Program comparison
Lyle GBR vs PHUL
Both use four weekly sessions, but GBR emphasizes repeatable upper/lower progression while PHUL separates power and hypertrophy days.
Program
Lyle McDonald Generic Bulking Routine (Standard)
Program
PHUL
Program
Supports progression engine
Lyle McDonald Generic Bulking Routine (Standard)
The standard four-day GBR: eight weeks of upper/lower work followed by a two-week deload.
Program
PHUL
A 4-day powerbuilding split that rotates upper/lower power sessions with hypertrophy work.
Methodology
How this page was put together
These pages are reviewed against IronFlow's current public program library, released app capabilities, and public training references.
Updated
June 30, 2026
Built from
IronFlow's current program library, import flows, released calculators, and app capabilities as of June 30, 2026.
Use this page for
Comparing two real templates before you commit to a full program page or add one to your training flow.
Comparison
How GBR and PHUL differ
Use the comparison to choose between a straightforward bulking progression and a more explicit powerbuilding split.
Compare the weekly shape
The lines show planned work sets across the stored weeks, while the timelines make each program’s length easy to scan.
Weekly volume comparison
planned work sets
Program length
Lyle McDonald Generic Bulking Routine (Standard)
10weeks
PHUL
12weeks
GBR keeps the weekly rhythm consistent
Its standard upper/lower setup makes exercise progression and a later deload easy to organize.
PHUL separates heavy and high-volume work
Power days and hypertrophy days give each quality a distinct place in the week.
Both fit lifters with four reliable training days
Choose GBR for simplicity or PHUL when you want the week to signal strength versus size more clearly.
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