GERMAN
VOLUME
TRAINING
The revolutionary, proven,
way to build lots of muscle – fast!
The Poliquin Group™
Copyright © 2018, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC. All rights reserved.
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GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING
Chapter 1
A Brief History of German Volume Training (GVT) .......... 3
Chapter 2
GVT for Woman ...................................................................... 7
Chapter 3
GVT for Athletes..................................................................... 11
Chapter 4
Loading Parameters................................................................ 15
Chapter 5
Program Design Essentials..................................................... 19
Chapter 6
Phase I Workout...................................................................... 25
Chapter 7
Phase II Workout..................................................................... 31
Chapter 8
Phase III Workout.................................................................... 35
Chapter 9
The Exercises........................................................................... 39
Chapter 10
Questions and Answers about GVT..................................... 71
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INTRODUCTION
Since the first article about the German Volume Training (GVT)
program was published in 1989, it has become the “go to” workout
for packing on a lot of muscle mass quickly. Many articles have been
written about this workout, but as with the child’s game of “telephone,” sometimes the details get lost in translation.
GVT works by targeting a group of motor units (nerves that cause
a specific group of muscle fibers to contract) and subjecting them
to an extensive volume of repeated efforts. Specifically, 10 sets of a
single exercise, performed with the same reps for each set. The body
adapts to this extraordinary stress by increasing the size of the targeted fibers. That’s what GVT is – now let’s address what GVT is not.
GVT is not promoted as a fat-burning program, such as the German
Body Comp program. However, because GVT is a superior method
of increasing muscle mass, it will more effectively raise your metabolism (i.e., the rate at which you burn calories). It’s estimated that
every pound of muscle gains equals an energy demand of 50 additional calories a day, so in the long run, GVT can help you get lean.
Compare this to aerobic-based programs that often decrease muscle
mass and eventually require you to reduce your calorie intake.
The physical and mental challenges of the original GVT program
make it inappropriate for most beginners. If a novice trainee were to
try it, their relatively low conditioning level would force them to use
such light weights that they would achieve very little benefit from
the workouts. As such, the focus of this book is a 12-week program
divided into three phases. Each phase builds upon the conditioning
level of the previous one and follows the training principles taught in
our PICP courses.
The German Volume Training program is one of the most difficult
workout programs you will ever perform, and it’s not for everyone.
But if you’re up to the challenge, you’ll find as countless others
have who have tried it, GVT is the fastest way to achieve maximum
muscle mass.
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CHAPTER 1
A Brief History of German Volume Training (GVT)
Supersets and tri-sets allow you to perform a lot of work in a short
period. The rest-pause method allows you to use heavier weights so
you can recruit the higher-threshold muscle fibers. Eccentric training
enables you to overcome strength plateaus. The bottom line is that
almost any training method will work. There is, however, one training
system that stands above all the rest for building muscle. It’s brutally
hard, but proven to be a very effective way to pack on muscle fast!
In strength-coaching circles, this training system is often called
the “10 sets method.” Because it has its roots in German-speaking
countries, it got the named German Volume Training. This training
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system appears to have originated in Germany in the mid-’70s and
was popularized by Rolf Feser, who was at the time a national coach
for weightlifting. A similar protocol was promoted by bodybuilding
guru Vince Gironda in the US, but regardless of who invented it, the
bottom line is that it works.
In Germany, the 10 Sets Method was used in the off-season to help
weightlifters gain lean body mass. It was so efficient that lifters routinely moved up a full bodyweight class within 12 weeks. It was also
a preparation program of Canadian weightlifter Jacques Demers, a
silver medalist in the Los Angeles Olympic Games who was coached
by Pierre Roy.
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, one of the pioneers of women’s bodybuilding who was
featured in Pumping Iron II: The Women, to pack on muscle.
Although the GVT program was briefly mentioned in the September
1989 issue of a sports fitness journal called Sports Coach, it gained
worldwide exposure in an article that appeared in Muscle Media
2000 magazine in 1996.
The GVT-Testosterone Connection
One topic that has generated considerable interest among males is
how to increase testosterone. Testosterone levels in males have been
declining steadily since the ’70s – even young people have much
lower testosterone levels than previous generations. This explains
why testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has become big business, and it keeps getting bigger. In the US alone, revenue for these
drugs is expected to reach 3.8 billion this year.
There is no question that TRT works, but consider that there are
many non-pharmaceutical ways to deal with the issue of “low-T,”
which might, for some men, be enough to bring their testosterone
to normal levels. Exercise is one such method, but what is often not
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considered is the type of workout you perform. This begs the question, “Is there a specific training protocol that will boast testosterone
production?”
One reason to consider trying a workout to improve testosterone
is that TRT is a lifelong commitment. When men start using these
drugs, their testicles and adrenal glands will reduce their production;
if they stop using them, they may be worse off than they were before. The result is often depression, lack of motivation, and reduced
sex drive. There are also other issues, such as the risk of developing
cardiac issues, especially when protocols are not followed precisely
and treatment is not continually monitored by a doctor.
The first thing you need to know about a testosterone-boasting
workout is that although there are many benefits of aerobic training,
increasing testosterone is not one of them. Yes, research has found
that regular aerobic exercise at a moderate level (such as 40 minutes of walking, 3x a week) can increase testosterone levels in those
who are overweight, but too much aerobic training may excessively
elevate cortisol, a stress hormone that can lower testosterone. For
example, a high frequency and high volume of aerobic training has
been linked to lower testosterone levels in runners and cyclists.
The best choice of exercise to increase testosterone is resistance
training. But to get the most benefits from pumping iron, you need
to follow specific loading parameters that include reps, sets, rest,
tempo, and exercise selection.
One of the foremost experts on testosterone and exercise is E. Todd
Schroeder, Ph.D. An associate professor of clinical physical therapy
at USC, Schroeder has done considerable research on the effects of
exercise on testosterone. Among the loading parameters he says
work best for increasing testosterone are those that have a high
volume of work, use exercises that involve a lot of muscle mass,
and have rest intervals between sets that are relatively short. In one
study, Schroeder and his colleagues found that 60 seconds of rest
was more effective than 90 seconds for increasing testosterone.
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A prescription of these loading parameters is similar to those recommended in the German Volume Training (GVT) program. If low
testosterone is an issue with you, consider skipping the cardio area
and getting some iron in your blood with weight training.
It’s been said that the best program is the one you’re not using, an
idea that stresses the idea that variety is essential to continued progress. As such, it would be a mistake to try to use GVT year-round.
However, if you’re looking for an intense workout that will pack on
the maximum amount of muscle in the shortest amount of time,
GVT is the workout of choice.
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CHAPTER 2
GVT for Woman
One of the most effective workouts for fat loss is the German Body
Comp (GBC) program. In contrast, German Volume Training is associated with increasing muscle mass, which is why most women tend
to focus on GBC training instead. That’s fine, and women who follow
the GBC workout principles as written will achieve great results.
However, even if their primary goal is fat loss, women should consider occasionally trying German Volume Training.
The GBC program is characterized by especially short rest intervals
(about 30 seconds) and multi-joint movements to generate maximum growth-hormone production. Higher growth hormone levels
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increase fat loss. In contrast, GVT is a superior method to increase
muscle mass, and the increased mass will increase metabolism (i.e.,
the rate at which you burn calories). This means the more muscle
you have, the more calories you burn not only as you exercise, but
also at rest. Estimates vary, but for every pound of muscle you gain,
you will probably burn an extra 50 calories a day.
It’s been the experience of many of our trainers that for every pound
or kilo of lean tissue their female clients gained, they’ve generally lost
an equal amount of bodyfat. Let’s say a woman weighs 132 pounds
(60 kilos) and has 20 percent bodyweight, meaning she carries 26
pounds (12 kilos) of fat. If she gains 8.8 pounds of muscle (4 kilos)
of muscle, she also will probably lose 8.8 pounds of fat and lower her
bodyfat to 13 percent.
Like GBC, GVT focuses on multi-joint exercises that recruit a lot of
muscle mass, such as squats and deadlifts. Many beginning-level
bodybuilding programs contain a lot of isolation-type exercises, such
as triceps pressdowns and barbell biceps curls. These exercises
are fine, but many women (and some men) do not like the “muscle
pump” associated with such exercises. Multi-joint exercises such as
squats and deadlifts are certainly hard, but generally will not result
in the same level of discomfort (from a pump) because the effort is
spread among different muscles.
Another issue to consider is the importance of variety. When you
use any specific workout protocol exclusively, after a few weeks you
reach a point of diminishing returns, and progress stops. Also, you
can become mentally burnt out on a program, making it difficult to
motivate yourself to push as hard as when you started it. The rule
that applies here is that a workout program is only as good as the
time it takes to adapt to it, so if your progress is slowing down with
GBC – or if you are getting mentally burnt out on your current weight
loss workout – then give GVT a shot.
Another reason for women to consider GVT is that it may help them
survive breast cancer. Seriously. Research has found that the amount
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of muscle mass a woman possesses is associated with an increased
survival rate for breast cancer.
In a study published in the August 1, 2017 journal JAMA Oncology,
researchers concluded, “In this observational study of 3241 patients
with breast cancer, more than one-third presented with sarcopenia
[low muscle mass] at diagnosis, and those women had a significantly increased risk of death compared with patients without sarcopenia.” Specifically, it was found that the women who had low muscle
mass were 41 percent more likely to die before those with more
muscle mass.
Even if fat loss is the primary goal, which is the case for many women
who lift weights, they would benefit from incorporating a few training
cycles of German Volume Training during the year along with their
primary weight loss program.
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CHAPTER 3
GVT for Athletes
Bodyweight management is a major concern for athletes, especially
those in sports where athletes compete in specific bodyweight classes, such as wrestling or boxing. For some athletes, such as football
linemen, being able to gain weight and maintain that higher bodyweight in-season is often a priority. Let’s look at how the German
Volume Training program can help many of these athletes.
With the possible exception of sumo wrestling, gaining fat weight is
not going to help any athlete. Besides the obvious reason that you
can’t flex fat, adding extra fat weight will adversely affect mobility
and muscular endurance.
