German Volume Training: Not For Everyone

Some of the world’s greatest bodybuilders used German volume training (GVT) to gain mass. Also known as the 10×10 workout, this training method has been around since the ’70s. It was popularized by Charles Poliquin, a Canadian strength coach and published author. 

Researchers and old school bodybuilders agree on one thing: volume, or the total weight lifted during a training session, plays a crucial role in hypertrophy—and that’s what GVT is all about. 

A typical German volume training routine involves 10 sets of 10 reps of a single exercise per muscle group, with short resting periods in between. You’ll perform three workouts per week and up to three exercises per body part. 

This brutal workout method will overload and fatigue your muscles, leading to faster gains. The workouts consist of heavy multi-joint exercises that must be performed with a slow, controlled motion. The high training volume and increased time-under-tension create an anabolic environment. 

Clinical evidence indicates that doing four or five sets of 10 reps can be just as effective as performing 10 sets. 

For example, a 2018 pilot study featured in the journal Sports assessed the effects of a 12-week modified GVT program on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Subjects who performed five sets of 10 reps at 60 to 80% of their one-rep max (1RM) had similar results as those performing 10 sets with the same weight.

The 10-set group actually experienced a decrease in lean leg mass. 

We’ll discuss these aspects later, so read on to find out more. Below we’re going to show you how GVT works, what to expect, and why it’s worth a try. You’ll also learn about its potential drawbacks. 

Let’s get into it!

What’s German Volume Training All About?

German volume training is a workout program that promotes muscle growth and allows lifters to break plateaus. 

During a typical session, you’ll perform 10 sets of 10 reps of a compound exercise, like the squat or deadlift, using about 60% of your 1RM. The rest periods between sets can last anywhere from one to three minutes, depending on the weight lifted, the movement performed, and your fitness level. 

According to Muscle & Fitness, this training system provides an unmatched stimulus for muscle repair and hypertrophy. 

The high training volume and slow eccentrics will give you massive pumps and stimulate the slow-twitch muscle fibers, improving anaerobic performance. Over time, you’ll become more resistant to fatigue and recover faster from training. 

GVT was created by Rolf Feser, the National Coach of Weightlifting in Germany. Back in the ’70s, it was used by German weightlifters for off-season training. Later, it became a preferred choice for bodybuilders worldwide. 

Charles Poliquin, Vince Gironda, and other sports professionals developed their own versions of the program. For this reason, most of the information available online is conflicting. Some versions include a higher number of weekly workouts, more isolation work, shorter breaks between sets, and so on. 

Traditionally, German volume training targets specific body parts or muscle groups with 10 sets of 10 reps. Trainees must focus on tempo and perform each movement in a controlled fashion. Compound lifts, for example, require lifting the weight for two seconds and lowering it slowly for four seconds to increase the time under tension (TUI). 

Note that accessory lifts, such as dumbbell rows or standing calf raises, are optional. These typically require fewer reps and sets. If, say, your workout includes five exercises, you may use a smaller set and rep scheme for three of them. 

How Effective Is the 10×10 Method? 

German volume training increases muscle hypertrophy and may improve physical performance. Depending on where you’re at in your fitness journey, you may also get stronger overall. 

Due to its intensity, this program shouldn’t exceed four to six weeks—although some versions can be carried over a longer period. The results depend on your fitness level and your body’s response to high-volume training. 

A 2017 study cited by the University of New Mexico investigated the effects of a modified GVT program versus traditional GVT on 19 trainees. Subjects performed a three-day split workout routine for six weeks. The results are as follows:

GVT Group (10 sets of 10 reps)

• Lean mass gains: +1.9%
• Trunk lean body mass: +1%
• Arm lean mass: +3.4%
• Biceps thickness: +0.9%
• Triceps thickness: +10.7% 

Modified GVT Group (5 sets of 10 reps)

• Lean mass gains: +2.7%
• Trunk lean body mass: +4.1%
• Arm lean mass: +7.8%
• Biceps thickness: +7.3%
• Triceps thickness: +5.6% 

The modified GVT routine produced a greater increase in lean body mass, trunk lean mass, arm size, and biceps thickness compared to traditional GVT. These findings show that while both programs stimulate muscle growth, doing fewer sets appears to be more beneficial. 

Researchers suggest limiting the number of sets to four to six per exercise. Doing more sets may result in overtraining and won’t necessarily lead to bigger gains. The study published in the journal Sports reports similar results. 

German Volume Training Results: Know What to Expect 

GVT has its share of controversy, but this doesn’t mean it’s waste of time. 

On the contrary, it might be exactly what you need to pack on mass and break through weightlifting plateaus. Its efficacy depends on what you do in AND outside the gym. 

As Muscle & Fitness notes, this isn’t a fat loss program or one designed for maintenance. You must eat like a horse to see gains in strength and lean mass. Since it’s taxing on the body, it requires a high-protein, high-carb diet that supports muscle growth and repair. 

Fuel your body properly before, during, and after training. Follow the rules of workout nutrition to make sure your diet is in check. For best results, go on a clean bulk and keep your protein intake high. 

If implemented correctly, GVT can help you make serious gains in less than a month. The high stress levels placed on your muscles cause them to adapt and grow. This approach will also take your conditioning to a whole new level, making you a better athlete. 

Simply Shredded says that it’s possible to gain about 10 pounds of lean mass with GVT. Back in the ’70s, this advanced method helped weightlifters move up a full weight class within three months. 

What makes it so effective is that it combines high work volumes, slow eccentrics, and short rest periods. These stimuli lead to a quick increase in muscle size and endurance. Plus, you’ll spend less time in the gym. 

