Metallicadpa PPL

A 6-day Push/Pull/Legs program that combines linear progression on heavy compound lifts with higher-rep bodybuilding-style accessories. Created by Reddit user /u/metallicadpa, it's one of the most popular beginner programs on r/Fitness.

Origin & Philosophy

Created by Reddit user /u/metallicadpa and posted to r/Fitness in 2015. It quickly became the recommended PPL routine in the r/Fitness wiki and one of the most widely-used beginner programs on Reddit.

The program was designed to solve a common problem: beginners want to train more than 3 days per week and give attention to arms, shoulders, and chest, but most beginner programs are full-body 3x/week. Metallicadpa's solution was to take proven linear progression principles and apply them within a PPL structure, giving beginners a sane way to train 6 days per week while still progressing appropriately on the main lifts.

Who It's For

• Experience level: Beginners (0-12 months), can extend into early intermediate
• Prerequisites: Basic familiarity with barbell movements. You should know how to squat, bench, deadlift, and overhead press with reasonable form.
• Primary goal: Strength and hypertrophy — heavy compounds build strength, higher-rep accessories drive muscle growth
• Cut/bulk/maintenance: Works for all. On a cut, you may need to reduce accessory volume (e.g., drop 1 set per isolation exercise) if recovery suffers. Prioritize keeping main lift volume intact.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Hits each muscle group twice per week, which is optimal frequency for hypertrophy
• Includes direct arm, shoulder, and rear delt work that full-body beginner programs typically skip
• AMRAP sets on main lifts give built-in autoregulation — you get real-time feedback on your progress
• Simple linear progression makes programming decisions automatic
• High training frequency builds exercise proficiency quickly

Cons:

• Requires 6 gym sessions per week — not practical if you can't commit to that schedule
• No direct ab work in the base program — you'll need to add it yourself
• Squat has only 3 working sets per session (2x5, 1x5+), which some lifters find insufficient for leg development
• The secondary press on each push day (3x8-12) can feel redundant alongside the heavy 5x5 work on the alternating day

Program Structure

• Split type: Push/Pull/Legs (PPL)
• Periodization style: Linear progression on compounds, double progression on accessories
• Schedule: Fixed 6-day weekly cycle with 1 rest day. Either PPLRPPL or PPLPPLR — the rest day placement doesn't matter.
• Alternating main lifts: Deadlift and Bent Over Row alternate between the two pull days. Bench Press and Overhead Press alternate between the two push days. Both legs days are identical.

Exercise Selection & Rationale

Pull days alternate the main barbell movement each session:

• Deadlift (1x5+) or Bent Over Row (4x5, 1x5+) — one heavy posterior chain pull per session, alternating to manage fatigue
• Lat Pulldown — vertical pull for lat width; can substitute Pull Up or Chin Up
• Seated Row — horizontal pull for mid-back thickness
• Face Pull — high-rep rear delt and external rotation work, critical for shoulder health given the pressing volume
• Hammer Curl + Bicep Curl — direct arm work hitting both the brachialis and biceps

Push days alternate the main press each session:

• Bench Press (4x5, 1x5+) or Overhead Press (4x5, 1x5+) — heavy press as the main lift
• The other press as an accessory at 3x8-12 — maintains frequency on both movements
• Incline Bench Press, Dumbbell — upper chest emphasis and unilateral pressing
• Triceps Pushdown + Triceps Extension — direct tricep work from two angles (pushdown for lateral head, overhead extension for long head)
• Lateral Raise — 6 total sets for medial delt development, which pressing alone doesn't adequately train

Legs days are identical both sessions:

• Squat (2x5, 1x5+) — primary quad/glute movement
• Romanian Deadlift, Barbell — hip hinge targeting hamstrings and glutes
• Leg Press — additional quad volume without spinal loading
• Seated Leg Curl — direct hamstring isolation
• Standing Calf Raise — direct calf work

Set & Rep Scheme

Main compounds (4x5, 1x5+ or equivalent): The first 4 sets are straight working sets at 5 reps. The 5th set is AMRAP — do as many reps as you can with good form, but don't grind to absolute failure. Stop when bar speed slows significantly or form breaks down. The AMRAP set provides extra stimulus on good days and serves as a progress benchmark.

Deadlift is an exception: only 1x5+ (one AMRAP set). Deadlift is the most fatiguing lift, and 1 heavy AMRAP set plus the RDL work on leg days provides sufficient posterior chain stimulus.

Squat uses 2x5, 1x5+ (3 working sets). The lower set count is offset by squatting twice per week plus Leg Press, Romanian Deadlift, Barbell, and Seated Leg Curl for additional lower body volume.

Accessories (3-5 sets of 8-12 or 15-20): Higher rep ranges target hypertrophy. Face Pull and Lateral Raise use 15-20 reps because lighter isolation movements respond well to higher reps and this protects the shoulder joint.