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Additional adipose tissue also puts an excessive burden on the cardiovascular system—and this is not an issue to be taken likely. Looking at some numbers, sumo wrestlers in Japan die about 10 years
sooner than the average male, and one study found that pro football
linemen were twice as likely to die before the age of 50 than those in
other positions. Added muscle doesn’t seem to have this problem.
In a study published in the June 2014 issue of The American Journal
of Medicine, researchers looked at the mortality rates of 3659 older
adults between 1988-1994. They found that those with a high relative muscle mass and low relative fat mass lived longer. Concluded
the authors, “This study definitively demonstrates that muscle mass
relative to body height has independent predictive ability for allcause mortality in older adults.”
Of course, there is an issue with gaining too much muscle as the
extra bulk makes it more difficult to resist fatigue. A 3000-meter
runner, for example, would probably not benefit from focusing on
training methods such as GVT. The weight training these athletes
should focus on should be designed to make them stronger with
minimal increases in bodyweight, a quality called relative strength.
Likewise, a gymnast or figure skater needs to be careful about using GVT because the extra muscle mass could increase their risk of
overuse injuries. Consider, however, that coaches of male ice dancers and pair skaters often want these athletes to add some muscle
to their upper bodies so that they appear more masculine (as these
events do little to develop upper body muscle mass). The same goes
for those in the performing arts, such as dance. But the key is to
target only those muscles you want larger. For example, a male figure
skater might perform a few push/pull upper body exercises using
GVT methods, such as the dumbbell row/incline bench press or lat
pulldown/shoulder press for 10 sets of 10 reps 2 times a week until
they have achieved a more aesthetic look for their sport.
Taking the example of someone in a fighting sport, such as boxing, a
heavyweight could use the GVT program much longer than fighters
in the other bodyweight divisions because this athlete can weigh
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as much as they want. And as with a middle-distance runner, they
would be better off focusing on developing relative strength.
Because GVT programs are so physically and mentally taxing, at
the elite level such a program should probably be performed at the
beginning of the off-season (also known as the preparation phase).
One reason is that an athlete needs to time to adjust to moving with
the additional bodyweight. Performed closer to the competition (also
known as the competition phase) would adversely affect their ability
to practice their sports skills.
Another use of GVT is for younger athletes and concerns motor
learning. If a high school freshman male wrestler weighs 125 pounds
and has the frame to compete at 185 pounds as a senior, he should
use GVT early so he can get accustomed to moving with the additional mass.
Likewise, if a football player uses GVT after his junior season (in the
hope that the extra weight would give his physical superiority and
perhaps impress the college scouts), he would have a relatively short
time to get used to moving at the higher bodyweight. Depending
upon how much bodyweight he gains, he may even be less effective
on the gridiron. An analogy is figure skaters who allow their bodyweight to fluctuate between competitions. If a skater suddenly loses
10 pounds of bodyweight by crash dieting, it may take them several
weeks to getting accustomed to performing complex jumps and
landing on a thin blade.
With most bodybuilders, the more muscle they have, the better. But
if you’re any other athlete, you need to carefully consider how to best
incorporate mass-building programs such as German Volume Training in your training system.
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CHAPTER 4
Loading Parameters
Loading parameters are the components of a workout and include
reps, sets, rest, tempo, exercise selection, and training frequency.
When using this German Volume Training program, you should keep
a detailed journal of the exact sets/reps and performed, and only
count the repetitions completed in strict form.
The goal of the German Volume Training method is to complete 10
sets of an exercise with the same weight for each exercise. Because
you want to complete all the reps for an exercise, a good rule of
thumb for sets of 10 reps is to begin with a weight you could lift for
20 reps to failure if you had to. For most people, on most exercises,
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that would represent 60 percent of their 1RM load. Thus, if you can
bench press 300 pounds for 1 rep, you would use 180 pounds for this
exercise.
Here are a few more guidelines about other loading parameters to
ensure optimal progress:
Rest Intervals: When most people 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 creates cumulative
fatigue. (Interestingly enough, you might feel stronger during the
eighth and ninth sets. This is because of short-term neural adaptation.) Because of the importance of the rest intervals, you should
wear a watch with a second hand to keep the rest intervals constant.
This is very important, as it becomes tempting to lengthen the rest
time as you fatigue.
Speed of Movement: As a general guideline, for long-range movements such as squats, dips and chins, often a longer eccentric (lowering) contraction and a shorter concentric (lifting) contraction are
used. Speed of movement, or tempo, is covered in detail in Chapter
5.
Number and Type of Exercises: With so many sets being performed,
you should only perform one exercise per body part. Therefore, select exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass. Triceps kickbacks and
wrist curls are out; squats and bench presses are in. For supplementary work for individual body parts (such as triceps and biceps), it’s
fine to do a protocol such as 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
There is the mistaken belief that Olympic lifts, the snatch and
the clean and jerk, could be used within the GVT program. They
shouldn’t. First, it would be difficult to maintain proper form in those
complex exercises using such high repetitions. That said, some partial range-of-motion Olympic lifting movements, such as pulls from
the blocks, could be used. However, Olympic lifting exercises are
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dynamic with little eccentric overload, and as such the time under
tension for those types of assistance exercises is too short to create
maximal gains in hypertrophy.
Training Frequency: Because German Volume Training is such an
intense program, it will take you longer to recover. Consequently, one
training session every four to five days per body part is plenty.
Overload Mechanism: Once you’re able to do 10 sets with constant
rest intervals, increase the weight on the bar by 4 to 5 percent. Refrain from using forced reps, negatives or drop sets. The volume of
the work will take care of the hypertrophy. Expect to have some deep
muscle soreness without having to resort to set-prolonging techniques.
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CHAPTER 5
Program Design Essentials
One of the most important variables in resistance training is the
number of repetitions performed. The reps performed determine
how much weight you can use. How much weight you use determines how much muscle tension is produced. How much muscle
tension is produced determines the strength training response. Use
low reps (1-5 reps) for strength and minimal increase in muscle
mass; high reps (6-12) for greater muscular endurance and size.
Those are the basics.
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Figure 1:
Repetition continuum versus training effect (Poliquin & King, 1991©)
Reps: 1
3
5
7
9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
50%
100%
Metabolic Adaptations
(Cellular)
Neural Adaptations
(Neuromuscular)
In the field of strength training, no one can seem to agree on the
relationship between reps and percentages of a one-repetition maximum, so it’s important to regard percentages as only guidelines in
workout planning. As such, you should let the reps dictate the weight
to use. And as a general guideline for a GVT workout using 10 reps
per set, begin with a weight you could lift for 20 reps to failure if you
had to.
Keeping this precaution in mind, examine Table 1 to see how the relationship between reps and sets can be more precisely summarized.
Table 1:
Relationship between maximum number of repetitions, intensity and the training effect (Poliquin, 1990©)
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Maximum Number of
Repetitions
Percent of
Maximum*
Training Effect
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
100.0
94.3
90.6
88.1
85.6
83.1
80.7
78.6
Relative strength increases through
enhanced neural drive
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Optimal compromise of maximal
strength and hypertrophy gains
German Volume Training
Table 1:
Relationship between maximum number of repetitions, intensity and the training effect (Poliquin, 1990©)
Maximum Number of
Repetitions
Percent of
Maximum*
Training Effect
9
10
11
12
76.5
74.4
72.3
70.3
Best hypertrophy gains leading to
increased maximal strength
13
68.8
Strength-endurance maximal
strength gains and lower hypertro14
67.5
phy gains
15
66.2
16
65.0
17
63.8
18
62.7
19
61.6
20
60.6
*All percentages are only guiding values since the relationship between
maximum and sub-maximum loads is influenced by training status,
muscle group, and exercise.
The repetitions prescribed in the German Volume Training Program
are between 6-10. This rep-range would, according to Table 1, stimulate an increase in strength and muscle mass. That’s true. However,
there is another important training variable to consider when designing a program: rest.
Rest, in this context, refers to the length of time between sets and
exercises. In general, there should be an inverse relationship between
the number of repetitions performed and the amount of rest taken. In
other words, the fewer the reps performed, the longer the rest interval. Figure 2 illustrates the effects of various rest intervals.
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Figure 2:
Rest interval/repetitions continuum (Poliquin & King, 1991©)
Reps: 1
10
Rest: 5 to 8 Minutes
Strength-Power:
20
30-60 Seconds
Strength-Size
Endurance
Performing rest intervals of 60 seconds is certainly one of the most
effective ways to gain muscle size (and incidentally increase testosterone), but it is not the most effective way to gain strength. This
is why weightlifters often rest five minutes or more between heavy
sets, not because they are lazy, but because it takes that long for the
nervous system to prepare itself for another intense effort.
Rest Intervals
The length of the rest interval is generally a function of the amount of
muscle mass used. As for exercise order, another important loading
parameter, the conventional way to structure a workout is to prescribe larger muscle mass exercises with longer rest intervals at the
beginning so you can use high loads and achieve an optimal training
effect. After these exercises, you would then work towards smaller
muscle-group exercises and shorter rest intervals.
Tempo Considerations
To achieve the appropriate training stimulus, you must adhere to
the precise speed of movement for all aspects of the lift: eccentric,
isometric and concentric. Instead of using terms like “explosive” or
“slow,” we express the speed of a lift in a four-digit abbreviation—
such as 4210.
The first digit of the tempo formula is the lowering (eccentric) portion of an exercise; the second digit is the pause (isometric) phase;
the third digit is the return (concentric) movement; and the final digit
is the pause before the next rep (isometric).
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Each digit refers to the number of seconds it takes to complete each
phase, and the letter X means to perform that portion of the lift as
rapidly as good technique allows. Thus, if X is written in a formula,
such as 20X1, the lift should be performed with full acceleration
during the concentric phase. Using the bench press as an example, a
42X1 tempo would mean you would lower the weight in four seconds, pause at the chest for two seconds, press the weight as fast as
good technique allows, then pause for one second at extended arms
before repeating for another rep.
