Anyone can take up CrossFit to keep themselves fit as long as they put in the work. But, you may find yourself at a quandary if you’re planning to join competitions yet your strength is not yet up to par. You have the option of biding your time while building up your strength. Or you can opt to go through a PHAT workout program.
Phat Workout Routine
What is the PHAT workout program?
The Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training or PHAT workout program is a training program designed to build muscle strength and size. The program is meant for bodybuilders who want to see a better-looking physique within one week. But, it can also be used by beginners who want to bulk and strengthen up in a short time.
Designed by Dr. Layne Norton, the program can increase your muscle strength and hypertrophy using bodybuilding and powerlifting principles. It stimulates muscle development by alternating hypertrophy and power-focused gym sessions.
Similar to CrossFit, a PHAT workout program is intense and should not be taken lightly. It consists mainly of five training days with the first two dedicated to building muscle strength and power. In contrast, the next three training days are designed to build muscle mass through muscle hypertrophy.
At this point, you may be wondering what muscle hypertrophy is all about. Well, muscle or muscular hypertrophy is basically increasing the size of your muscles through exercise. To do this, it is necessary for you to lift weights.
Who is Dr. Layne Norton?
Dr. Layne Norton is a renowned bodybuilding and physique coach. He is known for winning six powerlifting titles along with seven bodybuilding titles. Moreover, he also holds the record for squats in the 93-kilogram weight class of the International Powerlifting Federation.
In addition to his storied career as a professional powerlifter, Dr. Norton also has the following achievements:
- BS Biochemistry degree from Eckerd College where he graduated with honors in 2004.
- Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois where he graduated with honors in 2010
- Dr. Norton is well-known in the fitness industry for his in-depth writing that resulted in several scientific publications.
- He is also an author of a book for advanced bodybuilders, The Complete Contest Prep Guide.
So, Dr. Layne Norton can be considered as an expert in the fitness world, especially after he put together the PHAT workout program that can benefit anyone looking to increase their strength, bulk up, and live a healthy lifestyle.
Layne Norton’s Phat Workout
Benefits of a PHAT workout program
A PHAT workout program is not mainly limited to making yourself look better in front of the mirror. It also allows you to build up your strength, which you will need in case you’re planning to join CrossFit competitions.
The PHAT workout program provides the training structure you need in order to achieve these results. Its progressive design allows you to build up your strength and muscles. You will also push yourself past your strength limitations and get the ripped physique you are looking for.
In short, the workout program offers the following benefits:
- Improve overall strength
- Stimulate muscle building
- Increase overall conditioning
- Learn about the principles of strength
- Provides a solid foundation for fitness and strength
Phat Weight Training Routine
PHAT Workout
Now that you have an idea what a PHAT workout is all about, let’s get down to the details of how a PHAT workout looks like. The schedule will have you working out for five days with a rest day in between.
Check out the PHAT workout schedule below:
- Day 1 – Power Day – Upper Body
- Day 2 – Power Day – Lower Body
- Day 3 – Rest
- Day 4 – Hypertrophy Day – Shoulders and Back
- Day 5 – Hypertrophy Day – Lower Body
- Day 6 – Hypertrophy Day – Arms and Chest
- Day 7 – Rest
For the specific exercises on each day, check out the following:
Day 1 – Power Day – Upper Body
- Pendlay Rows – three sets of 3 to 5 reps
- Bench Press – three sets of 3 to 5 reps
- Weighted Pull-Ups – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Weighted Dips – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Horizontal Row – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Cambered Bar Curls – three sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press – three sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Dumbbell Skull Crushers – three sets of 6 to 10 reps
Day 2 – Power Day – Lower Body
- Hack Squats – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Leg Extensions – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Leg Curls – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Seated Calf Raise – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- Squats – three sets of 3 to 5 reps
- Stiff-Legged Deadlifts – three sets of 5 to 8 reps
- Standing Calf Raise – three sets of 6 to 10 reps
Day 3 – Rest Day
Day 4 – Hypertrophy Day – Shoulders and Back
- Pendlay Rows – six sets of 3 reps
- Upright Rows – two sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Close Grip Pull-downs – two sets of 6 to 10 reps
- DB Side Lateral Raises – three sets of 12 to 20 reps
- Seated Cable Row – three sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Horizontal Row – three sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Braced Dumbbell Rows – two sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press – three sets of 8 to 12 reps
Day 5 – Hypertrophy Day – Lower Body
- Squats – six sets of 3 reps
- Lying Leg Curls – two sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Seated Leg Curls – two sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Leg Press – three sets of 12 to 20 reps
- Leg Extensions – three sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Romanian Deadlift – three sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Seated Calf Raises – three sets of 12 to 20 reps
- Donkey Calf Raises – four sets of 12 to 15 reps
Day 6 – Hypertrophy Day – Arms and Chest
- Dumbbell Press – six sets of 3 reps
- Incline Cable Flyes – two sets of 15 to 20 reps
- DB Concentration Curls – two sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Spider Curls – two sets of 15 to 20 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press – three sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Cable Press Downs with Rope – two sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Incline Chest Press – three sets of 12 to 15 reps
- Preacher Curls – three sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Tricep Extension with Camber Bar – three sets of 8 to 12 reps
Day 7 – Rest Day
P.H.A.T workout plan
Tips to Consider for the P.H.A.T Workout Routine
There are some things you need to keep in mind when you’re planning to go through a PHAT workout program.
- Warm-up and Stretching – similar to any training program, it is essential for you to warm up and stretch before the workout. This will allow you to avoid injury and enhance your performance,
- Observe the Rest Days – since a PHAT workout program is quite intense, it is important for you to observe the rest days between the power days and hypertrophy days. Resting will allow your body to recover before you perform the next set of exercises.
- Rest in Between Sets– While performing the power training workouts, try to rest for three to five minutes in between. On the other hand, during hypertrophy days, try to limit your rest in between sets to 90 seconds.
- Look out for signs of Overtraining – Since a PHAT workout program is intense, you should not take it lightly. Due to this, you should look out for any signs of overtraining, including tiredness, weakness, loss of strength, and painful muscles and joints. If you observe any of these signs, it’s advisable for you to de-load or else you will not see any progress at all.
While a PHAT workout program is a good way for you to make yourself look better in front of the mirror, it’s also designed to increase muscle size and strength in a short period of time. So, if you’re planning to bulk up and increase your strength for a CrossFit competition, you may want to include the workout program in your options.
Layne Norton’s Phat Program
Have your say about the Phat Workout Program
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- What is the PHAT Workout Program? Routines, Results & More - August 9, 2020
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