2 VARIANTS

Plans

Push/Pull/Legs 6 days/week ~47 min–1h 8min

Push / Pull / Legs (Reddit PPL)

u/Metallicdpa’s Reddit PPL combines linear progression on five barbell main lifts with substantial whole-body accessory work. Heavy Push days alternate barbell bench press and barbell overhead press; Pull days alternate barbell deadlift and barbell bent over row, while both Legs days are identical. Full Gym stays close to the published exercise selection, while Free Weights replaces cable and machine movements. This beginner routine requires six weekly sessions and basic competence in the main lifts.

Who is this plan for?

Beginners with initial barbell experience who can still progress from session to session
Six training sessions per week fit reliably into the weekly schedule
The movement patterns of barbell squat, barbell deadlift, barbell bench press, barbell overhead press, and barbell bent over row are already familiar
Goal: build strength on the main lifts while using substantial accessory volume for muscle growth

How it works

Schedule: Push, Pull, and Legs are each trained twice per week. The original places the rest day either between the two PPL blocks or at the end; hitPR shows the six training sessions.
Main lifts: barbell bench press, barbell overhead press, and barbell bent over row use 4×5 + 1×5+, barbell squat uses 2×5 + 1×5+, and barbell deadlift uses 1×5+. The plus marks the final AMRAP set; extra reps provide feedback but are not required for the standard load increase.
Linear progression: Completing the prescribed base volume increases the next exposure by 2.5 kg; barbell deadlift increases by 5 kg. After three consecutive failed attempts on the same exercise, the working weight is reduced by 10%.
Accessories: Weighted accessory exercises use double progression within the programmed rep range. At the top of the range, the load increases and the rep target returns to the bottom.
hitPR adaptations: The original two supersets with dumbbell lateral raise are combined into one six-set block. In Free Weights, chin-up and glute-ham raise progress only by repetitions; there is no automatic switch to added weight.

Pros & Limitations

+ Clear linear progression on five main lifts, with substantial direct work for back, shoulders, and arms

+ Each major muscle group is trained twice per week

+ Full Gym and Free Weights retain the same five main lifts

− Six training days and 124 working sets per week make this a high-volume beginner routine

− Arm and pulling volume is much higher than in minimalist beginner programs

− Free Weights only approximates the original weighted 8–12 progression on its two bodyweight exercises

Muscles trained

Avg. hits per week · Primary 1.0 · Secondary 0.5

Front

Back

Biceps

29.5

Triceps

Rear Delts

21.5

Side Delts

Upper Back

Forearms

19.5

Hamstrings

18.5

Calves

Front Delts

Chest

Quads

Lats

11.5

Traps

Glutes

Core

Lower Back

3.5

Variant

Plan Structure

6 exercises · 23 sets

~1h 2min

barbell bench press

5×5+

MAIN

barbell overhead press

3×8

dumbbell incline bench press

3×8

cable pushdown

3×8

cable overhead triceps extension (rope attachment)

3×8

dumbbell lateral raise

6×15

Based on “A Linear Progression Based PPL Program for Beginners” by u/Metallicdpa, posted to r/Fitness on May 31, 2015. Free Weights is a hitPR adaptation; several substitutions are explicitly listed as options in the original. hitPR is not affiliated with the creator.

Original post on r/Fitness

Talk to your doctor before starting a new training program, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or haven't trained in a while. Start lighter than you think — good technique always comes before heavy weight.

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