Increasing muscle mass, otherwise known as hypertrophy, is an essential part of early strength training or off-season training for a lot of sports. The increase in size of our muscles gives us a greater potential to increase our strength and power.

Hypertrophy training or a bulking phase can take up a long period of time. For those with a stacked competition calendar, this time may be a limited resource, and thus, advanced training methods to try to accelerate this hypertrophy phase, are often implemented. This is where people may use German Volume Training (GVT).

The Basics of German Volume Training

GVT was originally developed by German Olympic Weightlifting coach Rolf Fesser to increase lean muscle tissue during off-season or general physical preparation training.

Otherwise known as 10x10 workouts or the ten-set method, German Volume Training is an extremely high-volume training method in which the goal is to perform 10 sets of 10 reps in 1-2 key exercises at approximately 60% of your 1RM, or a 20RM (20 rep max) load, with short rest periods.

If you fail a set by not reaching the full 10 reps, you decrease the load by 2.5-5kg on the next set so that you can adhere to the goal of the programme, which is to expose you to as much volume as possible.

German Volume Training Benefits

Huge Amount of Stimulus

As you get more advanced and experienced at lifting weights, you are required to work harder to progress. The extreme nature of GVT may be beneficial if you have found your progress start to plateau.

Technique Practise

The best way to get better at a skill is repetition and GVT has a lot of repetitions, which could be helpful for strength sport athletes who need to be consistent and efficient with their technique.

Cardiovascular Workout

The sheer volume of reps and sets can make GVT a stressor on the cardiovascular system, which may make it a good way to improve competition specific fitness for strength sport athletes, who often have limited time and energy to spend developing different motor qualities in isolation.

German Volume Training Drawbacks

Excessive Fatigue

For many, GVT will cause too much fatigue for it to be sustainable, and if sustained, may cause overtraining. This overtraining should be avoided because it can lead to injury or illness reduced performance. For these people, this is where you may consider GVT to be ‘junk volume’ and they may be better training at lower volumes that they are able to adequately recover from.

Technique May Be Difficult to Maintain

While technique is always slightly different rep to rep, otherwise known as motor variation, if this variation is too much as a result of lots of fatigue, and your form begins to fail, you may want to opt for lower volume training or less technical exercises.

Who Should Use German Volume Training?

 As a general rule, GVT is best suited to elite and advanced strength sport athletes, who are able to adequately recover from it, maintain technique despite huge levels of fatigue and for whom extreme methods are required to continue progress. Beginner and intermediate lifters will see a good amounts of hypertrophy without needing to resort to GVT.

Common German Volume Training Mistakes

Not Grouping Agonist and Antagonist

If you have two exercises in a session that you are using GVT for, use two exercises that do not significantly affect each other, other than general fatigue levels. This could be a bench press and a back squat grouped together, or a leg extension and a hamstring leg curl.

Not Starting Modest

Don’t overestimate your 20RM or 60% 1RM or you run the risk of overtraining; underestimate it during the initial weeks of training and then you can progress form there.

Training GVT When Life is Hectic

Injury and performance is ‘biopsychosocial’. In simple terms, this means that how well we perform, and our likelihood of injury is affected by workload in and out of the gym. GVT is considered a very high workload training method. So, reserve it for when your workload outside of the gym isn’t also very high.

Not Prioritising Nutrition and Recovery

The 10x10 method is very taxing. This means that even more of a conscious effort on fuelling your training and recovery is needed. Aim for a high protein intake every day and high carbohydrate intake before and after your training. Intra-workout fuel, like isotonic drinks can also give you the extra edge to help keep energy levels up throughout your session by maintaining your energy stores.

Sample German Volume Training Programme

Run this programme for 30 days, watching your fatigue and recovery levels to make sure you are coping with it and are able to finish it. If you find that you are struggling, pull back from the programme.

Monday - Back squat and GHD hip extension.

Tuesday - Bench press and lat pull down.

Wednesday - Rest.

Thursday - Belt squat and Dumbbell Romanian deadlift.

Friday - Military press and seated row.

Saturday - Rest.

Sunday - Rest.

If you have a high training age and you are looking to break through training plateaus, try German Volume Training in your next training block. Remember, this is not suitable for everyone or all year round. Use it sparingly and if you are on top of your nutrition, recovery and other lifestyle factors to get the best out of GVT. 

For more content, follow us on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and on our official Mirafit Facebook page.

Tags: Exercise Type > Strength