Sets & Reps

German Volume Training

By: Mario Mavrides

German Volume Training (or G.V.T. as it’s known to its friends) is a simple yet brutally effective training method used by thousands of bodybuilders over the years to tremendous effect. In this installment of our ongoing series we will review just how to use G.V.T. to help you in your quest for bigness, or leanness or whatever ‘ness your little heart desires. To be clear, G.V.T. is not intended to be an entire workout in, and of, itself. Rather it’s a technique you would use to add another layer to your existing Body Part Split workout.
Ok, so the fundamentals of G.V.T. are as such:

• Perform 10 sets of a single large compound movement (think squats, deadlifts, rows, bench, etc.).
• Complete alternating sets with an opposite axis (or chain) movement (i.e. rows vs. chest press).
• Select a load of approximately 65-70% of your 1RM.
• Aim for 10 sets of 10 reps (it is unlikely you will accomplish this rep range for the entire set range initially just push as much as you can).
• Increase load ONLY when you have progressed to the point of completing all prescribed sets and reps. Once accomplished increase load by 2.5-5%.
• Use this method for ONE exercise per body part (usually the first) during your regular Body Part Split workout.
• Continue with the remainder of your workout as your fatigue levels dictate.

That’s it. And by all accounts it works, and works well. The premise for G.V.T.’s success is something called ‘The Law of Repeated Efforts’, essentially stating: do anything with enough frequency or volume and the cumulative effect will be positive on growth (yeah, I took some liberties with the definition, but you get the idea!). 100 repetitions certainly fits the bill for ‘enough frequency or volume’ don’cha think?

The simple math of the process bears this out, take a look:
10 x 10 x 200lbs = 200 000 lbs. of aggregate work volume
Compared to a typical pyramid loading scheme

• 1 x 10 x 135lbs = 1350 lbs.
• 1 x 10 x 180lbs = 1800 lbs.
• 1 x 8 x 230lbs = 1840 lbs.
• 1 x 6 x 280lbs = 1680 lbs.
• 1 x 5 x 330lbs = 1650 lbs.
• 1 x 3 x 380lbs = 1140 lbs.
• Total aggregate work = 9460 lbs.

Now that’s a significant difference in total work performed! Looking at it from this perspective it becomes abundantly clear as to why your body can’t help but change using the G.V.T. protocol.

Ok so there you have it, G.V.T. explained in a nutshell. If you do a quick Google search you’ll find a number of variations on the theme, each promising to improve on the original. Feel free to explore and experiment, but keep in mind if you stray too far from the original it likely really isn’t G.V.T. anymore, not that there’s anything wrong with that of course!

Train hard, train smart and for heaven’s sake, use your head!

Article: Courtesy of NxLabs