Program guide
Push/Pull/Legs guide: run a six-day split without losing progression context
Push/Pull/Legs is popular because the split is easy to remember. The challenge is keeping progression visible when six weekly sessions start producing a lot of sets.
Important boundary
This guide explains concepts and helps you calculate inputs. For the official program, read or buy the original source.
Best for
Lifters who can recover from higher weekly frequency
Days/week
Often 3 or 6 depending on rotation
Main lifts
Push, pull, and leg compounds plus accessories
Progression style
Usually rep-range or linear progression
Complexity
Low concept, moderate execution
Spreadsheet reliance
Common for six-day variants
Protocol fit
Strong built-in PPL preset fit
Preset path
Use the preset when it matches your source version, then adjust the routine before the block starts.
Start with a Protocol presetProgram structure
What has to be set up before week one
Use the source material for the program rules. Use this section to decide how the routine should live inside Protocol.
Support mode
Built-in Protocol preset
Session shape
Often 3 or 6 depending on rotation
Progression anchor
Usually rep-range or linear progression
Spreadsheet friction
Common for six-day variants
Protocol setup path
Strong built-in PPL preset fit
How to build this in Protocol
Use Protocol as the execution layer, not the program source.
- Protocol includes an independent PPL 6-day preset, not an official Reddit PPL implementation.
- The current preset uses configured pass/fail progression patterns; do not describe it as full rep-range double progression.
- Edit exercise choices and weekly frequency before the block starts so the split matches your source and recovery.
Protocol can
- Save the routine as named days, exercises, sets, rest notes, and load anchors.
- Guide workouts exercise by exercise and set by set while logging completed, failed, and skipped work.
- Apply configured weighted progression, failure-threshold load reductions, and equipment-aware rounding when those rules exist in the routine.
Protocol cannot
- Protocol does not import spreadsheets or pass calculator values into the Training app automatically.
- Protocol is independent from named program owners; source material and coaching override this guide.
- Built-in presets are independent starting points, not official versions of the named programs.
Preset path
Calculate your inputs
Use the preset when it matches your source version, then adjust the routine before the block starts.
1. Pick the first input: weight, reps, and sets from similar work.
2. Use the calculator: start with Volume load calculator.
3. Run the block: build the routine in Protocol after checking the source rules.
How Push/Pull/Legs works
A PPL split groups training by movement job: push work, pull work, and legs. A three-day version runs each once per week. A six-day version repeats the rotation, often with different emphasis or exercise choices on the second pass.
Push days usually include pressing and triceps work. Pull days usually include rows, pulldowns, pull-ups, curls, or hinge assistance. Leg days usually cover squat or leg-press patterns, posterior chain work, and calf or single-leg accessories.
There is no single owner for the generic split. If you run a named Reddit PPL variant, use the community source for exact rules and avoid copied tables.
This guide explains the concepts and helps you calculate your own inputs. For the official program, read or buy the original source.
Keep progression attached to the session
The more sessions you run, the easier it is to forget why a load changed. A good log should show the target, the completed sets, missed work, and the next step for that exercise.
Protocol has a PPL 6-day preset, which makes this page a strong fit for lifters who want the split structure without spreadsheet drift.
Example week shape
A common six-day rhythm alternates push, pull, legs, then repeats with variation or different emphasis. The useful part is not the label; it is knowing what each day is supposed to progress.
For example, the first push day might emphasize heavier pressing while the second has more shoulder or higher-rep accessory work. The same idea can apply to pull and legs.
Use calculator pages for warm-ups, plates, volume checks, and rounded accessory loads when the session math starts interrupting training.
How to build this in Protocol
Start from Protocol's PPL 6-day preset when the structure fits your schedule. Edit exercises before the block starts, then resist rebuilding the routine every week.
Use session logs to keep progression attached to each lift and accessory, especially when the same muscle group appears twice per week.
Protocol helps with the execution layer: day structure, target sets, completed work, skipped work, failed sets, and configured progression. The split still needs recovery and exercise selection that fit the lifter.
Execution traps
Common mistakes
- Adding six days of work before recovery and schedule are realistic.
- Changing accessories every week and losing comparison points.
- Tracking only the main lift while accessories drift.
- Using spreadsheet formulas without checking whether the next session is actually executable.
Common questions
FAQ
Is Push/Pull/Legs a specific program?
Generic PPL is a split structure, not one owned program. Named variants, such as Reddit PPL, should be checked against their own source material.
Does Protocol include PPL?
Protocol includes a Push/Pull/Legs 6-day preset.
Can a beginner run PPL?
Some beginner variants exist, but the schedule and recovery demands matter. Choose a version you can complete and track consistently.