3-Day Push/Pull/Legs for Busy Intermediates

Overview

You want to run a Push/Pull/Legs split but you only have 3 days per week. This program makes it work by increasing the volume per session and ensuring every muscle group gets enough weekly stimulus to grow.

Each session is 50-60 minutes. You hit each muscle group once per week directly, but the overlap between compound movements provides additional indirect stimulus.

Schedule

• •Monday: Push (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
• •Wednesday: Pull (Back, Biceps, Rear Delts)
• •Friday: Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves)

Push Day

• •Barbell Bench Press: 4x6 (2min rest)
• •Incline Dumbbell Press: 3x10 (90s rest)
• •Overhead Press: 3x8 (90s rest)
• •Cable Flyes: 3x12 (45s rest)
• •Lateral Raise: 4x15 (30s rest)
• •Tricep Dips: 3x10 (60s rest)
• •Overhead Tricep Extension: 3x12 (45s rest)

Pull Day

• •Barbell Deadlift: 4x5 (2min rest)
• •Pull-Ups (weighted if possible): 4x6-8 (90s rest)
• •Barbell Row: 3x8 (90s rest)
• •Cable Row: 3x12 (60s rest)
• •Face Pulls: 3x15 (45s rest)
• •Barbell Curl: 3x10 (45s rest)
• •Hammer Curl: 3x12 (30s rest)

Legs Day

• •Barbell Back Squat: 4x6 (2min rest)
• •Romanian Deadlift: 4x8 (90s rest)
• •Leg Press: 3x12 (90s rest)
• •Bulgarian Split Squat: 3x10 per leg (60s rest)
• •Leg Curl: 3x12 (60s rest)
• •Standing Calf Raise: 4x15 (45s rest)

Progression

Heavy compound lifts: add 2.5kg when you complete all sets and reps. Isolation and accessory work: use double progression within the rep range.

Making 3 Days Work

The research says training each muscle group twice per week is slightly better than once, but once per week with adequate volume still builds muscle effectively. If you can only train 3 days, this is the split to use.

Key adjustments for 3-day frequency:

• •Higher volume per session (more sets per body part)
• •Every compound lift counts for multiple muscle groups
• •Deadlift on pull day provides additional hamstring and glute work
• •Close-to-failure sets on isolation work maximize the growth stimulus

When You Have a 4th Day

If you occasionally have a 4th training day, add a full-body session:

• •Squat variation: 3x8
• •Pressing variation: 3x8
• •Pulling variation: 3x8
• •Carries or core work: 3 sets

This bumps frequency to twice per week for everything.