A PPL split is a pull, push, and legs workout program that can be laid out a few different ways, but I’m showing you my favorite. One thing to note is how to sequence this training split; repeating each workout day twice in sequence for 6 straight workout days in a row before a rest day. This option allows for a predictable schedule but compromises rest in the process.
The other way to perform a PPL split is take a rest day after the first 3 workouts. Perform another 3 days and then rest once again. This asynchronous split causes unpredictable rest days, but allows for more recovery which leads to overall better muscle gains.
Below is Push Workout 1:
– Bench Press – 4 x 4-6 (leave 1-2 in the tank)
– Hi-to-Low Crossover – 3 x 10-12 (post-pressing adduction)
– DB Shoulder Press – 4 x 8-10 (standing movement)
– 1.5 Side Lateral Raises – 3 x 12-15 (direct side delt activation)
– Lying Triceps Extensions 3 x 10-12 into DB Waiter Curls – 3 x 10-12
– Rotator Cuff ER – 3 x 15-20 (rotator cuff strengthening and shoulder stability / health)
With any push workout, it is essential to include a heavy compound movement and in this case, it’s the classic bench press. This particular exercises allows for overload on all 3 major pushing muscles, the chest, triceps, and shoulders together. With 4 sets of 4-6 reps, make sure to choose a weight where you can perform in the given rep range with 1-2 reps left in the tank.
Next in this push day is the hi-to-low crossover. This exercise provides adduction of the chest that most pressing movements do not as they don’t allow for the arms to travel across the midline of the chest. Taking the chest through its full range of motion is necessary to get a bigger chest in the long run.
The DB shoulder press is performed standing instead of sitting because pressing your back in the bench while pressing overhead interferes with scapular movement. The utilization of dumbbells in this particular workout not only allows for the bench press to be the compound exercise of choice, but it also helps to expose any imbalances one might have.
The 1.5 side lateral raises allow for direct side delt activation that is ignored in the previous exercises of this perfect push workout, all of which are heavily influencing the front delts. This direct focus on the side delts will help to build overall bigger shoulders.
As we did in the Perfect Pull Workout, we are including both triceps and biceps as a superset here in our push workout. The arms get targeted with a superset with the lying triceps extensions into a DB waiter’s curl. Including both biceps and triceps on a push day accrues for extra volume that is necessary for building muscle.
To finish up this push workout, I included the banded rotator cuff external rotation as our corrective for the day. It is a phenomenal way to build shoulder health and stability, something necessary for any effective push day workout as well as promoting general shoulder health and safety.
Here is what Push Workout 2 looks like:
– Barbell Overhead Press – 4 x 4-6 (leave 1-2 in the tank)
– Underhand DB Bench Press – 3 x 8-10
– Abduction Rows – 3 x 10-12
– Floor Flys – 3 x 10-12
– Triceps Close Grip Bench Press – 3 x 6-8 into DB Curl of Choice – 3 x 10-12
– Pushup Plus – 3 x F
Utilizing both of these workouts will serve as your push workout in the PPL workout split. Alternate these two workouts whenever the push day of the PPL split shows up on the calendar. Remember to select weight that will allow for failure in the prescribed rep ranges, aiming to add more weight each time the workout appears.
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