{"id":8394,"date":"2020-12-01T17:13:55","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T17:13:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/?p=8394"},"modified":"2024-11-27T16:19:31","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T16:19:31","slug":"build-muscle-with-gvt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/build-muscle-with-gvt\/","title":{"rendered":"Build Muscle With GVT"},"content":{"rendered":"

German Volume Training (GVT) is a weight training technique designed to maximise lean muscle growth with its unique ability to place vast amounts of stress onto one motor unit (group of muscle fibres).<\/span><\/p>\n

Developed in Germany in the 70s, German volume training (GVT) was taken up by national weightlifting coach Rolf Feser and used primarily in the off-season to bulk athletes up, increasing their lean body mass and help them build muscle with GVT.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes referred to as the \u2018Ten Sets Method\u2019, the workout consists of 10 sets of 10 repetitions, with minimal rest between sets. Used by Olympic weightlifters and professional bodybuilders, GVT is world renowned for promoting <\/span>hypertrophy;<\/span><\/i> this means increasing cell size of skeletal muscle. Highly recommended by one of the most successful strength coaches, Charles Poliquin \u2013 GVT has been used time and time again for over 40 years in building muscle mass effectively in short time frames.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over a 6 week period the goal is to complete 10 sets of 10 reps with 60% of your one rep max (1RM), due to cumulative fatigue this will take some weeks to accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n

WHY IT WORKS<\/b><\/h2>\n

GVT works by recruiting the same motor units for every set so as to place the greatest stress on muscle fibres leading to maximum muscle growth. Using one compound exercise the 10 rep range ensures the maximum hypertrophy benefits by training the same group of motor units with a large amount of volume. This means the exercise and angle stays the same for 10 sets putting extraordinary stress on the same muscle fibres.<\/span><\/p>\n

HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE WITH GVT<\/b><\/h2>\n

Pick one compound lift for each GVT section of your workout, the focus for each session should be on one muscle group. For example \u2018bench press day\u2019, here you use the bench press to carry out GVT before moving on to the rest of the session.<\/span><\/p>\n

The aim is to complete 10 sets of 10 reps with a weight roughly 60% of your 1 rep max for the compound lift, so if your 1RM is 100kg for the bench press, shoot for 10 sets with 60kg. Ideal rest between sets is short at only 90 seconds, which further challenges your recovery time.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the majority of lifters, 10 reps consistently every set will be very challenging, cumulative fatigue may only allow for 4 \u2013 6 reps in the last few sets. If this is the case don\u2019t worry, you are aiming to get 10 reps, but if you fail before that point your muscles have succeeded in being sufficiently fatigued so stop, rest and move on to the next set.<\/span><\/p>\n

After completing the GVT part of each workout, complete 1-2 more exercises on the same muscle group for 3 sets, 8-12 reps. This will ensure, firstly you are not overtraining \u2013 which is detrimental to muscle growth, and secondly that you stick to a hypertrophy rep range for the remainder of the workout.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try GVT by rotating four different workouts with a specific focus for each.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sample bench-press day workout:<\/span><\/p>\n