5-day push pull legs + upper/lower split

An 8-week intermediate plan: heavy Upper and Lower days, then Push, Pull and Legs, with every set, rep range and RIR written out.

Five days don't fit either classic split: push/pull/legs needs six days to train each muscle twice a week, and upper/lower is built for four. This plan combines them. Monday and Tuesday are the heavy days, Upper and Lower, with the barbell bench press, row, squat and Romanian deadlift. After a rest day, Push, Pull and Legs run mostly on machines, cables and dumbbells, with more isolation work for shoulders and arms. Every big muscle group is trained twice a week; chest, back, quads, hamstrings and glutes get 10-12 sets each. Week 8 is a deload.

Split	Days a week	Level	Weeks	Minutes	Sets a week	Equipment	In the app
PPL + upper/lower	5	Intermediate	8	≈30–45	74	Barbell, Dumbbells, Machines	PPL + Upper/Lower · 5 days

Track this plan for free in SmartWorkout

The same exercises, sets, reps and RIR, ready in the app. Logging, rest timer and history are free. Automatic progression suggestions: Premium.

In the app: Plans → PPL + Upper/Lower · 5 days

Good fit if

You can train five days a week, and your weights go up every week or two, not every session.
You want heavy barbell days plus machine and dumbbell days, with every big muscle trained twice a week.
You prefer more, shorter sessions: three of the five take about 30-35 minutes.

Take another plan if

You are in your first months of training: start with the 4-day upper/lower plan for beginners.
You can train only four days: the 4-day upper/lower plan fits about the same weekly sets into four sessions.
You can train six days and want more shoulder and arm work: take the 6-day push/pull/legs plan.

Weekly schedule

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Upper	Lower	Rest	Push	Pull	Legs	Rest

Missed a day? Do the next session in order: the app runs the sessions in sequence.

The rest day after Lower separates the two heavy barbell days from the machine and dumbbell days. Keep the order Upper, Lower, Push, Pull, Legs and the days can move: no muscle gets direct work on two days in a row, so Monday to Friday with the weekend off works too.

The plan, week 1

Week 1 is calibration: pick a weight for the bottom of each range with one more rep in reserve than later. The RIR column shows week 1 → week 2 onwards; the grid below shows what changes in weeks 2-8.

Tempo 3-0-1-0: 3 s lowering, 0 s pause in the stretch, 1 s lifting, 0 s pause in the squeeze. X: lift as fast as you can while staying in control.

What RIR means →How to read tempo →

B3fx3×6–10 · RIR 2

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 5	–	–	1:00
3	ABarbell Bench Press	3 × 6–10	3 → 2	2-0-X-0	3:00
4	BBarbell Bent Over Row	3 × 6–10	3 → 2	2-0-1-0	2:30	One lighter warm-up set first helps; keep the torso still.
5	CSeated Dumbbell Shoulder Press	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	2-0-1-0	2:00
6	DCable Lat Pulldown	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	2:00	Pull-ups instead if you can do 10 or more strict reps.
7	ECable Triceps Pushdown	2 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00
8	FDumbbell Biceps Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-0	1:00

17 working sets · ≈45 min

B3fx3×6–10 · RIR 2

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 5	–	–	1:00
3	ABarbell Squat	3 × 6–10	3 → 2	2-0-X-0	3:00
4	BRomanian Deadlift	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	3-0-1-0	2:30	Bar close to the legs, hips back; stop before the back rounds. One lighter warm-up set first helps.
5	CSeated Leg Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:30
6	DSeated Leg Extension Machine	2 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:30
7	ECalf Leg Press	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-2-1-0	1:00
8	FKneeling Cable Abs Crunches	2 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00

16 working sets · ≈45 min

B3fx3×8–12 · RIR 2

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 8	–	–	1:00
3	AIncline Dumbbell Bench Press	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	2-0-X-0	2:00
4	BMachine Chest Press	2 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-0	2:00
5	CCable Middle Chest Fly	2 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00
6	DDumbbell Lateral Raise	4 × 12–20	2 → 1	2-0-1-0	1:00
7	ECable Overhead Triceps Extension	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	3-0-1-0	1:00

14 working sets · ≈30 min

B3fx3×8–12 · RIR 1

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 8	–	–	1:00
3	ACable Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	2:00	Neutral-grip pull-ups instead if you can do 10 or more strict reps.
4	BChest Supported Machine Row	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	2:00	Chest on the pad: your lower back rests before the leg day.
5	CCable Rear Delt Fly	3 × 12–20	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00
6	DSeated Incline Biceps Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	3-0-1-0	1:00
7	EKneeling Cable Abs Crunches	2 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:00

