PHAT: Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training
- A workout routine designed by Dr Layne Norton.
- A great all round routine to run while you’re on cycle.
- This is a very intense programme and should only be run by experienced gym goers.
There are some fundamental arguments in bodybuilding.
- How much protein should I take in?
- What kind of split should I use?
- How often should I workout?
- What’s the best rep range for growth?
- What’s the best volume for growth?
Most people try to make these issues out to be black and white to solidify their stances and often fail to acknowledge that these issues are not black and white and there is a substantial gray area. Take the arguments regarding rep ranges for example. How often have you heard you should ONLY train in rep range because it is the best one for growth. Then two days later you see an article interviewing a 300 lb behemoth who trains in a different rep range but also looks insane, so who are you to believe?
Recently, there has been a bit of negative bodybuilding press regarding lifting in lower rep ranges with heavier weights. Some researchers and bodybuilders would have you believe that low rep high weight training might be next to useless for bodybuilding.
Many of the bodybuilders from the classic era built their base with powerlifting including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbo. Ronnie Coleman, arguably the greatest bodybuilder ever to live never competed in powerlifting but was no stranger to heavy weights. Check out this workout footage of him deadlifting and squatting over 800 lbs and front squatting 600 lbs for reps!
The Principles
There are several dozen forms of the PHAT program but the basic premise is the same. Each muscle gets worked 2x/week. The first 2 days of the week are split into upper and lower body power days. This is followed by a rest day. Then 3 days of traditional hypertrophy orientated bodybuilding training.
- Day 1: Upper Body Power
- Day 2: Lower Body Power
- Day 3: Rest
- Day 4: Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy
- Day 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy
- Day 6: Chest and Arms Hypertrophy
- Day 7: Rest
The Routine
Day 1: Upper Body Power Day
- Pulling Power Movement: Bent over or Pendlay rows
3 sets of 3-5 reps - Assistance Pulling movement: Weighted Pull ups
2 sets of 6-10 reps - Auxiliary Pulling movement: Rack chins
2 sets of 6-10 reps - Pressing Power Movement: Flat dumbbell presses
3 sets of 3-5 reps - Assistance pressing movement: Weighted dips
2 sets of 6-10 reps - Assistance pressing movement: Seated dumbbell shoulder presses
3 sets of 6-10 reps - Auxiliary curling movement: Cambered bar curls
3 sets of 6-10 reps - Auxiliary extension movement: Skull crushers
3 sets of 6-10 reps
Day 2: Lower Body Power Day
- Pressing Power Movement: Squats
3 sets of 3-5 reps - Assistance pressing movement: Hack Squats
2 sets of 6-10 reps - Assistance pulling movement: Deadlifts
3 sets of 5-8 reps - Assistance pulling/curling movement: Glute ham raises or lying leg curls
2 sets of 6-10 reps - Assistance extension movement: Leg extensions
2 sets of 6-10 reps - Auxiliary calf movement: Standing calf raise
3 sets of 6-10 reps - Auxiliary calf movement: Seated calf raise
2 sets of 6-10 reps
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy Day
- Pulling Power Exercise speed work: Bent over or Pendlay rows
6 sets of 3 reps with 65-70% of normal 3-5 rep max - Hypertrophy pulling movement: Rack chins
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy pulling movement: Seated cable row
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy pulling movement: Dumbbell rows or shrugs bracing upper body against an incline bench
2 sets of 12-15 reps - Hypertrophy pulling movement: Close grip pulldowns
2 sets of 15-20 reps - Hypertrophy shoulder movement: Seated dumbbell presses
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy shoulder movement: Upright rows
2 sets of 12-15 reps - Hypertrophy shoulder movement: Side lateral raises with dumbbells or cables
3 sets of 12-20 reps
Day 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy Day
- Lower Body Power Exercise speed work: Squats
6 sets of 3 reps with 65-70% of normal 3-5 rep max - Hypertrophy pressing movement: Hack squats
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy pressing movement: Leg presses
2 sets of 12-15 reps - Hypertrophy extension movement: Leg extensions
3 sets of 15-20 reps - Hypertrophy pulling movement: Romanian deadlifts
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy curling movement: Lying leg curls
2 sets of 12-15 reps - Hypertrophy curling movement: Seated leg curls
2 sets of 15-20 reps - Hypertrophy calf movement: Donkey calf raises
4 sets of 10-15 reps - Hypertrophy calf movement: Seated calf raises
3 sets of 15-20 reps
Day 6: Chest and Arms Hypertrophy Day
- Pressing Power Exercise speed work: Flat dumbbell presses
6 sets of 3 reps with 65-70% of normal 3-5 rep max - Hypertrophy pressing movement: Incline dumbbell presses
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy pressing movement: Hammer strength chest press
3 sets of 12-15 reps - Hypertrophy fly movement: Incline cable flyes
2 sets of 15-20 reps - Hypertrophy curling exercise: Cambered bar preacher curls
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy curling exercise: Dumbbell concentration curls
2 sets of 12-15 reps - Hypertrophy curling exercise: Spider curls bracing upper body against an incline bench
2 sets of 15-20 reps - Hypertrophy extension exercise: Seated tricep extension with cambered bar
3 sets of 8-12 reps - Hypertrophy extension exercise: Cable pressdowns with rope attachment
2 sets of 12-15 reps - Hypertrophy extension exercise: Cable kickbacks
2 sets of 15-20 reps
Day 7: Rest
Squats
Typically people are weak in the hole and doing below parallel box squats helps to fix this. Make sure you sit down to the box and pause on it. Also good mornings may help back strength to maintain your arch in the hole and deep hack squats may help increase quad strength for deep reps.
Deadlifts
If you are weak off the floor, then focus on deficit deadlifts from a 2-4 box. If you are weak at the lockout then do rack pulls from just below the knee. If you have access to bands or chains adding those in as they will make the lockout more difficult.
Presses
If you are weak midway through the movement or at the lockout, really focus on triceps strength using close grip presses, dips, or skull crushers. Adding bands or chains will also help with lockout of a press. If you are weak at the bottom, try doing presses where you pause for a 3 count at the bottom before pressing.
Deload
If changing exercises and focusing on weak portions of the lifts themselves don’t improve things you may need to deload for 1-3 weeks. Take them when you need them which is typically every 6-12 weeks. How long you take it for will depend on how long it takes you to feel mentally and physically refreshed and focused.
For a deload week do your normal routine, but only using 60-70% of normal weights. So for if you would normally do 3 sets of 5 on squats with 300 lbs, do 180-210 lbs. on squats for 3 sets of 5.