Progressive Overload

Compounds (linear progression):

• Add 5lb per session to Bench Press, Overhead Press, Bent Over Row, and Squat
• Add 10lb per session to Deadlift
• This applies every session you successfully complete all prescribed sets and reps

Accessories (double progression):

• Start at the bottom of the rep range (8 reps for most, 15 reps for face pulls and lateral raises)
• Each session, try to add reps while maintaining good form
• When you hit the top of the range (12 reps, or 20 for face pulls/lateral raises) for all sets, add 5lb and reset to the bottom
• Leg Press uses 10lb increments

Deload protocol:

• If you fail to complete the prescribed reps for 3 consecutive sessions on a lift, deload by 10%
• Work back up — your AMRAP sets on the way back up should beat your previous bests, confirming you've recovered and adapted

How Long to Run It / What Next

Run the program as long as you continue making progress — typically 3-12 months depending on training history. A beginner is defined as someone who can add weight session-to-session; once this stalls frequently despite deloads, you've exhausted linear progression.

Signs it's time to move on:

• Deloading frequently on multiple lifts (3+ deloads on the same lift)
• AMRAP sets barely hitting the minimum 5 reps consistently
• Recovery becoming unsustainable despite adequate sleep and nutrition

Transition to: An intermediate program with weekly or multi-week progression — GZCLP, 5/3/1 for Beginners, or GZCL: The Rippler.

Equipment Needed

• Barbell and plates — for all main compounds and RDL
• Dumbbells — for incline press, curls, lateral raises, tricep extensions
• Cable machine — for lat pulldown, seated row, face pulls, tricep pushdown
• Leg press machine and leg curl machine

Home gym substitutions:

• Lat Pulldown → Pull Up or Chin Up
• Seated Row → Bent Over Row, Dumbbell or T Bar Row
• Face Pull → Reverse Fly plus band pull-aparts
• Triceps Pushdown → Skullcrusher
• Leg Press → Front Squat or Bulgarian Split Squat
• Seated Leg Curl → Romanian Deadlift (additional sets)

Rest Times

• Main lifts (Bench Press, Overhead Press, Squat, Deadlift, Bent Over Row): 3-5 minutes between sets
• Accessories: 1-3 minutes between sets
• Lateral Raise can be supersetted with Triceps Pushdown and Triceps Extension to save time — the original program prescribes them as supersets

How to Pick Starting Weights

For main lifts: Start with an empty barbell and add weight in sets of 5 reps. When bar speed noticeably slows, back off 5lb — that's your starting working weight. Don't ego lift on day one; starting too light is always better than starting too heavy.

For accessories: Pick a weight you can do for 12 reps with good form but that feels challenging. If you can easily do 15+, go heavier. If you struggle to hit 8, go lighter.

Common mistake: Starting too heavy. The linear progression adds up fast — 5lb per session on bench × 2 sessions/week = 10lb/week. Starting conservative gives you months of uninterrupted progress.

Common Modifications

• Can't train 6 days: Run it as a 3-day program (Pull, Push, Legs). Progress will be slower with less frequency.
• Want more ab work: Add Hanging Leg Raise, Ab Wheel, or Cable Crunch to deadlift and squat days.
• Pull-ups instead of lat pulldowns: Pull Up or Chin Up work as a direct swap. If you can't do 3x8, use assisted pull-ups or do negatives.
• Want more rear delt work: The 5x15-20 Face Pull already provides substantial rear delt volume. If you still want more, add Reverse Fly on pull days.
• Supersets for time savings: The original program supersets Triceps Pushdown with Lateral Raise, then Triceps Extension with Lateral Raise. In this implementation they're listed separately — perform them back-to-back to save time.

FAQ

Is Metallicadpa PPL good for beginners?

Yes, it's one of the most popular beginner programs on Reddit. It's designed for lifters with 0-12 months of experience who want to train 6 days per week. You just need basic familiarity with barbell movements like squat, bench, deadlift, and overhead press.

How many days a week is Metallicadpa PPL?

It's a 6-day program with one rest day per week. You run Push, Pull, Legs twice in a row, then take a day off. If you can't commit to 6 days, you can run it as a 3-day program, but progress will be slower.

How does progression work on Metallicadpa PPL?

Main compound lifts use linear progression: add 5 lbs per session for bench, overhead press, row, and squat, and 10 lbs per session for deadlift. Accessories use double progression — add reps within the prescribed range, then add 5 lbs when you hit the top of the range.

What do I do when I stall on Metallicadpa PPL?

If you fail to complete prescribed reps for 3 consecutive sessions on a lift, deload by 10% and work back up. Your AMRAP sets on the way back should beat previous bests. If you're stalling repeatedly after multiple deloads, it's time for an intermediate program.

Does Metallicadpa PPL have enough leg volume?

Squats only get 3 working sets per session (2x5, 1x5+), which some lifters find low. However, you squat twice per week and also do leg press, Romanian deadlifts, and leg curls. If you still want more, add a fourth squat set or extra leg press sets.

Should I add ab work to Metallicadpa PPL?

Yes, the base program has no direct ab work. Adding hanging leg raises, ab wheel rollouts, or cable crunches on pull and legs days is a common and recommended modification.