14 working sets · ≈35 min

B3fx3×8–12 · RIR 1

	A	B	C	D	E
1	Exercise	Sets × reps	RIR	Tempo	Rest	Notes
2	WUWarm-up sets	2 × 8	–	–	1:00
3	AMachine Hack Squat	3 × 8–12	2 → 1	3-0-1-0	2:30
4	BBarbell Hip Thrust	3 × 8–12	3 → 2	2-0-1-1	2:00	Chin tucked, ribs down; pause for a second at the top.
5	CDumbbell Walking Lunges	2 × 8–12	3 → 2	2-0-1-0	1:30	8-12 reps per leg.
6	DSeated Leg Curl	3 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-0-1-1	1:30
7	ESeated Calf Raise	2 × 10–15	2 → 1	2-2-1-0	1:00

13 working sets · ≈35 min

UpperLowerPushPullLegs

Track this plan for free

Week by week

I started on

	W1	W2	W3	W4	W5	W6	W7	W8
Phase	Calibration	Build	Build	Build	Build	Build	Build	Deload
RIR	3 / 2	2 / 1	2 / 1	2 / 1	2 / 1	2 / 1	2 / 1	4
Working sets	74	74	74	74	74	74	74	46
What to do	Find your weights	Reps, then weight	Reps, then weight	Reps, then weight	Reps, then weight	Reps, then weight	Reps, then weight	Same weights, half the sets
Done: Upper
Done: Lower
Done: Push
Done: Pull
Done: Legs

Week 8 is a deload: about 60% of the sets (4→2, 3→2, 2→1), the same weights and rest, stop at RIR 4. Why a deload helps →

Saved only in this browser. The app keeps your weights and reps.

Worked example: Barbell Squat

Sample numbers of a simulated lifter, worked through with the manual rule on this page.

Week	Weight	Reps per set	RIR	Next session
1	92.5 kg	6 · 6 · 6	3	Calibration done: add reps
2	92.5 kg	7 · 7 · 7	2	Add reps
3	92.5 kg	8 · 8 · 8	2	Add reps
4	92.5 kg	8 · 8 · 8	2	Add reps
5	92.5 kg	9 · 8 · 8	2	Add reps
6	92.5 kg	9 · 9 · 8	2	Add reps
7	92.5 kg	9 · 9 · 9	2	Next week: deload
8	92.5 kg	8 · 7	4	Next run starts at 100 kg

How to progress on this plan

The simplest method that works on any plan: double progression. Keep the weight and add reps while you finish your sets with the reserve in the RIR column. When every set reaches the top of the range, add one step and build the reps up again.

Barbell Bench Press 3 × 6–10 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 10 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
Barbell Bent Over Row 3 × 6–10 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 10 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 8–12 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2 kg next session.
Cable Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 at RIR 1: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 1 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
Barbell Squat 3 × 6–10 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 10 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8–12 at RIR 2: when all 3 sets reach 12 reps at RIR 2 or easier, add 2.5 kg next session.
Isolation exercises (10–20 reps) follow the same rule. With light dumbbells, the next pair can be too big a jump: use the in-between weight, or stay and go 1-2 reps above the range for a week or two.
The bench press, barbell row and squat run at 6-10 reps and RIR 2 and go up 2.5 kg at a time. Each comes once a week, so several weeks of adding reps before a step is normal; the worked example shows it.
The seated leg curl (Lower and Legs) and the cable crunch (Lower and Pull) are written the same on both days, so each carries on from its last session, whichever day that was. Every other exercise is compared with the same day a week earlier.
Monday's barbell row and Tuesday's Romanian deadlift both load the lower back. If the deadlift suffers, swap the row for the seated cable row for all 8 weeks.

What to do next session

You logged	Next session
All sets at the top of the range with the planned reserve	One weight step up
Below the top, with the planned reserve	Same weight, +1 rep on the sets that allow it
One rep less in reserve than planned	Same weight and reps: repeat the session
Sets below the range, or RIR 0 when the target was 2	Keep the weight; if sets fell below the range, one step down
No progress for 2 sessions	Check rest and honest RIR; after a 3rd session, about −10% and build back up

The full guide: how to progress →

Your starting weights

Enter a recent set of the exercise: weight, reps and how many reps you had left. You get the week-1 weight for the bottom of the range with one rep more in reserve, from the widely used RPE chart (RTS).

