Split
Hypertrophy Focus Intermediate
A focused 3-day push/pull/legs split designed to build muscle mass with targeted training and progressive overload.
Each session targets specific muscle groups to maximize growth and strength.
Ideal for intermediate lifters looking to enhance muscle size and definition.
60 min
3 days/week
hypertrophy
intermediate
- Day 1 - Push PowerFocus on building strength and size in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.Includes powerful moves like incline bench press and Arnold press.60 min4 exerciseshypertrophymoderate
- Chest
Incline Bench Press
4 × 8, 10, 12, 12Press a barbell on an incline bench to target the upper chest.
Upper Chest•Front Delts•Triceps - Chest
Dumbbell Fly
3 × 10, 12, 15Stretch and contract your chest muscles using dumbbells.
Chest - Shoulders
Arnold Press
4 × 8, 10, 12, 12A shoulder press with a twist—literally!
Front Delts•Side Delts•Rear Delts - Arms
Cable Tricep Pushdown
3 × 10, 12, 15Isolate your triceps with this classic cable pushdown using a rope or bar attachment.
Triceps
- Day 2 - Pull PowerBuild strength and size in your back and biceps with exercises like bent-over rows and lat pull-downs.A moderate intensity session to enhance pulling power.60 min4 exerciseshypertrophymoderate
- Back
Bent-Over Row
4 × 8, 10, 12, 12A compound exercise that targets multiple back muscles.
Lats•Rhomboids•Traps - Back
Lat Pulldown
4 × 8, 10, 12, 12Pull down the bar to build a wider back. Perfect for hitting those lats hard.
Lats - Arms
Barbell Curl
3 × 10, 12, 15Curl a barbell with both arms to load the biceps heavy.
Biceps - Arms
Hammer Curl
3 × 10, 12, 15Boost your arm strength and definition.
Biceps•Brachialis•Forearms
- Day 3 - Legs & CorePower up your lower body and core with intense strength exercises like squats and Romanian deadlifts.Boost strength, stability, and overall athleticism.60 min4 exercisesstrengthintense
- Legs
Squat
4 × 8, 10, 12, 12A versatile lower body exercise that builds strength and stability.
Quads•Glutes•Hamstrings - Legs
Romanian Deadlift
4 × 8, 10, 12, 12Lower the barbell while keeping your legs straighter than in a conventional deadlift.
Hamstrings•Glutes•Lower Back - Legs
Leg Press
3 × 10, 12, 15A safe and effective lower body exercise using a machine to build strength and muscle mass.
Quads•Glutes•Hamstrings - Core
Plank
3 × 60 secHold this static position to fire up your core and build endurance.
Abs•Obliques•Deep core
FAQ
Common questions about this plan: schedule, goals, equipment, and substitutions.
What is push/pull/legs and why does it work?
Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) groups exercises by movement pattern across three sessions:
- Push — chest, shoulders, triceps (everything where you press a weight away from you)
- Pull — back, biceps (everything where you pull a weight toward you)
- Legs — quads, hamstrings, glutes, core
The split works because muscles that share movement patterns also share recovery needs. Hitting your chest hard on push day means your triceps are already warm — you train them in the same session and rest them at the same time. PPL is the most popular intermediate hypertrophy split for exactly this reason: clean recovery, hard sessions, room to add volume as you progress.
Why 10 weeks specifically?
Ten weeks is long enough for measurable hypertrophy (typically 1–3 cm on arms or chest for an intermediate lifter staying in a slight calorie surplus) and short enough that motivation and progress don't stall.
Weeks 1–3 are calibration — you're dialing in working weights and rep tempo. Weeks 4–7 are where most of the muscle growth happens as the volume catches up. Weeks 8–10 push for final strength gains before a deload.
If you finish the 10 weeks and want to keep going, repeat with heavier starting weights, or move to Upper/Lower Split Intermediate for a 4-day variation.
Can I run this 6 days a week as PPL ×2?
Yes — PPL×2 (push/pull/legs/push/pull/legs/rest) is a common intermediate-to-advanced upgrade once you outgrow 3 sessions. It doubles weekly volume per muscle group, which usually translates to faster hypertrophy if your recovery, sleep, and food intake can support it.
Don't add the second cycle until you can complete the 3-day version with consistent weight progression for the full 10 weeks. Most people hit recovery limits before they hit volume limits — if your sleep is poor or you're under-eating, more sessions hurt more than help.
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