I'm due to go back to AGVT in March. I loved it last year and made some really good gains both in strength, and modest amounts of size (though I did bloat up a bit through the copious amounts of food I ate and seemed to carry more water, creatine and other supps perhaps?)

However I've reviewed my past training log and it needed a few tweaks. The weights will initially be at 75% of 1RM.

The 1st week (it's a 10 day "week") is 10x5, the second is 10x4 (increasing weight by 6%), 3rd is 10x3 (increasing by 9%). You then do "week 4", 10x5 but with "week 2" weights. repeat the pattern to week 6.

Effectively you end up increasing the load by 15% with high volume by the end of program - which I can then follow on to do another split, or a conditioning phase - I'm still working on that.

Anyway, the exercises I've chosen for each session is as follows (this is based on the equipment available to me at my poorly equipped the gym.)

Day 1 Exercise Sets x Reps Tempo
BB Press 10x5 40x0
Chins (WG) 10x5 40x0
Dips 3x6-8 40x0
BORs 3x6-8 40x0

Day 2 Back Squats 10x5 40x0
SLDL 10x5 40x0
DB Lunges 3x6-8 30x0
Step Ups 3x6-8 40x0

Day 3 Off

Day 4 Incline DB Curls 10x5 30x0
CGBP 10x5 30x0
Thick BB Reverse Curl 3x6-8 30x0
Seated EZ French Press 3x6-8 30x0

Day 5 Off

Day 6 Incline DB Press 10x5 40x0
T-Bar 10x5 40x0
Flat DB Press 3x6-8 40x0
Hammer Grip Chins 3x6-8 40x0

Day 7 Heels Elevated Front squat 10x5 40x0
DLs 10x5 30x0
Split Squats 3x6-8 40x0
Calf Raises 3x6-8 40x0

Day 8 Day off

Day 9 Hammer Curls 10x5 30x0
Skull Crushers 10x5 30x0
Preacher reverse curl 3x6-8 30x0
Cable Tricep Extension 3x6-8 30x0

Day 10 Off


As you can see it is all push/pull type of work which is quite good, or at least antagonist/symnergist workout. I prefer to stick to bigger compound m,ass making exercises, however if you think there are better exercises or a better mix I'd be more than grateful for some advice and guidance.

Looks good to me.

Any exercises I do think of are hard to implement the tempo's to and generally aren't big mass builders which are probaly why you've not included them. I was thinking something like shrugs perhaps but not really sure where they could work in or are suitable for this program. Bearing in mind the amount of time your shoulders/traps are going to spend under load. It's all well looking at a list of exercises but taking note of the reps and tempo's is important too. Hense why I'm just *nodding*.

Seem to be hitting everything from alot of angles so looks good to me

I wouldn't be looking foward to 50 reps of deadlift at 75% of my 1RM! Will you be using 75% or lesser as they're bloody tough work when they're heavy deads.

Also what are the rest periods like for AGVT, as with regular GVT the primary exercises are supersetted with 90 seconds rest. Standard 60 seconds?

90s rests between sets, no supersetting.

Yeah I've knocked some weight off the DLs as 75% would mean around 165kg which is tough. Not worked out the weights exactly, but I'm going to be pushing myself hard.

Is it me or are there no Shoulder movements?

Yeah that's the issue I have is that there's no specific shoulder work, i.e. only incline, BORs, chins. However I don't know where to throw them in as the program is knackering enough - unless you can suggest something?

Maybe trade Flat Bench for Incline DB Press on day 1 and then add in Shoulders on day 6 as the first movement instead of the Inclines and keep in Flat DB Press.

IMO the arms days are rather pointless. Tire you out but don't give you much in overall terms of hormone release etc.

You have as much arm work as chest / back / leg work

Maybe do shoulders and arms on day 4 and drop your last day altogether.

As Chopsticks said, it looks like you're doing a upper/lower/arms split?

Will wrote:Yeah that's the issue I have is that there's no specific shoulder work, i.e. only incline, BORs, chins. However I don't know where to throw them in as the program is knackering enough - unless you can suggest something?

I would modify the arms day to be just one exercise each for bi's & tris, then add an overhead press and a big trap exercise like powercleans.

