Are 5 exercises for push pull leg enough?

So I have a similar routine (push, pull, leg/ab), but different workouts

One of the cool things about the present is we no longer have to guess which exercises are most effective at stimulating muscle development.

By using a technique called Electromyography (EMG), which measures the electrical activity of muscles during exercise, we have a good proxy for how much of the muscle is being used.

Results are below, hopefully they help you in further refining your workout plan (all numbers are % of muscle stimulated)

Lower Chest

• Decline dumbbell bench press – 93
• Decline bench press (olympic bar) – 89
• Push-ups between benches – 88
• Flat dumbbell bench press – 87
• Flat bench press (olympic bar) – 85
• Flat dumbbell flyes – 84

Upper Chest

• Incline dumbbell bench press – 91
• Incline bench press (olympic bar) – 85
• Incline dumbbell flys – 83
• Incline bench press (Smith machine) – 81

Lats / Back

• Bent-over barbell rows – 93
• One-arm dumbbell rows – 91
• T-bar rows – 89
• Lat pulldowns to the front – 86
• Seated pulley rows – 83

Side Deltoid

• Incline dumbbell side laterals – 66
• Standing dumbbell side laterals – 63
• Seated dumbbell side laterals – 62
• Cable side laterals – 47

Rear Deltoid

• Standing dumbbell bent-over laterals – 85
• Seated dumbbell bent-over laterals – 83
• Standing cable bent-over laterals – 77

Front Deltoid

• Seated front dumbbell press – 79
• Standing front dumbbell raises – 73
• Seated front barbell press – 61

Biceps

• Biceps preacher curls (olympic bar) – 90
• Incline seated dumbbell curls (alternating) – 88
• Standing biceps curls (olympic bar/narrow grip) – 86
• Standing dumbbell curls (alternating) – 84
• Concentration dumbbell curls – 80
• Standing biceps curls (olympic bar/wide grip) – 63
• Standing E-Z biceps curls (wide grip) – 61

Triceps

• Decline triceps extensions (olympic bar) – 92
• Triceps pressdowns (angled bar) – 90
• Triceps dip between benches – 87
• One-arm cable triceps extensions (reverse grip) – 85
• Overhead rope triceps extensions – 84
• Seated one-arm dumbbell triceps extensions (neutral grip) – 82
• Close-grip bench press (olympic bar) – 72

Quadriceps

• Squats (parallel depth, shoulder-width stance) – 88
• Seated leg extensions (toes straight) – 86
• Hack Squats (90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) – 78
• Leg press (110 degree angle) – 76
• Smith machine squats (90 degree angle, shoulder-width stance) – 60

Hamstrings

• Seated leg curls – 88
• Standing leg curls – 79
• Lying leg curls – 70
• Stiff Legged Deadlifts – 63

Calves

• Donkey calf raises – 80
• Standing one-leg calf raises – 79
• Standing two-leg calf raises – 68
• Seated calf raises – 61

RECTUS ABDOMINIS

Mean: Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Ab Wheel

Peak: Chin Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Swiss Ball Crunch

INTERNAL OBLIQUE

Mean: Ab Wheel from Feet, Ab Wheel from Knees, Bodysaw

Peak: Ab Wheel from Feet, Bodysaw, Tornado Ball Slam

EXTERNAL OBLIQUE

Mean: Ab Wheel from Feet, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw

Peak: Turkish Get Up, Hanging Leg Raise, Bodysaw

ERECTOR SPINAE

Mean: Kneeling Cable Lift, Landmine, Reverse Hyper

Peak: Kneeling Cable Lift, Tornado Ball Slam, Lumbar Extension

Exercise selection for beginners isn't all the complicated, you just need to cover your bases.

✅ Vertical pulling (Lat Pulldown)

✅ Horizontal pulling (Cable rows)

✅ Pressing (Chest press)

✅ Quad focused leg exercise (Leg Press)

❌ Hinge movement. You cover your hamstrings with leg curls, which is fine, but you're may be missing out on glutes depending on your leg press style.

Extra spice:

✅ Biceps (Biceps curls)

✅ Triceps (Triceps pushdown)

✅ Abs (Crunches)

❌ Lateral shoulders

While you don't need the big compound lifts if you don't like them, you should consider including a hinge movement (RDL, deadlifts, good morning) in your exercise selection. It's a fundamental human movement pattern.

All in all it's a fine selection, but if you're a beginner, why not pick an exercise program? What you've provided isn't an exercise program, it's just a selection of exercises. A proper program would included reps and sets, and a method for progression.

With that said, you can't really go wrong with an exercise program for general health. Just doing something is infinitely better than doing nothing, good luck on your journey 🙂

Hi, it depends on your goals. Do you practice for aesthetics (bodybuilding) ? Strength ? Fitness ? Improving sport performance ?

It all depends on your goals. Are you looking to do a bodybuilding program? Those exercises are all good but lack compound movements which should be the core of your program if you are able.

How much training have you done? Are you just starting out?

I'd probably try to focus on the larger compound lifts, if your gym has the equipment to allow it.

By doing Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press and Press, you will get more mileage out of each exercise.

It all depends on your goals, of course, but this is aligned with my goals - strength, maintaining health as I age, becoming faster on my bike, and looking good.

Here's a resource that has been useful for me: https://thefitness.wiki/