One of the most common questions I get from athletes and coaches: “How do I add muscle mass without killing my speed, agility, and explosiveness?”
I’ve spent years refining this, and I’ve found one of the most effective systems for developing size and preserving athleticism during the off season. Today, I’ll break down the exact approach from the main lifts to the auxiliary work so you can apply it in your own programming.
The Challenge with Athlete Mass Building
When training athletes, we’re on a clock with three to five months of off season before competition begins. Once they’re in season, we can’t hammer the same training stress without risking burnout or performance drop offs.
The goal is to add muscle while maintaining speed, agility, and power not to train them like bodybuilders chasing pure size. That means:
- Nutrition dialed in (caloric surplus)
- Sleep & recovery on point
- Hydration
- Smart programming to balance volume and intensity
The Core Method: GVT Meets Wendler 5/3/1
We pair German Volume Training (GVT) with the Wendler 5/3/1 strength progression. Each feeds the other for consistent adaptation.
German Volume Training (GVT)
- 10 sets of 10 reps at ~60% 1RM
- Superset 2 compound lifts
- High volume at moderate load forces more motor units to fire late in sets
- Creates massive hypertrophy stimulus without frying the nervous system
Wendler 5/3/1
- Simple progressive overload: 5 reps → 3 reps → 1 rep over a 3-week wave
- Percentages increase as reps drop
- Final set = technical max effort (AMRAP at target %), allowing us to recalculate new 1RM without true max testing
Why it works:
- GVT (volume) builds muscle endurance and size in compound lifts
- 5/3/1 (intensity) builds absolute strength
- New strength levels from 5/3/1 feed back into heavier GVT work
- Cycle repeats—size and strength climb together
The Weekly Setup (4 Days)
- Day 1: Upper Body – Absolute Strength (5/3/1)
- Day 2: Lower Body – Absolute Strength (5/3/1)
- Day 3: Upper Body – Hypertrophy (GVT)
- Day 4: Lower Body – Hypertrophy (GVT)
Every 3–4 weeks: Deload to recover muscle tissue and nervous system, then repeat.
Auxiliary & Supplemental Work
Adding size isn’t just about the main lifts, you’ve got to program auxiliary work to build balance, fix imbalances, and hit supporting musculature.
Upper Body
- Push/Pull Balance:
- Day 1 = Primary horizontal push + primary horizontal pull
- Day 2 = Primary vertical push + primary vertical pull
- Modify overhead work for athletes with mobility or injury concerns (landmine press, incline press, etc.)
- Shoulders:
- Focus on lateral & posterior delts (anterior gets plenty from pressing)
- Arms:
- Biceps: Day 1 = hammer curl variation, Day 2 = standard curl (use fat grips/rope for grip work)
- Triceps: Day 1 = cable extension/press variation, Day 2 = skull crusher or similar
Lower Body
- After Main Lift:
- Unilateral Movement: reverse lunge, walking lunge, forward lunge (rotate planes over time)
- Addresses strength imbalances and single-leg stability
- Posterior Chain:
- Alternate glute-dominant and hamstring-dominant work each day (hip thrusts, RDLs, hamstring curls)
- Lower Limb:
- Anterior tibialis raises
- Calf work (standing & seated variations)
Progression Through the Off-Season
Early off-season:
- Higher volume
- More single-joint accessory work to drive growth
Mid-to-late off-season:
- More integrated, total-body movements
- Shift toward dynamic effort work (speed lifts, plyos, med ball throws) while maintaining muscle built earlier
Bottom Line
The GVT + 5/3/1 system, paired with balanced auxiliary programming, is one of the most effective ways to build lean mass in athletes without sacrificing the qualities that make them dangerous in competition.
If you want the exact blueprints: sets, reps, and full progression, I lay it all out in Athletic Mass, my complete off-season mass building program for athletes.
