# PPL routine



## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Hey guys,

Through advise I read on the forum I recently switched from training body parts once a week to a push,pull,legs twice a week.

The question I need answering is what sort of percentages should I train at?

For instance at the moment my working sets are 90% and maybe one at 100%. I just did my second push this week and my lifts were weaker than earlier in the week, so maybe my recovery isn't as good as I thought or I need to do a heavy and lighter day?

Ryan.


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## Guest (Jun 12, 2015)

100% is your 1RM. You shouldn't be doing that every workout even if powerlifting.

Work at the highest weight you can use to complete your chosen sets x reps.


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## p.cullen (Jun 6, 2014)

how many reps and sets are you doing?

I personally do 3 sets at 10-12 reps.

I try find a weight so that i can manage 10 and struggle on my last 2


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Don't know what my 1RM is anymore. I did 120kg for 5 last night.

My workouts consists of :

PUSH

Bench 4x5

Barbell overhead press 4x5

Weighted dips 3x10

Dumbbell overhead press 3x10

Lat raise 3x10

Tricep pushdowns 3x10

Skull crushers 3x10

PULL

Deadlift 4x5

Weighted chin ups 3x10

Bent over rows 4x8

Rear delt flyes 3x10

Barbell curl 3x10

Dumbbell curl 3x10

Face pulls 3x10

LEGS

Squats 4x5

Leg press 3x10

SLDL 3x10

Leg curls 3x10

Seated calf raise 3x10

Unsure if I need the rear delt flyes and face pulls but that's what I have at the moment.

I do PPL rest PPL in a week.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

rknights said:


> I do PPL rest PPL in a week.


How does that work week to week? Are you ending up training 6 days in a row, or are you doing PPL rest PPL rest etc, so that training days vary week to week?

How are you progressing on your lifts? It looks like you're doing quite a lot of volume per workout for doing PPL twice per week to me, but if it's working carry on!


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

I've only done a week so I'm unsure yet. I have done PPL rest PPL this week and then I will have a rest day in between the new week so it will just roll over into the new week I guess.

I wouldbt know what to cut out of it if I lowered the volume tbh.


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## Bgpine (Oct 13, 2014)

Keep face pulls in mate, really are worth it. I did similar routine for 3 months went from 100k bench to 115k


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Ok mate, people rave about them but the seem so easy for me.

What about rear felt flyes? Am I working the delts enough with the rest of my back/shoulders?


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## Bgpine (Oct 13, 2014)

rknights said:


> Ok mate, people rave about them but the seem so easy for me.
> 
> What about rear felt flyes? Am I working the delts enough with the rest of my back/shoulders?


I would skip doing rear flyes, your hitting them enough as is


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Bgpine said:


> I would skip doing rear flyes, your hitting them enough as is


Ok cool. At least that's one less thing to do today lol.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

Well one option would be to just halve the total number of workouts! That would be a more typical PPL routine.

The other would be to not do every exercise each workout, so e.g. barbell curl one workout and dumbbell curl the next.

What sort of training routines have you used in the past?

There's no harm in trying the routine as you have it, it may work brilliantly. But if it doesn't I'd be looking to decrease volume/increase rest myself.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

rknights said:


> Ok mate, people rave about them but the seem so easy for me.


Increase the weight so they aren't so easy???


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Ultrasonic said:


> Well one option would be to just halve the total number of workouts! That would be a more typical PPL routine.
> 
> The other would be to not do every exercise each workout, so e.g. barbell curl one workout and dumbbell curl the next.
> 
> ...


The reason I've changed to this routine is to train more often tho. As I'm natty it's supposed to benefit you to train more often otherwise I'm only hitting a muscle group 52 times in a whole year. That's what was recommended through this forum anyway.

I've previously just done splits like chest/tris back/bis etc and that's worked but my knowledge is limited compared to guys on here. So I read and took the advice, thought it's worth a shot lol.

Been training about 5-6 years on and off and haven't had to turn to the dark side yet lol. Just want to max out my genetics.


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Ultrasonic said:


> Increase the weight so they aren't so easy???


Yea I do haha, but I mean I don't feel like they do a lot. Never done them until now. Perhaps I need to slow it down and squeeze a bit


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## Bgpine (Oct 13, 2014)

rknights said:


> Yea I do haha, but I mean I don't feel like they do a lot. Never done them until now. Perhaps I need to slow it down and squeeze a bit


You need to explode the pull action, pretend your pinching your shoulder blades together then squeeze for a second, then lower the weight back down in 2-3 seconds then you will feel it


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Bgpine said:


> You need to explode the pull action, pretend your pinching your shoulder blades together then squeeze for a second, then lower the weight back down in 2-3 seconds then you will feel it


Yea that's pretty much what I do. I think it's just I have strong shoulders lol but I will persevere


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

rknights said:


> The reason I've changed to this routine is to train more often tho. As I'm natty it's supposed to benefit you to train more often otherwise I'm only hitting a muscle group 52 times in a whole year. That's what was recommended through this forum anyway.
> 
> I've previously just done splits like chest/tris back/bis etc and that's worked but my knowledge is limited compared to guys on here. So I read and took the advice, thought it's worth a shot lol.
> 
> Been training about 5-6 years on and off and haven't had to turn to the dark side yet lol. Just want to max out my genetics.


