The Phat Workout: Layne Norton’s Size and Strength Program

There are a lot of workout routines out there to choose from when you’re looking for massive gains and getting that ripped physique.

But, most of them focus on toning (which is nonsense) instead of building strength.

Thanks to bodybuilder and powerlifter Layne Norton, there’s a great workout for beginners to build both muscle size and strength called the PHAT Workout – Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training.

About the Author – Layne Norton

In the fitness industry, Layne Norton’s made a name for himself thanks to his contest wins, his in-depth writing, and his popular podcast Physique Science Radio.

He’s a bodybuilding and physique coach, professional powerlifter, and professional natural pro bodybuilder who has a BS in biochemistry and a Ph. D in nutritional sciences.

But, he doesn’t just talk about getting ripped, he lives the life.

His bodybuilding and powerlifting career started back in 2001, and is loaded with highlights featuring high-place finishes and championships in contests all over the world.

Plus, he’s also been published in multiple scientific publications, released the Layne Norton Unleashed DVD, written a book called The Complete Contest Prep Guide (for advanced bodybuilders), and introduced his own line of supplements, Carbon by Layne Norton.

Now, he’s put everything he’s learned together in one training program that works great for getting shredded, combining the strength progression of a bodybuilder and powerlifter all-in-one – The PHAT Workout.

Want to build noticeable muscle size without spending all day in the gym? Check out The Greek God Program and discover how to workout more efficiently so you can spend more time partying and less time pumping reps.

What Is The PHAT Workout?

Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training, or PHAT, is a complete training program that’s a combination of powerlifting and bodybuilding training.

As a rule, powerlifters tend to use high weight and low reps when they train, and bodybuilders aim to build mass by using less weight and higher reps.

The two approaches seem to be the opposite of each other, but Norton has combined both of them into one training system so you can reap the benefits of both worlds.

Norton’s training philosophy with the PHAT Workout is based on the relationship between mass and strength.

When you want to build mass, you have to lift heavy and have a diet that supports growth. But, just because you get bigger doesn’t mean you’ll get stronger.

With Norton’s approach, you’ll gain strength so you can pack on the mass, and the mass will break plateaus. You don’t have to do one or the other.

With the right workout, you can reach both goals of building mass and strength.

The Benefits of Training This Way

If you look at some of the biggest guys at your gym, you might notice that they don’t mess around with trendy machines or bother with complicated exercises.

Instead, they have a consistent training method with standard exercises that use progressive overload. This creates a strong foundation for you to build on, and it locks your muscles into perfect form.

Workout structure is the key to success. You can’t just google workout routines and do the first thing that pops up everytime you go to the gym.

Without structure, you won’t get the results you want, and this leads to many gym-goers to give up all together.

What’s good about The PHAT Workout is provides you a complete training program with structure and progressive overload designed for you to get big… and it delivers.

Yes, this program is intense, and it will push you past any perceived limits you think you have. But, in some cases that’s what it takes to get a ripped physique.

Benefits of the PHAT Workout:

Increase raw strength
Stimulate hypertrophy
Provide solid foundation of strength and conditioning
Teach you principles of strength

PHAT Workout Overview

Norton designed the PHAT Workout to focus on maximizing size and strength by using hypertrophy (stimulating the growth and increase of muscle cells) and progressive overload.

When he created the workout, he designed it to hit each muscle twice a week with both traditional strength methods and bodybuilding hypertrophy rep schemes.

He developed this program for the lifter who wants to add muscle without a lot of necessary fat gain by maximizing muscle stimulation at every workout.

Norton combines high and low rep counts in sets to help stimulate muscle hypertrophy while also enabling maximum recovery.

Even if you’re a beginner, you can do this workout because like most others… it’s progressive.

The weight is not the most important part of the training. Instead, the focus is on the workout day split, with each training session targeting a specific group of muscular systems.

Like most other program, your job is to meet a certain rep and set scheme and you should always use a weight that challenges you, and you should be pushing through those last couple of reps with a high level of difficulty.

The program is designed for you to workout five days a week, with rest on day three and day seven.

On days 1 and 2 of the training week, you will focus on upper and lower body exercises that will build strength through range of motion and stimulate greater muscle hypertrophy.

On days 4 through 6, your focus is on muscle hypertrophy, with large, compound exercises, lower set counts, and moderate rep counts.

With such low set and rep counts, you should focus on working really hard for one or two sets, instead of trying to save energy for 4 to 5 sets.

