GVT or GVT 2000

I want to do one of these two workouts and I just wanted to know which one gets the better results.

Can someone post a GVT routine that they used and liked?

Read the thread “Dre Day”. Whopper uses a GVT routine for bulking that has worked quite well for him.

Here is a GVT routine I really like and gained well from. split is as follows chest/back hamstrings/shoulders bis/tris quads/calves The excercises were as follows: decline DB/pull-ups deadlifts/DB military press close grip bench/standing curls squats/calf raises Do the 4 routines in a row…day 1 to 4 and take day 5 off, then repeat. I had tried doing deadlifts and squats the same day…but it beat me up too much by sets 7,8 and 9. Good luck

I only can do about 2 sets of 10 pullups. Should I still uses pullups or should I used the lat-pulldown machine? What about different grips of pullups?

Weasel, just pick ONE exercise for your back and use it…I started out being able to do about the same as you…but you add to it each workout. So if the first time on pullups you do say…10, 10, 9, 8, 8, 6, 6, 4,3, 1 that is just fine…just work from there bro. Good luck.

You should use the premise of GVT 10 sets of 10 and use the execise that you enjoy and respond well to to start off as it’s a pretty tough routine and the help of the good friend that is you favorite execise will help you make the transiton into high volume, as you progess change the exercise or grip or change to a machine or bench or dumbbells on a swiss ball.This variety will help you continue to make gains and also show up some weak spots that you may have. An example might be smith machine flat bench press for to two weeks the change barbell bench press then after two weeks change dumbbell on a flat bench then after two weeks change to dumbbell bench using a swiss ball as the bench. Actually it would better to do it the other way around so as you change exercise into a more stable environment you can increase the weight (therefore intensity) on a weekly basis (for those that don’t know, the more unstable the platform for lifting the greater the neural inhibiton as the body trys to protect because their is a greater possibility of injury the more unstable the environment, or so that’s what your body believe’s, but your smarter than you body and know that with proper technique and instruction and common sense you can train in an unstable evironment in safety. I hope this can help you in your quest to be a T-MAN!!!

I like the original GVT better. To be honest, I think TC is dead wrong in his premise that you are only supposed to be able to get 10 reps for the first few sets before you start dropping off with the original program. You’re supposed to start with a weight that allows you 20 reps, so how on earth could you only do 3 sets of 10 reps (with about 4 minutes btw sets given the supersetting and 90 sec rest intervals) with that weight? In the original articles Poliquin said you may drop off in strength in the 6 or 7th sets a little, but still be able to get the reps. When I did it and picked a weight I could just barely get for 20 reps, I hit failure right around the last set of 10, not the third.

I like the split better in GVT 2K though. I’d use that split with a standard 10 X 10 set/rep scheme. Just pick one exercise per muscle group.

Any thoughts on modifying the reps and weight according to your dominant fiber type? I am more of a fast-twitcher so I was thinking of maybe 10/5 or 10/6 instead of 10/10. For what it’s worth, this was suggested by Lyle McDonald.

Whopper, I know you are well respected on here. I looked at your split and it’s intriguing, but wouldn’t some overtrain due to three pressing movements (close-grips, declines and military)?

Huge Ass…yeah, you could definitely go with a different rep scheme. Coach Poliquin actually recommended doing a 10 by 6 GVT after four weeks of lowered volume following the 10 by 10. In this method, you just begin with a weight that you could do 12 reps with. Actually, you could do any rep range, and I think Poliquin may have addressed how to choose the starting weight…take a certain percentage of 1RM, rep out, divide that number of reps in half, and use that number as the number of reps for the ten sets. For example, if you rep out with a weight for six reps, you could use that weight as a starting weight for 10 by 3.

Edson, perhaps some would overtrain on Whopper’s split. However, obviously Whopper doesn’t overtrain on this split as he’s one huge mofo. The only way to know is to give it a go and eat appropriately.

Edison, I would put it to you like this. The GVT and massive eating MUST go together…whenever I do GVT it is ALWAYS for bulking, andI ALWAYS eat heavy. I personally believe a lot of overtraining is the result of not eating enough, because I find that whenever I am just eating to maintain, and I lift too often, I feel the overtraining fatigue start to set in. I am of the opinion that smaller muscles recover faster (but I am no expert) so really with this split you have shoulders being hit on chest day, shoulder day and arm day…the same with tris…if you think this is too much, then just do skullcrushers instead of close grips…it takes the shoulders out of it, leaving the tris getting worked 3 times in a 5 day period…they should be able to handle it and grow…in my opinion. To me however, the most important thing with GVT is to eat VERY VERY heavy…this is an intense routine, and your body needs all the fuel it can get to recover. If your not gonna jack your calories and not worry about the abs…I wouldnt suggest doing GVT…stick to a 5x5 or something easier.

whopper, I think that training the triceps 3out of 5 sessions is to much regardless of how much you eat (if your taking steroids it’s a whole different kettle of fish) one way to avoid it though is to use periodisation and balance high and low intensity days, an example would be to a high intensity chest day with a low intensity tricep day by using a grip in the bench press that puts the focus on the pecs, the triceps still get a workout but just not as hard, and vice-versa when you have high tricep day and a low chest day you do close grip presses that focus the stress on the triceps, the chest gets work but not as hard. It can get tricky trying to balance all your upper body exercises as the shoulders are involved in just about every exercise (even if it’s just for stabilisation) But with a little bit of planning and understanding of how a muscle acts to move and perform each exercise and being a little creative with your exercise selection you can get around the problem of doing things like training the same muscle group 3 out of 5 days.

Dipper, I understand your point. When I do DB declines, I keep the elbows very wide, and actually don’t get much of a pump in the tris at all…also dont “lock out at the top” in fact usually stop short of the top…trying to just feel it in my chest. Close grips, I keep the elbows in tight, and feel it very little in the chest…also not letting the bar hit my chest…stopping about 3 inches short of the chest. So perhaps, just due to my form, I am not stressing tris too much on chest day, and I know I am not hitting my chest very much on tri days…perhaps that is why I can get away with it…I don’t know. I just know that particular split worked VERY well for my arms 1/2 inch in 6 weeks, and I am natural, and perhaps 3/4 of an inch for chest…so not as great for chest as for arms…but I need more guns…I got chest…lol!

whopper, i don’t know if its because i’m used to doing low reps with higher weight or what, but i just finished the 2nd day of your program and its BRUTAL. Thanks.
Also, what grip does everyone use when they deadlift?

Weasel…glad you like it…please remember to eat or your gonna burn out big time!! Also dont be shy about taking an extra day of rest here or there if you feel you need it. About every other week, I tend to throw in an extra day of rest…prevents ya from burning out. As far as deadlifts grip, if I am at home, I tend to use one overhand, one underhand grip, if I am at the gym at lunchtime, I prefer to use dumbells, just because I feel that they are easier to keep good form with. A pet peeve of mine is the use of straps…but many people do…I however prefer functional strength, and figure whats the use of deadlifting if my hands can’t handle the weight…it is what gives ya that bone-crushing grip…but that is my pet peeve…I also have huge hands…so it is your call…I certainly will not think your a wuss if you use straps.

I was just wondering about the deadlift grip because I use an overhand grip for both my hands? Does this prevent me from lift more weight?