German Volume Traning A Lost Art

   German Volume Training isn't for the faint of heart. Be prepared to train intense and hard. If you're tired of the same old training routine, and want to shock your muscles into new growth, look no further!

 

   

Core Principles of German Volume Training

German Volume Training isn’t rocket science. There’s no elaborate formulas to figure out, and no training techniques to be mastered. GVT is built around three simple, core principles:

1. One Exercise. You perform one exercise per body part. That’s it. Stick with heavier, compound-style lifts that tax major muscle groups. Because you will be performing a limited number of exercises per week, proper exercise selection is critical in maximizing the effects of GVT.
2. 100 Reps. For each exercise, you will be performing 10 sets of 10 reps. Start with 50 to 60% of your one rep max for that lift. Perform as many reps as possible for each of the 10 sets. There is no need to train to failure. Train close to failure. GVT is taxing enough without training to failure. When you can perform 100 total reps, or 10 sets of 10 reps, add 5 pounds to the bar the next time you use the same movement.
3. Rest Pause. You will be resting approximately 60-90 second between sets. There are numerous forms of GVT floating around the Internet, some a variation of Vince Gironda’s 8x8 training, and some with incredibly short rest periods. Resist the urge to lower your rest periods under the 60 second mark. Limiting rest like this will force you to decrease the load. You’re already working with weights slightly above half of your 1RM. It does you no good to use lighter weights then this. For most exercises, a 60 second rest works best. For big, beefy and taxing exercises like the squat, 90 seconds is needed. (And then some!)

                 
     You will also find that on certain exercises, you will lose strength fairly quickly. My strength dives when trying to hammer out sets of overhead presses. I don’t think I’d be able to perform 10 sets of 10 reps with 20% of my 1RM for this exercise.
     Hang in there. Over time, your strength endurance will noticeably increase. Push for one more rep on every set. As long as you focus on progression, the weight will take care of itself.
On the first few sets of an exercise, the weight will feel too light. You’ll start to wonder if you’ve made a mistake. You didn’t. Be patient. By sets 7, 8, 9 and 10, you’ll be in tremendous pain. GVT is very deceiving. On paper it looks too easy. After 2 sets, it feels too easy. After a week of GVT, you’ll be ready to quit the program, and never run it again. It’s tough! But it works!