Goal – build muscle, build strength, stimulate hypertrophy
Workout Type – Split
Training Level – Beginner to Intermediate
Program Duration – 12 Weeks (Four 3-week cycles (2 overload, 1 deload)
5 Days Per Week
90-120 minute workouts
Equipment Required – Barbell, Dumbell, Machine

PHAT Workout Schedule

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

Want to make muscle gains without killing yourself at each workout? You don’t have to take each exercise to failure to build muscle. The Greek God Program shows you how to train so that you leave each gym session feeling awesome instead of ready to collapse.

Here are the exercises and sets for each workout:

Upper Body Power Workout

Pendlay Rows: 3×3-5
Weighted Pull-Ups: 2×6-10
Rack Chins: 2×6-10
Bench Press: 3×3-5
Overhead Press: 3×6-10
Cambered Bar Curls: 3×6-10
Skull Crushers: 3×6-10

Lower Body Power Workout

Barbell Squats: 3×3-5
Hack Squats: 2×6-10
Seated Leg Extensions: 2×6-10
Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 3×5-8
Glute Bridges: 2×6-10
Standing Calf Raises: 3×6-10
Seated Calf Raises: 2×6-10
Weighted Crunches: 2×6-10

Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy Workout

Pendlay Rows: 6×3*
Rack Chins: 3×8-12
Seated Cable Row: 3×8-12
Incline Dumbbell Shrugs: 2×12-15
Close Grip Pulldowns: 2×15-20
Seated Dumbbell Presses: 3×8-12
Uprights Rows: 2×12-15
Side Lateral Raises: 3×12-20
Woodchoppers: 3×8-12

* Use 65-70% of your 3-5 rep max

Lower Body Hypertrophy Workout

Squats: 6×3*
Hack Squats: 3×8-12
Leg Presses: 2×12-15
Seated Leg Extensions: 3×15-20
Stiff Legged Deadlifts: 3×8-12
Lying Leg Curls: 2×12-15
Seated Leg Curls: 2×15-20
Standing Calf Raises: 4×10-15
Seated Calf Raises: 3×15-20

* Use 65-70% of your 3-5 rep max

Chest and Arms Hypertrophy Workout

Bench Press: 6×3*
Incline Bench Press: 3×8-12
Chest Press: 3×12-15
Incline Cable Flyes: 2×15-20
Preacher Curls: 3×8-12
Dumbbell Concentration Curls: 2×12-15
Spider Curls (incline): 2×15-20
Seated Tricep Extensions: 3×8-12
Rope Press Downs: 2×12-15
Hydra Presses: 2×10-12

* Use 65-70% of your 3-5 rep max

On the bench and overhead press exercises, feel free to use either barbells or dumbbells but stick to the same equipment on both power and hypertrophy days.

The Negatives of the PHAT Workout Routine

Up until now, it seems like the PHAT Workout is all sunshine and ponies.

It allows you to build lots of muscle
You’ll build a solid strength base
You’ll get bigger

But there are two issues I have with this workout…

1. The Workouts are Long

When it comes to achieving elite levels of strength and muscle size, there’s a strong demand for high volume.

This means you need to dedicate more reps and sets to each muscle group at a higher weekly frequency for them to grow over the long term.

But News Flash – Most of us are NOT trying to achieve elite levels of strength and size.

Arguably, most of us want to just have a six pack, a thicker chest, and a wide set of shoulders.

And in the world where most of us have jobs, families, and a whole stack of video games that we haven’t gotten to yet… dedicating 2 HOURS to a single workout 5 nights a week is a little demanding.

That’s why I’d rather dedicate 1 hour (at most) 3 times per week at a leisurely pace and still get great results without completely disrupting my life.

You can actually do that with something like this superhero bulking workout.

So there’s that. Additionally….

2. The Workouts are Extremely Draining

Going along with the idea of achieving elite levels of strength and size, for someone that’s hoping to break records and shatter the competition… you have to be willing to push yourself to the max.

And a workout program like this demands a near-perfect diet (dialing in your macros for building muscle) and a near-perfect sleep schedule

Side note – don’t attempt this program in a caloric deficit. You’ll get buried.

But snapping back to reality, most of us can’t afford to be laser-focused clean eaters and nazi sleepers.

You’re not a big enough jerk to bring tupperware containers over to your in-laws for dinner.

You also most likely can’t afford to sleep in until 10 every day just so you have enough energy to support your gym junkie lifestyle.