Personally I'd try an upper/lower split, training 4 days per week instead of what you're currently trying. This trains each muscle twice per week, but with more rest days. Mixing up higher and lower rep work across the workouts is a good idea too.

I am very much a fan of higher frequency training for nattys BTW. But whatever the routine the trick is to find the right balance of volume, frequency and rest to allow you to progress. This is ultimately something you just have to experiment with and learn what works best for you.

There is no clear cut answer of what is definitely best for you here.


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

rknights said:


> Don't know what my 1RM is anymore. I did 120kg for 5 last night.
> 
> My workouts consists of :
> 
> ...


personally i would split that into 2 alternating routines.. but i am lazy and its too hot to spend hours in gym every night

PUSH

Bench 4x5

Dumbbell overhead press 3x10

lat raise 3x10

Skull crushers 3x10

Barbell overhead press 4x5

Weighted dips 3x10

Lat raise 3x10

Tricep pushdowns 3x10

PULL

Deadlift 4x5

Weighted chin ups 3x10

Face pulls 3x10

Dumbbell curl 3x10

Bent over rows 4x8

pull down/up 3x10

Rear delt flyes 3x10

Barbell curl 3x10

LEGS

Squats 4x5

Leg curls 3x10

a calf exercise

some ab work

Leg press 3x10

SLDL 3x10

Seated calf raise 3x10

some ab work


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Ultrasonic said:


> Personally I'd try an upper/lower split, training 4 days per week instead of what you're currently trying. This trains each muscle twice per week, but with more rest days. Mixing up higher and lower rep work across the workouts is a good idea too.
> 
> I am very much a fan of higher frequency training for nattys BTW. But whatever the routine the trick is to find the right balance of volume, frequency and rest to allow you to progress. This is ultimately something you just have to experiment with and learn what works best for you.
> 
> There is no clear cut answer of what is definitely best for you here.


I think that would be a lot to fit in 2 days. I think I might just have a few more rest days or do a heavy day and a lighter day later in the week. But as you say I will find what works.


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

a.notherguy said:


> personally i would split that into 2 alternating routines.. but i am lazy and its too hot to spend hours in gym every night
> 
> PUSH
> 
> ...


Only takes just over an hour to get through each workout and wouldn't be enough split up.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

rknights said:


> I think that would be a lot to fit in 2 days. I think I might just have a few more rest days or do a heavy day and a lighter day later in the week. But as you say I will find what works.


Bear in mind that in switching from the body part split routine you have been following that the volume per muscle in each workout will need to be less than you're used to, since you have less recovery time before training that muscle again.


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

Ultrasonic said:


> Bear in mind that in switching from the body part split routine you have been following that the volume per muscle in each workout will need to be less than you're used to, since you have less recovery time before training that muscle again.


Yea this is why I might have a heavy and light day so I'm working the muscle but not destroying myself twice a week lol.


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## aad123 (Dec 7, 2011)

I find that a push / pull system works well for me. The system I use splits the body into into upper and lower and you do one heavy workout and one lighter workout of each per week. A typical week would be

Push heavy

Rest

Pull Heavy

Rest

Push Light

Pull Light

Rest

Obviously with this split there is a reduction in volume but the increased frequency make up for it. Just an option you may want to try.


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

rknights said:


> Only takes just over an hour to get through each workout and wouldn't be enough split up.


i dont agree that it wouldnt be enough split up tbh, i think training 3 on 1 off your original routine has too much volume and will soon become a drag


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## rknights (Oct 30, 2014)

a.notherguy said:


> i dont agree that it wouldnt be enough split up tbh, i think training 3 on 1 off your original routine has too much volume and will soon become a drag


I might as well just do 3 days a week then tho, so I could have stayed training body parts with more rest.


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## Ultrasonic (Jul 13, 2004)

rknights said:


> I might as well just do 3 days a week then tho, so I could have stayed training body parts with more rest.


Splitting it up would still give you the benefit of higher frequency. Doing less sets per workout doesn't mean you don't push yourself to failure (or just before).

Edit: I wouldn't halve the work per workout, but it could be reduced as I suggested earlier.


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