PHUL Workout: The Complete 4-Day Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower Guide
Most lifters eventually hit the same fork in the road: do you train heavy to get strong, or do you chase the pump to get big? The PHUL workout, Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower, refuses to pick a side. It dedicates two days a week to heavy, low-rep power work and two days to higher-rep hypertrophy work, all organized around an upper/lower structure that trains every major muscle group twice per week.
That dual focus is exactly why PHUL has stayed popular for over a decade. It's an intermediate-friendly answer to the "strength or size" question, and it lines up neatly with what the research actually says about building muscle and force at the same time. In this guide you'll get the full 4-day split, the sets and reps for each day, the science behind why it works, and a clean way to run progressive overload so the program keeps delivering instead of stalling out.
What Is the PHUL Workout?
PHUL is a four-day-per-week training split built on two pillars:
Power days - Two sessions (one upper, one lower) focused on heavy compound lifts in the 3–5 rep range. The goal here is maximal force production: squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, and rows loaded heavy with long rest periods.
Hypertrophy days - Two sessions (one upper, one lower) focused on moderate-to-high reps in the 8–15 range, with more isolation work, shorter rest, and a deliberate emphasis on volume and the mind-muscle connection.
A typical week looks like this:
Day 1 - Upper Power
Day 2 - Lower Power
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 - Upper Hypertrophy
Day 5 - Lower Hypertrophy
Days 6–7 - Rest
Because both upper and lower body get a power session and a hypertrophy session, every major muscle group is trained twice per week — a frequency that meta-analytic data consistently favors over once-weekly "bro split" training when volume is equated (PMID: 27042924). If you're still deciding between split styles, our breakdown of strength vs. hypertrophy training is a useful primer before you commit.
The Science: Why Combining Power and Hypertrophy Works
The core logic of PHUL is rooted in the load continuum. Research from Brad Schoenfeld and colleagues has repeatedly shown that hypertrophy can occur across a broad spectrum of loads, roughly 5 to 30+ reps, provided the sets are taken close to failure (PMID: 32028527). Heavier loads, however, have a clear edge for maximal strength because of the principle of specificity: to get strong at lifting heavy, you have to practice lifting heavy.
PHUL essentially harvests both ends of that continuum. The power days train the high-threshold motor units and neural adaptations that drive strength, while the hypertrophy days accumulate the volume that drives growth. Speaking of volume, the dose-response relationship is well established, more hard sets per muscle per week tend to produce more growth up to a practical ceiling of around 10–20+ sets (PMID: 28834797).
This week, hypertrophy researcher Brad Schoenfeld highlighted a fresh meta-analysis on exercise order that fits PHUL perfectly: strength gains are greatest for whatever exercise you perform first in a session, while hypertrophy looks similar regardless of order. The takeaway is to lead your power days with the lift you most want to get strong at — and on hypertrophy days, you can sequence based on preference or lagging muscle groups. Schoenfeld also noted that muscle damage isn't required for growth, which is good news for PHUL trainees: you don't need to be wrecked by DOMS after every hypertrophy day to be making gains.
The Full PHUL Split: Day-by-Day
Here's a complete, runnable version of the program. Rest 2–3 minutes on power sets and 60–90 seconds on hypertrophy sets.
Day 1: Upper Power
Barbell Bench Press - 3–4 sets × 3–5 reps
Bent-Over Barbell Row - 3–4 sets × 3–5 reps
Overhead Press - 3 sets × 5–8 reps
Weighted Pull-Up or Lat Pulldown - 3 sets × 6–10 reps
Barbell Curl - 2–3 sets × 6–10 reps
Close-Grip Bench or Skullcrusher - 2–3 sets × 6–10 reps
Day 2: Lower Power
Back Squat - 3–4 sets × 3–5 reps
Deadlift - 3 sets × 3–5 reps
Leg Press - 3 sets × 8–10 reps
Leg Curl - 3 sets × 8–10 reps
Standing Calf Raise - 3 sets × 8–10 reps
Day 4: Upper Hypertrophy
Incline Dumbbell Press - 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps
Seated Cable Row - 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raise - 3–4 sets × 12–15 reps
Cable Fly - 3 sets × 10–15 reps
Face Pull - 3 sets × 12–15 reps
Dumbbell Curl + Triceps Pushdown - 3 sets each × 10–15 reps
Day 5: Lower Hypertrophy
Front Squat or Hack Squat - 3–4 sets × 10–12 reps
Romanian Deadlift - 3 sets × 10–12 reps
Walking Lunge - 3 sets × 10–12 reps per leg
Leg Extension - 3 sets × 12–15 reps
Seated Leg Curl - 3 sets × 12–15 reps
Seated Calf Raise - 4 sets × 15–20 reps
If you prefer a higher-frequency or rotating structure, compare PHUL against the options in our Jeff Nippard split breakdown, PHUL is essentially a strength-flavored upper/lower, and seeing the alternatives helps you choose the right fit.
