SL 5X5 to PHUL Program
robbyf1971
Posts: 83 Member
In week 3 of PHUL after switching from SL and really SL with accessory lifts. PHUL is a mix of power lifts and hypertrophy lifts. I only do flat bench 3X5 one day/week and squats 4X5 one day. Under PHUL I do both of those lifts first in my routine.
I have noticed especially on bench that my strength & amount lifted is going down. Is this normal? Is it because under SL, I was only doing 5 lifts and usually bench 2x week and my body was used to that lift whereas now my body is only hitting flat bench 1X and not as accustomed to it?
I have noticed especially on bench that my strength & amount lifted is going down. Is this normal? Is it because under SL, I was only doing 5 lifts and usually bench 2x week and my body was used to that lift whereas now my body is only hitting flat bench 1X and not as accustomed to it?
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Not sure why that is. I will say that the standard PHUL programming, which puts upper body all in one day, doesn't provide enough volume for me. I divided upper body days into chest/back and shoulders/arms and eliminated two of the rest days.
On chest/back power days I'll hit flat bench, incline DB press and one other type of press (usually hammer). That seems to work for me.0 -
No, that's not particularly normal. Your strength shouldn't go down just because of that. It probably won't increase as quickly as with SL, but it shouldn't really go down. Are you in a Caloric deficit? If so, that could somewhat explain it. Also, if so, how big a deficit?0
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Glad to hear I'm not the only one experiencing this @robbyf1971. I'm almost into week 4 of PHUL and am noticing it's a bit more of a struggle to get all my BP reps in as well. I see you're at 3x5 right now. That's where I was but on my last UP day I switched it to 4x4 and it felt a little better, even though the total volume was one rep higher. Maybe give that a try?
Not to hijack your thread, but I'm curious when you (or anyone else doing this program) do deadlifts on LP day? Because of SL I'm used to doing them last, and doing them early in the session is wiping me out for the rest of it. I'm tempted to move them back to the end of the workout that day.0 -
No, that's not particularly normal. Your strength shouldn't go down just because of that. It probably won't increase as quickly as with SL, but it shouldn't really go down. Are you in a Caloric deficit? If so, that could somewhat explain it. Also, if so, how big a deficit?
Although I am trying lose about 15 lbs just thru some dietary improvements I am not in a significant calorie deficit. In fact I added some additional protein pre workout since beginning PHUL.0 -
Glad to hear I'm not the only one experiencing this @robbyf1971. I'm almost into week 4 of PHUL and am noticing it's a bit more of a struggle to get all my BP reps in as well. I see you're at 3x5 right now. That's where I was but on my last UP day I switched it to 4x4 and it felt a little better, even though the total volume was one rep higher. Maybe give that a try?
Not to hijack your thread, but I'm curious when you (or anyone else doing this program) do deadlifts on LP day? Because of SL I'm used to doing them last, and doing them early in the session is wiping me out for the rest of it. I'm tempted to move them back to the end of the workout that day.
My bench has always been weak (I blame it on being tall and gangly) but under SL I could complete 165lbs 5X5 and was progressing on 170 a few different times over the past year plus. Illness and vacations knocked me down to lower weights a few times.
I struggled with 160 3X5 on Monday. I am willing to try anything to help my bench and will give the 4X4 a try.
As far as deadlifts, I had taken almost 9 months off b/c I threw my back out last summer doing deads. I started back under PHUL and at a really low weight right now so it is not impacting the rest of the leg routine.0 -
I am doing PHUL after having done SL. I feel like I am not progressing with my lifts. I like having longer sessions and more volume but, man, it wipes me out. I especially feel like my DLs aren't progressing. Part of it is I know I didn't have great form and I keep deloading to work on it. My physique has changed a lot, in a good way. I'm eating at maintenance now so I thought I'd be getting stronger.0
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No reason you can't do flat bench 2x a week. I prefer the PHAT programming that has you doing these lifts 2x a week. One day focused on max weight, one day focused on plyometric/ speed work.
anyways, I'd deload 15- 20 pounds.0 -
I am doing PHUL after having done SL. I feel like I am not progressing with my lifts. I like having longer sessions and more volume but, man, it wipes me out. I especially feel like my DLs aren't progressing. Part of it is I know I didn't have great form and I keep deloading to work on it. My physique has changed a lot, in a good way. I'm eating at maintenance now so I thought I'd be getting stronger.
