The PHUL Workout Guide

Today we’re digging into one specific type of workout. It’s going to be a shorter email today, and we’ll send another short email on Friday. This is a new style we’re testing out based on your feedback. Let us know what you think with the survey at the bottom of this email!

So, the PHUL Workout stands for Power, Hypertrophy, Upper, and Lower. It’s a four-day split, meaning you train four times a week. The idea behind it is to develop both strength and muscle mass. So if you want to get stronger, if you want to get bigger, if you want to become a more well-rounded lifter, this program is designed to get you there.

But here’s where things get interesting. Strength and size aren’t always the same thing. Powerlifters focus on moving the most weight possible. Bodybuilders focus on developing the biggest muscle size possible. There’s overlap, but there’s also contradiction, and that’s something we need to break down when we look at whether PHUL is right for you.

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Common Bench Mistake: Flaring Elbows

Should your elbows be in or out for bench press? Short answer: In. Flaring of the elbows means sticking them out to the side so they become almost in line with your shoulders.

Alanna Kate Derrick, a certified personal trainer and senior contributor at Gold BJJ, says this “strains shoulders and limits how much weight you can handle.”

Instead, you should do this: “Keep elbows tucked at about 45 degrees from your sides for a safer position. This lets you press powerfully from your chest and triceps.”

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