GVT Help

Hello everyone, I want to start a new routine using reps in the 10 range (just finished a very good 5x5) and heard GVT was good. I do have a couple questions about it.

1) Do I superset everything or can I do them one at a time?
Ex If on monday i'm doing Bench Squats and Rows can I do all my bench then all my squats then all my rows or do I have to do bench sqaut row 10 times?

2) All my readings on the internet gave very bodybuilding type workouts ex lots of curling and other "girly man" lifts, so I was wondering If i could stick with :

Monday Bench Squat Row
Wednesday Military Deadlift Pull up
Friday Bench Squat Row

With the 5x5 i was doing a squat on wednesday as well but i removed that for the greater recovery requires from this type of routine.

3) If you guys want to add anything please do. I'm looking to get back in the gym on monday and I was focus! so please call me a noob and tell what to do so I can kick my ass.

 

I would not do high rep deadlifts.

 

Please feel free to explain why. As I said I'm fairly new to lifting in this manner. Also is 10 high rep for dead lifts?

 

Yeah 10's pretty high. Basically, because on a set of deadlifts they'll start out good and degrade towards the end, and when that happens you're prone to hurting yourself.

 

I can't recall who but someone on this forum was talking about the incredible benefits of high rep deadlifts. Maybe it was Keith. Anyway. as long as you keep the weight a pretty low percentage of your 1RM you should be OK.

 

Why bench so much? If you want to squat twice a week, you should at least swap pullups and overhead press for bench and rows on the last day.

I don't see a downside to high rep anything, as long as you aren't lifting with the intention of gaining strength in the most efficient way.

High rep deadlifts are probably pretty damn good GPP. I can see klotz concern about form as well, though. I guess even heavy singles will sacrifice form after a while..

 

If you do high rep deads with enough weight to make it worth it, form will eventually decay.

If you choose to continue with the protocol, just have a friend watch your form from the side. If you pull one with a round back, he calls and you bail the set.

Even on my 5-rep working sets I video my deads to make sure my back is at least flat. When you're looking forward (as you should be) you cannot be 100% sure your back is where it should be and when you're fatigued, what feels like an arch might not be.

 

There was a lot of folks in here did a conditionin' challenge of BW DL for 5 minutes a couple months ago. Just make sure you keep good form throughout the rep range.

 

you can triset them, superset two exercises or do them one at a time, its all personal preferences

read the 5x5 in the FAQ again, at the end of the writeup, there's a GVT primer as well. that wuld help answer all your questions

 

What do you mean bench so much, as in twice a week? Is that considered a lot?

Honestly I ripped everything i've been doing from the 5x5 in the sticky as i am a noob and don't have anyone to help me.

 

Yeh, 2x a week is a lot. There are more pushing exercises than bench, and to be honest, pushing in general twice a week is a lot. You will probably notice large gains in upper body strength doing it, but you'll also probably notice strength imbalances eventually as well. You're basically pushing every time you go to the gym (military press)

 

He is also pulling every time he goes to the gym (rows+DL). Are you arguing against the full body workout?

 

I don't understand why everyone is questioning the 5x5 all of the sudden.

 

Most likely the thread starter read the Eclipse thread that the FAQ links to for 5x5 information, and the head coach in that thread recommends doing GVT or something similar after a full circuit of 5x5, so he would essentially just be following the S&P FAQ.



I'm thinking about doing something along those lines as well - my third long 5x5 (and 3x3) cycle has been problematic.

 

No, because I am biased.

Seriously, I think 5x5 is good for beginners but push/pull/squat is better for more advanced lifters.

 

At what point does one become a more advanced lifter?

 

Probably when you have a massive chest and terrible pain in your shoulders from pushing way too much.

 

He is rowing as well.
He is performing a pushing/pulling movement so there isn't a problem. The problem is when people push without performing a upper body pulling

 

Despite my promise, I have yet to finish my article on high rep deadlifts, but I will tell you that they are highly, highly effective. There are a couple of keys, (1) you are using moderate, maybe even low weight and doing volume work (2) People always cite the form breakdown leading to injury factor, but there is no reason to have your form breakdown IF, you do a rep, stand up, re-grip and pull, so instead of doing 1x10 you are doing 10x1 with only 1-2 seconds between rep, It allows you to stand up, stretch and then get back into perfect pulling position. In my opinion, this is how ALL Deadlift sets should be done, because as you get fatigued, its easy to start bouncing the weight or pulling from a poor leveraged position. Try it and see.

High rep deadlifts are NOT like high rep squats, where you just about kill yourself to get the last few reps in, no, nothing like that, low to moderate weight, pulled for smooth sets of 10 for 4-6 sets. No real strain, but if your not drenced with sweat at the end, something is wrong. I have found that high rep deads actually decrease injury because the increased number of reps strengthens neuromuscular pathways and you also get a chance to "practice" your technique. High rep deads will literally revamp your back structure. I teach high rep deadlifts for regular deads, bent leg deadlifts, deadlifts off blocks and bent legged deadlifts off blocks.

The article will explain the entire premise in detail

Keith

 

I must be an advanced lifter then.