Lifting Thread;training for the tattooed warrior.

[ChrisvK]

for me being a college student i'm surrounded by people who drink a lot during the week. It's easy to get caught up in it and it messed up my gymperformance badly (also my general energy level). It's weird that when you get a coke or water instead of a beer people call you a pussy because you want to be able to lift weight the next day heavyer then they would ever be capable of when they keep up with the drinking. IMO theyre the pussies;)

[hogg]

I've changed things up a bit on my leg day using GVT 10X 10 for the last six weeks , also introduced some HIT cardio sessions 1 min max iintervals for 9 is my best on a spinning bike .

How's that GVT treating you? I can't imagine how light I'd have to go to hit 10x10.

[kylegrey]

@hogg I haven't even done 4 sets of an exercise for as long as I can remember so after getting my ass handed to me by a warm-up weight first time around I was aware I had to change up my thinking .I returned humbled and with my wife in tow to ensure I was stringent about resting 90 seconds or less between sets and to at least hit the prescribed 10 x 10 regardless of weight . Weird thing is once you have a feel for this way of training you hit a second wind of sorts around sets 7 - 8 , which I found allowed me to each week increase my poundage to where I'm at now - 90 kg, so at least it kinda looks like I have a reason to be milling about the squat bar .

[RoryQ]

Kyle, yeah I saw the same thing re the 'second wind'. I wonder is there some neurological element to why that is...

[kylegrey]

Rory I think in part its the balance of Oxygen changing due to the deep heavy breathing and part psychological cause once you reach 7-8 sets the notion of doing 3 more seems like a cake walk !

[Brock Varty]

Rory I think in part its the balance of Oxygen changing due to the deep heavy breathing and part psychological cause once you reach 7-8 sets the notion of doing 3 more seems like a cake walk !

I assume that you are referencing GVT here. The reason I never liked GVT is because I feel like you shouldn't want to or think you can do anything else after 2-4 working sets. In my opinion(which may or may not matter), real gains are made when you physically can not move another ounce after 2-4 sets. If you can do another set...you didn't go heavy enough. /2cents

Edit: On a side not, I have known people to like GVT for a little training variation. I personally don't care for it, but I can't deny that it works well for some purposes.

[kylegrey]

@Brock Varty Having been also a strong subscriber to the Heavy Duty school of thought GVT was completely foreign to me . However as I was trying a more strength / power type approach I needed some way to allow my lower back full recovery from both heavy squats and deads in the same week and after lifting close on 25 years consider my joints and the possibility of injury whilst freshening up my CNS . Now I'm of the opinion that legs respond not to low numbers but high reps so naturally I would implement this programme on my leg day .Heres the kicker , after humble beginnings and six weeks of GVT I've made more strength gains in my 6 rep squat than on any conventional lifting programme i.e 5,3,1 ,linear periodization etc,etc .It not surprising that this is an off-season favourite of weightlifters worldwide and also my weight has stayed constant which for me is great cause I'm not after hypertrophy .

[Brock Varty]

@Brock Varty Having been also a strong subscriber to the Heavy Duty school of thought GVT was completely foreign to me . However as I was trying a more strength / power type approach I needed some way to allow my lower back full recovery from both heavy squats and deads in the same week and after lifting close on 25 years consider my joints and the possibility of injury whilst freshening up my CNS . Now I'm of the opinion that legs respond not to low numbers but high reps so naturally I would implement this programme on my leg day .Heres the kicker , after humble beginnings and six weeks of GVT I've made more strength gains in my 6 rep squat than on any conventional lifting programme i.e 5,3,1 ,linear periodization etc,etc .It not surprising that this is an off-season favourite of weightlifters worldwide and also my weight has stayed constant which for me is great cause I'm not after hypertrophy .

The weight stabilization is something that may or may not break GVT for some people. Most of the training that I take part in and that happens with the people I know is for bodybuilding purposes. So, I know some of my friends and people in the gym like GVT...but most of them prefer something like cutting their working weight by 50% and increasing reps by 50%. I actually would kind of like to give GVT another try. As of right now I am in the last part of a very heavy phase and would be thinking about 4-6 weeks of something different and then one full week off. I am going to ask around on what people prefer to do for a routine mix-up.

If anyone has a good GVT resource...I would love to see it.

I actually usually use a variation of the Heavy Duty system. When I am coming out of that I usually utilize a six week block of time like this.

Week 1: Linear Periodization

Week 2: Reverse Linear Periodization

Week 3: Undulating Periodization

Week 4: Linear Periodization

Week 5: Reverse Linear Periodization

Week 6: Undulation Periodization

I sometime like to use a combination of the three in the same week...sometimes even in the same workout.