Your physique has changed under PHUL? I guess I am noticing a little change especially with my arms which were not worked directly under SL. I haven't been wiped out from PHUL but maybe I need to push myself more.0 -
I lost about 21 lbs of mostly fat through diet during SL-->PHUL but got serious toward the end. I prolly wasn't actually in a deficit until October 1 and around the time I started intermittent fasting and PHUL. I'm female & 47 so I feel like my results are pretty great. I'm around 19-20% BF. I think just the volume and all the isolation work has really worked. My upper body is pretty muscular. Still working on legs but I'm much more solid now.
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Are you keeping the weight the same across the sets? There is a lot of room to design your sets/reps/volume in PHUL. You can try different things on the power day. There's more volume in general in this program than SL and if you're not ramping the weights between sets, plus you're in a deficit AND you've added more volume...you might want to consider training bench a different way.0
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Are you following a percentage of your 1RM? This is why I like Wendler 5/3/1, and hate SL and PHUL.
Sure you might get stuck if you are following a percentage. If so, go back in weight for a few weeks and see how it0 -
martyqueen52 wrote: »Are you following a percentage of your 1RM? This is why I like Wendler 5/3/1, and hate SL and PHUL.
Sure you might get stuck if you are following a percentage. If so, go back in weight for a few weeks and see how it
I actually use 5-3-1 and a percentage of my max to calculate my lifts within PHUL.0 -
arditarose wrote: »martyqueen52 wrote: »Are you following a percentage of your 1RM? This is why I like Wendler 5/3/1, and hate SL and PHUL.
Sure you might get stuck if you are following a percentage. If so, go back in weight for a few weeks and see how it
I actually use 5-3-1 and a percentage of my max to calculate my lifts within PHUL.
So how would 5-3-1 work? The app I use says my 1 rep max is 187.0 -
arditarose wrote: »Are you keeping the weight the same across the sets? There is a lot of room to design your sets/reps/volume in PHUL. You can try different things on the power day. There's more volume in general in this program than SL and if you're not ramping the weights between sets, plus you're in a deficit AND you've added more volume...you might want to consider training bench a different way.
Yes for the most part I am keeping the weight the same. I guess b/c that is how SL works. So I should increase weight & less reps per set0 -
robbyf1971 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »Are you keeping the weight the same across the sets? There is a lot of room to design your sets/reps/volume in PHUL. You can try different things on the power day. There's more volume in general in this program than SL and if you're not ramping the weights between sets, plus you're in a deficit AND you've added more volume...you might want to consider training bench a different way.
Yes for the most part I am keeping the weight the same. I guess b/c that is how SL works. So I should increase weight & less reps per set
I've been wondering the same thing...when do you increase weights in PHUL? I assumed it was once you were topped out on the set and rep combos, as long as you weren't at failure during any of the sets.0 -
robbyf1971 wrote: »arditarose wrote: »martyqueen52 wrote: »Are you following a percentage of your 1RM? This is why I like Wendler 5/3/1, and hate SL and PHUL.
Sure you might get stuck if you are following a percentage. If so, go back in weight for a few weeks and see how it
I actually use 5-3-1 and a percentage of my max to calculate my lifts within PHUL.
So how would 5-3-1 work? The app I use says my 1 rep max is 187.
Here man. It's a good read and an even better program. I've been on it for over 3 years: https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/531-how-to-build-pure-strength0
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