Run the first three days a little heavier and the upper and lower days a little lighter and higher-rep. That keeps the total weekly fatigue manageable while most muscles still get two quality exposures.
Weekly Schedule
Overview
PPLUL starts the week with focused push, pull and legs sessions, rests midweek, then finishes with a full upper-body day and a full lower-body day. Because the upper day mixes pushing and pulling, chest, back, shoulders and arms each get a second weekly exposure, and the lower day gives the legs theirs. Day one to three can be heavier and lower rep, with the upper and lower days used for slightly lighter, higher-rep work.
PPLUL suits intermediate lifters who can train five days a week and want near-twice-weekly frequency for most muscles without committing to six days. It works well for people moving up from a four-day upper/lower plan or down from a six-day PPL.
- Most muscles are trained twice a week on only five days.
- Two rest days — one midweek and one at the weekend — make recovery easier than six-day PPL.
- Variety: focused body-part-style days early in the week, broader upper/lower sessions later.
- Easy to run heavy early in the week and lighter later.
- Flexible: drop the lower day for a four-day version if life gets busy.
- Frequency is uneven: legs and push/pull muscles may not all land exactly twice.
- Five days is more than most beginners need.
- Weeks without a clear heavy/light plan can drift into too much total fatigue.
The Programme
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 12–20 | 60 sec |
| Cable Fly | 3 | 12–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Cable Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-Up | 4 | 6–10 | 2 min |
| Barbell Row | 4 | 6–10 | 2–3 min |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Cable Face Pull | 3 | 15–20 | 60 sec |
| Barbell Curl | 3 | 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Hammer Curl | 2 | 10–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 | 5–8 | 3–5 min |
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8–12 | 2 min |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 8–15 | 90 sec |
| Seated Leg Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Standing Calf Raise | 4 | 12–20 | 60 sec |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 10–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Overhead Press | 3 | 5–8 | 2–3 min |
| Lat Pulldown | 4 | 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Chest-Supported Row | 3 | 8–15 | 90 sec |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 3 | 12–20 | 60 sec |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 10–12 | 60–90 sec |
| Cable Overhead Tricep Extension | 3 | 12–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hack Squat | 4 | 8–15 | 2 min |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 | 8–15 | 90 sec |
| Lying Leg Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 60–90 sec |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 8–12 | 90 sec |
| Seated Calf Raise | 4 | 12–20 | 60 sec |
| Cable Crunch | 3 | 15–20 | 60 sec |
Muscle Coverage
Training schedules that fit this split
How you run this split depends on how many days you can train. These pages show sample weeks and alternatives for each schedule, and the Split Finder can check whether it suits your goal and experience.
Explore the muscles this split trains in the muscle guide, or browse the exercise library for alternatives to any lift above.