Volume Accumulation: the next evolution
I've never invented any original training concepts. I've never been or coached a world champion. I have no degrees or certifications to impress anyone with. All I have is a passion to push myself to be the most exceptional that I'm capable of becoming, and a passion to learn the best route to achieve same.
Right now I have a broken finger, but I have purchased a pair of wrist strap hooks that will enable my to keep rowing while my finger heals. I'll also have to use machines for all my pressing, but that is still better than not making progress.
The thing is, I'm still making more rapid gains in size, strength, and work capacity than at any other point in my life, and I'm about to turn 41. I can only imagine if I'd run a few volume accumulation phases when I was in my 20s and 30s.
It all goes back to Charles Poliquin and his popularization of the 10 Sets method, which he dubbed German Volume Training. Before Mr. Poliquin's article in the 90s, Vince Gironda was using the same 10 x 10 method in the 60s.
I did 10 x 10 a few times, but never stuck with it for very long. I was always troubled, mentally, by how light I had to go to reach 10 x 10. I have mainly focused on strength and conditioning and allowed hypertrophy to occur as a side effect, but seldom focused on it. Right now I'm focusing on it with this Volume Accumulation program, and I'm shocked at how fast I'm growing.
My programming:
Again, I didn't INVENT anything, I just applied a method in a way that seems to be working very well.
Since I've been training for a while, I've decided the way to avoid injury is to stick with a specific weight for a while and just drive up the reps. When I hit my target, 3-6 weeks later, I add weight and start over. Nothing miraculous or new in that approach. This approach works so well because the first 2 weeks are neurally challenging, so strength adaptation occurs right from the start. As the volume increases, metabolic adaptations become more pronounced and strength is basically maintained.
Just to cut right to the chase, here's my version of the 10 Sets Method, or what I'm calling Volume Accumulation. Remember, you'll be using the same weight for every session till you hit the final week and start over with more weight
Monday: Horizonal push/pull
Right now I have a broken finger, but I have purchased a pair of wrist strap hooks that will enable my to keep rowing while my finger heals. I'll also have to use machines for all my pressing, but that is still better than not making progress.
The thing is, I'm still making more rapid gains in size, strength, and work capacity than at any other point in my life, and I'm about to turn 41. I can only imagine if I'd run a few volume accumulation phases when I was in my 20s and 30s.
It all goes back to Charles Poliquin and his popularization of the 10 Sets method, which he dubbed German Volume Training. Before Mr. Poliquin's article in the 90s, Vince Gironda was using the same 10 x 10 method in the 60s.
I did 10 x 10 a few times, but never stuck with it for very long. I was always troubled, mentally, by how light I had to go to reach 10 x 10. I have mainly focused on strength and conditioning and allowed hypertrophy to occur as a side effect, but seldom focused on it. Right now I'm focusing on it with this Volume Accumulation program, and I'm shocked at how fast I'm growing.
My programming:
Again, I didn't INVENT anything, I just applied a method in a way that seems to be working very well.
Since I've been training for a while, I've decided the way to avoid injury is to stick with a specific weight for a while and just drive up the reps. When I hit my target, 3-6 weeks later, I add weight and start over. Nothing miraculous or new in that approach. This approach works so well because the first 2 weeks are neurally challenging, so strength adaptation occurs right from the start. As the volume increases, metabolic adaptations become more pronounced and strength is basically maintained.
Just to cut right to the chase, here's my version of the 10 Sets Method, or what I'm calling Volume Accumulation. Remember, you'll be using the same weight for every session till you hit the final week and start over with more weight
Monday: Horizonal push/pull
- Chest / Back superset wk1:10x5, wk2:10x6, wk3:10x7, wk4:10x8, wk5:10x9, wk6:10x10
- incline press
- Hammer Strength row
- Chest / Back superset
- Cable cross-over: 15,12,10,15
- Rope grip row or face-pulls: 15,12,10,15
Tuesday: Quad dominant
- Squat: wk1:10x5, wk2:10x6, wk3:10x7, wk4:10x8, wk5:10x9, wk6:10x10
- Leg press calves: 20,15,10,10,15,20,30
Thursday: Vertical push/pull
- Shoulder/ Lats superset wk1:10x5, wk2:10x6, wk3:10x7, wk4:10x8, wk5:10x9, wk6:10x10
- behind neck press
- pullup
- Shoulders / Lats superset
- Front+side raise: 15,12,10,15
- Straight arm pulldown: 15,12,10,15
Friday: Hip dominant
- Deadlift: wk1:10x5, wk2:10x6, wk3:10x7, wk4:10x8, wk5:10x9, wk6:10x10
- Leg press calves: 20,15,10,10,15,20,30
I'm also doing some ab and arm work on Monday and Thursday nights, and intervals on Tuesday and Friday nights. Nothing too structured on arms - just shooting for maximal fatigue/pump in least possible volume. Think dropsets, giantsets, forced reps. For abs, I'm methodically working towards a rock solid front level. If you know what that is, you know it ain't easy.
That's it. I'm going to keep everything the same for 12 weeks (two 6 week cycles), then switch to a 5-3-1 plan with a lot of Olympic lifting to get my athleticism back up as Highland Games starts up again.
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