Beginner 3-Day PPL Workout
Written by the Perflexity coaching team · Reviewed September 5, 2026
Program
Beginner 3-Day PPL
3 sessions · each day opens as its own plan
Push
1.Bench press (barbell or machine)
Rest 2–3 min
3 × 8–10
2.Overhead press (dumbbell or machine)
Rest 2 min
3 × 8–10
3.Incline dumbbell press or chest machine
Rest 90–120 sec
3 × 10–12
4.Lateral raises
Rest 60–90 sec
3 × 12–15
5.Triceps pushdown or overhead extension
Rest 60–90 sec
3 × 10–15
Pull
1.Lat pulldown or assisted pull-up
Rest 2 min; drive elbows down
3 × 8–12
2.Seated cable row or chest-supported row
Rest 90–120 sec
3 × 8–12
3.One-arm dumbbell row
Each arm
3 × 10–12
4.Face pulls
Rest 60–90 sec
3 × 12–15
5.Dumbbell curl
Rest 60–90 sec
3 × 10–12
Legs
1.Squat (barbell, goblet, or leg press)
Rest 2–3 min
3 × 8–10
2.Romanian deadlift
Rest 2 min
3 × 8–10
3.Walking lunge or split squat
Each leg
3 × 8–10
4.Leg curl
Rest 60–90 sec
3 × 10–12
5.Calf raise
Pause at the top
3 × 12–15
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TL;DR
Train three days a week: push, pull, legs. Repeat the same three sessions. Add a little load or a rep when every set hits the top of the range. Open the whole program in Perflexity — each day is its own plan.
Key takeaways
- Three days beats a six-day plan you skip.
- Leave a rest day between sessions when you can.
- Progress the same lifts for 8–12 weeks.
Who this is for
You can get to a gym three days a week and you want a split people actually search for: push, pull, legs. You do not need six days. Beginners grow on three hard sessions with rest between them.
If you only have dumbbells, use the dumbbell-only 3-day program instead. If your club is Planet Fitness, use the Planet Fitness 3-day.
Weekly schedule
Leave at least one day between sessions. Two common calendars:
- Mon push · Wed pull · Fri legs
- Tue push · Thu pull · Sat legs
How to progress
When every working set hits the top of the rep range with clean form, add 2.5–5 lb next time on that lift. If form breaks, keep the weight.
Log the session. Next week you should not be guessing last Tuesday’s bench.
Common mistakes
- Turning it into six days in week one.
- Swapping the whole program every Monday.
- Resting 30 seconds on squats and presses.
FAQ
Is 3-day PPL enough for beginners?
Yes. Muscle groups get hit once per week here, which is enough when you are new and recovering. Add a second rotation later if you recover well and can train 5–6 days.
Can I do it two days a week?
Rotate. Week 1 push + pull. Week 2 legs + push. Keep showing up.
How do I open all three days in the app?
Tap Open in Perflexity on this page. The program payload sends each day as its own plan block. Or share the page to Perflexity if the app is already installed.