PHAT Workout Program
Layne Norton's 5-day blend of powerlifting and bodybuilding: two heavy days, three volume days with speed work.
PHAT stands for Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training. It was created by Layne Norton, a pro natural bodybuilder and powerlifter, to train both qualities in one week. The first two days are power days, with big lifts in the 3 to 5 rep range. After a rest day, three hypertrophy days follow: back and shoulders, lower body, then chest and arms, trained in the 8 to 20 rep range.
The signature PHAT feature is speed work. Each hypertrophy day opens with 6 sets of 3 explosive reps at about 70 percent of your power day weight on that lift. You get extra practice on the big lifts without extra heavy strain, then move into high-volume bodybuilding work.
The week at a glance
Who this program is for
- Advanced lifters who want powerlifting strength and a bodybuilder physique
- Lifters with 5 reliable training days and good recovery habits
- People who have run 4-day programs like PHUL and want more volume
- Natural bodybuilders who want heavy lifting in their plan
The workouts
Day 1: Upper Power
Back, chest, shoulders, arms, heavy- Barbell row3 × 3-5
- Weighted pull-up2 × 6-10
- Flat dumbbell press3 × 3-5
- Weighted dip2 × 6-10
- Seated dumbbell shoulder press3 × 3-5
- Barbell curl2 × 6-10
- Skullcrusher2 × 6-10
Day 2: Lower Power
Quads, hamstrings, calves, heavy- Back squat3 × 3-5
- Hack squat2 × 6-10
- Leg extension2 × 6-10
- Stiff-leg deadlift3 × 5-8
- Leg curl2 × 6-10
- Standing calf raise3 × 6-10
Day 4: Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy
Lats, mid-back, traps, delts, volume- Speed barbell row6 × 3 (about 70% of power day weight)
- Rack chin3 × 8-12
- Seated cable row3 × 8-12
- Dumbbell shrug2 × 12-15
- Close-grip pulldown2 × 15-20
- Seated dumbbell press3 × 8-12
- Lateral raise3 × 12-20
Day 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy
Quads, hamstrings, calves, volume- Speed squat6 × 3 (about 70% of power day weight)
- Hack squat3 × 8-12
- Leg press2 × 12-15
- Leg extension3 × 15-20
- Romanian deadlift3 × 8-12
- Leg curl2 × 12-15
- Seated calf raise3 × 15-20
Day 6: Chest and Arms Hypertrophy
Pecs, biceps, triceps, volume- Speed dumbbell press6 × 3 (about 70% of power day weight)
- Incline dumbbell press3 × 8-12
- Cable fly2 × 12-15
- Preacher curl3 × 8-12
- Dumbbell curl2 × 12-15
- Triceps pushdown3 × 8-12
- Overhead extension2 × 12-15
How to progress
- 1On power lifts, add weight once you hit the top of the 3 to 5 rep range on all sets.
- 2Speed work stays at about 70 percent of your power day weight and only goes up when the power lift goes up.
- 3On hypertrophy exercises, add reps within the range first, then add weight and drop back down.
- 4If a power lift stalls for 2 weeks, drop it 10 percent and build back up.
- 5Take a lighter deload week every 6 to 12 weeks, since the weekly volume is high.
Strengths
- Builds maximal strength and muscle size in the same week
- Every muscle trained twice weekly, once heavy and once for volume
- Speed work adds big-lift practice without extra heavy strain
- Designed and proven by a pro natural bodybuilder and powerlifter
Trade-offs
- Very high weekly volume that demands serious recovery
- Five long sessions a week is a big time commitment
- Too much for beginners and most early intermediates
- Speed work is easy to do wrong without coaching or video feedback
Vora watches your recovery data across PHAT's five days and trims hypertrophy day volume when sleep or strain says you have not recovered from the power days.
Frequently asked questions
Who created the PHAT program?
Dr. Layne Norton, a natural pro bodybuilder and powerlifter with a PhD in nutritional sciences. He built PHAT to train strength and size together after finding that pure bodybuilding training left his strength behind.
What is the speed work in PHAT for?
Each hypertrophy day opens with 6 sets of 3 fast, explosive reps at about 70 percent of your power day weight. It gives you extra practice on the big lifts and trains explosiveness without adding heavy strain, so it does not eat into recovery.
Is PHAT too much volume for naturals?
It was built by and for a natural lifter, but it sits at the high end of what most naturals recover from. If you are constantly sore or your lifts stall, cut one or two accessories per day or add a deload week. Recovery habits decide whether PHAT works.
Should I run PHUL or PHAT?
Run PHUL first. It uses the same power plus hypertrophy idea across 4 days with less volume, which suits most intermediates. Move to PHAT when you have a year or more of solid training, five days to give, and progress on 4 days has slowed.