ExerciseWeight (kg)RepsReps in reserve

1RM calculator →

Weekly volume per muscle

Working sets per muscle in a regular week, counted the way the app counts them: a set is 1 for a muscle the exercise trains directly and 0.5 for one it trains indirectly. Warm-ups don't count.

Chest10 · 2×/wk
Back12 · 2×/wk
Quadriceps10 · 2×/wk
Hamstrings10.5 · 2×/wk
Gluteus11.5 · 2×/wk
Side delts7 · 2×/wk
Rear delts6 · 1×/wk
Biceps6 · 2×/wk
Triceps10 · 2×/wk
Front delts9 · 1×/wk
Calves5 · 2×/wk
Abs4 · 2×/wk
Trapezius6 · 1×/wk
Lower Back4.5 · 1×/wk

ZonesBelow maintenanceMaintenance zoneGrowth zoneHigh volumeVery high volume

Abs and calves are optional. From 10 sets a week the app labels a muscle "High volume": above its default target and still productive.

Count your own sets →

Substitutions

Choose your substitute in week 1 and keep it for all 8 weeks: the app tracks progress per exercise. Each substitute trains the same muscles directly, so the volume above stays the same.

In the plan	Swap for
Barbell Bench Press	Dumbbell Bench Press, Smith Bench Press
Barbell Bent Over Row One lighter warm-up set first helps; keep the torso still.	Dumbbell Bent Over Row, Seated Cable Row, Barbell Reverse Grip Bent Over Row
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press	Machine Shoulder Press, Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Seated Arnold Dumbbell Press
Cable Lat Pulldown Pull-ups instead if you can do 10 or more strict reps.	Pull-Up, Lat Pulldown Machine, One-Arm Lat Pulldown
Cable Triceps Pushdown	EZ-Bar Tricep Pushdown, Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension, Machine Triceps Extension
Dumbbell Biceps Curl	EZ-Bar Biceps Curl, Bar Cable Biceps Curl, Dumbbell Hammer Curl
Barbell Squat	Front Squat, Lowbar Squat, Landmine Squat
Romanian Deadlift Bar close to the legs, hips back; stop before the back rounds. One lighter warm-up set first helps.	Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Dumbbell Deadlift
Seated Leg Curl	Standing Leg Curl, Single-Leg Cable Leg Curl, Seated Single Leg Curl
Seated Leg Extension Machine	Single-Leg Extension, Sissy Squat
Calf Leg Press	Dumbbell Standing Calf Raises, Barbell Calf Raise, Rotary Calf Raise
Kneeling Cable Abs Crunches	Machine Abdominal Crunches, Decline Crunch, Weighted Decline Crunch
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press	Incline Barbell Bench Press, Smith Incline Chest Press
Machine Chest Press	Lying Chest Press, Close Grip Dumbbell Press
Cable Middle Chest Fly	Pec Deck Chest Fly, Dumbbell Chest Fly, High Low Cable Chest Fly
Dumbbell Lateral Raise	Cable Lateral Raise, Machine Lateral Raise, Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Cable Overhead Triceps Extension	One-Arm Overhead Triceps Extension, EZ-Bar Seated Triceps Extension, Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extension
Cable Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown Neutral-grip pull-ups instead if you can do 10 or more strict reps.	Neutral-Grip Pull-Up, Cable Close Grip Lat Pulldown, Cable Reverse Grip Pulldown
Chest Supported Machine Row Chest on the pad: your lower back rests before the leg day.	Dumbbell Neutral Grip Incline Bench Row, Seated Cable Low Row Neutral Grip, Lever High Row
Cable Rear Delt Fly	Machine Reverse Flyes, Alternate Bent Over Dumbbell Reverse Fly, Cable Face Pull
Seated Incline Biceps Curl	Bayesian Cable Curl, Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl, Incline Cable Curl
Machine Hack Squat	Leg Press, Machine Reverse Hack Squat
Barbell Hip Thrust Chin tucked, ribs down; pause for a second at the top.	Machine Hip Thrust, Barbell Glute Bridge
Dumbbell Walking Lunges 8-12 reps per leg.	Dumbbell Step-Up, Kettlebell Rear Lunge
Seated Calf Raise	Single-Leg Seated Calf Raise with Dumbbell, Single Leg Seated Calf Machine Raise