This simple format enables you to take more precise control of the
training stimulus. To achieve consistency between reps, it is best
to count at a speed that is similar to the action of a clock (e.g., one
thousand and one, one thousand and two, etc.) to prevent counting
erratically or too fast. The count should commence when the resistance implement (barbell, dumbbell, or body part) starts moving, not
before or after this period.
Exercise Description
Rather than using unique names of exercises, such as the Garfield
Squat or the Beach Body Press, in this workout we describe an
exercise such that its name provides considerable details about its
performance. Here is the formula:
Name of Primary Movement + Type of Resistance, Body Position,
Grip.
For example:
Bench Press, Barbell, 45-Degree Incline, Medium Grip.
Variety
One aspect of the Iron Game that hooks people is the fact that
beginners can get stronger on just about any workout. Take someone who walks into the gym who can barely bench press the empty
bar, and with the very next workout they may be able to add 5 or
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10-pound plates to each side. Soon those plates become 25-pounders, then 35, then 45, and then…then it starts getting complicated.
The problem is that making continuous strength gains becomes not
just addictive, but expected. A typical scenario is that a beginner
starts with the lightest weights available, and each week sees a linear progression in strength. Sometimes a new lifter can make some
type of progress, either in more weight lifted or another repetition
performed, just about every workout for months. This gets them
thinking thoughts such as, “I went from a 110-pound bench press in
January to 170 in March, so if I keep adding five pounds a week, by
the end of the year I should be pushing 350!”
Yes, during the first several months of training tremendous progress
can be made – and certainly there are some men who have bench
pressed 350 pounds after a single year of training. But such individuals are the exception, not the rule. As you get stronger you eventually hit a point of diminishing returns, such that it takes considerably
longer to be able to slap on those additional 2 ½-pound plates.
Periods of stagnation are to be expected, and in fact it could take 10
years, or even longer, before an individual finally reaches their maximal physical potential.
Another factor that must be taken into consideration in looking
at the initial progress of beginners is that much of the apparent
strength improvement that takes place is not from an increase in
muscle size. Rather, these improvements are more due to neurological changes, such as learning how to more efficiency contract the
muscles and also how to perform the exercise with better technique
so that more weight can be lifted.
The takeaway lesson here is that after the initial stages of training,
workouts should be designed with specific attention to how the body
adapts to stress. This means that loading parameters (reps, sets,
rest, etc.) must be varied on a regular basis to best stimulate gains
in size and strength and avoid overtraining. Again, GVT is a great
workout, but it shouldn’t be your only workout.
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CHAPTER 6
Phase I Workout
We’ve provided three different levels of GVT workouts, each lasting
four weeks, and each more challenging than the next. You will be surprised at how much muscle mass you can pack on in this relatively
short period.
GVT weekly training sessions are divided into a 5-day training split
using the following sequence:
Day 1: Arms
Day 3: Rest
Day 5: Rest
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Day 2: Legs
Day 4: Torso
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You’ll see that these workouts have two parts, an accumulation
phase and an intensification phase. With an accumulation phase,
the main stressor is volume. GVT uses 10 reps per set in this phase.
With an intensification phase, the main stressor is intensity, which
has a greater strength-training effect. GVT uses 6 reps per set in this
phase.
One of the advantages of using intensification phases is that when
you return to the higher reps in the accumulation phase, the weights
won’t feel as heavy. This adaption motivates you to train with heavier
weights, thus increasing the training stimulus.
You perform each workout three times, totaling 15 days, before moving on to the next workout. Thus, each major muscle group is trained
once every five days, which will allow for complete recovery for each
muscle group between training sessions. This may seem a bit extreme, but after finishing workouts that include performing 10 sets of
10 in a back squat, you will definitely want that long of a break before
doing it again!
Rather than jumping into the full 10-set system, it’s best to start the
entire training cycle as we did in these GVT workouts with 5 sets per
exercise and slightly longer rest intervals. The GVT program is especially intense, and few individuals have the work capacity to handle
10 sets right off the bat.
Because the body is an especially adaptive organism, it’s important
not to remain on the same program for too long. For an individual
with a year or more of training experience, as a general rule some
type of change must be made in the workout every two weeks. Those
with little weight training experience can often go a month using the
same workout without significant decreases in progress. Again, GVT
is considered an advanced training program. It’s not meant for novice
trainees, or for those who have taken an extended layoff from training,
To increase variety in GVT, different exercises are used each workout. Consider that simply changing something as small as hand or
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foot position can change the effect of the the exercise. For example,
because the hamstrings pull in different angles, hamstring curls are
often performed with feet in, feet neutral, and feet out.
As stated in the previous chapters, a good rule of thumb for GVT is
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 percent of their 1RM load. Thus, if you can bench press 200 pounds for 1
repetition, you would use 120 pounds for this exercise.
For more details on performing any of the exercises in these routines,
refer to the Exercise Index in Chapter 9. While specific exercises are
prescribed, do not be afraid to modify or exchange an exercise depending on the equipment you may have available. Remember: There
is optimal training, and there is reality.
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ACCUMULATION PHASE
Day 1 - Arms
A1. Bench Press, BB, 45-Degree Incline, Close Grip, 5 x 8-10, 4010,
90s
A2. Scott Curl, BB, Medium Grip, Pronated, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
B1. Bench Press, BB, Close Grip, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
B2. Scott Curl, EZ Bar, Close Grip, Supinated, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
Day 2 - Lower Body
A1. Back Squat, BB, Heels Elevated, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes In, Plantarflexed, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
B1. Back Squat, BB, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
B2. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Neutral, Dorsiflexed, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
Day 3 - Off
Day 4 - Torso
A1. Shoulder Press, Thick Bar, Standing, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
A2. Chin-up, Close Grip, Supinated, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s*
B1. Shoulder Press, DB, Seated, Pronated, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
B2. Row, Cable, Seated, Medium Grip, Neutral, 5 x 8-10, 4010, 90s
*May be substituted with pulldown variations (see Chin-up exercise
description)
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - Repeat
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INTENSIFICATION PHASE
Day 1 - Arms
A1. Dips, V-Bar, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
A2. Curl, DB, 45-Degree Incline, Neutral Grip, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
B1. Bench Press, BB, 30-Decline, Close Grip 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
B2. Curl, BB, Standing, Medium Grip, Supinated, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
Day 2 - Lower Body
A1. Back Squat, BB, Narrow Stance, Heels Elevated, 5 x 6-8, 4010,
120s
A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Neutral, Plantarflexed, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 120s
B1. Back Squat, BB, Wide Stance, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 120s
B2. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Out, Dorsiflexed, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 120s
Day 3 – Off
Day 4 - Torso
A1. Shoulder Press, BB, Standing, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
A2. Chin-up, Medium Grip, Supinated, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
B1. Shoulder Press, DB, Seated, Neutral, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
B2. Row, Cable, Seated, Wide Grip, Neutral, 5 x 6-8, 4010, 100s
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - Repeat
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CHAPTER 7
Phase II Workout
Phase II. With the conditioning level developed in Phase I, you are
now physically prepared to handle slightly shorter rest periods. Note
that the first accumulation phase starts with 10 sets of 10 reps, in
contrast to the 5 sets presented in the Phase I workout.
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ACCUMULATION PHASE
Day 1 - Arms
A1. Bench Press, BB, Close Grip, 10 x 10, 4010, 90s
A2. Scott Curl, BB, Close Grip, Supinated, 10 x 10, 4010, 90s
B1. Triceps Extension, DB, Decline, Neutral Grip, 3 x 10-12, 3110, 60s
B2. Hammer Curl, DB, 30-Degree Incline, 3 x 10-12, 3011, 60s
Day 2. Lower Body
A1. Back Squat, BB, 10 x 10, 4010, 90s
A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes In, Plantarflexed, 10 x 10, 4010, 90s
B1. Front Step-up, DB, 3 x 10-12, 2010, 75s
B2. Good Morning, BB, Seated, 3 x 8-10, 4020, 75s
Day 3 - Off
Day 4 - Torso
A1. Behind Neck Press, BB, Seated, 10 x 10, 4010, 90s
A2. Chin-up, Close Grip, Neutral, 10 x 10, 4010, 90s
B1. Lateral Raise, DB, Seated, 3 x 10-12, 3010, 60s
B2. Row to Forehead, Rope, Seated, 3 x 10-12, 2012, 60s
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - Repeat
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INTENSIFICATION PHASE
Day 1 - Arms
A1. Dips, V-Bar, 10 x 6, 4010, 100s
A2. Curl, BB, Standing, Supinated Grip, 10 x 6, 4010, 100s
B1. Seated Half Press/Hairline Press, 3 x 6-8, 2210, 75s
B2. Zottman Curl, DB, Scott Bench, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 75s
Day 2 - Lower Body
A1. Front Squat, BB, 10 x 6, 4010, 120s
A2. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Neutral, Plantarflexed, 10 x 6, 4010, 120s
B1. Lunge, DB, 3 x 6-8, 2210, 90s
B2. Romanian Deadlift, BB, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 90s
Day 3 - Off
Day 4 - Torso
A1. Shoulder Press, BB, Standing, 10 x 6, 4010, 100s
A2. Chin-up, Medium Grip, 10 x 6, 4010, 100s
B1. Bench Press, DB, 30-Degree Incline, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 75s
B2. Row, DB, Single Arm, Supported, Neutral Grip, x 6-8, 2010, 75s
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - Repeat
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CHAPTER 8
Phase III Workout
Now it’s time to pull out the big guns! This advanced GVT workout
contains more difficult exercises to stimulate maximum muscle
growth. Even if you’re in great shape, you should start with Phase I to
ensure you can handle this challenging workout.
