My experience with german volume training

UNDERTAKER

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IS THAT IS FUCKEN SUCKS!!!!!!I have lost 5lb and have gone down tremendously in my bench after 4 weeks of this training style(the beginner style) I would use GVT more as something to do for 1 or two weeks to throw off your routine, but not more than that. Seriously my bench max is usually in the 350 range and I couldnt even bench 315 the other day. I WAS PISSED!!!!!!
 
TheCrownedOne

TheCrownedOne

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Yeah it can cause some serious fiber changes from what I understand. All it gave me was sore connective tissue. It does provide a nice change of pace for a workout or two.
 
DmitryWI

DmitryWI

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I get overtrained just by thinking about GVT.
 
milwood

milwood

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I think for most people that's exactly right: Use it as an occasional tweak to your style(s) for a week or 2. Other people get different results, I guess, but I'd only use it as an alternate. As a hardgainer/ecto, though, maybe I should try it more. Or what about using it rotationally, for different body parts. So for one month, you'd use it for arms say once a week, keeping other things normal. Next month use it for shoulders, etc. Or maybe I'm just restating the obvious and that's how most do it. Maybe I'd better just shut up and review the whole process....
 

UNDERTAKER

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the first 2 times I did gvt for chest were awesome, especially the first one, then its was downhill from there. I kept getting sick from gvt squats too.
 
bioman

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I think about the only place it's been effective for me is on the leg press. I get some additional size from it if I rotate it in once in a great while or if I've taken a lot of time off from serious leg work. Even then I only use it on cycle. If I use it anywhere else it send me straight to overtraining.

I wouldn't even dream of using it for upper body. My shoulders would self destruct.
 
natedogg

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More like German Volume OVERTraining.
 
Enigma76

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I thought GVT was best used (and pretty much shouldnt be used otherwise) while on a cycle?
 

LCSULLA

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More like German Volume OVERTraining.
I agree. This is one of the worst training ideas to come down the pike in awhile. I don't know about any training system that supposed to get you bigger without getting stronger.
 
EEmain

EEmain

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I tried this and quickly went back to a 5 day split WO...
 
exnihilo

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the first 2 times I did gvt for chest were awesome, especially the first one, then its was downhill from there. I kept getting sick from gvt squats too.
Take some time off and rest bro, then go back to low reps heavy weights. You'll be fine :D
 

UNDERTAKER

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exhilio-yea that is what i did....slow progress though ....I am not bouncing back as fast as i thought I would
 

VanillaGorilla

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exhilio-yea that is what i did....slow progress though ....I am not bouncing back as fast as i thought I would
What routine were you using?
 

UNDERTAKER

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10X10 for.....

bench
squats
deads or pull ups
military press then 3X10 curls and 3X10 skull crushers

each on their own day respectively
 

VanillaGorilla

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10X10 for.....

bench
squats
deads or pull ups
military press then 3X10 curls and 3X10 skull crushers

each on their own day respectively
Were did you get that routine from? I would have followed the GVT that Charles Poliquin wrote. How much rest were you taking in between sets and long were your work outs?
 
bioman

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I generally only have used it for maybe 2-3 workouts..on legs only and during cycles only and have gotten some decent results from it. It does seem to help boost endurance but as Undertaker found out its not real conducive to strength gains.
 

UNDERTAKER

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that is pretty much charles workout, except I didnt do back and chest on the same day. You are supposed to take 90seconds between each set (for the beginner gvt)
 

VanillaGorilla

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that is pretty much charles workout, except I didnt do back and chest on the same day. You are supposed to take 90seconds between each set (for the beginner gvt)
The poliquin work out split was
Day 1 chest/ back
Day 2 legs
Day 3 off
Day 4 Arms /Shoulders
Day 5 off
He says to change up the exercises each time you work out. So one week you might do 10 sets of bench and the next week you might do 10 sets of incline DB press. You were doing the same exercises all the time. For shoulders he only recommended doing a few sets of side laterals and a few sets for rear delts. You were doing 10 sets of military press and bench press. You were also only doing 3 sets for bi and tris and he recommends 10.
That being said that is quite a dramatic strength loss for a month. The only time I ever had that kind of strength loss was one of the first times I tried to cut up and calculated the calories wrong. I was eating less than 1000 calories a day. Even when I tried some HIT programs that were ineffective for me it wasn't that bad. What was your diet like when you were using GVT and your previous work out routine?
 

RaginT

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I'm finishing week 6 of GVT right now, and i must say i enjoyed it. I am not over trained, and i am looking forward to the 3 week break going back to my 5 day split on monday. The timing of rest periods between sets really increased the intensitity of my workouts. I guess i usually rest too long. Also i'm sweating in the gym again, my body is going all out straight for the 10 sets. Sure the first few sets are easy, but you notice that minute and a half rest gets shorter and shorter as you get to the end.

