PHUL stands for “energy hypertrophy higher decrease” and is a 4-day exercise routine designed that can assist you acquire energy and muscle quick.

Not like most energy coaching packages, which focus solely on both energy or measurement, PHUL combines heavy, low-rep compound weightlifting with higher-rep hypertrophy coaching to provide the better of each worlds. 

On this information, you’ll study precisely how the PHUL exercise works, what the total routine seems like, and adapt it to suit your schedule and targets.

Need to know precisely how it is best to practice to achieve your health targets? Take our free 60-second coaching quiz and discover out now.

Key Takeaways

• PHUL stands for “energy hypertrophy higher decrease.” It’s a 4-day exercise cut up designed to construct energy and muscle quick.
• On the PHUL exercise program, you practice every main muscle group twice per week, which analysis reveals is useful for measurement and energy acquire.
• Every week consists of two exercises targeted on energy and two on hypertrophy, supplying you with the most effective of each worlds.
• This system emphasizes compound workout routines just like the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press. These workout routines ought to at all times be in this system, however you will be extra versatile with the “accent” workout routines.
• To speed up your progress on the PHUL exercise program, use a high-quality protein powder to hit your day by day protein goal, creatine to spice up restoration and development, and a pre-workout to reinforce power, focus, and efficiency.
• If you wish to practice kind of typically, you’ll be able to adapt the PHUL exercise routine to a 3- or 5-day schedule with out sacrificing outcomes.

What Is the PHUL Exercise?

PHUL stands for “energy hypertrophy higher decrease,” and it refers to a coaching routine designed that can assist you acquire energy and muscle shortly. You do 4 exercises per week on PHUL: two upper-body and two lower-body exercises.

Two of those exercises (one upper-body and one lower-body exercise) are geared towards gaining energy (energy), whereas the others deal with constructing muscle (hypertrophy).

PHUL Exercise Schedule

Right here’s how every week of coaching on the PHUL exercise plan sometimes seems:

• Day 1: Higher-Physique Energy
• Day 2: Decrease-Physique Energy
• Day 3: Relaxation
• Day 4: Higher-Physique Hypertrophy
• Day 5: Decrease-Physique Hypertrophy
• Day 6: Relaxation
• Day 7: Relaxation 

PHUL Exercise Ideas

The PHUL exercise program is constructed on 4 foundational rules: coaching frequency, compound workout routines, energy, and hypertrophy. Every performs a key position in serving to you construct muscle and energy effectively.

Frequency

You practice every muscle group twice per week on the PHUL exercise cut up. Analysis reveals this sometimes helps you acquire muscle and energy sooner than whenever you practice much less typically.

The routine additionally offers every muscle group at the very least two days to get better whilst you work on others. This minimizes your danger of struggling repetitive pressure accidents and ensures you can provide maximal effort in every exercise, which is necessary for maximizing your progress.

Compound Workout routines

PHUL exercises focus on compound workout routines like squats, deadlifts, and presses. These actions practice a number of muscle teams without delay, permitting you to elevate heavier weights and higher apply progressive overload—the first driver of muscle and energy features.

You additionally do isolation workout routines (workout routines that practice one muscle group at a time) to focus on muscle mass that compound workout routines practice much less successfully and to make sure you’re doing sufficient quantity (units) to maximise development with out sporting your self out. 

Energy

Two of your weekly PHUL exercises deal with creating energy (or extra precisely, maximal energy). 

In these exercises, you’ll elevate heavier weights in decrease rep ranges to enhance your one-rep max energy. That is necessary as a result of getting stronger is significant for maximising muscle acquire.

Hypertrophy

Within the remaining two exercises, you’ll deal with hypertrophy (constructing muscle). 

This entails doing extra isolation workout routines and lifting barely lighter weights in greater rep ranges.

The 4-Day PHUL Exercise Routine

Beneath is the unique 4-day PHUL exercise cut up, together with units, reps, and relaxation occasions for every train.

PHUL Exercise 1: Higher Energy

PHUL Exercise 2: Decrease Energy

PHUL Exercise 3: Higher Hypertrophy

PHUL Exercise 4: Decrease Hypertrophy

• Entrance Squat: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Lunge: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Leg Extension: 3-to-4 units | 10-to-15 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Mendacity Leg Curl: 3-to-4 units | 10-to-15 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Facet Lateral Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Seated Calf Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Leg Press Calf Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Notes on the PHUL Exercise

Now that you simply perceive the core rules behind the PHUL routine and what the exercises appear to be, listed below are some key notes that can assist you get the most effective outcomes from this system.

Units and Reps

Every train features a set vary and a rep vary—for instance, 3-to-4 units of 3-to-5 reps. Begin with the bottom variety of units whenever you start this system, then regularly add units as you acquire energy.

Use the rep vary that can assist you select acceptable weights. Decide a weight that allows you to practice near failure whereas staying throughout the goal rep vary on all of your units. When you’ll be able to hit the top quality on each set, enhance the burden within the following week’s exercise by 5-to-10 kilos.