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ACCUMULATION PHASE
Day 1 - Arms
A. Bench Press, BB, 45-Degree Decline, Close Grip, 10 x 10, 4010,
60s
B. Scott Curl, DB, Close Grip, Supinated, 10 x 10, 4010, 60s
C1. French Press, Cable with Rope, Standing, Neutral Grip, 3 x 10-12,
3110, 45s
C2. Curl, BB, Seated, Medium Grip, Supinated, 3 x 10-12, 3011, 45s
Day 2. Lower Body
A. Back Squat, BB, 10 x 10, 4010, 60s
B. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Out, Plantarflexed, 10 x 10, 4010, 60s
C1. Split Squat, BB, 3 x 10-12, 3010, 75s
C2. Back Extension, BB, Horizontal, 3 x 10-12, 3011, 75s
Day 3 - Off
Day 4 - Torso
A. Shoulder Press, Thick Bar, Seated, 10 x 10, 4010, 60s
B. Pull-up, Wide Grip, 10 x 10, 4010, 60s
C1. Lateral Raise, DB, Seated, Accentuated Eccentric, 3 x 10-12, 3010,
45s
C2. Row, DB, Single Arm, Supported Elbow Out, DB, 3 x 10-12, 3011,
45s
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - Repeat
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INTENSIFICATION PHASE
Day 1 - Arms
A. Bench Press, BB, Close Grip, 10 x 6, 4010, 90s
B. Scott Curl, EZ Bar, Close Grip, Supinated, 10 x 6, 4010, 90s
C1. Triceps Extension, EZ Bar, Close Grip, Pronated, 3 x 6-8, 3010,
60s
C2. Hammer Curl, DB, Standing, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 60s
Day 2 - Lower Body
A. Front Squat, BB, 10 x 6, 4010, 90s
B. Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Neutral, Plantarflexed, 10 x 6, 4010, 90s
C1. Lunge, DB, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 60s
C2. Good Morning, BB, Standing, Wide Stance, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 60s
Day 3 - Off
Day 4 - Torso
A. Shoulder Press, BB, Standing, 10 x 6, 4010, 90s
B. Chin-up, Medium Grip, Lean Away, Neutral, 10 x 6, 4010, 90s
C1. Bench Press, DB, 30-Degree Decline, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 60s
C2. Supported Row, DB, Single-Arm, Neutral Grip, 3 x 6-8, 3010, 60s
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - Repeat
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CHAPTER 9
The Exercises
This chapter discusses optimal performance for all the exercises in
the German Volume Training workouts. Each exercise is explained
fully, followed by a precise description of the starting position, the
action of the exercise, proper breathing techniques, as well as applicable tips to enhance the effectiveness of the exercise.
Whether you are a novice or an experienced weight trainer, please
read through the exercise descriptions carefully. Minor changes in
foot, arm, and wrist position can greatly alter the effect of a particular exercise. Although most of these exercises are standard lifts, we
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ing these exercise techniques with precision is key to safe weight
lifting as well as achieving the fastest results from GVT.
Lastly, it’s fine to modify or exchange an exercise depending on
the equipment you may have available. To help you find alternative
exercises, one of the best references is Bill Pearl’s Keys to the Inner
Universe.
Back Extension, BB, Horizontal
The back extension (also called—inappropriately—the hyperextension) is an excellent exercise for the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. This exercise places far less compressive forces on the spine
than seated lower back machines.
Ready Position: Lie facedown on a back extension bench and lock
your ankles in place (or hook them under the roller pad if a footrest
is not available). Adjust your hips on the pad so that when you bend
forward your back is perpendicular to the floor, but not rounded.
Action: Keeping your head in alignment with your spine (which
here entails retracting your chin and not looking up), lift your torso
until your back is parallel to the floor. Lifting your torso higher than
parallel is unnecessary and may place harmful stress on your back.
Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, raise your torso, and exhale halfway
down or at the finish.
Tips: After a few workouts, when the exercise becomes easier, hold
a weight plate across your chest to increase the resistance. When
this becomes easy (Olympic lifters have been known to perform this
exercise with over 300 pounds!), place a barbell across your upper
back, holding the bar as you would when performing a squat. Do
not, however, place weight plates on your head, as this could result
in injury.
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Back Squat, BB
Squats are unparalleled as an exercise for working the maximum
amount of muscle tissue. And despite rumors to the contrary, studies have shown that when performed properly, squats increase the
stability of the knee joint.
Ready Position: Begin with a bar resting across the back of your
shoulders. With your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart,
find a point high on the wall near the ceiling and focus your eyes on
it. Rotate your elbows forward so they are nearly perpendicular to
the floor—this will help to keep your back tight.
Action: Keeping your head up and your torso as erect as possible
(and only bending forward when necessary to drop farther down),
bend your knees, allowing them to travel outward over your toes.
Try to lower yourself so your thighs go well past parallel to the
floor, but do not bounce out of the low position and do not allow
your lower back to flatten or round in the low position. Resisting
the temptation to lean forward excessively, push out of the bottom
position to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your legs, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: Be sure you perform this in a safety cage or recruit a spotter.
If you are a beginner and find holding the barbell especially uncomfortable, try using the Manta Ray™, a shoulder harness that attaches to a barbell and helps to distribute the weight evenly across the
shoulders.
Back Squat, BB Heels Elevated
This variation of the squat places more emphasis on the quadriceps
muscle called the vastus medialis (the teardrop-shaped muscle on
the inner portion of the thigh). It requires a board about one-inch
thick (or the use of an angled wedge made for squats), and should be
performed in a safety cage or with the assistance of a spotter.
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Ready Position: Begin with a bar resting across the back of your
shoulders. With your heels elevated about one inch with a board (or
by using a slant board) and shoulder-width apart, find a point high
on the wall near the ceiling and focus your eyes on it. Rotate your
elbows forward so they are nearly perpendicular to the floor—this
will help to keep your back tight.
Action: Keeping your head up and your torso as erect as possible
(and only bending forward when necessary to drop farther down),
bend your knees, allowing then to travel past your toes. Try to lower
yourself so your thighs go well past parallel to the floor, but do not
bounce out of the low position—and do not allow your lower back
to flatten or round in the low position. Resisting the temptation to
lean forward excessively, push out of the bottom position to return
to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your legs, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: Having your heels elevated helps overcome restrictions in calf
flexibility. If you find you lean forward excessively in the squat, you
might be able to resolve the problem by stretching your calves.
Back Squat, BB, Narrow Stance, Heels Elevated
A favorite among bodybuilders, this variation of the squat places
even more emphasis on the quadriceps. The exercise requires a
board about one-inch thick, and should be performed in a safety
cage or with the assistance of a spotter.
Ready Position: Begin with a bar resting across the back of your
shoulders. With your heels elevated about one inch with a board (or
by using a slant board) and hip-width apart, find a point high on the
wall near the ceiling and focus your eyes on it. Rotate your elbows
forward so they are nearly perpendicular to the floor—this will help
to keep your back tight.
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Action: Keeping your head up and your torso as erect as possible (and
only bending forward when necessary to drop farther down), bend your
knees, allowing them to travel past your toes. Try to lower yourself so
your thighs go well past parallel to the floor, but do not bounce out of
the low position—and do not allow your lower back to flatten or round
in the low position. Resisting the temptation to lean forward excessively, push out of the bottom position to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your legs, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: This variation tends to put more stress on the knees, so if you
have knee problems you should probably stick to the conventional
back squat.
Back Squat, BB, Wide Stance
This variation of the back squat places extra emphasis on the muscles of the inner thighs called the adductors, along with the lower
back and hamstrings. It should be performed in a safety cage or with
the assistance of a spotter.
Ready Position: Begin with a bar resting across the back of your
shoulders. With your feet flat on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, find a point high on the wall near the ceiling and
focus your eyes on it. Rotate your elbows forward so they are nearly
perpendicular to the floor—this will help to keep your back tight.
Action: Keeping your head up and your torso as erect as possible
(and only bending forward when necessary to drop farther down),
bend your knees, allowing then to travel past your toes. Try to lower
yourself so your thighs go well past parallel to the floor, but do not
bounce out of the low position—and do not allow your lower back to
flatten or round in the low position. You will find that compared to
the other squats in this workout, you will have to lean forward more
during this exercise to maintain your balance. Resisting the temptation to lean forward excessively, push out of the bottom position to
return to the start.
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Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your legs, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: If you are especially weak in the adductors, you should start
with an extremely light weight (even just the empty bar) until the
strength of these muscles catch up to the strength of other muscle
groups.
Behind Neck Press, BB, Seated
This is a gym standard that focuses on the medial head of the deltoids, which provide width to the shoulders, along with being an
overall strengthener of the upper body.
Ready Position: With a barbell resting on supports and using a grip
slightly wider than shoulder-width, remove it from the supports and
place it on the back of your shoulders.
Action: Press the barbell overhead to arms’ length, leaning forward
slightly to avoid hitting the back of your head, then lower slowly to
the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, press the bar overhead, and exhale
after the bar has passed the sticking point.
Tips: A weightlifting belt can help stabilize your upper body as you
perform this exercise.
Bench Press, BB, Close Grip
The name of the exercise itself is a misnomer as a very narrow grip
(four to six inches) creates enormous strain on the wrists and elbows.
Ready Position: From a supine position (lying face up on a bench),
grasp the barbell with a grip slightly closer than shoulder-width
(about 14 inches for most men). Have a spotter help lift the barbell
off the rack and hold it at arm’s length, about level with your eyes.
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Action: Lower the weight to your mid or lower chest, whichever position creates the shortest distance for the bar to travel. As
you lower the weight, your elbows should point slightly down, not
directly out to your sides, and the bar will travel in a slight arch back
towards your head. Without bouncing the barbell off your chest,
press the weight back to the start. When you’ve completed all your
repetitions for a set, have your spotter help guide the barbell back to
the supports.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower the bar to your chest, then exhale as you extend your arms.
Tips: Although this is considered an upper body exercise, it’s important to brace the muscles of the lower body as you press. One
way to do that is to press your heels into the floor as your extend
your arms.
Bench Press, DB, 45-Degree Incline, Close Grip
Using dumbbells rather than a barbell on this exercise gives you a
greater range of motion of the pectorals as you can bring your hands
together at the finish.
Ready Position: Grasp two dumbbells and sit down on a 45-degree
incline bench, resting the weights on your thighs. Kick the weights
up to your shoulders, one leg at a time, and then lie back on the
bench. Now turn the dumbbells so your hands are facing away from
your body, and point your elbows slightly out to the sides.