Personally would also change the flat presses on day 1 to an incline press - dips and inclines on the same day hit the chest really well imo.

Ok I give in what does AGVT stand for ?


Something volume training ????

Dtlv74 wrote:

Will wrote:Yeah that's the issue I have is that there's no specific shoulder work, i.e. only incline, BORs, chins. However I don't know where to throw them in as the program is knackering enough - unless you can suggest something?

I would modify the arms day to be just one exercise each for bi's & tris, then add an overhead press and a big trap exercise like powercleans.

Personally would also change the flat presses on day 1 to an incline press - dips and inclines on the same day hit the chest really well imo.

That seems sensible. I hate the amount of arm work that AGVT seems to concentrate on, so swapping some of the arm stuff for shoulder stuff might be sensible.

Bear in mind I need exercises that can have a nice slow 4s negative - so they need to be some of the "bigger" exercises.

The whole point of AGVT is as follows:

2x major compounds (which hits the synergistic muscle groups) and 2x subsidiary exercises of smaller volume.

i.e. chest & back for the 10x5 and then chest & back for 3x8.

So I'm happy to hear suggestions on alternatives. I'm still tweaking it anyway, so I have another few weeks before I start.

Gym-pig wrote:Ok I give in what does AGVT stand for ?


Something volume training ????

Advanced German Volume Training.

Ok made a few changes:

What do you think?


Exercise Sets x Reps Tempo
BB Press 10x3 40x0
Chins (WG) 10x3 40x0
Dips 3x6-8 40x0
BORs 3x6-8 40x0

Back Squats 10x3 40x0
SLDL 10x3 40x0
DB Lunges 3x6-8 30x0
Step Ups 3x6-8 40x0

Off

BB Push Press 10x3 30x0
Side Raises 10x3 30x0
Seated curls 3x6-8 30x0
CGBP 3x6-8 30x0

Off

Incline DB Press 10x3 40x0
T-Bar 10x3 40x0
Flat DB Press 3x6-8 40x0
Hammer Grip Chins 3x6-8 40x0

Heels Elevated Front squat 10x3 40x0
DLs 10x3 30x0
Split Squats 3x6-8 40x0
Calf Raises 3x6-8 40x0

Day off

Standing DB Press 10x3 30x0
Side Raises 10x3 30x0
Hammer Curls 3x6-8 30x0
Cable Tricep Extension 3x6-8 30x0


I've added high volume for shoulders, and just low volume work outs for arms. The actual training program doesn't include shoulders so I'm modifying the program, and I don't mind, I *hate* arm work.

Will wrote:

Gym-pig wrote:Ok I give in what does AGVT stand for ?


Something volume training ????

Advanced German Volume Training.

Sounds very interesting - and hard !

Ill have to do some reading !

It is - I love it!

Will wrote:Ok made a few changes:

What do you think?


Exercise Sets x Reps Tempo
BB Press 10x3 40x0
Chins (WG) 10x3 40x0
Dips 3x6-8 40x0
BORs 3x6-8 40x0

Back Squats 10x3 40x0
SLDL 10x3 40x0
DB Lunges 3x6-8 30x0
Step Ups 3x6-8 40x0

Off

BB Push Press 10x3 30x0
Side Raises 10x3 30x0
Seated curls 3x6-8 30x0
CGBP 3x6-8 30x0

Off

Incline DB Press 10x3 40x0
T-Bar 10x3 40x0
Flat DB Press 3x6-8 40x0
Hammer Grip Chins 3x6-8 40x0

Heels Elevated Front squat 10x3 40x0
DLs 10x3 30x0
Split Squats 3x6-8 40x0
Calf Raises 3x6-8 40x0

Day off

Standing DB Press 10x3 30x0
Side Raises 10x3 30x0
Hammer Curls 3x6-8 30x0
Cable Tricep Extension 3x6-8 30x0


I've added high volume for shoulders, and just low volume work outs for arms. The actual training program doesn't include shoulders so I'm modifying the program, and I don't mind, I *hate* arm work.

I'm likely to start this next week, any other comments on the choice of exercises?