Anabolic Diet and GVT routine help please

[Jargo]

Just a quick background, I've been on the Anabolic (Metabolic) Diet for the last 6 months or so and have had great success gaining size/strength while decreasing bodyfat. I've done some 5x5 programs but now I'm looking to switch to a hypertrophy-specific program. My recovery time is phenomenal, to the point where I almost never have muscle soreness.

I'm currently around 170lbs. My goal is to be 180-185lbs by Christmas. I've been reading about German Volume Training and it seems like it might be what I need to pack on the 10-15lbs I want.

The problem that I could use some help with is how to set up the routine. Lately I've been working out M-F and resting Sat and Sun during my carb ups. Since GVT is a 3 on, 2 off rotation I'm not really sure how to work that into my 5 on, 2 off week. I'd really like to be training 5 days a week as I feel pretty confident my diet and rest can handle it. But I'm not sure how I could set up a GVT program for 5 days a week. If anyone has an insight I'd really appreciate it.

[morderstwo]

Just a quick background, I've been on the Anabolic (Metabolic) Diet for the last 6 months or so and have had great success gaining size/strength while decreasing bodyfat. I've done some 5x5 programs but now I'm looking to switch to a hypertrophy-specific program. My recovery time is phenomenal, to the point where I almost never have muscle soreness.

I'm currently around 170lbs. My goal is to be 180-185lbs by Christmas. I've been reading about German Volume Training and it seems like it might be what I need to pack on the 10-15lbs I want.

The problem that I could use some help with is how to set up the routine. Lately I've been working out M-F and resting Sat and Sun during my carb ups. Since GVT is a 3 on, 2 off rotation I'm not really sure how to work that into my 5 on, 2 off week. I'd really like to be training 5 days a week as I feel pretty confident my diet and rest can handle it. But I'm not sure how I could set up a GVT program for 5 days a week. If anyone has an insight I'd really appreciate it.

just a note - lack of soreness is not the signal that full recovery has taken place.

also i dont think it really matters how you split it up & over how many days u spread it. only the total volume per week is important.

[Jargo]

So you're saying that it would be fine to train every day during the week and then rest over the weekend? Would you say to do a different body part each day?

[WarChant]

Can you post a link about the anabolic diet?

[Jargo]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3992023 That's the thread that got me started.
http://www.metabolicdiet.com/ is the offical website of the author. Great info. Definitely check it out man its an excellent diet but its really a lifestyle change. I don't think I'll ever go back to a traditional diet.

Still interested in someones GVT routine suggestions. There's gotta be some guys doing this program on the Anabolic Diet!

[Kelei]

I honestly don't think GVT and the anabolic diet mix very well, you're going to get smashed on GVT with low carb intake during the week, no amount of carb loading on the weekend is going to stop you from hitting the wall half way through the week.

[thekrown]

just a note - lack of soreness is not the signal that full recovery has taken place.

also i dont think it really matters how you split it up & over how many days u spread it. only the total volume per week is important.

Why do you say only total volume per week is important? Why does it matter over a 7 day stretch and not 5 or 9 days for ex?

[Jargo]

I honestly don't think GVT and the anabolic diet mix very well, you're going to get smashed on GVT with low carb intake during the week, no amount of carb loading on the weekend is going to stop you from hitting the wall half way through the week.

I appreciate your input, however I'm wondering if you've ever been on the anabolic diet for any length of time?

[Kelei]

I appreciate your input, however I'm wondering if you've ever been on the anabolic diet for any length of time?

Yeah I have tried it, simply not enough carbohydrate during the week to maintain workout performance, as I said, it doesn't matter how big your weekend carb load is, you can only store so much glycogen, unfortunately it's not enough to last you a full 5 days of high volume training.

Perhaps going 3 days high fat followed by 1 high carb day may work, 5 days is just too long of a stretch if you're training with fairly high volume.

[Jargo]

Yeah I have tried it, simply not enough carbohydrate during the week to maintain workout performance, as I said, it doesn't matter how big your weekend carb load is, you can only store so much glycogen, unfortunately it's not enough to last you a full 5 days of high volume training.

Perhaps going 3 days high fat followed by 1 high carb day may work, 5 days is just too long of a stretch if you're training with fairly high volume.

Well, I'm going to have to disagree with you. I've been on it for quite awhile now and I've done a few weeks of high volume work along with a physically demanding job and it didn't affect workout performance. The glycogen stores from the carb load weekends aren't there to fuel the weeks workouts, they are there to create a highly anabolic environment on your rest days. You should still be burning fat during the week to fuel your workouts.

But to stay on topic here, I'm having trouble planning out a routine for the next month or so. Maybe GVT isn't the perfect one for me, but I thought it might be a good way to shock my body into some growth.

[Kelei]

Well, I'm going to have to disagree with you. I've been on it for quite awhile now and I've done a few weeks of high volume work along with a physically demanding job and it didn't affect workout performance. The glycogen stores from the carb load weekends aren't there to fuel the weeks workouts, they are there to create a highly anabolic environment on your rest days. You should still be burning fat during the week to fuel your workouts.

But to stay on topic here, I'm having trouble planning out a routine for the next month or so. Maybe GVT isn't the perfect one for me, but I thought it might be a good way to shock my body into some growth.

Fat can't fuel high intensity exercise very well at all, to train at any decent level of intensity you need carbohydrate. GVT is a good routine for some quick sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, it's not going to add very much to your 1RM and in fact it can actually lower your 1RM if you normally train with low reps.

[Orlando1234977]

But to stay on topic here, I'm having trouble planning out a routine for the next month or so. Maybe GVT isn't the perfect one for me, but I thought it might be a good way to shock my body into some growth.

At 170 pounds I don't think you should be on a GVT or a 5 day split. Do a upper/lower or legs/push/pull and repeat over and over.

[morderstwo]

Fat can't fuel high intensity exercise very well at all, to train at any decent level of intensity you need carbohydrate. GVT is a good routine for some quick sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, it's not going to add very much to your 1RM and in fact it can actually lower your 1RM if you normally train with low reps.

agree there, when i did this diet i got cut very well but didnt gain much mass at all. had to go for a lower volume workout to not be exhausted.