Action: Press the dumbbells to straight arms, pause briefly to ensure you are stable, then return to the start to begin another repetition.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower the weight, and exhale during
the ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: Don’t use such a heavy weight that your movement pattern is
unstable—this may require using a slightly lighter weight.
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Bench Press, DB, 30-Degree Decline
This variation of the dumbbell bench press places more emphasis on
the pectorals, and the angle enables you to use more weight than the
flat dumbbell bench press.
Ready Position: Lie face up on a decline bench press unit, hooking
your ankles under the ankle pad. Place the weights on your upper
thigh. Lean back, then press the weights to extended arms such that
the bar travels a path that is perpendicular to the floor.
Action: Lower the weight to your upper chest. As you do so, your elbows should point slightly down, not directly out to your sides, and
the bar will travel in a slight arch. Without bouncing the weights off
your chest, press them back to the start. When you’ve completed
all your repetitions for a set, return the weights to your upper thighs
and return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower the bar to your chest, and exhale
during the ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: At the finish of the exercise, some advanced lifters simply
drop the weights to the floor. Many gyms do not allow dropping the
weights as this could damage the floor. A spotter may be helpful in
this case.
Chin-up, Close Grip
This variation of the chin-up places more emphasis on the biceps
than a pull-up (palms facing away from the body).
Ready Position: Grasp a chin-up bar with your palms facing your
body, hands spaced about eight inches apart. Allow your arms to
straighten, but do not hyperextend your elbows or overstretch your
shoulders.
Action: Initiate the movement by flexing your arms and shoulders
simultaneously. Continue pulling until your chin is level with the bar,
or as high as comfortable. Reverse the technique to return to the
start.
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Breathing: Hold your breath, pull yourself over the bar, and exhale
as you lower yourself to the start.
Tips: With this, and all chin-ups, if you cannot perform all the reps
have a spotter assist you. Bend one knee, and as you perform the
exercise have the spotter pull up on the ankle of the leg.
Chin-up, Close Grip, Neutral
This variation of the chin-up is easier on the shoulders than conventional chin-ups.
Ready Position: Grasp a chin-up bar with a neutral grip (palms
facing each other), hands spaced about eight inches apart. Allow
your arms to straighten, but do not hyperextend your elbows or
overstretch your shoulders.
Action: Initiate the movement by flexing your arms and shoulders
simultaneously. Continue pulling until your chin is level with the bar,
or as high as comfortable. Reverse the technique to return to the
start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, pull yourself over the bar, and exhale
as you lower yourself to the start.
Tips: With this, and all chin-ups, if you cannot perform all the reps,
have a spotter assist you. Bend one knee, and as you perform the
exercise have the spotter pull up on the ankle of the leg.
Chin-Up, Medium Grip
This variation of the chin-up, which is performed with your palms
facing you, increases the work of the biceps.
Ready Position: Grasp a chin-up bar with a supinated grip (palms
facing you), hands spaced about shoulder-width apart. Allow your
arms to straighten, but do not hyperextend your elbows or overstretch your shoulders.
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Action: Initiate the movement by flexing your arms and shoulders
simultaneously. Continue pulling until your chin is over the bar, or as
high as comfortable. Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, pull yourself over the bar, and exhale
as you lower yourself to the start.
Tips: It may help to think about punching your elbows back as you
lift your body.
Chin-up, Medium Grip, Lean Away, Neutral
This is one of the most difficult types of chin-ups. It strongly affects
the muscles that pull the shoulders back, so will help with conditions
such as round shoulders:
Ready Position: Grasp a chin-up bar with a supinated grip (palms
facing you), hands spaced about shoulder-width apart. Allow your
arms to straighten, but do not hyperextend your elbows or overstretch your shoulders.
Action: Initiate the movement by flexing your arms and shoulders
simultaneously. Continue pulling until your chin is over the handles,
or as high as comfortable. From here try to push your body away
from the bar horizontally, and lower slowly.
Breathing: Hold your breath, pull yourself over the bar, and exhale
as you lower yourself to the start.
Tips: Crossing your ankles may help to stabilize your lower body,
reducing the amount you swing during the exercise.
Curl, DB, 45-degree Incline, Neutral Grip
This variation of the curl places more emphasis on the forearms.
Ready Position: Grab two dumbbells and sit down on a 45-degree
incline bench. Start with your palms in a neutral position (palms
facing each other).
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Action: Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the bar in an arch
towards your shoulders. Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: It is fine to hold your head off the bench, as keeping it back
may feel uncomfortable. You can also perform an added twist at the
bottom, so that your palms face backward, to increase the range of
motion of the exercise.
Curl, DB, Seated, Supinated
This is one of the most popular curls, and also one of the easiest to
perform.
Ready Position: Grasp two dumbbells and sit down. Start with your
palms in a supinated position (facing away from you).
Action: Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the bar in an arch
toward your shoulders. Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: To create a more stable base to curl from, tense your legs and
glutes as you perform the exercise.
Curl, BB, Standing, Supinated Grip
This is unquestionably one of the most popular exercises in the
gym—who hasn’t tried to pick up a barbell and pump out a few sets
of curls?
Ready Position: Grasp a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing
away from your body) with your hands shoulder-width apart. Stand
with your knees slightly bent and the barbell resting on your thighs.
Look straight ahead, and keep your chest up and your head in line
with your spine.
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Action: Keeping your upper arms close to your sides and motionless during the exercise, curl the weight in an arch toward your
shoulders. Reverse the technique to return to the start, being careful
not to hyperextend your elbows.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: Try not to use your legs or back to assist with the exercise. Besides reducing the effectiveness of the exercise, swinging the weight
could injure your lower back.
Dips, V-Bar
This is the absolute king of triceps builders. Yet, like many other
demanding movements such as squats and chins, it rarely makes the
pages of general fitness magazines.
Ready Position: To start the exercise, grasp the bars and boost
yourself up until you’ve stabilized yourself at arm’s length over the
handles. If you have access to the better V-shaped dipping bar, use
as narrow a grip as comfortable without compromising shoulder
integrity.
Action: Begin the exercise by lowering your body as far as possible
between the bars, making sure to keep lowering until your biceps
make contact with your forearms. In other words, your triceps must
get fully stretched. Once you reach the bottom position, press
yourself back up by extending the elbows. Try to stay as upright as
possible throughout the range of motion. If you lean too far forward,
you’ll just be bringing your pecs into the movement.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
up or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: At first, your bodyweight will probably suffice as the means of
resistance. As you get stronger, you can progressively increase the
resistance by holding a dumbbell between your legs or by hooking a
plate or dumbbell in the specialized chin/dip belt.
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French Press, Cable with Rope, Standing, Neutral Grip
Here’s a popular variation of the French press using a rope attached
to a pulley. Because of the flexibility of the rope, this variation tends
to be more comfortable for some compared to using a barbell or EZ
bar.
Ready Position: Grasp a rope attachment hooked to a low pulley
cable. Using a neutral grip (palms facing each other), press the
weight overhead to arms’ length and turn your back to the weight
stack.
Action: Keeping your upper arms motionless and tucked in, lower
the weight behind you as far as comfortable, then press it overhead.
Only the lower arms should move during the exercise.
Breathing: Exhale as you flex you extend your arms; inhale as you
bend them.
Tips: Wearing a weightlifting belt will help prevent you from arching
your back excessively.
Front Squat, BB
Because the torso is held more upright, this squat variation places
extra emphasis on the quadriceps and less stress on the lower back
because the torso is held more upright.
Ready Position: Begin with a bar resting across the front of your
shoulders, holding the bar as you would in the finish of a power
clean. With your feet placed flat on the floor, slightly wider than
shoulder-width apart, focus on a point directly in front of you (or
slightly higher). Rotate your elbows forward so they are perpendicular to the floor—this will help keep your lower back arched and tight.
Action: Keeping your head up and your torso as erect as possible
(and only bending forward when necessary to drop farther down),
bend your knees, allowing your knees to travel outward over your
toes. Try to lower yourself so your thighs go well past parallel to the
floor, but do not bounce out of the low position—and do not allow
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your lower back to flatten or round in the low position. Resisting
the temptation to lean forward excessively, push out of the bottom
position to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your legs, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: If you have trouble holding the bar, you can wrap lifting straps
around the bar and hold onto the ends of the straps.
Front Step-up, DB
Because the torso is kept vertical throughout, the step-up places
maximal stress on the legs and minimal stress on the lower back.
Another advantage is that the precise range of motion of the legs is
predetermined by the height of the step used.
Ready Position: Find a sturdy box or platform high enough so that
when you put one foot on it, your upper thigh is parallel to the floor.
Hold two dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing each other. Face the box or platform so the entire surface of your right foot
is on the top of the box and your left foot is on the floor, just a few
inches away from the box. Point your right foot straight ahead or
slightly out, whichever position you find the most stable. Pull your
shoulders back and look straight ahead.
Action: Perform the exercise by straightening your right leg, keeping your left foot just a few inches from the box. After straightening
your right leg, slowly return to the start. Do not allow your back leg
to cross behind your right leg as this will cause you to lose balance.
Continue in this manner until you have completed all the reps for
that set, then switch legs.
Breathing: Hold your breath, straighten your leg, then exhale during
the descent.
Tips: To increase the difficulty of this exercise, lift the toes of your
trailing leg as you push off.
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Good Morning, BB, Seated
Here is an underused – but extremely effective—exercise for the
hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
Ready Position: Remove a barbell from supports, holding the bar
on your shoulders. Sit down on the edge of a bench so that you are
straggling it. Position your feet hip-width apart.
Action: Perform the exercise by leaning forward from the hip, going
down as far as flexibility will allow.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lean forward, then exhale as you
straighten your torso after you past the sticking point.
Tips: If you find it difficult to hold the bar steady as your perform
this exercise, use a Manta Ray device.
Good Morning, BB, Standing, Wide Stance
This is the standard version of this powerful exercise for the lower
back, hamstrings, and glutes.
