When it comes to building muscle, one question keeps coming back—should you train each muscle once per week with a Bro Split, or hit muscles multiple times per week using Push Pull Legs (PPL)? Both splits have built impressive physiques. Bodybuilders of the past swore by Bro Splits, while modern science-based lifters often lean toward higher-frequency training. But which one actually builds more muscle—and why? To answer this properly, we need to look at training volume, recovery, progression, and how each split affects individual muscle groups, backed by research and real-world experience.
Understanding the Two Splits
What Is a Bro Split?
A Bro Split typically trains one muscle group per day, for example:
Each muscle gets hit once per week, usually with high volume in a single session.
What Is Push Pull Legs (PPL)?
Push Pull Legs divides training by movement patterns:
Most people run PPL twice per week, meaning each muscle is trained every 3–4 days.
Muscle Growth Basics (What Science Agrees On)
Research led by Dr. Brad Schoenfeld shows that muscle growth depends mainly on:
1. Weekly training volume
2. Progressive overload
3. Adequate recovery
4. Sufficient protein and calories
A key takeaway from multiple meta-analyses is that weekly volume matters more than how it’s split, but training frequency influences how well that volume is recovered from and progressed.
Training Frequency: Once vs Twice Per Week
One of the most cited findings in hypertrophy research is that training a muscle twice per week tends to outperform once-per-week training, when volume is matched.
Why?
After a workout, muscle protein synthesis (MPS) stays elevated for about 24–48 hours. With a Bro Split, that muscle then sits mostly inactive for the next 5–6 days. With PPL, MPS is stimulated more frequently.
Science-based coaches like Jeff Nippard often point out that:
“Hitting a muscle more frequently gives you more chances to grow, as long as recovery is managed.”
Volume Distribution: The Hidden Difference
Bro Split Volume
In a Bro Split, you might do:
The problem is diminishing returns. Research shows that after a certain point, extra sets in one workout produce less additional growth and more fatigue.
PPL Volume
In PPL, that same volume is split:
This improves:
This concept is heavily emphasized by Eric Helms, who advocates spreading volume to maintain performance.
Recovery: Where Bro Splits Can Win
Despite the science favoring frequency, Bro Splits have one real advantage: local muscle recovery.
Training a muscle once per week gives:
This is why advanced bodybuilders—especially enhanced athletes—often thrive on Bro Splits. Their recovery capacity and training intensity are extremely high.
Mike Israetel often explains that Bro Splits work best when: Volume is very high Effort is near failure Recovery resources (sleep, food, genetics) are strong For natural lifters, however, recovery is usually the limiting factor—not stimulus.
How Each Split Affects Individual Muscle Groups
Chest & Shoulders
PPL: More frequent pressing improves strength progression and technique.
Bro Split: Allows extreme chest focus but can limit weekly stimulation.
Back
PPL: Pull days allow consistent tension and better recovery between rows and pull-downs.
Bro Split: Very effective if volume is managed, but fatigue can spike in long sessions.
Arms
PPL: Arms get indirect work multiple times per week, which research shows can be sufficient.
Bro Split: Direct arm days can add extra volume if arms are lagging.
Legs
PPL: Two leg days improve quad and hamstring growth due to frequency.
Bro Split: One heavy leg day can be brutally effective—but also very fatiguing.
Progression: The Deciding Factor
Progressive overload—adding reps, weight, or control over time—is easier when:
This is where PPL often wins for natural lifters. You get more opportunities to improve lifts week to week.
So… Which Builds More Muscle?
Science-Based Answer:
For most natural lifters, Push Pull Legs builds more muscle due to:
Real-World Answer:
“The best split is the one that lets you train hard, recover well, and progress consistently.”
Final Thoughts
Push Pull Legs and Bro Splits are both valid tools, not enemies. Muscle growth doesn’t come from a split—it comes from how intelligently that split is used.
If you’re training naturally, balancing school, sleep, stress, and recovery, PPL usually provides the best return on effort. But if you enjoy Bro Splits and can recover well, they can still build serious muscle.
Consistency beats perfection—every time.