For instance, in case your PHUL exercise requires 4 units of 3-to-5 reps of the bench press, and also you do 5 reps in all 4 units, add 10 kilos whenever you carry out the bench press the next week. 

Failure

Coaching to failure means reaching the purpose the place you’ll be able to’t full one other rep with good type regardless of giving most effort. On the PHUL exercise routine, keep away from reaching failure on most units—depart at the very least one rep within the tank on the finish of every set. 

To gauge how shut you’re thus far, ask your self on the finish of every set: “If I needed to, what number of extra reps may I’ve carried out with good type?” 

If the reply is a couple of or two, enhance the burden or reps in your subsequent set.

Train Choice

The squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press type the muse of the PHUL program. Don’t swap them out except an harm or lack of kit prevents you from doing them.

You may exchange accent or isolation workout routines if wanted—simply be sure your substitutions goal the identical muscle mass and serve the same function as the unique (you’ll find some strong strategies under). 

Ab Coaching

Prepare your abs on the finish of your exercises or on relaxation days—whichever suits your schedule finest.

Simply keep in mind that PHUL exercises comprise plenty of compound workout routines that not directly practice your abs, particularly the squat, deadlift, and overhead press, so direct ab work isn’t at all times obligatory. However if you wish to embrace it, be at liberty to take action.

PHUL Exercise Train Substitutions

Offered you’ll be able to squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press, these workout routines must be a part of the PHUL program. If, nonetheless, you need to substitute the opposite workout routines, listed below are some good choices:

• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: Incline barbell bench press, flat dumbbell bench press, close-grip bench press, dip, or machine chest press
• Barbell Bent-Over Row: One-arm dumbbell row, Meadows row, chest-supported row, seated cable row, or machine row
• Lat Pulldown: Pull-up, chin-up, neutral-grip pull-up, or neutral-grip lat pulldown
• Skullcrusher: Overhead triceps extension, triceps pushdown, JM press, or cable triceps kickback
• Barbell Curl: Dumbbell curl, preacher curl, Bayesian cable curl or incline dumbbell curl
• Leg Press: Hack squat or pendulum squat
• Seated Leg Curl: Mendacity leg curl or Nordic leg curl
• Seated Calf Increase: Standing calf elevate or leg press calf elevate
• Incline Barbell Bench Press: Incline dumbbell bench press, flat dumbbell bench press, close-grip bench press, dip, or machine chest press
• Flat Dumbbell Fly: Cable fly or machine fly
• Seated Cable Row: One-arm dumbbell row, Meadows row, chest-supported row, or machine row
• Dumbbell Row: Meadows row, chest-supported row, or machine row
• Dumbbell Facet Lateral Increase: Upright row or machine facet lateral elevate
• Incline Dumbbell Curl: Dumbbell curl, preacher curl, Bayesian cable curl or barbell curl
• Triceps Pushdown: Overhead triceps extension, skullcrusher, JM press, or cable triceps kickback
• Entrance Squat: Hack squat, leg press, or Bulgarian cut up squat
• Lunge: Bulgarian cut up squat, step-up, or reverse lunge
• Leg Extension: Sissy squat
• Mendacity Leg Curl: Seated leg curl or Nordic leg curl
• Leg Press Calf Increase: Seated or standing calf elevate

Dietary supplements to Maximize Your Outcomes on the PHUL Exercise Routine

For those who observe the PHUL exercise cut up, contemplate these three dietary supplements to maximise development, practice exhausting, and get better sooner:

• Protein powder: Protein powder, corresponding to Whey+ (Legion’s whey isolate) or Casein+ (Legion’s micellar casein), offers your physique with the vitamins wanted to construct muscle tissue and get better out of your PHUL exercises. 
• Creatine: Creatine boosts muscle and energy acquire, improves anaerobic endurance, and reduces muscle harm and soreness out of your exercises. For a pure supply of creatine, attempt Legion’s creatine monohydrate, creatine gummies, or post-workout Recharge.
• Pre-workout: A high-quality pre-workout enhances power, temper, and focus, will increase energy and endurance, and reduces fatigue. For a top-tier pre-workout containing clinically efficient doses of 6 science-backed components, attempt Legion’s Pulse with caffeine or with out.

(For those who’d like much more particular recommendation about which dietary supplements it is best to take to achieve your well being and health targets, take the Legion Complement Finder Quiz, and in lower than a minute, you’ll know precisely what dietary supplements are best for you.)

Execs and Cons of the PHUL Exercise Routine

Execs

The principle benefits of the PHUL exercise routine are:

• Stability: You practice each main muscle group twice per week, which ensures you don’t neglect any a part of your physique and helps you construct a well-rounded, aesthetic physique.
• Selection: Every week consists of each energy and hypertrophy exercises, supplying you with a mixture of heavy energy coaching and high-rep muscle-building work, which can increase your outcomes greater than much less various coaching.

