PPL Routine: The Hypertrophy Blueprint

Overview

This guide details the specific implementation of the Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Workout Methodology. It is designed for high-frequency stimulation of all major muscle groups over a 6-day rolling cycle.

Day	Workout	Focus
Monday	Push A	Chest (Upper/Mid), Shoulders (Front/Side), Triceps
Tuesday	Pull A	Back (Width/Thickness), Rear Delts, Biceps
Wednesday	Legs A	Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
Thursday	Push B	Chest (Emphasis variation), Shoulders, Triceps
Friday	Pull B	Back (Isolation variation), Rear Delts, Biceps
Saturday	Legs B	Lower Body (Variation/Accessory), Glutes
Sunday	Rest	Recovery and systemic repair

Why This Matters

Mastery in this domain compounds judgment under uncertainty.
The syllabus below is the complete inventory map — no hidden notes elsewhere.

Recommended Learning Path

Work through Essential Syllabus Concepts in the order of the ### groupings below, or follow phase anchors when present in hub templates.

Essential Syllabus Concepts

Push A (Monday)

Incline Barbell Bench Press: 4×6-10 (Upper Chest)
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 4×8-12 (Mid Chest)
Weighted Dips: 3×8-12 (Lower Chest + Triceps)
Overhead Dumbbell Press: 4×8-10 (Front Delts)
Lateral Raises: 4×12-15 (Side Delts)
Face Pulls: 3×12-15 (Rear Delts)
Overhead Tricep Extension: 3×10-15 (Long Head)
Tricep Pushdowns: 3×12-15

Push B (Thursday)

Incline Dumbbell Press: 4×8-12 (Upper Chest)
Flat Barbell Bench Press: 4×6-10 (Mid Chest)
High-to-Low Cable Flyes: 3×12-15 (Lower Chest)
Arnold Press: 3×8-12 (Front + Side Delts)
Cable Lateral Raises: 4×12-15 (Side Delts)
Rear Delt Flyes: 3×12-15
Close-Grip Bench Press: 3×8-10 (Triceps)
Skull Crushers: 3×10-15

Core (Both Push Days): Hanging Leg Raises 3×10-15 + Plank 3×30-60s

Pull A (Tuesday)

Pull-Ups / Lat Pulldowns (wide): 4×6-12 (Lats/Width)
Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 4×8-10 (Mid/Upper Back)
Seated Cable Rows: 3×8-12 (Mid Back)
Face Pulls: 3×12-15 (Rear Delts + Traps)
Rear Delt Flyes: 3×12-15
EZ Bar Curls: 3×8-12 (Biceps)
Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3×10-12 (Long Head)
Hammer Curls: 3×12-15

Pull B (Friday)

Wide-Grip Pulldowns: 4×8-12
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Rows: 4×8-10
Straight-Arm Pulldowns: 3×12-15 (Lats)
Reverse Pec Deck or Face Pulls: 3×12-15
Preacher Curls: 3×10-12
Cable Curls: 3×12-15

Forearms (Both Pull Days): Wrist Curls + Reverse Wrist Curls – 3×15 each

Legs A (Wednesday)

Back Squat: 4×6-10 (Quads + Glutes)
Romanian Deadlift: 4×8-12 (Hamstrings)
Bulgarian Split Squats: 3×8-12/leg (Quads + Glutes)
Leg Extensions: 3×12-15 (Quads)
Lying Leg Curls: 3×10-15 (Hamstrings)
Hip Thrusts: 4×8-12 (Glutes)
Standing Calf Raises: 4×10-15

Legs B (Saturday)

Leg Press: 4×10-12 (Quads)
Hack Squat or Goblet Squat: 3×10-12
Good Mornings: 3×8-12 (Hamstrings)
Seated Leg Curls: 3×12-15
Walking Lunges: 3×10/leg
Glute Kickbacks: 3×12-15/side
Donkey Calf Raises: 4×12-15

Core (Both Legs Days): Ab Wheel Rollouts or Cable Crunches 3×12-15

Synthesis & Patterns

Progressive overload drives long-term hypertrophy; the weekly A/B split manages fatigue while maintaining frequency.
Pair this routine with Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Workout Methodology for programming rationale.

Common Pitfalls

Skipping warm-up sets and jumping to working weight.
Ignoring deload weeks when recovery metrics decline.
Neglecting protein and sleep while increasing volume.

Retrieval Practice

Walk through the 6-day split from memory — which muscles are trained each day?
Explain the progression rule and when to add weight.
What are the three recovery maintenance targets?

Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Workout Methodology — Programming methodology this routine implements.
Progressive Overload — Load progression principle used in the progression rule below.

Practical Takeaways

Warm-up (Every Session – 10 mins)

5 min light cardio.
Dynamic stretches + band pull-aparts.
2-3 light warm-up sets of the first exercise.

Progression Rule

When you hit the top rep range on all sets, add weight in the next session. This is the implementation of Progressive Overload.

Recovery and Maintenance

Sleep: 7-9 hours.
Protein: 1.6–2.2g per kg body weight.
Deload: Every 6-8 weeks, reduce volume by 40-50%.

Related Atomic Concepts: Push-Pull-Legs (PPL) Workout Methodology, Progressive Overload.

This hub follows the Curated Hub Creation Protocol (05-system/templates/curated-hub-creation-protocol.md). Essential Syllabus Concepts lists every inventory note explicitly as wikilinks.