Quick question for those who have done (or have knowledge on) Optimized Volume Training.
I am ramping up the supersets week by week, aka:
Week 1 - 3 supsersets
Week 2 - 4 supersets
Week 3 - 5 supersets
Week 4 - 3 supersets (maybe 4 if I feel fresh)
2 weeks RR&D
Phase 2, with the same progression
Now, here’s the question.
Let’s say I do my first set of bench press and use 155lbs, for example, and BARELY get 5 reps. The next set, I know I will be unable to do all 5. Should I lower the weight to 155lbs in order to get all 5 reps? Or should I keep it at 160 and just squeeze out as many as possible?
My last workout looked like…
Bench Press: 155 x 5, 4, 3, 2…
Should I have lowered the weight to make room for more reps? I can still use the full weight for the DB flies with the 6second negatives, but am I hurting the program by not lowering the weight? I am hoping to gain some strength ALONG WITH the size this program promises.
on a traditional 5x5 i would say yes leave it the way your doing it. however on ovt we are also after volume. so i say no, use a weight that you can handle all 5 times for 5 sets.
i am usually able to increase my compound movements by 5 lbs at least each week with this protocol.
Right, you should not use your max. weight on the first set. The first set should be with a weight that you can comfortably get 7reps with. It’s not about going to fatigue on the first set, it’s about the accumulated fatigue of all the sets combined that will spark the hypertrophy spark.
I thought (and possibly the article says something similar) that for the compound movement each set was meant to be with the maximum weight you could lift for 5 reps.
thought (and possibly the article says something similar) that for the compound movement each set was meant to be with the maximum weight you could lift for 5 reps.
that was my understanding also, i am about to start this program so any clarificaiton would be nice
I did OVT once and I just lowered the weight as needed. At the time I was lifting 255 for a 5RM bench press. So the first set would be 255, then 2 sets at 245 then 240 and ended the last set at 235. By the end of the four week cycle I got all 5 sets at 255. Of course, I did it wrong cause I did five sets from week one.
It’s very simple… this is a copy-paste from the oiginal article…
Fourth difference: Rather than perform all sets with the same weight, as is the case with GVT, you do use as much weight as possible and adjust the load after each set (plus or minus 5 to 10 pounds, depending on the ease/difficulty of the preceding set).