keeping the RIR and technique. Log each set as performed, even when sets differ.
  3. Once every working set reaches the top of the range at the prescribed RIR, try the smallest load increase your equipment allows next time. Work up through the range again.
  4. If you cannot reach the lower end with the intended RIR, keep or reduce the load. If progress stalls across several sessions, review rest, recovery and technique before adding more work.

Example: for 3 sets of 8–12 at 2 RIR, Last time might show 12, 11, 10 reps. Keep the load and work toward 12, 12, 12. When all three reach 12 with about two reps left, try a small increase next time. No fixed load jump is required.

For fixed-rep lifts, keep the prescribed reps and use RIR to judge whether a small increase is manageable. For timed, bodyweight and conditioning work, follow the exercise notes. The app neither progresses loads nor changes the written prescription automatically.

Sources: ACSM (2009) supports gradual resistance progression; Zourdos et al. (2016) describes the RIR scale. The exact double-progression rule and rotation examples here are our practical guidance, not a claim that either study tested these five programs.

Follow it free in Strengthara

Open the block picker, choose this block template and sign in to create your block. Make it active, then choose a workout in the iOS app. Log the sets you actually do. The Logbook and Last time are included in Free. Editing the program or creating your own needs Pro.

Follow a program free

Method

Checked

Workout names, exercises, prescriptions, coaching notes and audience come from the anonymous block templates endpoint during the site build. They are a build-time edition of the catalogue; an existing block keeps its own copy. The rotation and progression guidance below are editorial instructions you apply yourself.