PHUL Workout Program
Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower: two heavy days, two volume days, every muscle twice a week.
PHUL stands for Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower. It is a 4-day program that splits the week into two halves. The first two days are power days, where you train the upper and lower body heavy in the 3 to 5 rep range. The last two days are hypertrophy days, where you train the same muscles again with lighter weights in the 8 to 12 rep range.
The result is a program that chases strength and size at the same time. Every muscle gets trained twice a week, once heavy and once for volume. That makes PHUL a natural next step for lifters who built a base on 5x5 and now want more muscle without giving up the big lifts.
The week at a glance
Who this program is for
- Intermediate lifters who want strength and size in one program
- Graduates of 5x5 or other linear progression programs
- Lifters with 4 reliable training days a week
- Anyone who likes heavy barbell work but still wants pump days
The workouts
Day 1: Upper Power
Chest, back, shoulders, arms, heavy- Barbell bench press3 × 3-5
- Incline dumbbell press3 × 6-10
- Barbell row3 × 3-5
- Lat pulldown3 × 6-10
- Overhead press2 × 5-8
- Barbell curl2 × 6-10
- Skullcrusher2 × 6-10
Day 2: Lower Power
Quads, hamstrings, glutes, heavy- Back squat3 × 3-5
- Deadlift3 × 3-5
- Leg press3 × 10-15
- Leg curl3 × 6-10
- Standing calf raise4 × 6-10
Day 3: Upper Hypertrophy
Chest, back, shoulders, arms, volume- Incline barbell press3 × 8-12
- Flat dumbbell fly3 × 8-12
- Seated cable row3 × 8-12
- One-arm dumbbell row3 × 8-12
- Lateral raise3 × 8-12
- Incline dumbbell curl3 × 8-12
- Triceps pushdown3 × 8-12
Day 4: Lower Hypertrophy
Quads, hamstrings, glutes, volume- Front squat3 × 8-12
- Romanian deadlift3 × 8-12
- Leg extension3 × 10-15
- Leg curl3 × 10-15
- Seated calf raise3 × 8-12
How to progress
- 1On power lifts, add 5 lb to upper body lifts and 10 lb to lower body lifts once you hit the top of the rep range on every set.
- 2On hypertrophy exercises, add reps first. When you reach 12 reps on all sets, add weight and drop back to 8 reps.
- 3If you miss the bottom of a rep range, keep the weight the same next week.
- 4If a lift stalls for 2 to 3 weeks, drop it 10 percent and work back up.
Strengths
- Trains strength and size in the same week
- Every muscle gets hit twice weekly
- Heavy and light days keep training varied and joints happier
- Three rest days make recovery manageable
Trade-offs
- Squatting and deadlifting heavy on the same day is taxing
- Upper days pack in a lot of exercises and can run long
- Not specialized enough for a pure powerlifting peak
- Beginners progress faster on simpler linear programs first
Vora tracks your power day and hypertrophy day loads separately, so a heavy squat PR on Tuesday automatically adjusts what your Friday volume work should look like.
Frequently asked questions
What does PHUL stand for?
Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower. The week has two power days trained heavy in the 3 to 5 rep range and two hypertrophy days trained in the 8 to 12 rep range, with the body split into upper and lower halves on each.
Is PHUL good for beginners?
It works, but it is not the fastest path. Beginners gain quicker on simple linear programs like 5x5, where the weight goes up every session. PHUL fits best after 6 to 12 months of training, when you want volume on top of strength work.
PHUL vs PHAT: what is the difference?
Both mix power and hypertrophy days. PHUL is 4 days with a simple upper lower structure. PHAT is 5 days, adds speed work on hypertrophy days, and splits the volume work by body part. PHUL is the easier program to recover from and the better starting point.
Can I swap exercises on PHUL?
Yes, as long as you swap like for like. Keep the big barbell lifts on power days, and swap accessories for similar movements, for example cable row for one-arm row. The structure of heavy first, volume later in the week is what matters.