Push Day

Push day is a weight training workout that targets the muscles responsible for pushing movements: the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It is a foundational component of the Push Pull Legs (PPL) split, one of the most popular training splits in bodybuilding and strength training⁵.

What is Push Day

The push in push day refers to any exercise that involves pressing a weight away from the body or pressing the body away from a surface. This includes horizontal presses like the bench press, vertical presses like the overhead press, and isolation exercises like lateral raises and triceps extensions⁴.

A typical push day lasts 45 to 75 minutes and includes 4 to 6 exercises targeting the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The workout usually starts with compound movements that involve multiple muscle groups, then moves to isolation exercises that target specific muscles³.

Push Pull Legs Split

The Push Pull Legs (PPL) split divides training into three categories based on movement patterns. Push day targets chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pull day targets back, biceps, and rear deltoids. Leg day targets the lower body⁶.

3-Day PPL Schedule

The 3-day PPL is ideal for those training 3 times per week. A typical weekly layout is³:

• Monday: Push
• Tuesday: Pull
• Wednesday: Legs
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: Push
• Saturday: Pull
• Sunday: Rest

This schedule allows 48-72 hours of recovery between sessions for each muscle group².

6-Day PPL Schedule

The 6-day PPL hits each muscle group twice per week for increased volume and frequency. A typical layout is⁶:

• Monday: Push 1 (chest emphasis)
• Tuesday: Pull 1 (back width)
• Wednesday: Legs 1 (quad emphasis)
• Thursday: Push 2 (shoulder emphasis)
• Friday: Pull 2 (back thickness)
• Saturday: Legs 2 (hamstring emphasis)
• Sunday: Rest

With two push days per week, you can adjust emphasis—Push 1 might be chest-heavy while Push 2 prioritizes shoulders².

Typical Exercises

Compound Movements

Barbell Bench Press: The cornerstone of most push days. It targets the pectoralis major, front deltoids, and triceps simultaneously. Most lifters perform 4 sets of 5-8 reps for strength or 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps for hypertrophy⁴¹.

Overhead Press: Also known as military press. It targets the shoulders and triceps while engaging the core for stability. Typically performed for 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps⁴.

Incline Press: Performed on an inclined bench (typically 30-45 degrees) to target the upper chest and front deltoids. The incline dumbbell press allows for greater range of motion than the barbell version².

Isolation Movements

Lateral Raises: Target the lateral deltoids, which are difficult to train with compound movements. Performed with dumbbells or cables, typically for 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps. The lateral deltoid is a small muscle but the single biggest contributor to shoulder width².

Cable Flyes: Target the chest through a stretch-focused movement. Typically performed for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps⁴.

Triceps Pushdowns: Cable-based isolation exercise targeting the triceps. The rope variation allows for peak contraction. Typically performed for 3 sets of 10-15 reps¹.

Overhead Triceps Extension: Targets the long head of the triceps through a full range of motion. Can be performed with a dumbbell, EZ bar, or cable⁴.

Exercise Order and Structure

A well-structured push day follows a logical sequence. Compound exercises come first when the muscles are freshest. The typical order is chest exercises first, then shoulders, then triceps. Training triceps before chest would fatigue the triceps, making them the limiting factor during pressing movements³.

A sample push day structure looks like⁴¹:

1. Barbell bench press: 4 sets of 5-8 reps
2. Overhead press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
3. Incline dumbbell press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
4. Lateral raises: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
5. Cable flyes: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
6. Triceps pushdowns: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Volume Recommendations

Weekly volume recommendations for chest, shoulders, and triceps in a PPL split are³:

Muscle Group	3-Day PPL (weekly sets)	6-Day PPL (weekly sets)
Chest	10-12	14-18
Shoulders (total)	10-12	14-18
Triceps	6-8	10-14

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is performing too many exercises per muscle group, leading to overtraining. Four to six exercises per session is the sweet spot for push day. Another mistake is neglecting the lateral deltoids—lateral raises are essential for shoulder width but are often undertrained².

Programming Notes

Progressive overload applies to push day just as to other training. For barbell compounds (bench, overhead press), add 5 lbs per side when the low end of the rep range is reached consistently. For isolation exercises, add 2.5-5 lbs or an extra rep².

Use double progression: pick a weight at the low end of the rep range. When you hit the top of the rep range for all sets, increase weight by 2.5-5 lbs².