Can we tailor our lifestyles to support such an intense form of training? Absolutely.

However, I’d rather take a more efficient approach that balances intensity with your lifestyle.

Is PHAT a Good Program

I don’t mean to bash this workout completely, but honestly… it’s demanding.

And a demanding workout demands a demanding lifestyle (how many times can I say demanding?)

But what if there was a way you could build awesome strength without spending 5 days a week in the gym?

What if you could build noticeable muscle size with just a handful of exercises at each gym session?

And what if you could do this while enjoying your favorite foods and drinks on a daily basis?

It sounds like a load of crap, right —

I thought the same thing until I learned about some progressive training and dieting tactics that allow average guys to pack on pounds of lean muscle CONSISTENTLY for months while living an awesome life and hanging out with friends.

These progressive methods are taught in a step-by-step system packaged together in a single program that’s actually been used by over 29,513 people to build strong, dense, lean muscle that fills out a t-shirt and makes strangers stare when you walk by at the beach.

It’s called The Greek God Program.

Here are just a few things you’ll discover inside the program:

How to build muscle as fast as possible (no waiting for gains)
The secret to year-round leanness so there are no surprises on the bathroom scale
How to make consistent strength increases at every gym session
And more!

We have a VERY detailed Greek God Program review where we investigate EVERY. SINGLE. THING. so check it out.

But if you want to see what all the hype is about and learn more straight from the source, click this link.

FAQ

How Long Does the PHAT Workout Take?

The PHAT workout can take easily 1.5 hours or more to complete a single session. The routine is longer than most typical gym workouts because it uses a blend of bodybuilding and powerlifting strategies aimed at building muscular size as well as impressive strength through high volume.

What PHAT Training Results Can You Expect?

If you’re a complete beginner and you follow the PHAT workout consistently while maintaining at least a minor caloric surplus, you should expect to gain 5 lbs of muscle or more within 6 months as a conservative result. It’s not uncommon for completely untrained individuals to gain up to 20 lbs of muscle in the first 12 months of following a new program.

The results of intermediate and advanced lifters will be much less and in most cases, they should consider customizing PHAT or even running a completely different program to continue making progress as the returns will be minimal.

Of course, these expectations are contingent on you following the program exactly, eating a supportive diet, and disregarding your personal genetic strengths and/or weaknesses.

Is There a PHAT Diet?

There isn’t an official diet for the PHAT workout, but here are some basic recommendations that should support the workout and prime your body for lean bulking:

Consume 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per 1 lb of body weight
Good protein sources include red meat eggs, cheese, and chicken
Consume 20-30% of total calories from healthy fats
Good fat sources include coconut butter, avocados, and extra virgin olive oil
Fill the rest of your calories with carbohydrates
Consume a minor caloric surplus of 200-400 calories above maintenance each day

Is PHAT for Beginners?

Yes, the PHAT workout program should work well for a beginner. Even though the routine has pretty high volume, a new lifter can still ease into the program by starting with lighter, more manageable weight.

Since progressive overload still ties into this program, novices should continue pushing to increase their weights and reps week after week to take full advantage of the workout. Pushing hard through each workout will help you maximize the amount of muscle built while minimizing fat gain.

Are There PHAT Workout Variations?

There are no official variations created by Dr. Layne Norton. However, there’s nothing stopping you from creating your own variation. Typically, if you make sure your exercise selections fall into the daily workout categories, then you’ll be executing a PHAT-like workout.

Again, here’s the workout template:

Upper Body Power Workout
Lower Body Power Workout
Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy Workout
Lower Body Hypertrophy Workout
Chest and Arms Hypertrophy Workout

Alternatively, if you look hard enough, you can find a few workout alternatives created by fitness enthusiasts who’ve ran the program long enough to discover areas for improvement. Below is a workout variation created by a JeFit user for example.

Phat Variation by Reptile00seven on JeFit

Upper Body Power Workout

Barbell Bent Over Row: 3×5
Weighted Pull-Ups: 2×8
Chin-Ups: 2×8
Barbell Bench Press: 3×5
Weighted Triceps Dips: 2×8
Barbell Standing Military Press: 3×8
EZ Bar Curl: 2×8
Reverse Barbell Curl: 1×8
EZ Bar Triceps Extension: 3×8

Rest 90 seconds between sets.

