Push pull legs vs upper lower
Pick by how many days you can train. On 4 days a week, choose upper lower: every muscle is trained twice. On 6 days, push pull legs does the same with shorter sessions. On 3 days, push pull legs trains each muscle once, so a full body program is usually the better choice.
Updated 2026-10-17
Side by side
| Push pull legs | Upper lower | |
|---|---|---|
| Days a week | 3 or 6 | 4 |
| Times each muscle is trained | Once (3 days) or twice (6 days) | Twice |
| Session length | 40 to 50 min | 40 to 55 min |
| Best for | Lifters who like training often, or only have 3 days | Most lifters on 4 days, and the step after full body |
Weekly sets per muscle
Our two programs as written: push pull legs on 6 days, upper lower on 4. An assisting muscle counts as half a set.
| Muscle | PPL, 6 days | Upper lower |
|---|---|---|
| Chest | 12 | 8 |
| Lats | 9 | 9 |
| Upper back | 12 | 9 |
| Shoulders | 30 | 16 |
| Biceps | 16 | 10 |
| Triceps | 15 | 8.5 |
| Quads | 12 | 10 |
| Hamstrings | 18 | 10 |
| Glutes | 9 | 5.5 |
| Calves | 15 | 10 |
Frequency and volume
Research suggests what matters most for growth is the number of hard sets a muscle gets each week, with training each muscle at least twice a week a useful way to fit those sets in. Six days of push pull legs simply has room for more sets than four days of upper lower, which is why the numbers above are higher. More is not automatically better: it is only useful if you recover from it.
Recovery and real life
Upper lower leaves three rest days a week, and a missed session is easy to slot in. Six day push pull legs leaves one, so sleep and food matter more and a busy week throws it off. If you are not sure, start with upper lower and move to push pull legs when you want more.
Questions
Is push pull legs better than upper lower?
Neither is better in general. On 4 days a week, upper lower trains everything twice and is the better fit. On 6 days, push pull legs also trains everything twice and spreads the work over shorter sessions. Choose by how many days you can train.
Which is better for beginners?
Upper lower, if you are choosing between these two. It trains each muscle twice a week on just four days. A full body program is better still for your first few months.
Can I switch between them?
Yes. Your lifts carry over: keep logging the same exercises, and use your recent weights as the starting point on the new split.
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