10x10 is a real test of manhood. My first week i barely made it with 185. Second week my body had adjusted alot and it was easier. But i was sore for a whole week after the first week, i mean i could walk properly for 4 days and was sore for 3 more.

Bench sucked, i wasn't nearly as strong as i thought i'd be, my tris always died on me. I do believe tho that the muscle recrutiment was definetly there on those last sets, because i had nothing left. Your body adjusted to the volume, or atleast mine did. And yea i did get that sick feeling the first few weeks, its intense.

Anyway i'm looking forward to going back to my old split for the suggested 3 week rest period, i'll be remaxing once i adjust to low reps again, and i'll see what i gained or lost. I know for sure my squats will be up. Leg day is a kill, it'll make a man of you.

Just my opinions
 

UNDERTAKER

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have fun getting back to your old routine....i hope you dont do alot of 1-2rep max in your routine cuz I think you will find they are drastically reduced after GVT. Overall on a scale of 1-10 for overall strength and size improvment for a routine i give it a 2.
 

rhinochaser48

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GVT has it's place.

I like to do a 10x10 with fixed 30 second rest periods for calf work.

Also, most people would do much better if they did 2-3 weeks followed by 1 week of 6-8 rep work of low volume, and repeat. This will keep you from overtraining.
 

VanillaGorilla

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I have NOT read anywhere GVT is for strength!!
It's not a program for strength at all. It is a program that is designed for size. You are taking a weight you can lift for 20 reps and trying to do 10x10 with it. You body will adapt to this and you could loose some strength. It should come back fairly easily when you change your training style. Just out of curiosity when did you try to bench 315? I hope it wasn't after you did 10 x10.lol It might be a good idea to try GVT for 3 weeks followed by three weeks of an explosive power lifting routine. I think many people don't really differentiate between body building and powerlifting and stay on the fence which is fine. I have seen guys who look great that couldn't bench 225 and I have seen guys who looked so bad that if you saw them you wouldn't think they worked out bench 405 like it was a feather. Most people kind of dabble in both.... they want to be strong and look good.
If you are after strength try using some of west side barbell's approaches.
 

alv135

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If you benched 350 you should have been doing the advanced routine, not the beginner one
 

propho

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or of realized you resurrected a 5 year old thread LOL
 

stacywilliams

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The only muscle groups I felt over trained on was the arms. Everything else I just had to down the weight after sort of 6 or 7 sets by a fairly considerable amount. It is one hell of a workout, for example after chest day I could no longer run down the stairs :p But as its more of a shock routine I found that it was completely beneficial, although if i where to do it again, I would alternate between incline and flat bench press as I haven't noticed much (if any) gains on the upper part of the chest.
 
blackcj7

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getting your starting weights down is the most important thing (at least from my experience with GVT). First time I used it I went lighter then my 20 RM on squats and saw improvements in my leg size and small gains in strength.

Second time I used it I dropped 20 lb off my 20 RM on bench and began the program and ended up adding 30lb to my 10x10 on Bench and Squat by the end of it. I increased 5lb after completing 10x10 for two consecutive Bench/Squat days. I also increased rest times between each set, last couple of sets I would take 4-5 min rest periods.
(First time I did GVT I never actually completed a 10x10 of Bench on Bench/Back day)

Changed up the routine quite a bit to suit my body and changed up the auxiliary movements.
day 1: Bench and Squats 10x10, (Abs and Calves -varied exercises each workout)
day 2: Pushdowns and Shrugs 10x10, Reverse-Grip Skull Crushers and Military Press 3x10, Front/Side/Rear Raises 3x6 each
(my body responds best to doing Tri's the day after bench for some odd reason)
day 3: Pullups and Chinups 10x10, Pulley Row and EZ-curls 3x10, Lat Pulldown and Standing Curls 3x10
day 4: Rest
Repeat

Supplements: Staples, Pink Magic, Neovar and Drive

Bodyweight went up and down throughout the whole 2 months I was on this program. Lost some fat and gained good size mostly in chest, back and legs.
 
Legacyfighter

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Most olympic athletes who did German Volume Training split their 10x10 up into two sessions of 5x10. This allowed for a little better recovery, longer increased testosteroned, and increased intensity. Maybe if you want to try 10x10 again, split it up into two sessions a day of 5x10
 
jeffh3c

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Had some decent gains in size from GVT, but it definitely is not for strength. I really got bored of the monotony and went the other route of MAX OT. I loved that program.... doing a custom program from Layne presently and was making great gains until I f'ed up my knee.
 

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