GVT 2000

Edited by: Francesco Currò

-Increase muscle mass with the German volume system-

Recently a new version of the German volume system (GVT) has been proposed in the USA

Objectively, the method so pompously proposed some time ago had very little new and dated back several decades ago!

For those not familiar, the GVT, broadly speaking, consists in performing - in a given exercise - 10 sets of 10 repetitions with a given weight. As you can understand, in order to complete 10 sets of 10 repetitions, the weight must necessarily be not too heavy. For the choice of the load, empirically, we have seen that for most athletes, it is what would allow for 20 repetitions to the limit; on average this should correspond to 60% (or, in my opinion, even less!) of the maximum weight that can be lifted for a repetition.

A small curiosity: according to the "literature of the sector", most of the athletes after the third or fourth series begin to "lose" some repetitions (compared to the 10 prefixed), but then - generally from the seventh series onwards - for a kind of "neurological rebound" the repetitions begin to go up again.

Allow me a question now: but does the GVT, since it does not allow the use of particularly heavy loads, really work? According to the authors, theoretically, subjecting a group of motor units to such a high volume of work, should induce an adaptation that will consist in a growth of the fibers involved in the movement. At the same time, the considerable volume of work should always contribute to the loss of body fat.

Another question : but if we have just seen that the GVT - although a little dated ... - can (at least "theoretically") be an interesting method for the increase of lean mass and the simultaneous reduction of fat, there was a need to change it? Well, although a number of practitioners have found a significant increase in muscle volume with this method, unfortunately some problems have been noted:

• First of all, doing 10 sets of a certain exercise can cause the joints to work too hard on some work angles or cause imbalances. For example, performing 10 sets of 10 squat repetitions, the leg joint is used in a non-multilateral manner and this can cause imbalances.
• As if that were not enough, to the already considerable volume of work (10 x 10), in the original method it is recommended to add another exercise to be performed with a more traditional repetition scheme. A question that could be asked (and that the authors of the GVT 2000 have asked themselves) is the following: is this really useful - except for an abuse of drugs - for most athletes?

To try to remedy these drawbacks, a new GVT has been devised, of which some peculiar characteristics have been maintained, such as the 10 series of 10 repetitions. The new GVT - called GVT 2000 - still adopts the same weight for all 10 series, but uses (fundamental difference !!) 4 exercises chosen in such a way as to work the muscle from different angles.

Here is an example of training for the CHEST:

Inclined bench with 2 handlebars 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Bench with 2 handlebars 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Horizontal bench with 2 handlebars 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Crosses (with low cables) on bench 1 set of 10 repetitions

Moreover, since we must always use the same weight, the exercises are chosen so that the first is the one in which we are weakest and the third the one in which we are stronger. Obviously, the weight is chosen to perform 9 series of 10 repetitions, since in the last exercise the load to be used is - given the different type of exercise - significantly different. The last exercise is chosen to try to complete the physiological functions of the muscle.

The program constructed in this way is thus - in some ways - more balanced than the original program:

• the "effort curve", given that maintaining the same weight we use exercises in which we are gradually stronger should be more homogeneous; in other words, we do not - as was the case with the original GVT - very easy series at the beginning of the training and difficult at the end; however, the choice of the same weight for 9 series puzzles me: it seems more aleatory than scientific ...
• Also the choice of different exercises should be suitable in order to avoid imbalances; but with regard to "different" exercises, it should be emphasized that it is not immediate to draw up lists of exercises with "slight decrease in strength" and indeed, due to "specializations" in a given exercise or joint limitations, sometimes it happens that what applies to an athlete, it is the exact opposite of what happens in another.
• Some further doubt comes to my mind that the success of the original GVT is based on " subjecting a certain group of motor units to a high volume of work ". Changing exercises, are we sure to go under the high volume of work (the 10 series of 10 repetitions), always the same group of motor units?

To better understand, how is it that such a program should be drawn up ( NB: a complete program can be found in my new "training" technical dispensation ), etc. another scheme, this time related to the back muscles:

BACK:

Lat machine with wide grip 3 series of 10 repetitions

Lat machine with medium socket 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Lat machine with supine handle 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Rower with barbell 1 series of 10 repetitions

Comment: as you will be able to understand, the dorsal is a very large muscle and working it exclusively with the lat machine, by force of circumstances, it is unable to attack it in its entirety; the rowing series tries to put the situation in place, working the muscle from a completely different angle.

The original version of the program recommended certain times for the execution of the movements; in the new version of the method, those times have been maintained and precisely:

a 4-0-2 time (the first number indicates the negative phase of the movement, the second number denotes the pause before the inversion of the movement and the third number shows how many seconds the positive phase of the movement must last.) on the larger muscles (legs, chest, back) and a 3-0-2 time movement for the smaller muscles (shoulders, biceps, triceps).

Also in the GVT 2000, the recommended resting time between the series is about 60-90 seconds, while the training frequency between two sessions for the same muscle should be 5-7 days.

In the "base" scheme, no abdominals and calves were included; these muscle groups will be trained in a conventional manner and - as a frequency of training - based on various preferences or needs; here is an example in which calves and abdominals are trained twice as often as in other muscle sections:

Final comment

Personally, I do not think that this program - considered individually - is one of those that "will go down in history". Apart from this, it seems to me fairly designed and therefore, at least for 1-2 months, it will behave like all the "new" discreetly designed programs: it will work, but in a short time (after the "novelty" effect on the organism) will lead to a stall.

I do not say this to diminish the validity of the method, but more simply to highlight that "miraculous" and above all "eternal" programs do not exist. However, making the various work parameters (repetitions, execution times, etc.) evolve - month after month - appropriately, I think we can build a discrete annual cycle: I'm working to do it ...

Of course, as mentioned above, I still have doubts (I have already started to let some of my students use it, but the "experimentation" takes time ...) regarding the fact that passing from an exercise (of the original method) to 4 exercises (of the GVT 2000), the "effective parameters" of the original method have remained unchanged and only improvements have been obtained. Theorizing is pleasant, but then ...

In truth - based on these doubts - I have already developed a program ( NB: you can find it in my new "training" technical dispensation ) that could make the most of the ideas proposed by both the GVT and the GVT 2000, but to know it (unless buy the pantry ...) you will have to wait for a possible future article.

Francesco Currò Francesco Currò, teacher of ASI / CONI, teacher of the Accademia del Fitness, athletic trainer and personal trainer, is the author of the new book " Full Body ", of the e-book " The Training " and of the book on "Multiple Frequency Systems" . For more information you can write to the email address, visit the websites //web.infinito.it/utenti/x/x_shadow/ or //digilander.libero.it/francescocurro/ or call the following number: 349 / 23.333.23.