Programme · Intermediate · 4 days a week

PHUL

PHUL is a common intermediate muscle-building programme. Four-day upper/lower split — strength-focused days paired with hypertrophy-focused days. VALDA has it in its programme library: start it and VALDA sets up the sessions and starting weights, then adds weight when you complete every working set.

Start this programme Open in VALDA

Free to start, 1 programme at a time. Already have the app? Open in VALDA takes you straight to it. In the app it's listed as “Power + Hypertrophy Upper/Lower”.

Is PHUL for you?

Intermediate lifters who want to build both strength and size in the same block rather than alternating between cut and bulk programmes. Best when you can commit to four training days a week and recover well from mixed low-rep and moderate-rep work.

At a glance

Level: Intermediate
Goal: Muscle size
Time: 4 days a week, ~60–75 min a session

A four-day upper/lower split that pairs two strength-focused "power" days with two volume-focused "hypertrophy" days across the same muscle groups. Power days train upper and lower body with heavy compounds in the low-rep range. Hypertrophy days return to the same body parts two or three days later with moderate-rep accessory volume.

4 sessions

PHUL sessions
Session	Exercises
Upper Power	Bench Press · 3×3–5 Incline Dumbbell Press · 3×6–10 Barbell Row · 3×3–5 Lat Pulldown · 3×6–10 Overhead Press · 2×5–8 Barbell Curl · 2×6–10 Skullcrusher · 2×6–10
Lower Power	Squat · 3×3–5 Deadlift · 3×3–5 Leg Press · 3×10–15 Leg Curl · 3×6–10 Standing Calf Raise · 4×6–10
Upper Hypertrophy	Incline Barbell Bench Press · 3×8–12 Dumbbell Fly · 3×8–12 Seated Cable Row · 3×8–12 Dumbbell Row · 3×8–12 Dumbbell Lateral Raise · 3×8–12 Incline Dumbbell Curl · 3×8–12 Cable Tricep Extension · 3×8–12
Lower Hypertrophy	Front Squat · 3×8–12 Barbell Lunge · 3×8–12 Leg Extension · 3×10–15 Leg Curl · 3×10–15 Seated Calf Raise · 3×8–12 Leg Press Calf Raise · 3×8–12

Monday (Upper Power): barbell bench 3-5, incline dumbbell press 6-10, bent-over row 3-5, lat pulldown 6-10, overhead press 5-8, barbell curl and skullcrusher 6-10. Tuesday (Lower Power): squat and deadlift 3-5, leg press 10-15, leg curl 6-10, calves 6-10. Thursday (Upper Hypertrophy): incline barbell bench, dumbbell flye, seated cable row, one-arm dumbbell row, lateral raise, incline curl, cable triceps extension — all 8-12. Friday (Lower Hypertrophy): front squat and barbell lunge 8-12, leg extension and leg curl 10-15, two calf movements 8-12.

How the weights move

Campbell publishes rep ranges and "progressive overload" rather than a per-session weight jump, so VALDA supplies its own default: the power-day barbell lifts step 2.5 kg per session, the deadlift 5 kg and dumbbell work 2 kg. Those are our numbers, not his — he names none — and you can set your own rate per lift in programme management. Hypertrophy-day work uses rep-then-weight progression: hit the top of the rep range across all prescribed sets, then add weight the next time and work back up. Campbell publishes no deload and no stall rule, so this entry does not state one — backing a stuck lift off is your judgement, and nothing here will do it for you.

PHUL, with the maths done

Sessions set up from the programme, ready to log
Starting weights worked out from the programme's own rules and your estimated maxes, with a default where VALDA has no history yet. You can change any of them
Weight added when you complete every working set
A lift trained two ways in the week, heavier on one day and lighter on another, keeps a separate weight for each
A missed session holds the weight; 3 misses in a row bring it down 10%
Log sets from your phone, Apple Watch or Wear OS watch

Start this programme

Quick answers

PHUL questions

Who is PHUL for?

Intermediate lifters who want to build both strength and size in the same block rather than alternating between cut and bulk programmes. Best when you can commit to four training days a week and recover well from mixed low-rep and moderate-rep work.

How many days a week is PHUL?

As VALDA runs it: 4 days a week, ~60–75 min a session.

How does progression work on PHUL?

Campbell publishes rep ranges and "progressive overload" rather than a per-session weight jump, so VALDA supplies its own default: the power-day barbell lifts step 2.5 kg per session, the deadlift 5 kg and dumbbell work 2 kg. Those are our numbers, not his — he names none — and you can set your own rate per lift in programme management. Hypertrophy-day work uses rep-then-weight progression: hit the top of the rep range across all prescribed sets, then add weight the next time and work back up. Campbell publishes no deload and no stall rule, so this entry does not state one — backing a stuck lift off is your judgement, and nothing here will do it for you.

Can I run PHUL in VALDA?

Yes. It's in VALDA's programme library: start it and VALDA sets up the sessions and starting weights, then adds weight when you complete every working set. You can start it on the free plan, 1 programme at a time. Automatic progression: Free: 6 sessions · Pro: unlimited.

Is VALDA affiliated with Brandon Campbell?

No. VALDA is not affiliated with or endorsed by Brandon Campbell. This page describes the programme as VALDA runs it.

Where PHUL comes from

PHUL was designed by Brandon Campbell and published at Muscle & Strength as a four-day hybrid of strength and hypertrophy training. VALDA follows the published exercise selection and rep ranges, and adapts the progression structure for use inside the app, but does not claim authorship of the method.

VALDA is not affiliated with or endorsed by Brandon Campbell. The programme belongs to its author; this page describes it as VALDA runs it.

This page describes a common training programme for information. It isn't a personal prescription.