There are a ton of good powerbuilding programs and splits, ranging from the 3 day split all the way to the Reddit PPL Program. I won’t go so far as to attempt to tell you what the best powerbuilding program is (because it depends very much so on a person’s personal preference) but I will say that a good powerbuilding program is the 12 Week Hypertrophy program. My reasoning for this is that it gives you time to develop your muscles while also placing emphasis on strength gains - all while giving you ample time to do both things. There are also a ton of other good programs though - and I believe that it’s best to give a person an array of options and to allow them to make their own decision on what they believe the best to be.
7 of the best Powerbuilding programs ever
While the 12 week powerbuilding routine is what I consider the best routine, there are a few other powerbuilding programs/routines other people have mentioned to be very good - which is why they’re going to be mentioned on here. Below are these programs.
- Brian Alsruhe Powerbuilding Program: Brian Alsruhe’s powerbuilding program is a variant of the 5/3/1 program by Jim Wendler. He’s changed the program around to focus more on hypertrophy, and aesthetics rater than focus on the strength that the regular 5/3/1 program does. Here is a link to a video to Brian Alsruhe explaining this program:
- Kizen 16 Week Powerbuilding Spreadsheet: Created by Silent Mike, Bart Kwan, and Omar Isuf, the Kizen 16 week power building program is one where lifters train 6x a week, do all 3 major lifts, perform variations of each of these lifts, as well as do 3 separate days of super-sets and accessory movements.
There isn’t much specificity in the program (which won’t help an individual who is getting ready for a meet) but it is great for any one who is trying to develop their work capacity.
- Phul Workout Program Spreadsheet: P.H.U.L. Stands for Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower and could actually be considered both a powerbuilding and bodybuilding program. Created by J. Bui, there are 2 versions of this program, 4 and 6 day (the 6 day version is a variation of a Push, Pull, and Legs routine or PPL). If you would like to add size to your body but also still make gains in the 3 basic compound movements PHUL is probably a great choice for you. It makes sure to include basic assistance exercises as well to make sure that you’re focusing on the muscle groups you need to get stronger in the “Big 3”.
It’s a routine that breaks your workouts into upper power, lower power, upper hypertrophy, and lower hypertrophy days (strength and muscle growth all in one week).
- Brogains Powerbuilding Program: Brograins powerbuilding program has you working out 4 days a week with upper/lower split and a heavy and dynamic spit. With the Brogain Powerbuilding spreadsheet you’re able to choose the accessories you need so that you can address your body’s week points (making it somewhat personalized). There are 3 phases in the program: Intensity, strength realization, and volume. Not only that but lifters set volume PRs whenever they are about to move on to a new phase in their training.
- Phatburn Program Spreadsheet: The Phatburn program is one that uses aspects of both standard powerlifting routines as well as things from bodybuilding routines. It was designed for advanced athletes so they would have a way to continue making strides in their training and makes great use of volume while doing so. It is a 6 day a week training program with 3 basic strength sessions and 3 basic hypertrophy sessions. It is a variation of both the Phat training program and Doug Hepburn’s powerlifting training method.
- PH3 program: Created by Layne Norton Ph.D the PH3 program was so named because it is a program that focuses on Hypertrophy (H), Power(P), and the 3 main lifts. The program was also designed to help advanced lifters continue to progress and cycles through accumulation, transition, intensity, and then tapering. Even though it’s designed with a ton of volume it is still a great program for any person who is seeking continuous improvement.
Conclusion
There are tons of great powerbuilding programs but these are the few that individuals have said stuck out to them. Attached to each of the program descriptions are spreadsheets you can use to make them work for you (although a few of them only have trial spreadsheets). Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share this if you enjoyed reading it.