Undulatingly Periodized German Volume Training!

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Since none of my friends care, I’m going to rant to T-Nation about my latest brainchild.

Poliquin’s GVT follows a linear stepwise periodization pattern, no? 10 x 10 for 6 microcycles, 10 x 6 for 6 microcycles, then 10 x 6,5,4, for 6 microcycles, then probably a good idea to do 10 x 3 for another 6 microcycles.

So… incorporating the magic of undulating periodization, a size/strength macrocycle would consist of microcycles like so:

MicroCycle(MC) 1 = 10x10
MC2 = 10x6
MC3 = 10x3
MC4 = 10x10
MC5 = 10x6
MC6 = 10x3
.
.
.
.
Until the program stops working, one reaches their goals, or they get bored.

I’m even thinking decreasing by 2 reps every microcycle:

10x10, 10x8, 10x6, 10x4 (and maybe 10x2). Longer period of time between repetition of the same workout twice.

I have a potential client (an 135 lb, 5’4" Italian fellow) who has been the same weight since his 14th birthday and is looking to put on mass. He said, “I don’t know what the problem is, I eat so many carbs!”

Oh man. I need to help this guy out.

So. Undulating periodization, plus German Volume Training, plus I’ll have him on something similar to massive eating.

Does anyone else agree with me that this plan is FREAKING BRILLIANT?!

Anyone?

Beef

2

how long are your macrocycles?
Ive seen many variations of GVT but most seem to stick with 60s rest and people NEVER get a full ten reps on the 10 sets - are you giving your guy the time to adjust to the volume in the programme before necessarily moving him onto a lower total volume?

I dont mind rants like this but more detail bro!!

3

Oh ok. Sorry 'bout that, eh?

I’m going by the original article on GVT by Charles Poliqiun I read in Bill Phillips’ first “sport supplement review” in the 9th grade several years ago.

Supersets with 60s rest between the two exercises. Ex: bench press and chest-supported rows. Bench, 60s, row, 60s, bench, 60s, row, 60s. For 10 sets, then 3 sets of 10-12 in an assistance exercise in a different plane of motion.

If his schedule allows, I’ll do the five-day:

1 - Chest and Back
2 - Legs and Abs
3 - Off
4 - Arms and Shoulders
5 - Off
6 - Repeat

If not, I’ll figure something else probably based around “UB horizontal”, “UB vertical”, “LB hip dominant”, and “LB knee dominant”.

You’re probably right about allowing him time to get used to the volume. I should probably ramp it up over a few microcycles first, eh?

I should probably give him 90s between supersets and do the first microcycle with slightly less intensity.

Mesocycles would be 3 microcycles of 10-set sessions to one microcycle of 3-set sessions. 15 days “hard” to 5 days “easy”, essentially.

Macrocycles would last until he stops gaining strength and size or reaches his goals and we switch to new ones.

The health club I work for offers “packages” up to 36 sessions at a time. That would mean we could keep this going for 4 mesocycles. I’ll have him eating ridiculous amounts of food for the first three mesocycles, then switch to a cutting cycle for the last 4.

He’s a true ectomorph so the cutting phase won’t need to be very long, if we even need it at all.

4

Also, if the volume seems like it’s going to kill him with overtraining, I’ll knock it down to something like 8 sets instead of 10.

Beef

5

IMO the 10x10 was something you built into rather than come down from and was used to add weight to weightlifters off season. Incidently reps in this protocol normally follow something like this: -
10,10,10,9,8,7,7,8,7,6…
ot uncommon for the body to kick in at set 7 or 8 for some reason.

I like the idea of supersetting the bodyparts that way, and your ideas of progression look good, but if he’s a relative newb then it could be a lot more simple - just wait till he hits 10 reps on most sets then up the weight 5-10%.

As far as other programmes are concerned OVT by thib wouldnt be bad, id stick a back off week in the middle though after week 4, then run the other 4 week block after. Its essentially 100 reps per bodypart but split into 5x5’s.

Id view the 10x10 as a programme in itself rather than coming down to 10x8, 10x3 or whatever.
JMO. keeps it simple.