Advanced German Volume Training
Here's what you need to know...
- German Volume Training (GVT) has a reputation for building mass quickly for beginners. It consists of a series of 10 sets with a predetermined number of repetitions for each major basic exercise.
- German Volume Training can be adapted for advanced exercisers. Reduce the number of repetitions, use a heavier weight and only perform the same exercise every 10 days.
- The goal of German Volume Training is to perform 10 sets of 5 repetitions with the same weight. For the first training session, start with 75% of your 1RM weight.
- The breaks between sets will be minimal. Although the weight will feel light at first, it won't stay that way for long as fatigue accumulates.
German Volume Training: The basics
Any exerciser with an irrepressible desire to build muscle mass will have heard of German Volume Training. There are many reports of beginners who have built 15 pounds of muscle with German Volume Training. In short, it works.
Even though German Volume Training is an excellent program for beginners and somewhat advanced users, those with more than 5 years of solid training experience often want more from this program.
First, let's summarize the key points regarding German Volume Training:
- You perform 10 sets of one of the heavy basic exercises.
- You aim to perform a predetermined number of repetitions per set, such as 10 sets of 10 repetitions.
- You then perform a heavy antagonistic basic exercise in the same way.
- You only increase the weight when you can perform all 10 sets with the predetermined starting weight and the predetermined number of repetitions. You do not try to reach muscle failure on all sets - only the last three sets should be heavy.
You achieve the training effect through the law of repeated effort. A typical training session might look like this:
A. Bench press (the goal is to perform 10 sets of 10 repetitions with 90 kilos):
Set 1:10 repetitions
Set 2:10 repetitions
Set 3:10 repetitions
Set 4:10 repetitions
Set 5:9 repetitions
Set 6:7 repetitions
Set 7:7 repetitions
Set 8:8 repetitions
Set 9:7 repetitions
Set 10:6 repetitions
B. Barbell rowing (the goal is to perform 10 sets of 10 repetitions with 60 kilos):
Set 1:10 repetitions
Set 2:10 repetitions
Set 3:10 repetitions
Set 4:9 repetitions
Set 5:8 repetitions
Set 6:7 repetitions
Set 7:7 repetitions
Set 8:7 repetitions
Set 9:6 repetitions
Set 10:6 repetitions
Once you are able to perform 10 sets of 10 repetitions, increase the weight by 2.5 to 5%.
Alleged improvements of German Volume Training
Many people claim to have improved German Volume Training, but they have failed miserably because they didn't understand the underlying physiology of the program.
Let's say that German Volume Training is the best apple pie recipe. An author might say that you should use bananas instead of apples for an apple pie. And he would argue that the crust ruins the pie and that it should be made in the form of a loaf, mousse or whatever instead.
After all these tweaks, it's no longer an apple pie.
Performing 5 sets of 2 exercises to muscle failure cannot be equated to the training effect of performing 10 sets of the same exercise using a weight that generates fatigue on the later sets.
Guidelines for advanced exercisers
Training frequency
Since this is a very demanding program, you will need more time for recovery. I recommend training each muscle group every 5 days and using the same exercises only every 10 days.
The training program described at the end of this article will make this concept a little clearer. The exercises performed in the two different workouts for the same muscle group should be similar, but still different enough to use different pools of motor units.
Repetitions
For the experienced exerciser, performing more than 5 repetitions is a waste of time as the average intensity will be too low.
The repetitions should vary for each of these six training sessions. Repetitions are the load parameter to which the body adapts most quickly.
As an advanced trainee, increase the weight by 6 to 9% with each subsequent reduction in repetitions. In other words, you will perform fewer repetitions per set each week, but increase the weight at the same time.
Training session 1
The goal of the advanced German Volume Training method is to perform 10 sets of 5 repetitions with the same weight for each exercise.
You should start with a weight that you can perform 10 repetitions with until muscle failure occurs (10RM weight). For most people, this is 75% of their 1RM weight for most exercises. So if you could perform one repetition of the bench press with 120 kilos, you would use 90 kilos for this exercise.
So your training session could look like this:
Set 1:225 x 5
Set 2:225 x 5
Set 3:225 x 5
Set 4:225 x 5
Set 5:225 x 5
Set 6:225 x 5
Set 7:225 x 4
Set 8:225 x 4
Set 9:225 x 3
Set 10:225 x 3
Keep a detailed record of sets, repetitions, weight and rest intervals and only count the repetitions performed with perfect form.
Training session 2
Increase the weight by 6 to 7% and aim for 4 repetitions with this weight. Your training session would look like this:
Set 1:235 x 4
Set 2:235 x 4
Set 3:235 x 4
Set 4:235 x 4
Set 5:235 x 4
Set 6:235 x 4
Set 7:235 x 4
Set 8:235 x 4
Set 9:235 x 4
Set 10:235 x 4
Note: It is possible that you will be able to perform 4 repetitions for all sets in the second training session, as your work capacity may have improved as a result of the first German Volume Training session.
Training session 3
Increase the weight from training session 1 by 8 to 9% and aim for 3 repetitions with this weight. Training session 3 would look like this:
Set 1:255 x 3
Set 2:255 x 3
Set 3:255 x 3
Set 4:255 x 3
Set 5:255 x 3
Set 6:255 x 3
Set 7:255 x 3
Set 8:255 x 3
Set 9:255 x 3
Set 10:255 x 3
Note: During sets 6 to 8 you will think that your spleen wants to push through your right eye, but stay on the ball as sets 9 and 10 will be the easiest.
