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GVT and keto [Article]

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Oct 26, 2018 9:30:00 AM

GVT and keto

GVT and keto

 

GVT and keto can be combined. If you combine GVT and keto it is better on a cut. For a bulk, you might want to allow for more carbs. For a cut, you might want to combine keto with a program that is more focused on maximum tension rather than volume for muscle definition. 

 

 

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What are your goals 

 

Why do you research GVT and keto? Do you want to pack on muscle? Do you want to get shredded? Is strength your ultimate goal? Whatever brought you here it is important that you have precise goals. Precise goals get precise results. Fussy goals get fussy results. It is as simple as that. Most beginners have very fussy goals just like I had. “I want to get strong and muscly and stay healthy while having a fulfilling diet”. It does not work this way. You have to set your priorities. The main fields I see in fitness are 

 

  • Looks 
  • Performance 
  • Health 

 

If you are all about looks you strive for the ideals the media has laid out to you. Thanks to photoshop and stardom these ideals are unattainable for most of us. So be prepared that you will have a hard time to look like your Marvel heroes when you have to work and take care of the kids at the same time. The main influencer to reach the chiseled physique in the magazines is diet. Prepare to be hungry, frustrated and drained. To get below 10% body fat means to stay in a caloric deficit for a couple of months for most of us. If you are willing to pay the price you get more Instagram followers and sponsorship contract in return. Who knows ;). 

 

If your main interest is a performance you are all about the trophies. At least you want to put better numbers on the board. In pursuit of new personal bests, you pick your exercises based on relevance for your sport. Intensity is a constant presence and injury comes with it. Diet fuels your ambition but is not the main determinator for success. Your choices will not always be healthy. The look on your face will be hideous most of the times. But you don’t care as long as you win. 

 

Health is the main interest of the last group. For you, it is all about balance. The extremes of models and athletes are avoided. You like yoga and tea. You try different diets because they seem fun. Stress is something you avoid to feel better. You won’t be the greatest of all time or the cover of muscle and fitness, but you don’t care anyway. 

 

As you are researching GVT and keto you could belong to all three groups. The question is which one is the one you most identify with. This clarity will make it easier for you to pick the right exercises to reach your goals. This makes you more fulfilled. 

 

German Volume Training

 

German Volume Training is one of the most popular hypertrophy programs out there. This means that it is pretty good to grow some muscle. Because of its popularity, there are many variations of the program out there. My favorite template is:

 

  • 10 repetitions for 
  • 10 sets at 
  • 60% of one repetition maximum with
  • 30 seconds rest between sets

 

When I packed on 2.5kg of muscle in a month I used the 

 

 

With this template for great success. If you don’t like the barbell you can also use the leg press, leg curl and Dumbbells for your routine. Machines usually create a bias towards bodybuilding in your training while free weights create a bias towards functional strength. 

 

The main advantages of German Volume Training are its simplicity and effectiveness. GVT does not need complex calculations at the beginning or during the program. You just hang out a ton of reps. So far it is the most effective program that I have done to get bigger. There is also a lot of material out there which backs up that GVT works. 

 

The biggest disadvantages with GVT are the lack of clear progression and time it takes. If you take 2 minutes of rest between sets you already stood around for 20 minutes doing nothing. Battles in war have been won quicker. This is why I like the 30-second rest variation. It is also hard to see how to progress. Adding 2.5kg to the bar already means an increase of 250kg in total volume on GVT. It can get hard to track whether you are doing well among 100 reps per exercise. 

 

Ketogenic diet 

 

A ketogenic diet is a form of eating that propagates high fat intake while keeping carbohydrates low. Basically, it is a revamped version of the Atkins diet. One of the most prominent websites outlining recipes and principles is Dr.Diet. 

 

Staying low on carbohydrates will Prime your body to burn fat I stead of sugars. Therefore the diet will make it easier for you to lose weight. That is the theory and it seems to work in the real world for many. 

 

The biggest advantage of the keto diet is that you can eat a lot of fat. You can have cream, butter, and many different oils. That works especially well for lunches and dinners. You don’t have to nibble on salads or only drink juices to lose weight. 

 

The biggest disadvantage of the keto diet is that entire food groups can’t go on your plate. Pasta, potatoes, and bread are banished from your daily routine. You can satisfy your cravings with nuts, but it’s not the same. 

 

Can you combine GVT and keto

 

You can co vine GVT and keto, the question is what you want to achieve. GVT is best suited to build muscle. Building muscle requires a caloric surplus. You can achieve this by eating keto and scaling the calories to 3000 to 6000 per day depending on your size and goals.

 

Same goes for getting ripped. GVT works but is not the ideal program to get defined. Getting chiseled is a lot about how you execute your repetitions and less about how many you do. You can go into a caloric deficit with keto to lose weight. Depending on your size, but and activity levels we would be looking at 1200 to 3000 calories a day. Always consult a doctor before you make extreme diet choices. 

 

My personal opinion is that a good cutting program has more cardio in it and less lifting. GVT defeats that purpose based on the fact that you bang out 100 reps per exercise. That leaves little time for cardio for that day. Keto is a great diet for cutting and It is my main way of eating. I just struggle with ice cream and beer and that is why I don’t look like a Greek statuette. 

 

GVT is a great program to bulk up. If you want to bulk clean the keto diet is also great.  For me personally, I don’t like clean bulks. You have to eat a lot of chicken and cheese to get to your calories for a proper bulk. I like to have carbs in there to make this quicker. But that is just me. 

Further reading 

 

 

 

Topics: Lift stronger, German Volume Training, Fitness, Strength, Diet

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