Ready Position: Remove a barbell from supports, holding the bar
on your shoulders. Bend you knees slightly. Position your feet shoulder-width apart.
Action: Perform the exercise by leaning forward from the hip, going
down as far as flexibility will allow.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lean forward, then exhale after you
past the sticking point on the way up.
Tips: Be careful not to lock your knees while performing the exercise.
Hammer Curl, DB, Standing
Here’s a variation of the biceps curl that strongly works the forearms.
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Ready Position: Grasp two dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms
facing each other) and sit on a bench. Allow your arms to hang
down at your sides. Lift your chest up and look straight ahead.
Action: Curl the dumbbells to your shoulders, paying special attention not to turn the dumbbells upward. Throughout the exercise
keep your upper arms as close to perpendicular to the floor as possible. Reverse the technique to lower the weights to the start.
Breathing: Exhale as you flex your biceps; inhale as you extend
them.
Tips: If available, use a bench with a backrest to help prevent you
from leaning backward during the exercise.
Lateral Raise, DB, Seated
This variation of the lateral raise helps reduce the tendency to cheat
on the exercise by using your legs.
Ready Position: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit on the edge
of a bench, straddling it. Bend your elbows slightly.
Action: Keeping your elbows slightly bent, lift the dumbbells until
they are parallel to the floor, and then return to the start. Be certain
the weight stays in line with your body; don’t turn your hand up, and
don’t shift the weight forward.
Breathing: Inhale, hold your breath, then raise the dumbbells; exhale as you lower them.
Tips: It’s best to perform this exercise in front of a mirror, as it can
be difficult to determine when the weight is parallel to the floor.
Lateral Raise, DB, Seated, Accentuated Eccentric
This variation of the lateral raise changes the leverage of the arms to
increase the resistance during the lowering phase of the exercise.
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Ready Position: Hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit on the edge
of a bench, straddling it. Bend your elbows slightly. Bend your elbows about 15-20 degrees so that it is easier to lift them.
Action: Keeping your elbow slightly bent, lift the dumbbells until
they are parallel to the floor, and then return to the start. Be certain
the weight stays in line with your body; don’t turn your hands up
and don’t shift the weight forward.
Breathing: Inhale, hold your breath, then raise the dumbbells; exhale as you lower them.
Tips: It’s best to perform this exercise in front of a mirror, as it can
be difficult to determine when the weight is parallel to the floor. Lifting the weight above horizontal may cause shoulder pain in some
individuals.
Leg Curl, Prone, Toes In, Plantarflexed
This version of the leg curl focuses on the semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles of the hamstrings. Pointing the toes reduces
the involvement of the calves.
Ready Position: Position yourself in the machine so your ankles rest
behind the pads and your knees are in line with the pulley (cam).
Action: Hook your ankles behind the roller pad and turn your toes in
(medial rotation) and point your toes. Pull your ankles toward your
buttocks; ideally, you want the pad to touch your buttocks.
Breathing: Hold your breath, flex your legs, and exhale during the
descent.
Tips: Avoid the tendency to jerk the weight at the start; if you can’t
achieve a full range of motion on this exercise, the weight you’re
using is probably too heavy.
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Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Neutral, Dorsiflexed
This version of the leg curl has your toes pulled towards you, increasing the involvement of the calves, thus enabling you to use more
weight.
Ready Position: Position yourself in the machine so your ankles rest
behind the pads and your knees are in line with the pulley (cam).
Action: Hook your ankles behind the roller pad and pull your toes
towards you (dorsiflexion). Pull your ankles toward your buttocks;
ideally, you want the pad to touch your buttocks.
Breathing: Hold your breath, flex your legs, and exhale during the
descent.
Tips: Avoid the tendency to jerk the weight at the start; if you can’t
achieve a full range of motion on this exercise, the weight you’re
using is probably too heavy.
Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Neutral, Plantarflexed
This is the standard version of the leg curl, but with the toes pointed
to reduce involvement of the calves.
Ready Position: Position yourself on the machine so your ankles
rest behind the pads and your knees are in line with the pulley
(cam). Hook your ankles behind the roller pad and turn your toes in
(medial rotation). Point your toes.
Action: Pull your ankles toward your buttocks; ideally, you want the
pad to touch your buttocks.
Breathing: Hold your breath, flex your legs, and exhale during the
descent.
Tips: Avoid the tendency to jerk the weight at the start; if you can’t
achieve a full range of motion on this exercise, the weight you’re
using is probably too heavy.
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Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Out, Dorsflexed
This version of the leg curl focuses on the biceps femoris muscle of
the hamstrings, which tends to be weaker in comparison to the semitendinosus and the semimembranosus.
Ready Position: Position yourself on the machine so your ankles
rest behind the pads and your knees are in line with the pulley
(cam).
Action: Hook your ankles behind the roller pad and pull your toes
towards you (dorsiflexion). Pull your ankles toward your buttocks;
ideally, you want the pad to touch your buttocks.
Breathing: Hold your breath, flex your legs, and exhale during the
descent.
Tips: Avoid the tendency to jerk the weight at the start; if you can’t
achieve a full range of motion on this exercise, the weight you’re
using is probably too heavy.
Leg Curl, Prone, Toes Out, Plantarflexed
This variation of the leg curl focuses on the biceps femoris muscle of
the hamstrings.
Ready Position: Position yourself in the machine so your ankles rest
behind the pads and your knees are in line with the pulley (cam).
Action: Hook your ankles behind the roller pad and turn your toes
out and point them. Pull your ankles toward your buttocks; ideally,
you want the pad to touch your buttocks. Hold the peak contraction
briefly before returning to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, flex your legs, and exhale during the
descent.
Tips: Avoid the tendency to jerk the weight at the start; if you can’t
achieve a full range of motion on this exercise, the weight you’re
using is probably too heavy.
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Lunge, DB
Because it takes some practice to become proficient holding a
barbell for the lunge, this is a great exercise to help beginners learn
proper form.
Ready Position: Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and assume a
standing position with your feet spread about hip-width apart. Hold
the dumbbells at your sides so your palms are facing each other.
Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and head level.
Action: Take a big step forward and lower your hips, allowing your
trailing knee to drop to a point just before it touches the floor (never,
ever, allow your knee to touch the floor). To return to the start, push
off with your forward leg and then step back when your front knee is
completely straight. Repeat for your opposite leg. A single repetition
for the lunge consists of one complete movement for each leg.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower your hips, and exhale during the
ascent after you are past the sticking point.
Tips: Because your back is held vertical during this exercise, you
should not feel any significant pressure on your lower back. If you
do, you’re probably leaning forward during the exercise or have
weak back muscles. As you increase the resistance in this exercise
you may find it difficult to hold on to the weights. When this becomes a problem, use wrist straps.
Pull-up, Wide Grip
This variation of the chin-up (palms facing you) increases the overload on the elbow flexors that bend the arms.
Ready Position: Grasp a chin-up bar with a supinated grip (palms
facing you), hands spaced shoulder-width apart. Allow your arms
to straighten, but do not hyperextend your elbows or excessively stretch your shoulders—you should have tension on the bar
throughout the entire movement.
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Action: Bend your arms and flex your shoulders until your chin is
over the bar. At the peak contraction position, your shoulder blades
should be pinched together. Reverse the technique to return to the
start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, pull yourself over the bar, and exhale
as you lower yourself to the start.
Tips: This should be a natural movement; do not use the technique
advocated by many exercise specialists in which you fully retract
your shoulders and then follow through with your arms - this is
especially stressful to the smaller muscles of your upper back and
may eventually cause injury.
Romanian Deadlift
This variation of the deadlift places less emphasis on the quadriceps
and more on the hamstrings and lower back.
Ready Position: Stand in front of the barbell and position your feet
about hip-width apart. Crouch down and grasp the barbell. Arching
your back and looking straight ahead or slightly up, stand up so the
bar is resting on your mid-thighs.
Action: Keeping your back arched, lean forward so that your hips
move backward, only allowing your knees to bend about 15 degrees.
Continue leaning forward until you feel your back starting to round,
at which point you return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower the weight and exhale as you
pass the sticking point on the way up.
Tips: Keeping your chest out is a good cue to help keep your back
arched. You can do this exercise by removing a barbell from the supports of a power rack.
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Row, Cable, Seated, Medium Grip, Neutral
This popular back exercise requires the use of a low-pulley cable
apparatus and a short, straight bar handle.
Ready Position: Sit down on a bench near a low pulley and grasp
the rope, palms facing you. Lift the handles over your head, turn
around with your back facing the weight stack, and spread your legs
about shoulder-width apart.
Action: Lower the handles being you as far as comfortable – your
elbows will naturally flare out to the sides slightly. After going as far
as comfortable, straighten your arms.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower the pulley handles, and exhale as
you extend your arms.
Tips: Using a weightlifting belt will help prevent you from hyperextending your lower back.
Row, Cable, Seated, Wide Grip, Neutral
This popular back exercise requires the use of a low row machine
and a wide grip attachment.
Ready Position: Sit down on the machine and grasp the bar with a
wide grip, palms facing down. Your legs should be slightly bent to
minimize the stress on your lower back. Arch your back slightly and
tuck in your chin.
Action: Without leaning forward or backward, pull your shoulders
back while bending your arms. Your arms should be traveling a few
inches away from your sides as you do this. Finish the movement by
squeezing your shoulder blades together. Reverse this technique to
return to the start. As you perform this entire movement, keep your
head in line with your torso - do not poke your head forward.
Breathing: Exhale as you pull the weight to your chest; inhale as you
straighten your arms.
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Tips: As you pull the bar to your chest, focus on lifting your chest up
to meet the bar—this may help you squeeze your shoulder blades
together.
Row, DB, Single Arm, Supported Elbow Out
Because individual muscles contract harder when worked with single-limb exercises, this is an excellent variation of the seated rowing
exercise.
Ready Position: Sit in front of a low-pulley machine that has a
swivel-mounted pulley. If this is not available, most cable crossover
machines have this design. This is important, because with a fixed
pulley the cable can easily slip over the groove of the pulley. Grasp a
pulley handle with your left hand, palm down. Place your other hand
on our right thigh. Your knees should be slightly bent.