How to Run Progressive Overload on PHUL
A program only works if the loading goes somewhere over time. The two halves of PHUL progress differently:
Power days - Use a linear or double-progression model. Pick a weight you can hit for the bottom of the rep range across all sets, then add weight (typically 2.5–5 lb on upper lifts, 5–10 lb on lower lifts) once you complete the top of the range. Because these lifts are heavy and neurally demanding, progress is best measured in load.
Hypertrophy days - Use double progression on reps first, then load. Stay at a weight until you hit the top of the rep range on every set, then bump the weight and drop back to the bottom of the range. Tracking RPE (rate of perceived exertion) helps you keep these sets in the productive 1–3 reps-in-reserve zone without grinding to failure every session.
If "progressive overload" still feels fuzzy, our guide to mastering progressive overload breaks down every lever you can pull, and our RPE explainer shows you how to gauge intensity so your power and hypertrophy days stay distinct instead of blurring into one exhausting grind. Jefit's science-backed progressive overload guide for 2026 makes the same point: without a tracked, deliberate progression mechanism, even a great split plateaus fast.
Who Should (and Shouldn't) Run PHUL
PHUL is a great fit if you:
Have at least 6–12 months of consistent lifting under your belt (true beginners progress faster on simpler full-body programs).
Want both strength and size without choosing one.
Can commit to four quality sessions per week.
Enjoy barbell compounds and don't mind heavy triples on power days.
You may want something else if you:
Are a brand-new lifter - start with a linear beginner program and milk the easy gains first.
Only have 2–3 days a week to train - PHUL loses its structure when you can't hit all four sessions.
Are chasing a single peak strength number - a dedicated powerlifting peak will beat PHUL for that narrow goal.
Common PHUL Mistakes to Avoid
Going to failure on power days. Heavy triples taken to failure crush recovery and bleed into your hypertrophy work. Leave 1–2 reps in the tank.
Treating hypertrophy days like power days. If you're grinding 8s like they're 3s, you're missing the metabolic stimulus the higher-rep work is meant to provide.
Never deloading. Run a lighter week every 4–8 weeks. The accumulated heavy loading on power days demands it.
Ignoring your data. Adding 5 lb "by feel" without checking last week's numbers is how lifters stall for months without noticing. Which brings us to the most important habit of all.
How to Apply This in Setgraph
PHUL lives or dies on whether the numbers go up, and that's a tracking problem more than a programming one.
When you open Bench Press on Upper Power day, Setgraph pre-fills your most recent set. Did you hit 185 for three triples last week? Bump to 190 today. Fell short? Repeat the weight and beat it next session. That set-history pre-fill is the entire PHUL progression loop made automatic, no spreadsheet required.
Over longer stretches, pull up the Analytics chart for any power lift and you'll see your load trend across the mesocycle at a glance. If the line is flat for three or four weeks, that's your signal to revisit sleep, diet, or deload timing before blaming the program.
Build the four days as separate Workouts (Upper Power, Lower Power, Upper Hypertrophy, Lower Hypertrophy) so each session is one tap away. Add a quick note like "3–5 reps, 2–3 min rest" to keep the day's intent visible when you're mid-session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is PHUL good for building muscle?
Yes. PHUL trains every major muscle twice per week and accumulates meaningful volume on its hypertrophy days, both of which align with the research on maximizing growth (PMID: 28834797). The power days add a strength stimulus that lets you handle heavier loads on hypertrophy days over time, indirectly driving more growth.
Q: How long should I run PHUL before switching?
Most lifters can run PHUL productively for 8–16 weeks before needing a change, with a deload every 4–8 weeks. As long as your tracked numbers are still climbing, there's no need to switch, change the program when progress genuinely stalls, not out of boredom.
Q: Can I add a fifth day to PHUL?
Yes. A common variation adds a dedicated arms-and-weak-points day, or splits the upper hypertrophy day into push/pull. Just make sure the extra volume doesn't compromise recovery before your next power session.
Q: What's the difference between PHUL and PHAT?
PHUL is a 4-day upper/lower split. PHAT (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training) is a 5-day program with two power days followed by three body-part-focused hypertrophy days. PHAT carries more total volume and frequency, making it better suited to advanced lifters with more recovery capacity.
Q: Should I do cardio on PHUL?
Light to moderate cardio on rest days won't hurt your gains and supports recovery and conditioning. Keep intense cardio away from your lower power day so it doesn't compromise heavy squats and deadlifts.
Ready to run PHUL the right way, with every triple and every set of 12 tracked, pre-filled, and trending up? Build your split, log your lifts, and let progressive overload do its job. Start free at setgraph.app.
