German, gvt variatiation from muscletech.com

[Dan74]

http://www.muscletech.com/TRAINING/GVT/index.shtml

What you guys think of this program?

just finish a hst cycle and im thinking about giving a shot a this one...

please comments..

[Darkhorse]

You'll overtrain! I'll break it down:

Day 1
Chest Dumbell Bench Press 10 10
Dumbell Flyes 3 10-15
Shoulders Barbell Shoulder Press 10 10
Seated Side Lateral Raises 3 10-15
Calves Standing Calf Raises 10 10
Seated Calf Raises 10 10

1. After 100 reps of DB presses, you don't need the flyes. Totally overkill.

2. Doing shoulder presses (10x10) after you already did db presses is another waste of time as db presses smoke your anterior delts. Doing another 100 reps is pointless.

3. 200 calf raises?

Day 2 OFF

Day 3
Back Bent-Over Barbell Rows 10 10
Standing Straight Arm Pulldowns 3 10-15
Hamstrings Deadlifts 10 10
Lying Leg Curls 3 10-15
Abs Hanging Leg Raises 10 10
Crunches 10 10

1. 10 x 10 deadlifting???? Even if it's SLDL's, you'll burn out your CNS.

2. Leg curls after 100 deadlifts for your hammies is beyond stupid.

Day 4 OFF

Day 5
Quads Barbell Squats 10 10
Leg Extensions 3 10-15
Biceps Barbell Curls 3 10-12
Alternating Dumbell Curls 3 10-12
Triceps Close Grip Bench Press 3 10-12
Cable Pressdowns 3 10-12

1. 100 reps squatting will destroy your quads, you don't need extensions.

2. Wow, the arms isn't bad.. Although if you were to follow Day 1's template, your triceps would only JUST get their feeling back by Day 5.

Day 6 OFF

Day 7 Repeat

Repeat? Enough said.

[Darkhorse]

If you do want to explore GVT, I suggest something along the lines of what ironaddict wrote:

Originally Posted by IA

I use this for various reasons. Either to unload the joints from the heavy pounding of low reps, or to get some fast growth. Works for both. I only use ONE lift when doing the 10 x 10 version and it looks something like this most often:

Monday

Dumbbell Bench Press 10 x 10
Chin-up 10 x 10

Wednesday

Squats 10 x 10
Calf 5 x 10

Friday

Dips 10 x 10
Incline Dumbbell Curls 10 x 10

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Why does GVT work for some people?

Joe BB'er can squat 350 x 5, that equals 1750 lbs of tonnage. if he does a static weight 5 x 5 he will likely be using about 335 for his sets. 335 x 5, x 5 sets =8375. LOTS of tonnage.

Depending on muscle fiber composistion he can likely do about 280 x 20 if pushed, the 20 rep weight would be his starting point for his 10 rep sets. 280 x 10 equals 2800 lbs of tonnage. If he can get his 10 x 10 with this weight his tonnage for the workout is 28,000 lbs!

Thats why people that aren't overtrained into the ground grow fast on 10 x 10's.

I just had 2 advanced lifters this week tell me they have gained 4-6 lbs in 4 weeks of 10 x 10. For those that are "recovery challenged" all it does is beat them into the ground, but it is still a good switch-up routine to insert from time to time for many lifters.

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It works for about 4 weeks, and for those it works for they get stronger on it each week. It is mainly for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy while in the 10 x 10 phase (the 10 x 5's build much more contractile protein) but some contractile protein is built. Transfer to lower reps is very individualistic. Like most people sets of 10 don't help their 1rm much, for others it helps. I had a guy I used to train recently contact me that ran 10 x 10 for 4 weeks and decided to see how much strength he lost on his 1rm's To his suprise he hit PR's on squats, benches and deads. This is not something I woud count on though.

Hypertrophy work is a very different animal than strengh work. But until you are already quite strong, strength work IS hypertrophy work. Once you have a base built, then you can and probably should start playing with hypertrophy work if more size is your goal.

IA

*hint hint*