Advanced German Volume Training Pdf

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Martta

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Aug 5, 2024, 2:31:26 PM8/5/24
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Performing5 sets of 2 exercises done to failure does not equal the training effect of ten sets of a single exercise using a load that causes fatigue on the later sets. The volume-intensity equations are completely different for the two different training systems.

The routine outlined in the end will make things clearer. The exercises done in the two different workouts for the same body part should be similar, yet different enough to tap into a different motor unit pool.


You want to begin with a weight you could lift for 10 reps to failure (10RM), if you had to push it. For most people, on most exercises, that would represent 75% of their 1RM load. If you can bench press 300 pounds for 1 rep, you would use 225 pounds for this exercise.


For long range movements such as squats, dips, and chins, use a 40X0 tempo. This means you would lower the weight in four seconds and immediately change direction and lift explosively for the concentric portion.


German Volume Training (GVT) has been around since the 1970s and has been used by weightlifting coaches, bodybuilders, and athletes. I'm not trying to re-invent the wheel here but instead, put my spin on GVT.


The issue with most classic hypertrophy work is that the volume is too high. Super high volume makes it difficult to increase the intensity enough to build outstanding strength. By keeping the reps to five on the main movement, you can stay within a higher percentage of your one-rep max and specifically build your strength.


You are still completing the same amount of reps as you would with a 5x10 program, but the overall tonnage is increased. A traditional 5x10 program will require you to use approximately 50% of your one-rep max. For example, a person that squats 400 pounds for their one-rep max and is completing their program based on their 50% one-rep max will lift a total of 10,000 pounds. In comparison, the modified GVT 10x5 program allows you to lift at 70% of your one-rep max, increasing the total weight lifted to 14,000 pounds. As you can see, decreasing the reps in a set allows you to lift at a higher percentage of your one-rep max, thus increasing the total volume lifted.


An experienced lifter with solid training experience should be able to safely run their main lift at 70-75% of their one-rep max. If using this training technique with athletes with limited lifting experience or weakness in certain areas, starting between 50-65% of their one-rep max is beneficial. Start on the lighter side if you are unsure, and if the lift feels easy by the seventh set, increase the weight.


The lifter must complete all ten sets to benefit from this training program. Increasing the weight in small increments of five to ten pounds ensures that they can complete the full ten sets of five reps. It is not beneficial in this program if the weight is so heavy that the lifter can only complete seven to eight sets.


When completing accessory exercises, I prefer to stick to single-joint exercises and complete ten sets of ten reps with a 30-second rest. If you choose to do multi-joint exercises, complete them at three to four sets of ten reps and a 30-second rest. As with most programs, accessory exercises are used to improve strength in specific areas.


To achieve the most benefit from this program model, ensure you are in a caloric surplus and getting enough rest. Even though only three exercises are being performed each day, your central nervous system is going to be FRIED, and your muscles are going to be SORE.


I have personally found this training method useful as a build-up into a true strength program or in preparation for a powerlifting meet. This program is beneficial to use during a small time window before a strength phase when training athletes. I have run this model many times with wrestlers coming off of a competitive season when they need to gain back lean muscle mass they have lost during the season.


Travis Roberson is a high school strength and conditioning coach and owner of T7 Performance. Before working at the high school level, he was a Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Cleveland Guardians. Travis so was also a Strength Coach at the collegiate level for 6 years while competing in powerlifting.


Every year, you'll find new tricks and trends for how to build muscle. Without fail, many of these schemes to build muscle fast are out the door and replaced with a new set as soon as the New Year rolls around.


The weight load should be heavy enough that you can only push out five repetitions, and you should struggle with those last two. Typically, this system allows you to use around 85% of your one-repetition maximum.


Strength: The acute variables of the 5 x 5 workout make it ideal for increasing strength, and this includes grip strength. This is one of the most commonly cited benefits of this workout.


Muscle: While the acute variables do fall more into the strength camp, the 5 x 5 system is still effective for putting on size. The question is not, "Does 5 x 5 build muscle?" The question is, "Is this system better than German Volume Training?" More on that below.


