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Would push, pull and legs work best for gaining strength as i can only train monday, tuesday and thursday ?
I want to gain some serious strength

How can i create a routine that includes all the big compound movements ?

Yes, you can use a push/pull variation as your weekly routine. I've done it before and will probably do it again as my time will be limited this semester.

What exercises should it include ?

Push/Pull Workouts

Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
1. Bench press (barbell or dumbbell)
2. Shoulder press (or lateral and front raises)
3. Incline dumbbell or barbell bench press[optional]
4. Triceps exercise (skull crushers, tricep extensions, close grip bench or dips)
5. Crunches, sit ups, leg raises, or other ab exercise

Pull (legs, back, biceps, & calves)
1 Squats
2. Deadlifts
3. Leg curls (or other glute/hamstring exercise)[optional]
4. Pull ups (or Lat pull downs)
5. Bent over rows (or other row exercise)
6. Calf raises (standing or seated)
7. EZ bar or Barbell curls(or dumbbell standing curls) [optional]
8. Side bends (or other oblique exercise)


Push/Pull Workout Schedules
Here is a schedule for doing 3 workouts per week doing each workout an average of 1.5 times per week.

Each workout is done every 4-5 workouts.


Week 1Week 2

Mon:PullPush

Wed:PushPull

Fri: PullPush


A schedule for doing each workout twice a week for a total of 4 workouts per week is the following.


Mon:Pull

Tue:Push

Thur:Pull

Fri:Push


A reduced schedule with 4 workouts per week is.


Mon (pull):Squats, Bent over rows, Barbell curls, & Calf raises.

Tue (push):Bench press, Incline DB bench press, Skull crushers, & Crunches

Wed:agility and/or cardio day (or an off day)

Thur (pull)eadlifts, Pull ups, Barbell curls, & Calf raises.

Fri (push):Bench press, Shoulder press, Dips, & Leg raises


Doing each workout more than 2 times a week for a long period of time is not recommended.



Push/Pull/Legs Workouts
Push (chest, shoulders, & triceps)

1. Bench press

2. Shoulder press(or lateral raises and front raises)

3. Incline bench press (with dumbbells or barbell)[optional]

4. Triceps exercise (skull crushers, tricep extensions, close grip bench or dips)

5. Sit ups, leg raises, or other ab exercise


Pull (upper back, biceps, & forearms)

1. Pull ups(or Lat pull downs)

2. Bent over rows(or other row exercise)

3. EZ bar or Barbell curls(or dumbbell standing curls)

4. Reverse grip curls or incline dumbbell curls[optional]

5. Shrugs[optional]

6. Side bends (or other oblique exercise)


Legs (legs, lower back, & calves)

1a. Squats

b. Deadlifts(see note on squat/deadlift)

2.Leg curls(or other glute/hamstring exercise)

3.Calf raises, standing

4.Calf raises, seated[optional]

5.Crunches (or other ab exercise)[optional]



Push/Pull/Legs Workout Schedules
One schedule for doing the 3 workouts is once a week with a monday, wednesday, friday arrangement.

The workout days can be adjusted if needed.These workouts can be done 3 days in a row if required.


A schedule for doing each workout twice a week is listed below.The days can be shifted forward or back

if required.


Sun:Pull

Mon:Legs

Tues:Push

Wed:Pull

Thurs:Legs

Fri:Push

Sat:rest


A twice a week schedule may lead to overtraining.If this is a problem, reduce workout volume by

eliminating work sets either by dropping an exercise and/or decreasing the sets per exercise.The

workouts in the second half of the week could be with light ones to allow better recovery.Another option

is going the 1.5 times per week schedule below.


Another schedule that falls between the once and twice a week is listed below.This schedule does each

workout 3 times every 2 weeks (1.5 times per week).This works out so each workout is done every 4-6

days.


Week 1Week 2

Sun:Pullrest

Mon:PushLegs

Tues:LegsPush

Wed:restPull

Thurs:Pullrest

Fri:PushLegs

Sat:restrest



General Notes for Routines
Do both squats and deadlifts or alternate them in pull workouts for more recovery time.Going lighter on

one lift and normal on the other lift is another option to alternating them.Just alternate the lighter lift

each workout.


If you have shoulder problems or prefer not to do them, replace shoulder press with lateral raises and front

raises.Do the raises near the end of the workout.


Alternate exercises can be used for the exercises listed above.Some of the better exercises have listed

above in the author's opinion.


The order pull ups and bent over rows is performed may be revered if desired.


Selection of the reps used should based on the lifter's goals.Sets of 1-6 reps are mainly for building

strength.Sets of 8-12 reps are mainly for building muscle.Sets of 15 or more reps are mainly for

improving muscle endurance.Do a minimum of 2 sets on each exercise.However, don't do so much

volume that you can't recover by the next workout.