PHUL Workout: Perfect Balance of Strength & Hypertrophy

Start with a five to ten-minute dynamic warm-up to enhance your physical performance and prevent injury risk.

For the weight selection in this workout routine, aim for three to four sets of three to five reps using 80-95% of your one rep max for compound lifts on strength days and three to four sets of ten to fifteen reps using 60-80% of your one rep max on hypertrophy days.

As a personal trainer, I advise my clients to take up to two minutes of rest between exercises, tailoring the rest time to the intensity and challenge of each exercise.

In the PHUL program I use with clients, the training days are adaptable, so we can rearrange the workout sequence to fit their schedules.

Moreover, if a client misses a session, like the lower body hypertrophy workout, I recommend shifting it to the next available day, such as Saturday.

As a trainer working closely with my clients, I've observed that a PHUL workout split significantly enhances their power, accelerates muscle protein synthesis, shortens workout duration, boosts recovery, and notably improves athletic performance.

Let's take a look at these benefits:

• Increased Power and Strength - The primary objective of the PHUL workout program is to enhance power and increase muscle size. Although the program includes specific hypertrophy-focused days, muscle building is still emphasized throughout the training. Research by the NIH has shown that lower reps with heavier weights (4 x 3-5) are just as adequate as higher reps with lighter weights (4 x 8–12) for muscle development [2].
• Shortened workout length - When following PHUL workouts with shorter rep ranges, you may complete approximately twenty sets within a single gym session, taking around an hour to complete.
• Accelerated muscle growth - Unlike other training programs that focus on working each muscle group only once a week, the 4-day PHUL workout program targets each muscle group twice a week. According to the NIH, this approach has resulted in faster muscle gains [3].
• Elevated muscle protein synthesis - Research from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has confirmed that intense resistance training significantly and rapidly increases muscle protein synthesis. It has been concluded that muscle protein synthesis can more than double within twenty-four hours after a challenging workout [4].
• Enhanced recovery - The rest periods recommended in the PHUL workout program range from two to three minutes between each set. Numerous studies from NLM have shown that long rest periods (two to three minutes) are more effective for promoting muscle growth and strength gains than shorter rest periods of sixty seconds or less [5, 6].
• Maximized post-workout recovery - With PHUL, you can work your major muscle groups twice a week, striking a balance that avoids overtraining while still pushing your limits during each session.
• Varied workout routine - One of the benefits of PHUL over other training methods, like the 5×5 workout, is that you get to incorporate a wide range of exercises. Research by the NIH shows that mixing up your training stimulates more muscle faster [7].
• Improved athletic performance - Heavy strength training enhances athletic performance across multiple parameters. Research from NLM indicates that beginners, in particular, experience notable improvements in power measures, including jump height and sprint speed [8,9].

Related Articles:

• 3 Best Workout Splits for Your Muscle Growth
• Best 4-Day Workout Split
• 2 Day Split Workout: The Perfect Routine for Busy People

To maximize your strength and hypertrophy workouts: 

• Progressive overload - Once you have become accustomed to lifting a particular weight for the desired number of repetitions, it's time to progress. You achieve this by increasing the weight for your next workout. Typically, this involves adding a small amount of weight, such as 2.5 kg to each side. As you work your way back up to your target number of reps, maintain good form throughout each set.
• Track your progress - Monitoring your progress is crucial when starting the PHUL workout program or any other training method to evaluate its effectiveness and ensure your stay on track. Various online workout trackers allow you to log the sets, reps, and weights and easily assess if the training program is helping you accomplish the desired results or if adjustments are necessary to push yourself further.
• Keep good form - It's essential to prioritize the correct technique throughout your exercises. Only consider increasing the weight when you can complete all repetitions well. By focusing on proper form, you ensure that your muscles are appropriately activated and prevent the risk of injury.
• Include a healthy diet - Ensure you consume an adequate amount of protein to optimize protein synthesis during your recovery period. Research has indicated that regardless of gender or the amount of active muscle mass, a moderate intake of 0,31 grams per kilogram of high-quality protein is suitable for individuals of all body sizes. This intake level promotes the repair, remodeling, and net synthesis of skeletal muscle tissue following resistance exercise.