GVT gripjj

Hello!

Im going to do GVT(German Volume Training) with some gymnastic excersises and some weighted with a barbell. Slizzardman adviced some excercises and Im going to use most of these listed.

The program is divided into three bodypart splits:

Chest & Back - XR pushups and Dips, XR foot supported rows for back and XR Bulgarian row

Legs & Abs - Squats and ???, HLL half and windshield wiper

Arms & Shoulders - XR Biceps curls(ala Slizzardman) and ???? , military press and ???

If I have understood this right I should have two different exercises for each bodypart. So that means Im still missing some exercises for legs,arms and shoulders. Any suggestion what to choose here?

Another question I have is if the 10x10 is what I should be aiming for all the time in the GVT work. I guess its difficult to determine an exercise and know exactly that you will max out 10x10. Let's say for example I can do 10,10,10,10,10,8,8,7,6,5 in one exercise, is it ok to work from there and increase reps within next workout or do have I choosed a too difficult exercise to begin with?

Ideally you'd want 10x10, but if you're getting that many reps you're probably better off with 8x10 or 8x8 at first.

I will say that if you are looking to get actual performance out of this that you won't want to focus on GVT as your main program. I would do dips one day, box HSPU or even pike push ups one day, and the XR bicep curls one day as extra sessions outside of the WODs.

They are by FAR the most balanced way to work your body, and the GVT should be used to shore up weak points or to build up muscles that are holding you back. In the beginning, that probably will not be necessary.

I would suggest that you switch workouts between GVT standing military press and GVT box HeSPU as soon as you can. I know that can be pretty tough to do, so you may even want to do a hybrid workout where you do box HeSPU until you can't do 8 reps and then finish the rest of the sets with standing military press.

Thanks Slizzardman! I have never tried this kind of volume program before, so Im curious to see how it works and feels. In time Its maybe of better benefit to incorporate it in some other program as you suggest.

First workout today:

Arms and shoulders:

XR biceps curl: 10,10,10,10,10,8,7,6,5 This one felt really good, this exercise is hitting my biceps hard, more than pullups.

Military press Standing military press 40 kg barbell. 10,10,6

Miscalculated the weight here. I have no experience with box HeSPU yet. I have only done HeSPU before, but I will try and fit this in.

The overall feeling over GVT from this session is good. This produced lots of lactic acids in the muscles and at the moment Im not really used to this.It's especially the short rest periods that is a big difference. I took 60 sec rest between each set and it felt really short actually. I can only imagine when trying to cut rest periods.

Edit: BW this morning was 75,8kg.

I've caught a cold and not been able to train in some days. I'll be back 8)

Todays training:

Chest/back: XR pushups 10x10 XR row 3x10 feet placed on a chair.

Im happy with this session. I was just able to make the last rep in the XR pushups.

Now it's time to feed the body.

Today's training:

Legs/core: Squats 60kg 10,10,10,10,10, 50kg 10,10,10,10,10

Im starting out slowly on the squats. Felt good though! I didnt do any core work today, as I felt pretty worn out from the squats in the lower back and fatigued since yesterday training.

Today's training:

Arms/shoulders: Military press 35kg 10,10,10,10 30kg 10 25kg 10, 10 20kg, 10, 10, 10

XR Biceps curls 10, 10, 10

I REALLY miscalculated the military press. This was probably one of the most fatiguing set I've ever done I think. Maybe 20-25 kg had been ok starting weight for me. I dont think it's as easy to pick the weight you can do approx. 20 reps with. I guess different bodyparts are conditioned in different ways and differs in their way of dealing with lactic acid build-up. Any thoughts on this????

XR Biceps curls felt good!

BW today in the morning was 78,4kg.

You've figured it out. Most of us are nowhere near as well conditioned for anaerobic endurance as bodybuilders are, so that 20 rep rule is still going to be a bit heavy. That's why it's something that people have to figure out for themselves. Once you figure it out, you should be able to add 1-2% per workout for a while once you've been able to complete 10x10 with a single weight.

Thanks Slizzardman, I really appreciate the knowledge you share!

Today I did some shoulder dislocates and Coach's Wall extensions. I will most probably rest 2 days instead of 1 until next session. I dont doubt that 10 pounds can be gained from this program, my apetite is BIG while doing this GVT

I lost a little momentum of training due to some "pre-illness feeling". So I took some more rest days this weekend.

Yesterday training: Back/Chest

XR rows: 10x10 Parallel bar Dips:3x10

Rows went fine,though its still little difficult to adjust the right height! I could probably have added 5kg to the parallell dips. It was long time ago since I did them so I didnt know my strength level there.

Today's training: Legs and core

Squats: 70kg 3x10

L-sit raises on parallell bars 10x10

I should have used more weights on the squats, 5-7.5 kg.

On the L-sit raises I tried to focus no swinging and a little hold at the top position, but as fatigue set in there were more body language involved.

You're taking 5-6 seconds of constant tension per rep, yes? If so, great work!

I've re-read the article on GVT that you posted Slizzardman. I guess I have missed out the whole tempo thing. My goals have been to do the reps as strict as possible, but not aiming for a specific tempo he's prescribing in the exercises.

What would the benefits be of working 5-6 sec per rep, more TUT? And what do you think would be a good tempo for the gymnastics exercises like XR push ups, XR curls, XR rows? For the long full-range movements as squats and dips he says 40x0 is a good tempo.