I thought I should add that I am only 25. Being that young enables me to work really hard in the weight room 5 or 6 days a week. My sleep cycle and diet are both in check and I feel like my nutrition is doing really good. Going anything less than balls out almost makes me feel like I am throwing away all of my non-Gym effort.

[kylegrey]

@Brock Varty I should clarify that I literally will myself not to get bigger and also to avoid the chagrin of my wife , and also I only implemented GVT on my legs , for most GVT is ideally a programme for increasing muscle mass .

Take a look

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm

[Brock Varty]

@Brock Varty I should clarify that I literally will myself not to get bigger and also to avoid the chagrin of my wife , and also I only implemented GVT on my legs , for most GVT is ideally a programme for increasing muscle mass .

Take a look

Bodybuilding.com - German Volume Training!

Thanks a bunch for the link. I am going to take a closer look at GVT when I switch up my program.

[Colored Guy]

@Brock Varty I should clarify that I literally will myself not to get bigger and also to avoid the chagrin of my wife , and also I only implemented GVT on my legs , for most GVT is ideally a programme for increasing muscle mass .....

GVT is pretty sick shti.... not for the casual BB dabbler. I'm a bit beat up now with the back injury, but will still superset on those rare good days. My wife doesn't care how big I get, I just went to an XXL dress shirt. You can't go wrong working GVT on legs, most guys sort of pass them up.

Rob

[Brock Varty]

GVT is pretty sick shti.... not for the casual BB dabbler. I'm a bit beat up now with the back injury, but will still superset on those rare good days. My wife doesn't care how big I get, I just went to an XXL dress shirt. You can't go wrong working GVT on legs, most guys sort of pass them up.

Rob

I started building my next six weeks of schedule and am working in GVT on legs every other week. If you go heavy enough on legs, high volume can be hell, I have thrown up once or twice doing 30+ rep sets of squats. As long as you can maintain your form, high reps is good sometimes.

Does anyone have a particular GVT set-up they like for legs?

[Scott R]

@Brock Varty I like front squats 10x10 to keep form also not GVT but love 2 minute leg press sets @225(~150-200 reps) after single leg rear foot elevated squats(usually 5x5).

[Brock Varty]

@Brock Varty I like front squats 10x10 to keep form also not GVT but love 2 minute leg press sets @225(~150-200 reps) after single leg rear foot elevated squats(usually 5x5).

Front squats are probably the most overlooked leg excersise ever. They can be brutal. I like the idea of front squat 10x10s....

[kylegrey]

The essence of GVT is beautiful simplicity I would suggest , particulary for a low volume person starting the programme , not getting too "cute " with the exercises and sticking with the most basic compounds movements possible - you'll be gratefull for any assistance from ancillary muscles you can get .

[Brock Varty]

The essence of GVT is beautiful simplicity I would suggest , particulary for a low volume person starting the programme , not getting too "cute " with the exercises and sticking with the most basic compounds movements possible - you'll be gratefull for any assistance from ancillary muscles you can get .

I have done GVT before and I think one of things I really liked was how simple it is. Sometimes in my regular routine it gets hectic with the different excersises, then the different schedules and schemes, then the different excersises/schedule/shcemes all on one day. I think I am going to throw in 10x10 laying leg curls on every other leg day for the next six weeks and 10x10 close grip pulldowns on back day every other week. If I like it I will add it to my regular schedule.

[Petri Aspvik]

Anyone try the 20rep breathing squats/Super squats/GOMAD etc?

20 Rep Squats - Starting Strength Wiki

Mark Rippetoe says, "Trust me, if you do an honest 20 rep program, at some point Jesus will talk to you. On the last day of the program, he asked if he could work in."

The 20 rep squat (Read this, is the greatest write up about lifting since Henry Rollins - The Iron)

- - - Updated - - -

Bodybuilding.com - 20-Rep Squats: Can You Handle It?

Reps 1-3: Nice and easy. Is there any weight on my back?

Reps 4-6: Starting to feel it. Yes, indeed there IS weight on my back!

Reps 7-9: I am in pain. By the 9th rep, the mind is already telling me to rack the bar and stop the insanity. I truly believe that you must be in this kind of pain by rep 9 or 10 to truly get the effect of the 20 rep squat.

If you get to 9 or 10 and you aren't feeling much, INCREASE THE DAMN WEIGHT! By the 9th rep, your mind should be telling you that this was a damn bad idea.

Reps 10-12: My entire body is screaming out in agony. I tend to look slightly up when I squat so right in my view, on the wall, are the words, "DON'T YOU QUIT!" At this point, I am staring intently at those words. I am already sick to my stomach, and I am starting to wonder if I can get the next 8 reps.

