Push / Pull / Legs vs Full Body for 3 days

I'm starting my fitness journey and I'm torn between a Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) split or a 3-day Full Body routine. I can only make it to the gym three times a week because of my work schedule. Which one is better for a total beginner looking to build some muscle?

If you're only doing 3 days a week, Full Body is the way to go, mate. With PPL on a 3-day schedule, you only hit each muscle group once a week. Frequency is king when you're starting out.

I disagree slightly. I found Full Body way too exhausting toward the end of the session. By the time I got to legs or accessory work, I had zero energy left. PPL let me focus more on specific movements.

Totally agree with LondonLad. For a beginner, hitting those big compound movements like squats and rows three times a week builds technique much faster. PPL for 3 days feels like you're waiting forever to train the same part again.

I've done both. Full Body is definitely better for fat loss and general conditioning. But if you actually enjoy the 'pump' and want to spend more time on curls or lateral raises, PPL is more fun. And let's be real, if you don't enjoy the workout, you won't stick to it.

Depends on your recovery too. I'm in Toronto and the winters make me feel sluggish; doing heavy squats 3x a week on a full body plan absolutely wrecked my knees. Switched to a PPL-style split and felt much better.

@VancouverDave That's exactly what I'm worried about. If I do Full Body, won't the workout take like two hours? I've only got about 60 minutes in my lunch break.

Not if you keep it simple. Squat, Bench, Row on Day A. Deadlift, Overhead Press, Pullups on Day B. 3-4 sets each and you're out the door in 45 minutes. You don't need 10 different exercises as a beginner.

LondonLad speaks the truth. Stick to the basics. All that extra "fluff" people do in the gym is usually a waste of time for the first six months anyway.

Exactly. Plus, if you miss a day on PPL, you might go two weeks without training legs. On Full Body, it doesn't matter as much if your schedule shifts.

Fair point about missing days. I guess I just like the 'Leg Day' focus. Nothing beats that feeling of not being able to walk to your car after a solid session, eh?

Haha Dave, I'm not sure I'm ready for that level of pain yet! But the frequency argument makes sense. If I hit everything 3x a week, will I see results faster than 1x?

Technically yes, because of protein synthesis windows. Your muscles generally recover in 48-72 hours. If you wait a whole week to hit chest again, you're missing out on growth time. But again, don't overtrain.

Spot on. Science backs the higher frequency for beginners. Save PPL for when you can go 5 or 6 days a week and actually need that much volume per body part.

MidwestMike, have you looked at programs like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5? They are the classic 3-day full body routines people start with.

I've heard of them! But I heard Stronglifts has too much squatting? I don't want massive legs and a tiny upper body lol.

Don't worry about that, man. You won't accidentally become a pro bodybuilder. Building muscle is hard work. Big legs come from big calories, not just squats.

I actually think some PPL programs are better for 'aesthetics' if that's what you're after. Full body is very 'strength' focused usually.

Strength IS the foundation for aesthetics for a novice though. You can't sculpt a pebble. You need to build the slab of granite first with heavy compounds.

That's a great way to put it. Alright, I'm leaning toward Full Body now. I'll check out those 5x5 routines tonight.