Lower Body Power Workout

Barbell Squat: 3×5 (90 secs rest between sets)
Hack Squat: 2×8 (90 secs rest between sets)
Leg Extensions: 2×8 (90 secs rest between sets)
Barbell Deadlift: 3×5 (120 secs rest between sets)
Lying Leg Curls: 2×8 (90 secs rest between sets)
Calf Press: 3×8 (90 secs rest between sets)
Seated Calf Raise: 2×8 (90 secs rest between sets)
Hanging Leg Raise: 2×10 (60 secs rest between sets)
Barbell Ab Rollout: 2×10 (60 secs rest between sets)

Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy Workout

Barbell Bench Over Row: 6×3 (30 secs rest between sets)
Chin-Ups: 3×10 (90 secs rest between sets)
Cable Seated Rows: 3×10 (90 secs rest between sets)
Bent Over Dumbbell Row: 2×12 (90 secs rest between sets)
Close Grip Lat Pulldown: 2×18 (90 secs rest between sets)
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3×10 (90 secs rest between sets)
Barbell Upright Row: 2×12 (90 secs rest between sets)
Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 3×18 (90 secs rest between sets)

Lower Body Hypertrophy Workout

Barbell Squat: 6×3 (30 secs rest between sets)
Hack Squat: 3×10 (90 secs rest between sets)
Leg Press: 2×12 (90 secs rest between sets)
Leg Extensions: 3×18 (90 secs rest between sets)
Lying Leg Curls: 2×12 (90 secs rest between sets)
Standing Leg Curls: 2×18 (90 secs rest between sets)
Calf Press: 4×12 (90 secs rest between sets)
Seated Calf Raise: 3×18 (90 secs rest between sets)
Hanging Leg Raise: 2×10 (60 secs rest between sets)
Barbell Ab Rollout: 2×10 (60 secs rest between sets)

Chest and Arms Hypertrophy Workout

Dumbbell Bench Press: 6×3 (30 secs rest between sets)
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press: 3×10 (90 secs rest between sets)
Incline Bench Press Machine: 3×12 (60 secs rest between sets)
Cable Incline Fly: 2×18 (90 secs rest between sets)
Preacher Curl: 4×10 (90 secs rest between sets)
Dumbbell Concentration Curls: 3×12 (90 secs rest between sets)
Barbell Overhead Triceps Extension: 3×10 (90 secs rest between sets)
Triceps Pushdown: 2×12 (90 secs rest between sets)
Cable Triceps Kickback: 2×18 (90 secs rest between sets)

Is There a PHAT Workout App?

Yes, if you think you’d like a little guidance and tracking for this workout, the PHAT Workout – Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training app by App Diggity, LLC can help you out in the gym. Plus it’s available for both Android and iOS.

You can use this app to stay on track with each workout and keep your motivation up when things get difficult. What’s cool is you can follow the standard workout or you can add more sets as well as customize your reps to make the workout your own.

PHAT vs PHUL: Which is Better?

If you’re not aware, there’s another workout program created by powerlifter and YouTube star Brandon Campbell called PHUL which stands for Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower. It has a very similar name and fitness goal, but you should be aware of its subtle differences if you’re going to commit to either one for a solid 6 months or more.

The first obvious difference between the two programs is that PHAT has 6 workouts per week and PHUL only has 4. For guys who might be strapped for time, PHUL might be a better option since you won’t have to spend as many days in the gym.

The second difference between the two programs is how much workout volume is required for each. According to Gym Minutes App, PHAT has 47.3% more reps and 23% more sets than PHUL. This is primarily due to the fact that PHAT is more of a bodybuilding program where PHUL’s primary focus is strength and caters more to powerlifter types.

What’s interesting about these two programs is that they take roughly about the same amount of time to complete per workout. Even though PHAT contains more volume, PHUL requires a bit more rest between reps and sets so that the average workout time for both routines is about 50 minutes per session.

Based on these differences and similarities, I would suggest that if your goal is more about aesthetics and increasing size, then I’d run the PHAT program. If you’re looking to build strength like a powerlifter and hypertrophy is a secondary goal, then PHUL might be a better option.

Is There an Advanced PHAT Routine?

Unfortunately, there isn’t an official advanced PHAT routine. The program itself already contains plenty of volume and frequency that you should be able to reap its benefits for months after starting as long as you fuel your body with a high quality diet.

However, this topic was brought up by users over at Bodybuilding.com’s infamous forums and the recommendations were simplistic. If you’re looking to customize the program for advanced athletes, try throwing in a couple extra work sets per exercise and vary the isolation exercises since they can stimulate different muscle groups and help you to push past plateaus.

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