PHUL Workout Program: 4-Day Power Hypertrophy Plan

Intermediate4 days/week75 working sets/week

PHUL — Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower — splits the week into two personalities: two power days of heavy 3–5 rep barbell work that build raw strength, and two hypertrophy days of 8–15 rep volume that build size. It's one of the most popular intermediate programs in the world because it refuses to make you choose between strong and big.

The power days revolve around bench, row, squat and deadlift at weights that demand respect. The hypertrophy days revisit the same muscles from new angles with more sets, shorter rests and a focus on the pump. Every muscle gets trained twice a week.

The program

Upper · power18 sets

Barbell Bench Press4 × 3–5

Barbell Row4 × 3–5

Overhead Press3 × 5–8

Lat Pulldown3 × 6–10

Barbell Curl2 × 6–10

Skull Crusher2 × 6–10

Lower · power17 sets

Back Squat4 × 3–5

Deadlift3 × 3–5

Leg Press3 × 8–12

Lying Leg Curl3 × 6–10

Standing Calf Raise4 × 6–10

Upper · hypertrophy21 sets

Incline Barbell Press3 × 8–12

Cable Fly3 × 10–15

Seated Cable Row3 × 8–12

Single-Arm DB Row3 × 10–12

Lateral Raise3 × 12–15

Incline DB Curl3 × 10–15

Triceps Pushdown3 × 10–15

Lower · hypertrophy19 sets

Front Squat3 × 8–12

Bulgarian Split Squat3 × 10–12

Leg Extension3 × 12–15

Seated Leg Curl3 × 12–15

Seated Calf Raise4 × 10–15

Hanging Leg Raise3 × 10–15

Every exercise name links to a full form guide with steps, cues and common mistakes.

Who this plan is for

Intermediate lifters who want strength and size in the same week
Lifters bored of pure hypertrophy plans who miss heavy low-rep work
Anyone eyeing powerbuilding but with only 4 days to train

How to progress

Power days: add weight when all sets hit the top of the range; these are the sets that should scare you a little.
Hypertrophy days: chase reps and control — add weight only when the top of the range feels crisp on every set.
Keep 2–3 minute rests on power lifts and 60–90 seconds on hypertrophy work; the difference is the point.

FAQ

What does PHUL stand for and how does it work?

Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower. The four weekly sessions are Upper Power, Lower Power, Upper Hypertrophy and Lower Hypertrophy — heavy 3–5 rep strength work in the first half of the week, 8–15 rep muscle-building volume in the second. Each muscle is trained twice weekly across the two styles.

Is PHUL better than PPL?

Different tools: PHUL trains everything twice a week in 4 days and keeps dedicated heavy strength work; PPL needs 6 days for the same frequency and skews pure hypertrophy. Pick PHUL if you have 4 days and care about your barbell numbers; pick PPL if you have 6 and mainly want size.

Can beginners run PHUL?

It works, but it's not optimal — beginners progress faster on simpler 3-day full-body plans where every session practices the same big lifts. Run PHUL after you have at least 6–12 months of consistent training and your linear gains have slowed.

More plans

BeginnerFoundations · Full Body

3 days · the proven way to start lifting

IntermediateUpper / Lower

4 days · every muscle twice a week

AdvancedPPL 6-day

6 days · push / pull / legs, twice through

AdvancedPowerbuilding 5-day

5 days · heavy upper/lower + volume PPL

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