This is Joe McMullin’s take on German Volume Training and how it can be applied to high school rowers during the offseason to help gain muscle fast while training on the erg.

German Volume Training was developed by the East Germans during the cold war. It is found to be the fastest method of building muscle. This method could expedite the young high school rower looking to gain mass during the summer or winter. Almost all high school rowers struggle with gaining weight and this method may help you!

Every lift is done based on what your 20 rep max should be or 60% of your one rep max. So if you can do 20 biceps curls with a 15 pound dumbbell, but can’t do it 21 times, that’s the right weight; or, say you can bench press 100 pounds 1 time, 60% would be 60 pounds. When you’re using bands, make sure you find the right length that will get you to that 20 rep max.

The other piece of this training is that you’ll need a watch, clock, or cellphone clock on hand. The rest between each set is 30 seconds to 1 minute, no more. The key to this type of training is the reduced rest. You need to make sure that the weights/bands are available and set up for you and you don’t have any interruptions when you start. However, the 30 second to 1 minute breaks are only for the 10×10 sets. For the 3x20s you can rest between 1 to 2 minutes.

I wrote this training plan up in a 3 week plan with cardio/steady state mixed in. This assumes no lifting in the 4th week. Week 5 would start back on week 1.

You should be doing this lift in the morning. 

I would also advise taking some caffeine before you do this like Coke Zero, strong tea, coffee, or espresso. Something to help push your mind and body to do more. Again, personal choice.

Always breathe through your nose during the rest, if you can. Ideally during the whole workout. 

You shouldn’t do more than about 5-8K on the erg right after, but in intervals, like 5x1K.

You can do your standard SS work in the afternoons.

Make sure you record your weight at the start and end of the month.

Lastly, make sure you’re eating a lot after the lift to fuel your muscles

Week 1:

Monday: Chest and Back

10×10 pushups (if the push-ups are too easy do dumbbell pushups, wide pushups, or diamond etc)

10×10 lat pulldowns with bands (this where the door anchor for the bands is helpful). The anchor and bands should be at the top of the door

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

10×10 chest flys with bands. Bands at chest level

10×10 standing rows with bands. 

3×20 pushups

Tuesday: Legs and Core

10×10 Lunges. So 10 lunges per leg, then take your :30-1:00 break

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

3×20 sculler sit ups

3×20 weighted or banded squats

Wednesday: Arms

10×10 dumbbell or band bicep curls. This is the standard bicep curl when you’re standing upright

10×10 bent over tricep extension with bands

10×10 hammer curls with dumbbells

10×10 overhead tricep extension with dumbbells 

Thursday: “Rest day/Volume”

Volume on the erg

30-40 minutes of yoga/stretching

Friday: Shoulders

10×10 standing upright rows with bands or dumbbells

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

10×10 front flys with dumbbells

10×10 shoulder flys with dumbbells

3×20 wall angels with very light dumbells, like 2-3 pounders, if not, no weight at all (pro tip: these are awesome if you’re having shoulder pain to help loosen the muscles and increase range of motion)

Saturday: Volume

80 to 100 minutes of cardio/steady state

Sunday: Active Recovery

If you do it right, you’re going to be very sore all week. Use this day as an active recovery or full rest day. Active recovery of no more than 5K on the erg and 30-40 min of yoga.

Week 2:

Monday: Chest and Back

10×10 wide pushups 

10×10 banded rows using the door anchor

:10 on :05 off x 4 each side – side plank

:15 on :05 off x 3 plank

10×10 low chest flies

10×10 lat pull downs

3×20 pushups

Tuesday: Legs and Core

10×10 weighted squats. 

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

3×20 sculler sit ups

3×20 lunges

Wednesday: Biceps and Triceps

10×10 dumbbell or band bicep curls. This is the standard bicep curl when you’re standing upright

10×10 bent over tricep extension with bands

10×10 wide bicep curls with dumbbells or bands

10×10 chair dips

Thursday: “Rest day/Volume”

Volume on the erg

30-40 minutes of yoga/stretching

Friday: Shoulders

10×10 front flys with dumbbells

10×10 shoulder flys with dumbbells

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

3×20 wall angels with very light dumbells, like 2-3 pounders, if not, no weight at all (pro tip: these are awesome if you’re having shoulder pain to help loosen the muscles and increase range of motion)

Saturday: Volume

80 to 100 minutes of cardio

Sunday: Active Recovery

Active recovery of no more than 5K on the erg and 30-40 min of yoga.

Week 3:

Monday: Volume

80 to 100 minutes of cardio/steady state

Tuesday: Chest and Back

10×10 pushups knuckle/fist pushups

10×10 lat pulldowns with bands (this where the door anchor for the bands is helpful). The anchor and bands should be at the top of the door

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

10×10 chest flys with bands. Bands at chest level

10×10 standing rows with bands. 

3×20 pushups

Wednesday: Legs and Core

10×10 Lunges. So 10 lunges per leg, then take your :30-1:00 break

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

3×20 sculler sit ups

3×20 weighted or banded squats

Thursday: Arms

10×10 dumbbell or banded bicep curls. This is the standard bicep curl when you’re standing upright

10×10 bent over tricep extension with bands

10×10 hammer curls with dumbbells

10×10 overhead tricep extension with dumbbells 

Friday: “Rest day/Volume”

Volume on the erg

30-40 minutes of yoga/stretching

Saturday: Shoulders

10×10 standing upright rows with bands or dumbbells

3 minutes of :10 on :05 off plank

10×10 front flys with dumbbells

10×10 shoulder flys with dumbbells

3×20 wall angels with very light dumbells, like 2-3 pounders, if not, no weight at all (pro tip: these are awesome if you’re having shoulder pain to help loosen the muscles and increase range of motion)

Sunday: Active Recovery

Active recovery of no more than 5K on the erg and 30-40 min of yoga.

Week 4:

Volume/steady state/cardio

Weigh yourself at the end of the week.

Week 5 starts over at Week 1