Action: Pull the handle to the middle portion of your chest in one
smooth motion, keeping the hand pointed down throughout the
exercise. As you complete the exercise with your left hand, lean
back slightly and twist to the left a few degrees to ensure maximum
range of motion. Perform all the reps for that set before repeating
for the other side.
Breathing: Exhale as you pull the weight to your torso; inhale as you
return the weight to the start.
Tips: If you have trouble holding on to the cable during the exercise,
reinforce your grip with straps.
Row, Single Arm, Seated, Cable, Pronating
Because individual muscles contract harder when worked with single-limb exercises, this is an excellent variation of the seated rowing
exercise.
Ready Position: Sit in front of a low-pulley machine that has a
swivel-mounted pulley. If this is not available, most cable crossover
machines have this design. This is important, because with a fixed
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pulley the cable can easily slip over the groove of the pulley. Grasp a
pulley handle with your left hand, palm down. Place your other hand
on our right thigh. Your knees should be slightly bent.
Action: Pull the handle to the middle portion of your chest in one
smooth motion, keeping the hand pointed down throughout the
exercise. As you complete the exercise with your left hand, lean
back slightly and twist to the left a few degrees to ensure maximum
range of motion. Perform all the reps for that set before repeating
for the other side.
Breathing: Exhale as you pull the weight to your torso; inhale as you
return the weight to the start.
Tips: If you have trouble holding on to the cable during the exercise,
reinforce your grip with straps.
Row to Forehead, Rope, Seated
This popular back exercise requires the use of a low-pulley cable
apparatus and a rope handle.
Ready Position: Sit down on a bench near a low pulley and grasp a
rope attachment, palms facing down.
Action: Pull the handles towards your forehead, elbows flared out
and up, then return to the start.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower the pulley handles, and exhale as
you extend your arms.
Tips: Using a weightlifting belt will help prevent your from hyperextending your lower back.
Scott Curl, BB, Close Grip, Supinated
Here’s a unique exercise to isolate the biceps, especially at the finish
position. Because this exercise entails a high level of resistance at the
start, you may experience considerable soreness the first time you
try it, despite having performed curls recently.
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Ready Position: Grasp a barbell and sit on a preacher bench. Hold
the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing up) with your hands
slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms.
Action: Keeping your upper arms stationary and your triceps in constant contact with the arm support, curl the bar in an arch toward
your shoulders. Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: To increase the isolation of the biceps, perform the movement
with your wrists turned down.
Scott Curl, DB, Close Grip, Supinated
As dumbbells are less stable than barbells, this variation of the Scott
curl provides a different stimulus to the not just the biceps, but also
the forearms.
Ready Position: Grasp two dumbbells and sit on a preacher bench.
Hold the dumbbells with a supinated grip (palms facing up) with
your elbows positioned slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
Extend your arms.
Action: Keeping your upper arms stationary and your triceps in constant contact with the arm support, curl the bar in an arch toward
your shoulders. Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: To increase the isolation of the biceps, perform the movement
with your wrists turned down.
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Scott Curl, EZ Bar, Close Grip, Supinated
This variation of Scott curl uses an EZ bar, and as such places less
stress on your wrists.
Ready Position: Grasp a barbell and sit on a preacher bench. Hold
the bar with a supinated grip (palms facing up, but slightly turned
in) with your hands slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
Extend your arms.
Action: Keeping your upper arms stationary and your triceps in constant contact with the arm support, curl the bar in an arch toward
your shoulders. Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: If you had issues with your wrists in the past, this may be a
much more comfortable way to perform this exercise.
Scott Curl, BB, Medium Grip, Pronated
This variation of the Scott curl emphasizes the forearms.
Ready Position: Grasp a barbell and sit on a preacher bench. Hold a
barbell with an overhand grip (palms facing down) with your hands
slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms.
Action: Keeping your upper arms stationary and your triceps in constant contact with the arm support, curl the bar in an arch toward
your shoulders. Reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: You might find your range of motion slightly restricted in this
exercise in the extended position.
Seated Half Press/Hairline Press
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This is a specialized exercise strongly overloads the shoulders and
triceps. It is performed in a power rack.
Ready Position: Position the safety supports in a power rack slightly
lower than the level of your forehead, then rest a barbell across it.
Action: Press the barbell overhead to arms’ length, then return the
bar to forehead level.
Breathing: Hold your breath, press the barbell overhead, and exhale
after you’ve pressed the weights to arms’ length.
Tips: A weightlifting belt can help support your back to prevent you
from leaning too far backward.
Shoulder Press, BB, Standing
Shoulder presses with a barbell are a classic exercise with a barbell,
and is considered one of the best exercises to develop the shoulders,
triceps, and abdominals.
Ready Position: Place a barbell on your shoulders with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away from your body.
Action: Press the barbell overhead to arms’ length, leaning slightly
backward at the start to avoid hitting your chin. Push your head
forward after the bar passes your head.
Breathing: Hold your breath, press the weights overhead, and exhale after you’ve passed the sticking point.
Tips: A weightlifting belt can help support your back to help prevent
you from leaning too far backward.
Shoulder Press, DB, Seated, Pronated
Here is a popular variation of the overhead press, performed with
dumbbells. It is one of the best exercises for strengthening the shoulders and triceps.
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Ready Position: Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and lift them to
your shoulders, palms facing away from your body. Straddle a bench
and sit down.
Action: Press the dumbbells overhead to arms’ length—the weights
should travel in an arch coming together at the top. Lower to complete the movement.
Breathing: Hold your breath, press the weights overhead, and exhale after you’ve pressed the weights to arms’ length.
Tips: Using a bench with a back support will help stabilize your
torso during the exercise.
Shoulder Press, DB, Seated, Neutral
A neutral grip and dumbbells tends to be easier on the shoulders.
Ready Position: Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and lift them to
your shoulders, palms facing each other. Straddle a bench and sit
down.
Action: Press the dumbbells overhead to arms’ length—the weights
should travel in an arch coming together at the top. Lower to complete the movement.
Breathing: Hold your breath, press the weights overhead, and exhale after you’ve pressed the weights to arms’ length.
Tips: Using a bench with a back support will help stabilize your
torso during the exercise.
Shoulder Press, Thick Bar, Seated
Thick bars not only improve your grip strength, but also increase
your pressing strength.
Ready Position: Place a thick barbell on your shoulders with a grip
slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away from your
body. Straddle a bench and sit down.
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Action: Press the barbell overhead to arms’ length, leaning slightly
backward at the start to avoid hitting your chin. Push your head
forward after the bar passes your head.
Breathing: Hold your breath, press the weights overhead, and exhale after you’ve pressed the weights to arms’ length.
Tips: A weightlifting belt can help support your back to prevent you
from leaning too far backward.
Shoulder Press, Thick Bar, Standing
Here is another variation of the thick bar standing press, performed
from a standing position.
Ready Position: Place a thick barbell on your shoulders with a grip
slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away from your
body.
Action: Press the barbell overhead to arms’ length, leaning slightly
backward at the start to avoid hitting your chin. Push your head
forward after the bar passes your head.
Breathing: Hold your breath, press the weights overhead, and exhale after you’ve pressed the weights to arms’ length.
Tips: A weightlifting belt can help support your back to prevent you
from leaning too far backward.
Split Squat, BB
This variation of the split squat enables you to use considerably more
weight than dumbbells.
Ready Position: Place a barbell on your shoulders and assume a
standing position with your feet spread about hip-width apart. Hold
the dumbbells at your sides so your palms are facing each other.
Keep your chest up, shoulders back and head level. Assume a split
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position with your front foot on the platform; your entire foot should
be in contact with the surface. Your back heel should be off the
floor, and your knee should be slightly bent.
Action: Lower your hips, allowing your trailing knee to drop to a
point just before it touches the floor. Straighten both legs to return
to the start. Perform all the reps for one leg before placing your
other foot in front.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower your hips, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: You should perform this exercise in a power rack to ensure
your safety.
Split Squat, DB
This variation of the split squat is excellent for beginners as the
dumbbells make the exercise more stable.
Ready Position: Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and assume a
standing position with your feet spread about hip-width apart. Hold
the dumbbells at your sides so your palms are facing each other.
Keep your chest up, shoulders back and head level. Assume a split
position with your front foot on the platform; your entire foot should
be in contact with the surface. Your back heel should be off the
floor, and your knee should be slightly bent.
Action: Lower your hips, allowing your trailing knee to drop to a
point just before it touches the floor. Straighten both legs to return
to the start. Perform all the reps for one leg before placing your
other foot in front.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower your hips, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: As you increase the resistance in this exercise you may find it
difficult to hold on to the weights. When this becomes a problem,
use wrist straps.
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Triceps Extension, DB, Decline, Neutral Grip
MRI studies have shown that the decline dumbbell triceps extension
is one of the most effective movements for recruiting the triceps.
Ready Position: Lie face-up on a decline bench and hook your feet
under the padded rollers while holding a pair of dumbbells. Using a
semi-supinated grip so your palms are facing each other, press the
dumbbells upward in a bench press fashion.
Action: Holding the elbows stationary and lower the dumbbells until the forearms make contact with the biceps. At this point, the end
of the dumbbell will probably be making contact with your shoulders. Lift the dumbbells back to the starting position. The elbows
should be the only joint moving during this exercise.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale during the
ascent after you’ve past the sticking point.
Tips: When using especially heavy weights, have a spotter hand
you the bar.
Triceps Extension, EZ Bar, Close Grip, Pronated
This powerful triceps exercise uses an EZ bar, which tends to be easier on the wrists.
Ready Position: Sit on a flat bench and grasp an EZ bar, palms facing down. Your head should be fully supported on the bench.
Action: Holding the elbows stationary, bend your arms until your
forearms make contact with the biceps, then press the bar overhead. The lower arms should be the only bodypart moving in this
exercise.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale during the
ascent after you’re past the sticking point.
