The Complete Push Pull Legs Routine You Need to Know

push pull legs

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Is the push pull legs workout effective? What is it? And what should you include as your plan for your fitness workout? We've got all the tips you need here.

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Have you ever considered trying a push pull legs routine? Some say this is one of the best and most effective workouts for legs, especially as it is split across three days for efficiency.

When you separate the muscle groups and exercises, it can have a great impact on your leg workout.

So, let’s consider what it is and how to complete it, so you get its benefits too.

What is the Push Pull Legs Workout Routine?

This idea is one of the best workout split routines you can follow in the gym for a reason.

It is a very effective, full-body workout that’s ideal for the long-term tightening and shaping of muscles.

Breaking It Down By Days

During the push pull legs workout routine, you split your exercises across three days. As such, the exact muscles you work out will vary from day to day.

The main premise of the workout is that, across every three days, you’ll work the main muscles in your body.

On the first day, you focus on ‘pushing’ exercises that work out your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

On the second day, you then focus on ‘pulling’ exercises that work out the muscles of your biceps, traps, and back.

Finally, on the third day, you give your upper-body muscles a chance to relax.

It’s time to focus on leg toning exercises. The muscle groups worked include quads, calves, glutes, and hamstring muscles.

push pull legs with gym exercise machine

By following this unique routine you rotate where the intensity is focused. You can activate muscle-building without exhausting the muscles too much.

After all, recovery time is as crucial for toning as the workout itself. As recommended by Fitness 19, between 48 and 72 hours of rest is usually optimal for muscle recovery.

How to Complete the Push Pull Legs Workout

There’s no single best way to complete the pull pull legs routine but there are some tips you can use.

We recommend the following exercises to help you get the best results.

  • Push exercises: bench presses, landmine presses, standing military press, narrow grip dips
  • Pull exercises: deadlifts, cable rowing chin-ups, bent-over rowing, barbell curls
  • Legs exercises: reverse lunges, kettlebell swings, hip thrusts, pull-ups, split squats, squats
push pull legs using gym equipment

The exact combination of exercises you include in your routine is up to you. If you need more guidance, ask your professional fitness instructor for ideas or use a video like this youtube one we’ve shared.

If you’d rather choose on your own, why not start to switch it up? Alternate between different exercises to keep things interesting.

Determine how many repetitions you should be aiming for. These will vary depending on the type of exercise and your target intensity for the workout.

But, we recommend aiming for between 10 and 20 repetitions for the majority of exercise types per set. With the goal of five to ten sets per day. This helps maximize the toning potential of your workout and may get better results.

pushing the legs at the gym

How to Get the Most Out of Your Workout

If you want to make the most of your new workout routine, it’s important to start on the right basis.

This site recommends you start small and improve your performance with each session. This simple approach helps reduce the risks of injury and builds up your muscle toning.

You should always choose an exercise rotation that you’re comfortable with. If there’s something you struggle to complete, try something less technical instead. It’s often much easier to stick to a workout if you’re comfortable with the exercises.

As a final tip, always make sure you allow yourself suitable time to recover.

ending leg workout with a stretch

It can be tempting to try and condense the split into one and a half days rather than three. Many have tried. But this would not give your muscles the required time to recover and tone up. This may lead to poor results, muscle fatigue, and exhaustion.

Toning up isn’t all about the exercise, though. If you’ve been struggling to see results, you might want to read research for extra options.

Consider all the pros and cons of what is right for you.

You could try things such as balancing cardio in your workouts as well, for weight loss. Or drink plenty of water and ensure you’re getting a good night’s sleep to allow for recovery time.

Including It In Your Fitness Plan

If you’ve been looking for a new workout, this is it. Are you going to try the push pull legs routine?

We hope today’s guide may have helped. Indeed, this simple workout can be one of the best workout options for full-body toning.

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