OVT - For Life

Ok, started OVT last week. Loving it. I’ve done several Waterbury workouts and then GVT, but OVT just beats them all. Feel the pain!

Question is, if i change the exercises used in OVT every 4 weeks, how long could i use it for whilst continuing to make gains in strength/hypertrophy? For Life?

Ok maybe not life, it might get boring! But if i don’t change volume/intensity will it impede my growth or does changing the exercises suffice to avoid the body getting used to it?

How do you even know it will work for you if you just started it last week?

In short, i don’t. I did respond very well to GVT and to other volume based training. Considering OVT is similar to GVT and others in terms of high volume i don’t see why it should be any less effective. Plus OVT should also avoid the loss in strength i experienced whilst on GVT.

But yes, you are right, i don’t know for sure it will work, but i presume it will :).

The question was based more on a “I like this routine, it’s hard, difficult, and just fun!” philosophy, rather than, “I’ve experienced massive gains on it” philosophy.

[quote]Dorso wrote:
How do you even know it will work for you if you just started it last week?[/quote]

Bingo.

Don’t judge by soreness.

Anyways, OVT does rock ass. You could probably continue to use it if you cycle small “muscle specific” training programs every few months.

Machinesop, oops, that was my bad, i meant “feel the pain” not in the sense of muscle soreness afterwards/during, just in the sense that it’s a demanding workout, you got to love it! :slight_smile:

Excellent, i thought it would have been enough to cycle exercises in order to stimulate the muscles in different ways, just double checking…

Algian, OVT is a great program. However, due to the intensity used, I believe you would need to work in some other training to best make use of the technique. If I where going to use nothing but OVT, I would probably break it up like this:

wks 1-4: OVT
wks 5: off, or active recovery
Wks 6-8: Upper/lower split, reduced volume, woring either in 8-10 rep range or the 1-3 rep range (different from OVT)

Repeat.

[quote]CRisenhoover wrote:
Algian, OVT is a great program. However, due to the intensity used, I believe you would need to work in some other training to best make use of the technique. If I where going to use nothing but OVT, I would probably break it up like this:

wks 1-4: OVT
wks 5: off, or active recovery
Wks 6-8: Upper/lower split, reduced volume, woring either in 8-10 rep range or the 1-3 rep range (different from OVT)

Repeat.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice, i had calculated a back off week already, as you said, because of the intensity of the workout.

Sound advice about doing a further 2 weeks with different parameters, i’ll add that in to the program. Should avoid overtraining and avoid my body adapting to the set/rep layout of OVT.

Thanks again.

What is ovt?

If you really like it you can always come back to it around twice a year or so and get great results. Also OVT is built on a principle like any other program. If you take that principle and change things around enough you could get it to work continuolsy for up to 3 months!!! But you must be experienced enough to successfully attempt this. Nothing works forever, so find some more favorites and cycle them throught the year. IMO that’s the best thing you can do.

Thanks Majin. I agree with that, otherwise i’d probably end up getting bored of OVT and i don’t want to do that :)… I definetely could cycle in a couple of Chad’s workouts. AoW and maybe HH. Clearly these would need to be punctuated with some “heavy” back-off weeks.

[quote]mr. jack wrote:
What is ovt?[/quote]

Jack, search the site for Optimized Volume Training. It’s a great workout.

CT himself has said that he would modify the program slightly as the volume is too much for many people. The chnages were something along the lines of performing the first 3 sets of the heavy movement as straight sets and then using supersets for the last 2 sets.

eg.
Bench Press - 3 x 5
Bench Press s/s Cable Flys - 2 x 5

Just thought this might help.

Dan

I see what you mean about this program. I just started it myself yesterday and looking at what I have comming up, I think I’ll realy enjoy this program.

You’re right about having the back-off week, or even a couple weeks of a lower volume routine after the 8 weeks.

I don’t have much to add, just saying how much I like the routine so far too.