Reps 13-15: Yeah. This was a damn bad idea. I am no longer counting in 3s but instead in 1s. Between each rep, I stand shaking with the weight on my back and breathing like a runaway train. The thought of quitting is overcome by me screaming DOWN! DOWN! DOWN! These reps came up very slow. 5 more baby! 5 more!

Reps 16-17: Very slow and agonizing. Breathing is forceful; heart is pounding a mile a minute. 20 is right around the corner. Just supporting the weight has become a chore. My entire body is shaking. I taste that protein drink as I burp it into my mouth.

Some of it comes out onto my shirt. I don't care. The garage could burn down around me right now and I would not care. I am steely eyed. I am ready. I will get 3 more reps. Do or die baby!

Reps 18-20: Disgustingly slow. My lower body is now numb. I am rising out of the hole but I can't tell. Everything is now painful. Even standing there with the bar, to breathing, to actually squatting. I can no longer tell the difference. Time is standing still.

This is the point were the weak stop and the strong continue. This is the battle that will win the war. The bar cannot beat me. I scream in agony as I rise out of the hole. While breathing, I swear, I spit, I puke. As the 20th rep locks out I have to fight just to get the bar back to the rack.

[hogg]

Yep. I've done a "To Fifty" squat program by Dan John. I learned a lot about myself (and about nausea).

[Petri Aspvik]

T NATION | Rule of Five

This?

[hogg]

T NATION | Rule of Five

This?

I've found that to be very helpful after particularly shitty workouts.

Oh, sorry. I think you were asking if that's where I got Dan's "To Fifty" routine. It is not. It's in an e-book of his called "Mass Made Simple." Like most of Dan's writing, it's folksy, to the point, effective, and fun to read.

[ShawnPorter]

A really rad personal trainer here in Philly who is also (very heavily) tattooed just wrote a nice piece on fitness for tattoo artists for OV- We're shooting video for it tomorrow. Really rad; goes well with the piece @DavidBruehl wrote on tattoo nutrition.

[Colored Guy]

Front squats are probably the most overlooked leg excersise ever. They can be brutal. I like the idea of front squat 10x10s....

On top of my back injury.. my neck is also a tad on the fubar side. Rear squats are out of the question right now. Any 10 x 10 squat would finish me off, unless I backed off the weight I'm used to doing.

Rob

[RoryQ]

My take on working the lower body if you have a neck or back injury is that you've got to face facts that any bilateral squat with a bar, or deadlifts, will enable you to move enough weight that you could compress a problem disc or apply a shear force to it and aggravate the issue.

Even at a lighter weight, with GVT you are doing 100 reps @ 60 per cent of 1rm. Safer than doing a bunch of 1-3 rep sets of near max effort, but that's still a lot of reps to be careful of.

For back and neck issues seems like a lot of rugby and NFL go the route of the following on leg days:-

-pushing prowlers and dragging sleds, various weights and protocols ie a mix of heavy and fast sprints

-mike Boyle style unilateral leg work ie bulgarians, step ups, lunges.

IF you're injury free though- yeah, 10x10 front squats would be great. I don't get why people take a protocol like GVT and then try and do it with single joint / isolation type movements instead of compound lifts.

[Kev]

...It's weird that when you get a coke or water instead of a beer people call you a pussy because you want to be able to lift weight the next day heavyer then they would ever be capable of when they keep up with the drinking. IMO theyre the pussies;)

Because having to drink to be social is so brave ;)

[Brock Varty]

My take on working the lower body if you have a neck or back injury is that you've got to face facts that any bilateral squat with a bar, or deadlifts, will enable you to move enough weight that you could compress a problem disc or apply a shear force to it and aggravate the issue.

Even at a lighter weight, with GVT you are doing 100 reps @ 60 per cent of 1rm. Safer than doing a bunch of 1-3 rep sets of near max effort, but that's still a lot of reps to be careful of.

For back and neck issues seems like a lot of rugby and NFL go the route of the following on leg days:-

-pushing prowlers and dragging sleds, various weights and protocols ie a mix of heavy and fast sprints

-mike Boyle style unilateral leg work ie bulgarians, step ups, lunges.

IF you're injury free though- yeah, 10x10 front squats would be great. I don't get why people take a protocol like GVT and then try and do it with single joint / isolation type movements instead of compound

lifts.

As you said, with any injury comes associated workout adjustments. But, when healthy, excersises that place more strain and stress on certain areas shouldn't be avoided because of a "potential" for injury. If everyone avoided excersise that were capable of injuring.....we would all be normal size dudes. And that, my friends, is NOT what I ever want to be.