Size and strength.
Bodybuilding is a strictly aesthetic venture. There are some people out there that believe having an aesthetic physique automatically means you have a powerful physique. Unfortunately that just isn’t the case. The reality of bodybuilding training, specifically if you’re just trying to get shredded, is that it has less to do with strength and power and more to do with diet, training frequency, and hypertrophy.
As you progress in your bodybuilding journey however there’s no doubt that with the size and shred you’re going to want to build power as well. Powerbuilding is the best way to go so that you not only look like a comic book superhero, but can perform like one in the gym as well. Size without strength is almost meaningless.
Imagine the Hulk having all that massive muscle without having the ability to lift a car over his head. That comic would’ve become old really fast. The same can be said of bodybuilders. You don’t want to look like the Hulk but have trouble lifting your own body weight. It’s just ludicrous. That’s why the best approach for building both power and muscle mass is none other than the PHUL training system.
PHUL, an abbreviation for power hypertrophy upper lower, is a system that promotes strength gains as well as muscle gain. The system is designed to hit each muscle group twice within the week focusing on both the upper and lower body. Compound movements are the main focus of this training program to ensure strength gains as well as improve your proficiency in the three major lifts the bench, the squat, and the deadlift. Isolation movements are also apart of the program, but the compound movements are going to improve your strength. Two days out of the four day program are focused purely on strength while the other two are focused on hypertrophy.
You’ll have two days of training with one off day in between then two more days of training with two days of rest before starting over again. What exactly should a PHUL training program look like? The GI Team has got you covered.
Day 1: Upper Power
| Barbell Bench Press | 3-4 sets, 3-5 reps |
| Incline Dumbbell Bench Press | 3-4 sets, 6-10 reps |
| Bent Over Row | 3-4 sets, 3-5 reps |
| Lat Pull Down | 3-4 sets, 6-10 reps |
| Overhead Press | 2-3 sets, 5-8 reps |
| Barbell Curl | 2-3 sets, 6-10 reps |
| Skullcrusher | 2-3 sets, 6-10 reps |
Day 2: Lower Power
| Squat | 3-4 sets, 3-5 reps |
| Deadlift | 3-4 sets, 3-5 reps |
| Leg Press | 3-5 sets, 10-15 reps |
| Leg Curl | 3-4 sets, 6-10 reps |
| Calf Exercise | 4 sets, 6-10 reps |
Day 4: Upper Hypertrophy
| Incline Barbell Bench Press | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Flat Bench Dumbbell Flye | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Seated Cable Row | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Cable Tricep Extension | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
Day 5: Lower Hypertrophy
| Front Squat | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Barbell Lunge | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Leg Extension | 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps |
| Leg Curl | 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
| Calf Press | 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps |
Is the PHUL system apart of your training program? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.