Yes. He says that about long range because speed-wise it is more or less the same as the shorter movements. Taking 4s to go down in the squat is only slightly faster movement speed than 3s down in a shoulder press or curl, for example. Exploding up will take slightly less time than a 1-2s concentric on many reps, but that offsets the extra second of eccentric movement.

I think all the listed exercises are a good idea, you'll just have to play with the tempo and reps. One way to go about this is to start out with either 4-5 sets of 10 and one set of less than 10, and just do that until you're doing full sets of 10. Then you add another set, and so on until you get to 10x10. This is a better idea than small percentile adjustments because it is hard to do such fine tuning with bodyweight work. He gets very nitty-gritty with tempos, and part of that is what I get into in the next paragraph. The most important thing is that you work for 5-6s per rep. Curls do need a controlled concentric because many, many muscles are involved yet each only contributes at certain parts of the ROM. To hit them all you need to eliminate momentum so that they are not skipped.

The benefits are more TUT, which means more lactate, which means more growth hormone. You are also ensuring that you are training the muscles equally through the full range of motion. That is important because it ensures that all stabilizers are strengthened well and that even the muscles that may only significantly contribute to a specific 20-30 degrees of total motion are well developed. This leads to higher level ability across the board, since you avoid having a hidden weakness that causes your body to limit its output!

Regardless, you have been doing great! Just thought I would check and see how all the details were!

Thanks Slizzardman!

My last two sessions:

Arms and shoulders

Bicepscurls and military press:10x10 40kg 3x10

I had to adjust the height on the bicepscurls to manage the tempo I wanted. The military press went fine! Last time I did it I managed 10, 10 , 6 if I remember correctly.

Chest and back:

XR pushups and XR rows: 10, 10 ,10, 10, 10, 7, 5, 5, 5, 5 3x10

Adjusted height on rings on the XR pushups. Rows went fine.

Learning lesson - The extra TUT getting with slowing down tempo is making things even harder than it already is...

It will be intresting to see if there will be some strength added from this program. One thing for sure is that the work capacity will be at another level.

Will do a weight in tomorrow morning.

Today training:

Legs and core: Squats 60kg 10x10 Hanging leg lifts 3x5

Squats felt much easier than last time doing 10x10. Up with the weight next time!

I was dumb starting out with the squats, lower back was tired and legs felt heavy so core work didnt went as planned.

Morning weight: 78,8kg

So far around 3kg weight gain and I dont think I have gained so much fat. Im trying to eat clean food and I dont take any supplements except fish oil.

Today's training:

Arms and shoulders: XR Bicepscurls 10x10 and Cast wall walks(?) 2 rounds 5, 3

Today I should have done military press for 10x10 but I still had some fatigue in triceps,chest since monday training so I decided to mix it up. Good training. Handsstand work is challangeing and good training, I might start some good routine of handstand work when I let go of GVT typ of training.

Today's training:

Chest and Back: Parallell bar dips and XR Bulgarian rows

Dips + 5kg 10,10,10,10,10 BW dips 5,5,5,5,5

XR Bulgarian rows 3x10

I feel I have more tolerance against lactate buildup compare to when I started. Feels good!

JJ at about four weeks in how are your results?

Yesterday's training:

Legs and core: Squats and HLL

Squat: 75kg 3x10

HLL on swedish bars 5x10

Squats felt good and the weight was a good choice! Really had to fight for the last reps.

Leg raises was good.

@ Mr Brady.

After this four weeks I can see some improvements. I've added 3-3.5kg in BW and I can see some added volume in my arms and legs. I havent followed the program to 100 % though, as I have skipped some days because of being sore and other reasons. From yesterdays squat workout I dont feel as sore as I used to be before starting the GVT training. So added endurance and recovery I've also felt the times when I just do 3x10 work.

Scaling the different exercises to suit each rep/set scheme have been very difficult. It takes some time to figure out. Also composition of exercises should be well planned.

I will do some more workouts ala GVT training before taking a break. But I plan to use it from time to time for a change.

Have you consider starting GVT Mr Brady?

3kg in a month is an appreciable result in my opinion.

Yes i¨m thinking of doing a cycle sometime this winter. I've already added 1-2x/week squatting sessions but at low 5x5 reps.

Ok, Mr Brady let me know when you start! Would be intresting to follow how it goes.

I have been very bad updating lately, but I have stopped the program I wrote in the begginning of the log. Im happy with the results I got from the program, but it was tough. As for now I dont follow any program, as I havent decided any specific goals to work towards.

I have a question I would be happy anyone could help me with. Im starting training for the front lever and Im trying to hold the tucked front lever for a total of 60 sec. My concern is that I have tried to improve times each workout and I remember I have read somewhere that you should stay at the same workload for 4-8(8-12)? weeks before adding time or sets - is this correct?

How would you guys program this correctly? How long should I stay for this workload? And should I do less sets but longer holds?

Last workout I did: 20 sec, 15 sec, 15 sec, 10 sec.

Any feedback is appreciated.

You will not get the same results trying to push each workout.

Take your time. Use weighted pull ups to build strength in the prime movers, use multi-plane pulls to supplement, and use your statics in a steady state cycle to continue teaching your body the position.

Thanks Slizzardman! I will take my time and haste slowly. Hopefully progress and adaption will be better this way

Update: I have kept at the same time for each set and it feels easier each time. In some workouts I will increase the times.

Feels like Im packing on some muscles in the back of my shoulders and upperarm. Im as heavy as I was in the end of my GVT training and I havent done squats or deadlift in months so I guess most gains are in upperbody.

I will start working the back lever also, as Im much weaker compare to the FL training.