Power + Hypertrophy Adaptive 5-Day

A five-day programme that combines two heavy power days with three body-part-focused hypertrophy days. The power days drive strength on compound lifts in the 3-5 rep range. The hypertrophy days then hit the same muscle groups a second time in the same week with 8-15 rep volume work — two stimuli per muscle group, each tuned to a different adaptation.

Intermediate lifters who want size as their primary outcome but still want their compound strength to climb. Best when you can train five days a week and recover from both heavy low-rep work and higher-rep volume across the same muscle groups within seven days.

Day 1 (Upper Power): bench, shoulder press, rows, pulls — 3-5 rep range on the main lifts. Day 2 (Lower Power): squat, deadlift variations, leg work — 3-5 reps. Day 3 (Back + Shoulders Hypertrophy): moderate reps, high volume. Day 4 (Lower Hypertrophy): quads / hamstrings / calves — 8-15 reps. Day 5 (Chest + Arms Hypertrophy): pressing, curls, triceps — 8-15 reps.

Power-day compounds use simple linear progression — add 2.5 kg on upper-body lifts and 5 kg on lower-body lifts each session, halving the increment once progress slows. Hypertrophy-day work uses rep-then-weight progression: hit the top of the rep range across all sets, then add weight the next session and work back up. When either lift stalls for two weeks, deload it 10% and ramp back.

PHAT was designed by Dr. Layne Norton as a hybrid programme for natural bodybuilders who also wanted to compete in powerlifting. VALDA adapts the split structure and progression rules for use inside the app, but does not claim authorship of the method.