• Frequency: Coaching every muscle group twice every week is more practical for gaining muscle and energy than coaching as soon as per week.

• Easy: The PHUL program has a easy construction, which makes it extra pleasurable and simpler to stay with long run.

• Excessive-High quality Coaching: As a result of PHUL spreads quantity throughout a number of periods, you keep away from exhausting anybody muscle group in a single exercise. And that enhances restoration and helps you carry out higher in subsequent exercises.

Cons

The PHUL exercise isn’t with out downsides. Listed here are the principle drawbacks:

• Lengthy Exercises: Every session consists of a number of compound and isolation workout routines, which might make exercises time-consuming—particularly on hypertrophy days.

• Depth: The PHUL exercise is ideal for individuals who wish to push their limits, however it’s overkill for a lot of.

• Not Newbie-Pleasant: PHUL consists of extra quantity than newcomers must make progress. It additionally entails plenty of heavy, free-weight coaching, which can be overwhelming for some new weightlifters.

3- and 5-Day PHUL Exercise Splits

For those who can’t decide to 4 exercises per week—or need to practice a bit extra—these 3- and 5-day PHUL variations allow you to scale this system up or down with out sacrificing its core rules.

3-day PHUL Exercise Routine

To run PHUL on a 3-day schedule, preserve the identical exercise order however unfold the 4 periods over two weeks. You’ll practice three days per week, alternating by the unique 4-day cut up:

Week 1

• Day 1: Higher-Physique Energy
• Day 2: Relaxation
• Day 3: Decrease-Physique Energy
• Day 4: Relaxation
• Day 5: Higher-Physique Hypertrophy
• Day 6: Relaxation
• Day 7: Relaxation 

Week 2

• Day 1: Decrease-Physique Hypertrophy
• Day 2: Relaxation
• Day 3: Higher-Physique Energy
• Day 4: Relaxation
• Day 5: Decrease-Physique Energy
• Day 6: Relaxation
• Day 7: Relaxation 

Proceed biking by the exercises on this sample for so long as you run this system.

5-Day PHUL Exercise Routine

The 5-day PHUL cut up separates your upper-body hypertrophy work into push and pull days, successfully turning this system right into a ULPPL cut up. This helps preserve every session shorter and ensures you practice each upper-body muscle totally. 

Since you’re coaching extra typically and doing extra complete work every week, this model is simply appropriate for those who’re an skilled weightlifter who’s bulking. For many others, it’s seemingly an excessive amount of to get better from.

Exercise 1: Higher Energy

• Barbell Bench Press: 3-to-4 units | 3-to-5 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3-to-4 units | 6-to-10 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Barbell Bent-Over Row: 3-to-4 units | 3-to-5 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Lat Pulldown: 3-to-4 units | 6-to-10 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Overhead Press: 2-to-3 units | 6-to-10 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Skullcrusher: 2-to-3 units | 6-to-10 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Barbell Curl: 2-to-3 units | 6-to-10 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Exercise 2: Decrease Energy

• Barbell Again Squat: 3-to-4 units | 3-to-5 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Barbell Deadlift: 3-to-4 units | 3-to-5 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Leg Press: 3-to-5 units | 10-to-15 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Seated Leg Curl: 3-to-4 units | 6-to-10 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Seated Calf Increase: 4 units | 6-to-10 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Exercise 3: Push Hypertrophy

• Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Flat Dumbbell Fly: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Arnold Press: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Facet Lateral Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Rear Lateral Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Triceps Pushdown: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Exercise 4: Pull Hypertrophy

• Pull-up: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Seated Cable Row: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Lat Pulldown: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Row: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Preacher Curl: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Incline Dumbbell Curl: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Exercise 5: Decrease Hypertrophy

• Entrance Squat: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Lunge: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Leg Extension: 3-to-4 units | 10-to-15 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Mendacity Leg Curl: 3-to-4 units | 10-to-15 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Facet Lateral Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Seated Calf Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Leg Press Calf Increase: 3-to-4 units | 8-to-12 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

FAQ #1: Is the PHUL exercise good?

Sure—PHUL is a strong routine for intermediate or superior weightlifters who need to construct each energy and muscle. That stated, the exercises can run lengthy and the amount is excessive, which makes it powerful to stay with for those who battle to search out time to coach or your restoration isn’t dialed in.

FAQ #2: What’s the distinction between PHAT and PHUL?

PHUL (energy hypertrophy higher decrease) is a 4-day cut up that mixes each energy and hypertrophy coaching. Equally, PHAT (energy hypertrophy adaptive coaching) separates exercises based mostly on their objective (energy or hypertrophy) however runs over 5 days every week and locations better emphasis on hypertrophy.

FAQ #3: Is the PHUL exercise for newcomers?

No—PHUL is best suited to intermediate and superior weightlifters. Novices will get higher outcomes from less complicated routines that contain much less quantity, like Larger Leaner Stronger or Thinner Leaner Stronger.