I am a huge fan of super setting and tri-setting my exercises. This means you perform two or three exercises back to back and then have your rest period. I think this is why I love the GVT model of training and also because super and tri-sets allow you to perform a lot of work in a shorter period of time as appose to carrying out one single exercise then resting and so on and so forth.
In strength-coaching circles the GVT method is also known as the “10 sets method". It is believed to have originated in Germany in the mid-’70s and was used in the off-season to help weightlifters gain lean body mass.
To say this program adds muscle fast is probably an understatement! The German Volume Training program works because it targets a group of motor units, exposing the motor units to an extensive volume of repeated efforts, specifically 10 sets of a single exercise. The body adapts to the extraordinary stress by hypertrophying the targeted fibres.
So here are the nuts and bolts of what a GVT program should look like...
Reps & Sets
10 sets of 10 sets! Simple huh? Not really! You must stick to the same weight for all 10 sets, no going backwards. Best to begin with a weight you could lift for 20 reps, so ideally 60% of your 1RM {1 Repetition Maximum}.
Exercise Selection
Perform one exercise per body part, per work-out session so pick exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass! That's a big NO to tri-cep extensions and leg extensions and a big YES to squats and bench presses. If you want to train smaller muscle groups do so after your GVT program and do 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
Exercise Frequency
Your body will take longer to recover from a GVT work-out as it is such an intense program. Aim to train each body part every four to five days.
Rest Periods
Rest periods between each exercise should be about 90-120 seconds. This allows you to use heavier weights so you can recruit the higher-threshold muscle fibres. It is imperative to be strict with your rest intervals, you should use a stopwatch to keep the rest intervals constant, no gassing with your training buddy! We all know it becomes tempting to lengthen the rest time as you fatigue.
Tempo
Lets talk Tempo. You may have seen on your program cards some number that look like this...4121.
There are two phases to one exercise; the concentric and the eccentric. The concentric is the phase of the exercise where the muscle you are working gets smaller/shorter{think concentrated}, the eccentric is the phase of the exercise where the muscle gets stretched/longer.
The first number is the time you need to take to perform the eccentric phase of the movement, the second is the amount of time at the end of the eccentric and the third and fourth are for the concentric movement and the time at the end of the concentric.
On a GVT training program you will see your tempo written like this...50X0. This means you would perform the eccentric part of the exercise to a count of five seconds. No pause at the end. The concentric, which is an X in this program, is an explosive movement and you lift the weight at fast as you can with no pause at the end. Make sense? This tempo allows you to overcome strength plateaus!
Progression
Once you’re able to do 10 sets of 10 reps with constant rest intervals, increase the weight by 4 to 5 percent, and repeat the process.
Programming
And here is an example week planner for a GVT program...
Day 1 - Chest & Back
Day 2 - Legs & Abs
Day 3 - Rest
Day 4 - Arms & Shoulders
Day 5 - Rest
And a example program....
Have fun!!!
NB. Please check with your Health Care or Exercise Professional before commencing a new exercise program
