Program Guide
PHUL, which stands for Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower, is a training program designed by Brandon Campbell that combines the benefits of powerlifting-style strength work with bodybuilding-style hypertrophy training. The program uses a four-day-per-week upper/lower split where two days focus on heavy compound movements for strength and two days focus on moderate-weight, higher-rep work for muscle growth. This dual approach addresses both myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, creating a more complete development stimulus than programs that focus on only one training style.
The structure of PHUL is straightforward. Monday is Upper Power day, where you perform heavy bench press, barbell rows, overhead press, and accessory work in the 3 to 5 rep range. Tuesday is Lower Power day, featuring heavy squats, deadlifts, and leg accessories at similar intensities. After a rest day on Wednesday, Thursday is Upper Hypertrophy day with the same muscle groups trained using lighter weights and higher reps in the 8 to 12 range. Friday is Lower Hypertrophy day, completing the cycle. The weekend provides two full rest days for recovery.
The power days are where you build the foundation of raw strength. By training heavy compound movements with lower reps and longer rest periods, you recruit high-threshold motor units and develop the neural adaptations that drive force production. This strength base then allows you to use heavier weights on your hypertrophy days than you otherwise could, which amplifies the muscle-building stimulus of those sessions. It is a virtuous cycle where strength feeds hypertrophy and hypertrophy supports further strength gains.
The hypertrophy days shift the focus to maximizing time under tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage. The rep ranges increase to 8 to 12 for compound movements and 12 to 15 for isolation exercises. Rest periods are shorter, typically 60 to 90 seconds, and exercise selection emphasizes a variety of angles and movement patterns to ensure complete muscular development. These sessions create the cellular environment most conducive to muscle protein synthesis and growth.
One of the key advantages of PHUL is its efficiency. Four training days per week is a sweet spot for most intermediate lifters, providing enough stimulus for growth while allowing adequate recovery. Each muscle group is trained twice per week, which research consistently shows is superior to once-per-week training for hypertrophy. The three rest days per week give your body ample time to repair and grow, especially important for those who may not have perfect sleep or nutrition habits.
Progressive overload in PHUL follows a dual-track approach. On power days, aim to add weight to the bar when you can complete all prescribed sets at the top of the rep range. On hypertrophy days, focus on adding reps within the prescribed range before increasing weight. This means you are always making some form of measurable progress, whether through increased load or increased volume.
The 12-week duration provides four complete mesocycles of three weeks each if you incorporate a deload every fourth week, or three mesocycles of four weeks with a deload after each. Either approach works well. The key is to plan deloads proactively rather than waiting until you feel burned out, which often means you have already pushed too far.
PHUL is an excellent bridge program for lifters transitioning from pure strength or pure hypertrophy approaches. If you have been running a powerlifting program and want to add more size without losing your strength, or if you have been doing bodybuilding-style training and want to get stronger, PHUL provides a structured way to pursue both goals simultaneously. The results may not be as specialized as a pure strength or pure hypertrophy program, but the overall development is more balanced and well-rounded.
Nutrition on PHUL should match your primary goal. For gaining muscle, eat at a slight caloric surplus of 200 to 400 calories with at least 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For recomposition, eat at maintenance calories with high protein. The program can also work during a moderate caloric deficit, though you should reduce volume on hypertrophy days by one to two sets per exercise to account for diminished recovery.