07-03-2025
Old-School German Volume Training Still Offers Big Bodybuilding Results
Bodybuilders first popularized the German Volume Training (GVT) method in the 1970s, when they realized they could gain lots of lean muscle mass by subjecting their muscle fibers to a tremendous amount of overload.
German Volume Training was then re-popularized by legendary coach Charles Poliquin in the early 1990s, says strength coach Jim "Smitty" Smith, C.P.P.S. "While it is very efficient at building more muscle mass (hypertrophy) in a short amount of time, the key is the intensity (amount of weight used vs. amount of reps per set) used during the high-volume protocol."
Charles often recommended a load of around 60 percent of 1RM (a lifter's greatest effort for 1 good repetition), says Smith.
The goal is to perform 10 sets of 10 repetitions for one exercise per body part during a workout, so each workout may consist of only three or four exercises. Lifters should focus on one big exercise for each body part for the 10x10 approach and include some accessory lifts to wrap up the workout with 3 sets of 10 reps.
As the name implies, German Volume Training forces muscle to endure a huge volume of work, so the tempo of the workout should be slow. Rest times between sets are relatively short—between 60 and 90 seconds. Because the volume is so high, lifters should start with a lighter weight than normal to combat fatigue on the later sets.
"GVT is very demanding and should be cycled in and out of your training cycle on a periodic basis," says Smith.
"Too much volume, too often is the quick path to over-training and poor gains. In addition, when considering the volume, volume, the amount of weight on the bar, and perfect technique is important," he says.
A sample schedule would have lifters working out on the following schedule:
Monday - Chest/BackTuesday - Legs/AbsThursday - Arms/Shoulders
Although it may seem simple, GVT can certainly stimulate big gains in lean muscle. The intense amount of volume will spur muscle growth in both beginner and advanced lifters.
Because the volume is so high, lifters should monitor their progress carefully and watch out for overtraining. Due to the difficulty of GVT-style workouts, you'll probably recover much slower than normal. For that reason, each body part should only be hit once per week.
1A) Incline Bench Press - 10 sets of 10 reps1B) Chin-up - 10 sets of 10 reps2A) Tricep Extensions - 3 sets of 10 reps2B) Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 10 reps