Tips: When using especially heavy weights, have a spotter hand
you the bar.
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Zottman Curl, DB, Scott Bench
This is a multi-purpose curl that strongly works the forearms.
Ready Position: Grab two dumbbells and sit down. Start with your
palms in a neutral position (palms facing each other).
Action: Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the bar in an arch
toward your shoulders. At the top rotate your hands so that they are
facing away from your body, then slowly lower them to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your arms, and exhale halfway
down or when your arms have returned to the start position.
Tips: To increase the training effect, squeeze the dumbbell handles
hard as you lower them to the start.
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CHAPTER 10
Questions and Answers about GVT
Many articles have been written about the German Volume Training
program, but we still get questions. Here are the answers to the most
common questions we’ve received about this amazing mass-building
workout.
Q: Is GVT as effective as the German Body Comp program for losing
bodyfat?
A: GVT does not produce the same level of growth hormone release as the GBC program, so is not as effective in the short term for
reducing bodyfat. The trade-off is that because GVT is a superior
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method of increasing muscles mass, it will more effectively raise
one’s metabolism (i.e., the rate at which you burn calories). Thus, in
the long run, GVT can be extremely effective for reducing bodyfat.
Q: Is GVT appropriate for women who want to lose fat?
A: Yes! Often women find that for every pound of lean tissue they
gain, they will lose an equal amount of fat weight. When you also
consider that behind every feminine curve is a muscle, it’s a win-win
deal.
Q: Some exercise authorities would say that if a person is in extremely bad shape and overweight, it would be better to have them
build a minimal level of strength by performing a low-intensity
aerobic program such as walking before beginning a weight training
program. Is this good advice?
A: For the chronically obese, weight training is a better way to train
because it can bring about faster changes in body composition. However, GVT is an advanced program and thus is not recommended for
untrained or poorly conditioned individuals.
Q: It’s been suggested that to enhance fat loss, training should be
performed in the morning on an empty stomach, as the body’s glycogen stores are low and fat is immediately accessed. Is this a good
idea?
A: If you lift weights in the morning, try having a light meal before
you work out because your blood sugar is so low in the morning and
this workout is going to lower it even more. This effect may cause
you to feel nauseated and dizzy. If you’re talking about performing
a short, low-intensity aerobic session, then it may not be a problem
except that the aerobics may compromise muscle tissue.
Q: How does GVT create muscle growth?
A: The German Volume Training program works by targeting a group
of motor units, exposing them to an extensive volume of repeated
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efforts. The body adapts to this extraordinary stress by increasing
the size of the targeted fibers.
Q: Can the GVT program increase testosterone?
A: Among the loading parameters that work best for increasing testosterone are those that have a high volume of work, use exercises
that involve a lot of muscle mass, and have rest intervals between
sets that are relatively short. These are the characteristics of GVT.
Q: When do you increase the weight in a GVT Program?
A: You only increase the weight once all 10 sets are completed with
the pre-determined starting weight. You do not try to reach failure
on all sets; only the last three sets should be hard—thus only the last
set is maximal. Basically you get the training effect from the law of
repeated efforts. Once you are able to complete 10 sets and all the
reps for a specific weight, increase the weight by 2 1/2 to 5 percent.
A: What is the tempo prescription for each exercise?
Q: As a general guideline, for long-range movements such as squats,
dips, and chins, use a 40X0 or a 4010 tempo. This means you would
lower the weight in four seconds and immediately change direction
and lift explosively (or for 1 second) for the concentric portion. For
short-range movements such as curls and triceps extensions, a tempo of 30X0 or 3010 is often used.
Q: What type of exercises should be performed in GVT?
A: Select exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass. Triceps kickbacks and wrist curls are definitely out, but squats are definitely in.
Q: Can machine exercises be used for GVT?
A: Machine exercises should be avoided because they do not have
the same effects from a total body training perspective due to their
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increased stability. Performing 10x10 of leg presses is certainly difficult, but nowhere near as difficult as 10x10 of squats.
Q: Can you use the Olympic lifts with GVT?
A: You shouldn’t. First, it would be difficult to maintain proper form
in these complex exercises using such high repetitions. Second, the
time under tension for the Olympic lifts and their assistance exercises is too short to create maximal gains in hypertrophy. Canadian
weightlifting coach Pierre Roy used the program to quickly increase
the muscle mass of his weightlifters to move them into a higher
bodyweight class, not to increase performance.
Q: Can lat pulldowns be substituted for chin-up exercises?
A: They are not as effective as chin-ups, but they can be used.
However, consider that a training partner can provide assistance to
enable you to complete all the reps. if you cannot perform all the
reps, have a spotter assist you. Bend one knee, and as you perform
the exercise have the spotter pull up on the ankle of that leg.
Q: Can forced reps be used with GVT?
A: No – the reps should be performed without any outside assistance.
Q: Why are shorter rest intervals, such as 30 seconds, not used in
GVT?
A: Because doing so reduces muscle tension, and there is an optimal
level of muscle tension is needed to develop size.
Q: Can GVT be considered a form of functional hypertrophy?
A: Functional hypertrophy is muscle growth that is strategic such that
it grows your muscles in a way that will improve physical performance.
GVT can improve sports performance in sports where a high level of
muscle mass is a factor, which is often the case with a football line-
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man. As a general guideline, however, the GVT loading parameters
should not be considered functional hypertrophy training.
Q: Other than football linemen, what sports applications does the
GVT have?
A: The fighting sports, which has athletes competing in bodyweight
classes. Let’s say a high school freshman weighs 135 pounds at a
height of six feet, and would probably be wrestling at 175 pounds in
his senior year. If this athlete would try to add 10 pounds of muscle
a year, the result is that this athlete would have less than a year to
get accustomed to wrestling at this optimal bodyweight. Instead,
this athlete could use GVT and move up to 175 pounds sooner, thus
giving him more time to become accustomed to performing at this
heavier bodyweight.
Q: Is it better for an athlete to use this program in the post-season,
or in the pre-season so that the improvements in muscular endurance are at their highest levels?
A: It’s best to use it post-season. First, you will create large changes
in body mass that can affect coordination, so you want as much time
to get used to the changes before the start of the next sports season. Also, when performing German Volume Training, it’s difficult to
do anything else – and your nervous system would be shot. In fact,
a resent study found that athletes are adversely affected more just
before a competition with higher reps, not lower reps and higher
intensity.
Q: What accommodations are there in GVT for those with orthopedic problems?
A: In certain exercises, they can substitute machines for the free
weight exercises until their condition improves. Someone with a
lower back problem would be better off performing leg presses, for
example. And exercises can be substituted. If conventional bench
presses bother an individual’s shoulders, log presses might be better
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as the hands are in a neutral position, which can be easier on the
shoulders.
Q: Is the GVT effective for those suffering from overuse injuries such
as tendinitis?
A: Possibly. But as far as tendinitis is concerned, this condition may
be associated with uneven tension in the muscular structures, which
sometimes can be resolved with soft-tissue treatments.
Q: Is there room in GVT for a person who needs to perform rehabilitation exercises, such as rotator cuff exercises for the shoulder, and
how should they modify their workout?
A: Rehabilitation exercises should be performed at the end of the
program. The primary goal of GVT is to produce maximum muscle
mass, so you want to perform the primary exercises in the first part
of a workout.
Q: Can steady-state aerobics or high intensity interval training be
performed with GVT?
A: Adding aerobic training will compromise gains in strength and
muscle mass, even with high-intensity interval training. (For more
details on how aerobic training intensity will affect your strength
training workout, check out this article by Fyfe et all, “Endurance
training intensity does not mediate interference to maximal lower-body strength gain during short-term concurrent training,’’ published in Frontiers in Physiology, Nov 3, 2016.) The bottom line is that
you will make better progress with GVT if you exclude aerobic training, but if you must do aerobics, it should be held to a minimum.
Q: Can aerobics be used as a warm-up in the GVT program?
A: Aerobics can be used at the start of a workout to raise body
processes such as respiration and body temperature up to the level
of the training, especially if you are training in a cold environment.
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However, consider that the weight you are using for each exercise is
relatively light and as such the exercises serve as a warm-up.
Q: Is GVT the same as Vince Gironda’s 8x8 workout, but with more
reps and sets?
A: No, the time under tension is shorter with the 8x8 program as
are the rest intervals, and as such it is not as effective for building
muscle mass as GVT. Gironda’s 8x8 workout could be considered a
hybrid of GVT and GBC.
Q: Is the GVT Program safe for children?
A: It would be difficult for most children to focus on this many sets
or be able to recover from such stress.
Q: Is there a particular diet that the GVT Program works best with,
such as high protein/low fat?
A: As a general rule, the best diet for GVT can be summed up in one
sentence: “If it doesn’t swim, run, fly, and it’s not green—don’t eat
it! In other words, you should focus on eating vegetables and animal-based protein. Also, consider that protein requirements will be
greater on this type of workout.
Q: Should calorie-restricted diets be used with GVT?
A: A diet too low in calories could compromise gains in strength and
muscle mass, especially if you do not consume enough protein.
Q: What about research that says that 5 sets is just as effective as 10
sets for achieving maximum muscle growth?
A: A study was published in an NSCA journal suggesting that five
sets was just as effective as 10 sets for achieving the goals of the
program. The issue that stood out was the workout, which was modified by changing several of the loading parameters, such as training
frequency, rest, and the intensity of the exercises. Yes, this study
was performed well in regards to measuring strength and body composition, and it passed all the stringent requirements demanded of
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a NSCA journal article. But the bottom line is that the workout used
in this study was not the German Volume Training program as it was
originally written.
Q: What kind of muscle mass gains can be expected with GVT?
A: GVT builds muscle fast: In males, gains of 5 pounds of muscle in
males in three weeks have been reported.
Q: Can you perform the GVT year-round?
A: No, it is best to use a variety of training programs to help you stay
motivated and make continual progress.
If you have not achieved great results in the GVT program, review
these answers and the articles about this training method to get back
on track. The German Volume Training program is one of the most
difficult workout programs you will ever perform, but the results are
worth it.
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