Adapt the plan

Short on time: Upper (about 45 minutes) and Lower (about 45) are the long days. On Upper, drop the triceps pushdown: triceps keep 8 weekly sets from Push and the presses. On Lower, skip the optional calf leg press and cable crunch. That saves about 4 and 10 minutes, and every compound lift stays.
Bulking or cutting: Keep the plan as it is in both. On a cut, aim to hold your weights: reps that drop by one or two are normal, and you can skip the last set of the isolation exercises if recovery suffers.
Bringing up one muscle: Side delts, rear delts and biceps get 6-7 sets a week, the low end of the growth zone. To bring one up, add 2-3 sets of its exercise on Push or Pull, the two shortest sessions.
Over 40: Warm up a little longer, keep one more rep in reserve on the heavy barbell lifts and take the full rest. Joints decide the pace, not the calendar.
Training at home: This plan needs a gym: the leg curls and the hack squat have no dumbbell substitutes here. At home with dumbbells and a bench, take the 4-day dumbbell upper/lower plan instead.

The same plan in the app

The app opens exactly this plan: all 8 weeks, the same targets, week 1 calibration included. Its description in the app:

Upper, Lower, Push, Pull and Legs (PPL + upper/lower) on Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri and Sat for intermediates who want to train 5 days, about 45-65 minutes per workout, every big muscle group twice a week. 8 weeks: week 1 is calibration (one more rep in reserve than the target), weeks 2-7 at RIR 2 on free-weight compounds and RIR 1 on the rest, week 8: deload, about half the sets, RIR 4. Progression: add reps first, then weight once every set reaches the top of its range at the target RIR.

Free: the plan, logging weight, reps and RIR, the rest timer, history, previous results and the calculators.

This page teaches the manual method. With Premium, the app suggests the weight and reps for every set after each workout, from the weights, reps and RIR you logged, including week-1 calibration and the deload. Its suggestions can differ from this simple rule because it uses more of your data.

Track this plan for free in SmartWorkout

The same exercises, sets, reps and RIR, ready in the app. Logging, rest timer and history are free. Automatic progression suggestions: Premium.

In the app: Plans → PPL + Upper/Lower · 5 days

Questions

Yes, for intermediates. Every big muscle group is trained twice a week: chest on Upper and Push, back on Upper and Pull, legs on Lower and Legs, which is why there are two leg days. Chest, back, quads, hamstrings and glutes get 10-12 sets a week each.

Not for growth on its own. This plan has 74 working sets a week, the 4-day upper/lower plan for intermediates 75, and both train every big muscle twice a week. The fifth day spreads the same work into shorter sessions: three of the five take about 30-35 minutes instead of 40-50. Pick the schedule you will keep.

Both train every big muscle twice a week. The 6-day plan has 83 working sets in six sessions of 30-40 minutes, with more sets for shoulders and arms. This plan has 74 in five sessions and gives the heavy barbell lifts two days of their own. Take six days only if you can keep them up for 8 weeks.

Our 5-day body-part split trains chest, back, quads and biceps once a week, 8-11 sets in a single session. This plan trains each of them twice, so their sets are spread over two sessions and fewer of them are done tired. If you still prefer one muscle group per day, the 5-day split is in the catalog too.

Yes. Keep the order Upper, Lower, Push, Pull, Legs: no muscle is trained directly on two days in a row, so five days straight with the weekend off works. The default week puts a rest day after Lower because the two heavy barbell days are the most tiring; if you feel flat by Wednesday, go back to the midweek rest day.

Not this one: it is written for intermediates, with heavy barbell lifts at 2 reps in reserve and 74 working sets a week. Beginners reach the growth zone with three or four sessions a week and learn the lifts faster with fewer exercises. Start with the 3-day full body or the 4-day upper/lower plan for beginners, and come back when your weights go up only every week or two.

Yes, and it always will be. The whole plan is on this page, and the same plan is free in the SmartWorkout app, with logging, the rest timer and history. You pay only for Premium coaching, meaning progression suggestions and the weekly volume analysis, and for AI credits.

No. You can print the plan and follow the rules on this page. The app saves you the bookkeeping: it shows last session's weights and reps next to every set.

5-day push pull legs + upper/lower split

Weekly schedule

The plan, week 1

Week by week

Worked example: Barbell Squat

How to progress on this plan

Your starting weights

Weekly volume per muscle

Substitutions

Adapt the plan

The same plan in the app

Questions

Is push pull legs + upper/lower good for building muscle?

Is training 5 days better than a 4-day upper/lower split?

PPL + upper/lower or the 6-day push/pull/legs?

Is this better than a 5-day bro split?

Can I train Monday to Friday?

Is a 5-day split good for beginners?

Is the plan really free?

Do I need the app?

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