There are few training methods which will test you like German volume training.

10 sets of 10 reps is no joke, and back when I released my program “HGV” (which is built around this method) several website members asked me if this training style could be adapted for fat loss goals.

Truth be told, classic German volume training works best for building muscle and getting stronger, but I’m also a 100% fitness nerd, so I set about creating a brand new training program which could take some of the elements that make 10×10 so much fun, and put a fat loss “twist” on them.

This program is the end result.

HGV: Fat Loss Edition gives you the intensity of Deutschland’s most famous training technique alongsidethe proven fat burning results of HIIT (high intensity interval training).

We will gradually increase the intensity as the weeks go by, so you can expect to come finish this program not only leaner, but also with a considerably higher level of conditioning!

Program length: 6 weeks.
Frequency: 6 workouts per week.
Session breakdown: You’ll do 10×10 on a compound lift, then a series of regular sets/reps to finish off the target muscle group.
Rep ranges used: Moderate and high.
Muscle Buster techniques: German volume training (GVT), hundreds training, rest down, dropsets, supersets.

Workout Calendar

This is a 6-week program, and you’ll hit the gym x6 days per week:

• Monday: Chest, back and abs
• Tuesday: Shoulders, traps and biceps
• Wednesday: Quads, hamstrings, calves and triceps
• Thursday: Chest, back and abs
• Friday: Shoulders, traps and biceps
• Saturday: Quads, hamstrings, calves and triceps
• Sunday: Off

This training split is highly effective for results, and it’s also very flexible.

For example. if you ever find yourself in a situation where you’re unable to go to the gym six days per week, as long as you hit the first three workouts you’ve already trained every single muscle group, so nothing will get left behind (unlike a traditional “bro split” where if you miss a leg workout then your legs remain untrained for two weeks!).

Alternatively, you can double the length of this program by doing the first three workouts and then carrying the remaining three into the folllowing week. I’dprefer you to follow it as written, but this is a useful strategy for newbie lifters if the intensity of those 10×10 sessions is too much for you to handle.

What Is "German Volume Training"?

This is a strength training method which dates back to the 1970s, first popularized by Rolf Feser (German national weightlifting coach) and later by Vince Gironda (American fitness industry legend).

You’ll perform 10 sets of 10 reps on this one, so it’s gruelling work, and the theory behind it is as straightforward as you’d expect:

Lots of volume + Heavy weights = More muscle growth!

"Rest Down" To Rip Up!

If you used my original HGV program then you’ll know 10×10 is fantastic for improving size and strength, but how do we twist it to incorporate FAT LOSS?

Well, we do so by integrating my “rest down” method into your GVT sets.

Doing so morphs your 10×10 sets into a form of HIIT (high intensity interval training), which is absolutely awesome for shredding body fat! (1, 2)

This is a method which I’ve been using in the gym with clients for many years now (I first mentioned it on the website way back in 2015!). As the name suggests, it involves gradually reducing the amount of rest you take between rounds:

• Week 1: 50 seconds rest between each of your 10 sets of 10 reps.
• Week 2: 40 seconds.
• Week 3: 30 seconds.
• Week 4: 20 seconds.
• Week 5: 10 seconds.
• Week 6: No rest (100 reps straight).

Studies show that staggering our reductions in rest in this manner is fantastic for fat loss results, and also a great way to boost your fitness. (3, 4)

We will reach a stage of the program where “GVT” transitions into something called “Hundreds Training” (it’s as simple as the name suggests), and your body will adapt to these rest break reductions to make sure you finish HGV: Fat Loss Edition not only leaner but with a significantly better level of overall conditioning versus the version of you that started out in week 1!

NOTE: It’s important to accurately time your rest periods. I always see people yapping too much or zoning out between sets in the gym, and you can’t do that on a program like this because the rest plays a crucial part in the journey. Set your stopwatch and do it right.

Weight Selection Advice For 10x10 Exercises

If this is your first time using GVT, it’s probably unlike anything you’ve ever tried before.

In traditional workouts you’d normally expect to increase the weight with every new set, but with GVT I actually want you to keep the same weight throughout all 10 sets. You see it's not about "maxing out", it's about increasing muscular endurance, and we do this via the culminative effect of the volume rather than the sheer amount of weight.

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