Need Ideas to Incorporate GVT into Full Body Training

Hey, all,
Back again with another question.

First, let me define my current training:
54 years old, advanced natural bodybuilder.

Full body, 4 x per week, alternating days.
Generally, 4 sets per body part.
Workouts average 1 hr 15 mins to 1 hr 30 mins(which is the upper limit for my energy reserves).

I have had great results but would like to add some muscle size overall.

I am entertaining bringing in German Volume Training (GVT) (10 sets of 10).

I trained this way many years ago when I was still competing and it worked well, though it was a traditional style of training, focusing on training each body part only once per week.

My thought is to now change my training to 5 days per week, M-F, with an upper/lower split.
3 days upper body.
2 days lower body.

I plan to focus specifically on leg mass, since the upper body training gives me a great upper body pump and I am continuing to make small gains on a regular basis.
I do not feel I am currently getting the necessary volume with 4 sets for quads, hams and calves to get the size I am looking for.

I also plan to use GVT for upper body as well, though I will probably alternate with my current workout every other week and focus one one mass movement only for each upper body muscle group.

I’m curious if anyone has any other ideas on how I might bring in GVT to a full body style of training.
A secondary goal is to cut back the time it takes to complete each workout, because I have been eating cleaner to get lean and as I mentioned previously, 1 hour is about the max I intend to train each day so I don’t overdue it and put myself into overtraining. (The 90-minute workouts are really tough and leave me pretty drained.)

I know I will have to really make sure my nutrition is on point, as well, to add more volume to each week of training.

I really have become a believer in training each muscle group multiple times per week. It just feels right and I walk around all the time feeling like I am pumped, which is a good feeling.

I appreciate any ideas that you folks might have.
Thanks in advance.
Brian

What exactly are you doing for your quads in the first place? Exercise? rep range ?

What does your exact program look like?
Stats? Height weight?

Thanks for the reply!

54 years OLD, all natural, 6’, 240 or so, about 25% BF, diet has been significantly tightened up as of late to get back to semi-contest condition, about 200-205 or so.

Physical issues are a lower back concern and a tear of the R brachioradialis/brachialis (never truly diagnosed) back in 2011.

Currently I am doing three sets of lying leg curls.
That is followed by leg press for 4 sets heavy, reps 8-12 each set, since I have a lower back issue and squats are pretty much out of the question.
My approach to full body is based on a set weight (no pyramiding) for each body part.
I generally start each workout with bodyweight squats and light upper body stretching for a warmup.
Currently about 750 lbs on leg press, 1st set 12-13 reps, next 3 sets usually 8 reps each.
I try to use a weight that challenges me and keeps me in the right rep zone.
I have layed off leg extensions due to some knee pain.
Due to the fact I am training each body part 4 times per week, 4 sets per muscle group is about the max I can take due to energy reserves.

Overall current routine as follows:
(all equipment is in my home gym - gotta love craigslist!)
I do split some body parts due to some equipment being in the garage as well as in my house.
Noted exercise sequence and reps are where I am now.

In the house:
Leg curls 3 x 8
Leg press 4 x 13, 8, 8, 8
Pulldown 2 x 10, 6
Cable row to chest (straight bar, arms about shoulder width) 2 x 10, 6
Incline cable fly 2 x 10, 8
Barbell shrugs 2 x 8
Preacher cable curl 4 x 10, 8, 7, 10 (last set is 50% start weight to increase the pump)
Overhead cable tricep(like french press) 2 x 10-12
Cable pushdown 2 x 8-10
Face pulls 1 x 10-12
Reverse wrist curl (for back of forearm and wrist) 1 x 12
Custom forearm curl for brachioradialis (like a standing sledgehammer lift from the floor using only the brach/wrist) 1 x 10-12 (pretty light; tough exercise!)
Wrist curl 2 x 20, 12
Reverse cable curl 2 x 10-12

In the garage:
Overhead press 3 x 11, 8, 7
Hammer incline 2 x 8-10
Nautilus pullover 1 x 8
Deadlift 1 x 10
Standing calf raise 3 x 10, 8, 6

Weights are nothing to really write home about but I am getting more muscular.

Simple solution…Up your rep range on the leg press per set. say shoot for sets of 20 reps

I’ll try that starting next week.
I’ll have to drop down to about 500 or so as a starting point and work back up from there but it may be just the ticket.
I’ll report back after a couple weeks to reflect on how it feels and if I see any increased leg mass.

Thanks for the suggestion.

OK, I had a slight tear in my right vastus medialis last Wednesday on leg press (changed direction too quickly and felt it tear under load), so I iced it a bunch and took the last week off from training just to give my overall physique a break, since I haven’t taken much time off.

I decided to slightly change my training because the 90 minute workouts were starting to wear me out mentally and physically, even with 48 hours between workouts.

I just started back yesterday and my current workout is as follows:
(Splitting the upper and lower body workouts)

Monday-Wed-Friday
Front Pulldown 3 x 10
Cable Row to Chest 3 x 10
Alternate back exercise once per week - Deadlift 6 x 8-10, in place of pulldown and row
Incline Cable Fly 3 x 10
Face Pulls 1 x 12
Overhead Press 6 x 10
Hammer Incline 3 x 10
Standing Calf 6 x 10

Tuesday/Thursday
Leg Curl 6 x 10
Leg Press 6 x 10
Seated Calf 6 x 10
Barbell Shrugs 6 x 8

Once per week on day off:
Biceps 6 x 10
Triceps 6 x 10
Forearms, varied exercises, 6 x 10

I plan to possibly rotate the workouts so that I hit upper body three times one week and then lower body three times the following week. I’ll know more about how this feels after a week or two.
I did have to drop my weights quite a bit to get all sets and reps but it feels very good so far for all body parts.
Great pump.
Workouts now average about 35 minutes and I don’t feel drained at the end.
I think this will put me on the right track.
I’ll report back again after a couple weeks to comment on results but so far, so good.