Convenience: This is a bare-bones workout. If you're using the popular version of the 5 x 5 system, you'll perform five exercises: squat, deadlift, bench press, barbell row, and overhead press. This means you'll need minimal fitness equipment and nothing fancy.


The 5 x 5 system uses alternating A and B workouts. For example, if you perform Workout A on Monday, you'll use Workout B on Wednesday. On Friday, you're back to Workout A. Instead of restarting the pattern; you'll perform Workout B the following Monday and continue in this fashion.


Often abbreviated as GVT, the German Volume Training workout, much like 5 x 5, is simple in theory and tough in practice. For a GVT workout, you select one compound exercise per muscle group; then, you perform ten sets of ten repetitions.


Straightforward: The simplicity of this workout can't be overstated: use compound movements and perform ten sets of ten reps. There's no wonder about whether you need special exercise equipment or accessories. Just go to the gym and lift.


Here are two different workouts: one for the beginner and one for the advanced. The advanced workout includes supplemental exercises that do not abide by the 10 x 10 rule. This ensures the muscle is worked but not to the point of overtraining.


There's no doubt that GVT is designed to build bigger muscles, but it's unlikely you'll see much in strength gains. The 5 x 5 workout can be a much-needed complement to GVT. By rotating these workouts every few weeks, you can increase size and strength, one benefitting the other.


If you'd rather stick with one over the other, that's okay. Both will put on muscle, but German Volume Training will deliver more mass. No matter which workout system you choose, be sure to follow the principles of progressive overload so you continue to see results.


It's brutally hard, but I've found it to be a very effective way to program for more muscle. In strength-coaching circles, this method is often called the "ten sets method." Because it has its roots in both former Germanies, I like to call it German Volume Training.


To the best of my knowledge, this training system originated in Germany in the mid-'70's and was popularized by Rolf Feser, who was then the National Coach of Weightlifting. A similar protocol was promoted by Vince Gironda in the U.S., but regardless of who actually invented it, it works.


In Germany, the ten-sets method was used in the general preparator phase to help weightlifters gain lean body mass. It was so efficient that lifters routinely moved up a full weight class within 12 weeks. It was the base program of Canadian weightlifter Jacques Demers, Silver Medalist in the Los Angeles Olympic Games. Jacques was known in weightlifting circles for his massive thighs, and he gives credit to the German method for achieving such a spectacular level of hypertrophy. The same method was also used by Bev Francis in her early days of bodybuilding to pack on muscle.


The body adapts to the extraordinary stress by hypertrophying the targeted fibers. To say this program adds muscle fast is probably an understatement - gains of ten pounds or more in six weeks are not uncommon - even in experienced lifters!


As I travelled the World, I often got the feedback that it was the person's most successful program that they ever tried. Many years before the Internet grew, counter attendees let me in to visiting gyms for free as a thank you for the article. This is why it's is a staple method I teach in my Fundamentals of Program Design and Advanced Strength Program Design courses.


The goal of the German Volume Training method is to complete ten sets of ten reps with the same weight for each exercise. You want to begin with a weight you could lift for 20 reps to failure if you had to. For most people, on most exercises, that would represent 60% of their 1RM load. Therefore, if you can bench press 300 lbs for 1 rep, you would use 180 lbs for this exercise.


When using this program - or any other, for that matter - you should keep a detailed journal of the exact sets/reps and rest intervals performed, and only count the repetitions completed in strict form.


Rest Intervals: When bodybuilders start with this method, they often question its value for the first several sets because the weight won't feel heavy enough. However, there is minimal rest between sets (about 60 seconds when performed in sequence and 90-120 seconds when performed as a superset), which incurs cumulative fatigue. (Interestingly enough, you might find you get stronger again during the eighth and ninth sets - this is because of a short-term neural adaptation.)


Because of the importance of the rest intervals, you should use a stopwatch to keep the rest intervals constant. This is very important, as it becomes tempting to lengthen the rest time as you fatigue.

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