The Three Day Split routine is one of the most basic, yet remains one of the most constructive of all routines; maybe that’s why it’s so popular. It’s ideal for trainers who are busy, but still want to make great gains i the gym by training three times a week for under an hour a session.
Of course, cardiovascular exercise is still encouraged and should be in addition to weights. And, to make gains, you’ll need to follow a good diet (Make sure you read our nutrition articles).
Below is a typical Push-Pull-Legs, three sessions a week routine using equipment that’s found in most gyms. Number of reps are there as a guide, but always train at a hard pace and to failure; at the end of each session you should be burned out!
Day 1 Push: Chest + Triceps + Delts
| 5 mins bike or cross trainer to warm up | |
| Incline dumbbell press | 1 x warm up; 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Dumbbell flyes | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Pec-dec | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Cable cross-overs | 3 sets of 10-12 reps rapidly |
| Dumbbell side lateral raises | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Seated shoulder press (front neck) | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Seated bent-over laterals (rear delts) | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Skull-crushers | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Tricep push-downs | 4 sets 10-12 reps |
| Dips (assisted, if necessary) | 2-3 sets to failure |
Day 2 Pull: Back + Traps + Biceps
| 5 mins bike or cross trainer to warm up | |
| Lat pull-downs (front neck) | 1 x warm up; 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Low-pulley rows | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Deadlifts | 3 sets 8-10 reps |
| Straight-arm pull-downs | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Shrugs | 4 sets 8-10 reps |
| Upright rows | 3 sets 8-10 reps |
| Stranding EZ curls | 4 sets 10-12 reps |
| Preacher curls | 3 sets 10-12 reps; 1 set 25 reps |
| Hammer curls | 2 sets 8-10 reps each arm |
Day 3 – Legs + Abs
| 5 mins bike or cross trainer to warm up | |
| Leg extensions | 1 x warm up; 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Squats | 4 sets 8-12 reps |
| Leg press | 3 sets 10-12 reps |
| Lunges | 2 sets of 20 steps (10 each leg) |
| Lying leg curls | 3 sets of 10-12 reps |
| Stiff-legged deadlifts | 3 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Calf raises | 4 heavy sets of 8 reps |
| Seated calf raises | 4 sets of 12-15 reps |
| Sit-up crunches | 3 sets to failure |
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout each session and follow each session with a protein and carb drink and a good meal when you get home.
Would it be ok to run a 3 day schedule for power lifting like this: Mon. ME lower, Wed. ME upper, Fri. DL lower, then next Mon. DE upper, then repeat cycle on Wed., etc.
Thanks for your answer
John