The r/Fitness wiki's recommended 6-day push/pull/legs routine: linear progression on the big compounds, hypertrophy accessories to build size around them.
Original program by u/Metallicadpa. Guide published .
Reddit PPL pairs simple linear progression on the main barbell lifts with a larger block of hypertrophy accessory work per session. The compound lifts (squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, and rows) drive the actual strength progress and get weight added whenever you complete the prescribed reps; the accessory volume around them exists to build size and address weak points the compounds alone don't hit.
Six days a week in a Push / Pull / Legs / Push / Pull / Legs pattern with one rest day, commonly placed after the second Legs day or floated wherever the week needs it. Each Push day trains chest, shoulders, and triceps; each Pull day trains back and biceps; each Legs day trains quads, hamstrings, and calves.
Lifters who want higher training frequency and more total volume than a 3-day full-body program, and who can recover from six sessions a week. It became the r/Fitness wiki's default recommended routine because it's simple to run and produces both strength and visible hypertrophy.
Build strength and muscle size on a 6-day push/pull/legs split
Compounds use 5 sets of 5 with the last set as an AMRAP (5+), except deadlift, which is a single top set of 5+. Accessories are typically 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
| Day | Main compound | Scheme | Accessory focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push A | Bench Press | 5x5, last set 5+ | Overhead press, triceps, lateral raises |
| Pull A | Barbell Row | 5x5, last set 5+ | Pull-ups/lat pulldown, biceps, rear delts |
| Legs A | Squat | 5x5, last set 5+ | Romanian deadlift, leg press, calves |
| Push B | Overhead Press | 5x5, last set 5+ | Incline press, triceps, lateral raises |
| Pull B | Deadlift | 1x5+ (single top set) | Pull-ups/lat pulldown, biceps, rear delts |
| Legs B | Squat | 5x5, last set 5+ | Leg curl, lunges, calves |
This is a preview of the import output, not a live parser. In the app, a real Reddit PPL plan in any format is read automatically and turned into a tappable session like the one below.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 4 | 5 | 80 kg |
| Overhead Press | 3 | 8 | 50 kg |
| Incline DB Press | 3 | 10 | 30 kg |
| Cable Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 | 10 kg |
| Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 12 | 25 kg |
| Skull Crushers | 3 | 12 | 20 kg |
Demo preview of the import output. In the app, real plans in any language or format are parsed automatically — this page doesn't run the live parser.
Epley 1RM · Brzycki 1RM · Average estimate
Start each compound below your estimate so you can add weight most sessions for the first few weeks.
Educational estimate only. Not medical or coaching advice.
Reddit PPL is distributed as a spreadsheet with per-lift weight tracking across six sessions a week. Repport imports that spreadsheet directly so every push, pull, and legs day shows up as a ready-to-log session instead of something you retype from a Google Sheet before every workout.
How to import an Excel workout plan into Repport →Everything you need to know about Reddit PPL.
Deadlift is loaded almost entirely by the lower back and posterior chain and recovers slowly compared to squat, so the original Reddit PPL program deliberately programs it as a single top set of 5+ reps rather than five full sets. This keeps deadlift fatigue from bleeding into the squat and accessory work later in the same week.
The classic linear progression rule is to add weight to a compound lift every time you complete the prescribed reps: roughly 2.5-5 kg (5-10 lb) on upper-body lifts and 5-10 kg (10-20 lb) on squat and deadlift, adjusted down as the weight gets heavier. If you miss reps, repeat the same weight next session before adding again.
The original version, written on r/Fitness, uses 5 sets of 5 with the last set as an AMRAP (5+). A later Metallicadpa spreadsheet that calculated working weights from a 1RM input switched the scheme to 8/8+ for higher volume. Both versions are commonly run; the sample week above reflects the original 5x5 structure.
After the main compound for the day, add 3-5 accessory movements at roughly 3 sets of 8-12 reps, targeting the muscle groups the compound doesn't fully cover. Push days typically add triceps and lateral raise work, pull days add biceps and rear delt work, and legs days add hamstring and calf isolation. Exact accessory selection is flexible by design.
Most lifters can add weight most sessions for the first 2-4 months, longer on upper-body lifts than lower-body ones. Once weekly progress stalls on most lifts, that's the normal signal to move to an intermediate program with built-in periodization, such as 5/3/1, rather than continuing to force session-to-session jumps.
Import your plan, log each session in seconds, and keep your training history exportable.