GVT Checklist and Safety Considerations 

At first glance, GVT looks like a Sunday stroll compared to more advanced programs. After all, you’re supposed to complete three weekly workouts with just 60% of your 1RM. 

Don’t be fooled by its simplicity, though. Instead, think about the total weight lifted over a week or month. If, say, you perform 10 sets of 10 reps of squats with 100 pounds, that’s 10,000 pounds for just one exercise! 

Ready to give it a try?

Here are some things to keep in mind before getting started with GVT:

• Start with less than 60% of your 1RM, recommends Muscle & Fitness. If you go heavy from day one, you’ll have a hard time making progress. 
• Don’t use this training system for longer than two months. Try it for one month, take a break, and then start all over. 
• Incorporate GVT into your workouts once or twice a year. 
• Work with free weights, not gym machines. Leg presses, for example, are challenging but nowhere near as difficult as squatting with a heavy barbell on your back. 
• Hit the gym no more than three times a week to avoid overtraining. Cut back on cardio or eliminate it. 
• Warm-up properly. Stretch your lower back, quads, hamstrings, chest, and shoulders. Focus on the muscle groups you’re going to train. 
• Take at least one day off between workouts so your body can recover.
• Use German volume training at the beginning of the off-season or when bulking up. 
• Apply this method for one or two exercises during each training session. Perform the rest of your workout as you’d normally do. 
• Work each muscle group every four to five days. Don’t go overboard. 
• Take 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets. 

GVT Exercise Selection

As far as exercise selection goes, perform one compound movement for each muscle group you’re working on that day. Increase the load by about five pounds (or 2.5 to 5%, depending on your fitness level) once you can perform 10 sets of reps of a given exercise with perfect form. 

If, say, you’re training chest and back on Monday, apply this method to one exercise for each muscle group. Any other movements should be performed as usual. Focus on big, heavy lifts, such as the back squat, bench press, overhead press, and deadlift.

Biceps curls, leg extensions, chest flyes, and other accessory lifts are optional. You may include them in your training routine, but you can just as well perform compound movements only. 

Note that Olympic lifts and other complex movements are not a good choice for GVT. 

First, it would be difficult—and dangerous—to perform 10 sets of 10 reps with proper form. Second, these exercises are dynamic and require explosiveness, making it hard to keep your muscles under tension long enough to build mass. 

Ideally, use different exercises during each workout. Performing such a high number of sets and reps of the same exercise over and over again may lead to repetitive use injuries. 

For example, doing 100 reps of bench presses every Monday—or whenever you’re training your chest—can put excessive stress on your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. To stay safe, alternate the chest press, push-ups, dips, and other compound chest exercises from one week to the next.  

Use a 4-0-2-0 Tempo

Image: Man doing bicep curls, emphasis on the eccentric phase

German volume training requires a 4-0-2-0 lifting tempo. This means that you must perform the eccentric (lowering phase) for four seconds with no pause at the bottom and then immediately lift the weight for two seconds. 

Use a 3-0-2-0 lifting tempo for single-joint exercises, like dumbbell curls and triceps pushdowns.

The German Volume Training Routine 

This brutal training method can be implemented in many different ways. We’ll stick with its most basic outline to keep things simple. 

As mentioned earlier, GVT requires three workouts per week, meaning that you’ll train one or two muscle groups per session. In this case, you may use a workout split like the one above:

Day #1: Chest and back

• Barbell/dumbbell bench press: 10 sets x 10 reps
• Barbell dumbbell rows: 10 sets x 10 reps
• Accessory lifts (optional): 1-2 isolation exercises for the chest and back, 3 sets x 10 reps 

Day #2: Rest 

Day #3: Legs and abs

• Barbell back squat: 10 sets x 10 reps
• Leg extensions: 10 sets x 10 reps
• Accessory lifts (optional): 1-2 isolation exercises for the legs and abs (ex: calf raises and weighted crunches), 3 sets x 10 reps 

Day #4: Rest

Day #5: Arms and shoulders

• Military press: 10 sets x 10 reps
• Dips: 10 sets x 10 reps
• Accessory lifts (optional): 1-2 isolation movements for the arms and shoulders, 3 sets x 10 reps 

Day #6 and #7: Rest

Depending on how you feel, you can either take some time off on your rest days or opt for active recovery, such as light cardio, Pilates, stretching, or even core work.

Some athletes split their workouts into upper and lower body training sessions. 

Basically, they work their upper body, such as the chest and shoulders, on Day #1, perform lower body exercises on Day #2, and train their arms and back or other muscle groups in the upper body on Day #3. The set and rep scheme will be the same as the one described above.

Take Your Gains to the Next Level

Image: Athletic man posing, emphasis on muscular development

German volume training isn’t for the faint of heart. This loading scheme puts a lot of stress on your muscles and central nervous system and can easily lead to injuries. From exercise selection to the tempo used, every detail matters. 

Note that GVT may not be the best choice for beginners. 

Make sure you have at least one year of experience under your belt before trying this method. It’s crucial to master the big lifts and have a good understanding of bodybuilding prior to using GVT. 

The 10×10 method can lead to massive gains, but you need to do things right. Focus on improving your lifting form, go on a clean bulk, and get proper rest. Eat plenty of protein and good carbs to fuel your muscles and get the energy needed for a high training volume. 

Consider using Vintage Blast™, our two-stage pre-workout, before hitting the gym. This will ensure a strong mind-muscle connection and energize your body so you can perform at your best. Our formula contains all-natural ingredients and doesn’t cause jitters or crashes. 

Now it’s your turn! What’s your take on German volume training? Is it something you would try? Share your thoughts in the comments below!