Workout 4
Use the same weight you used in session 2 and aim for 10 sets of 5 reps, which should be easy.
Workout 5
Use the same weight you used in session 3 and aim for 10 sets of 4 reps, which should again be easy.
Workout 6
You should now be able to perform 10 sets of 3 repetitions with 110 kilos without any problems.
Rest intervals
When people start this method, they often question the value of the first few sets because the weight doesn't feel heavy.
But because the rest intervals between sets are minimal, you experience accumulative fatigue. Remember that you will only get about 90 seconds of rest when performing a set in a row and 90 to 120 seconds of rest when performing as a superset.
Use a stopwatch to keep the rest intervals constant. This will prevent you from being tempted to extend the breaks when fatigue sets in.
Tempo
Use a 40X0 tempo for exercises with a wide range of motion such as squats, dips and pull-ups. This means that you lower the weight in 4 seconds, then immediately change the direction of movement and move the weight up explosively during the concentric phase.
Use a 30X0 tempo for exercises such as curls and tricep presses.
Advanced exercisers should only use an explosive concentric tempo due to their neural efficiency.
Number of exercises
One and only one exercise per muscle group. Choose exercises that recruit as much muscle mass as possible. Triceps kickbacks and leg extensions are definitely out - squats and bench presses should definitely be part of your program.
For supportive training of individual muscles such as biceps and triceps, you can perform 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions.
Overload mechanisms
Once you are able to perform 10 sets of 5 repetitions with constant rest intervals, increase the weight by the percentage indicated above and repeat the process.
Do not use forced repetitions, negative repetitions or burns. The volume of work will take care of the hypertrophy. You can expect intense muscle soreness without resorting to intensity techniques.
After performing a quadriceps and leg biceps training session using this method, it will take about 5 days for the average bodybuilder to stop limping.
Example training program:
Day 1: Chest and back
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
Tempo |
Pause |
|
A1 |
Barbell incline bench press |
10 |
5 |
40X0 |
100 sec. |
|
A2 |
Pull-ups |
10 |
5 |
40X0 |
100 sec. |
|
B1 |
Dips on parallel bars |
3 |
6-8 |
40X0 |
90 sec. |
|
B2 |
One-arm dumbbell rowing |
3 |
6-8 |
40X0 |
90 sec. |
Day 2: Legs
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
tempo |
Pause |
|
A1 |
Squats |
10 |
5 |
40X0 |
100 sec. |
|
A2 |
Lying leg curls with toes pointing outwards |
10 |
5 |
40X0 |
100 sec. |
|
B1 |
Dumbbell lunges |
3 |
6-8 |
30X0 |
90 sec. |
|
B2 |
Romanian deadlift |
3 |
6-8 |
40X0 |
90 sec. |
Day 3: No training
Day 4: Arms
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
Tempo |
Break |
|
A1 |
Incline bench curls with offset grip |
10 |
5 |
30X0 |
100 sec. |
|
A2 |
Close bench press |
10 |
5 |
30X0 |
100 sec. |
|
B1 |
Reverse curls |
3 |
6-8 |
30X0 |
90 sec. |
|
B2 |
French Presses Sitting with the SZ bar |
3 |
6-8 |
30X0 |
90 sec. |
Day 5: No training
Day 6: Chest and back
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
Tempo |
Pause |
|
A1 |
30-degree barbell incline bench press |
10 |
5 |
40X0 |
100 sec. |
|
A2 |
Pull-ups with close parallel grip |
10 |
5 |
40X0 |
100 sec. |
|
B1 |
Dumbbell flat bench press |
3 |
6-8 |
40X0 |
90 sec. |
|
B2 |
One-arm elbow rowing(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2k58ookobI) |
3 |
6-8 |
30X0 |
90 sec. |
Day 7: Legs
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
tempo |
Pause |
|
A1 |
Front squats with elevated heels |
10 |
5 |
40X0 |
100 sec. |
|
A2 |
Lying leg curls with toes pointing inwards |
10 |
5 |
30X0 |
100 sec. |
|
B1 |
Farmers Walk |
3 |
50 m. |
|
90 sec. |
|
B2 |
Glute-Ham Raise |
3 |
6-8 |
40X0 |
90 sec. |
Day 8: No training
Day 9: Arms
|
|
Exercise |
Sets |
|
Tempo |
Break |
|
A1 |
Zottmann Curls seated |
10 |
5 |
30X0 |
100 sec. |
|
A2 |
Close bench press on the reverse incline bench |
10 |
5 |
30X0 |
100 sec. |
|
B1 |
Reverse curls on the Scott bench with close grip |
3 |
6-8 |
30X0 |
90 sec. |
|
B2 |
French presses on cable pulley |
3 |
6-8 |
30X0 |
90 sec. |
Day 10: No training
Day 11: Run the program from day 1 using the second training session scheme.
Continue this program for 55 days and make the adjustments described above.
No direct popliteus or tibialis anterior training is performed and no Swiss Ball, Bosu Ball or TRX straps are used - the program simply involves straightforward, hard, rewarding work.
Those who have access to bands or bungie cords are welcome to use them during squats and press exercises for increased overload if desired. They are not a must, so don't think you're missing out if you don't have access to them.
This training cycle will last 60 days, but you should have built 8 to 10 pounds of lean muscle mass by the end of those two months. This is not a program for wimps, but it is a very rewarding program if you have the courage to complete it.
By Charles Poliquin | 06/13/05
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/advanced-german-volume-training
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