The VOS Program

Volume of Strength: 4 Weeks To a New Personal Best!

by Chad Waterbury

"I learned you can't go nowhere when you go by the book."

Waylon Jennings

Coach Frankenstein
Just call me Coach Frankenstein. That's because like some sort of mad scientist. I'm always down
in my laboratory/gym attempting to discover strength-building programs that dramatically
increase performance in the shortest amount of time possible.
After many stormy nights without sleep and digging up dead bodies, I've finally uncovered a real
monster of a program, one that will lead to incredible strength development. But let me warn
you, this program is not for the weak of heart or for those who feel strength-training variables
must fit neatly within preset parameters! But if you have an open mind, aren't afraid of trying
something a little "scary," and have a burning desire for boosting performance, then this may be
just the program you've been waiting for.

The Law of Repeated Efforts

There seem to be two legitimate schools of thought when it comes to increasing strength and
performance in a particular lift. You can either find where your weaknesses are most prevalent,
or you can dramatically increase the amount of time and effort spent on a particular lift.
The first option (finding your weaknesses) is great for those with extensive training experience
and for those who are very in touch with their muscular system and strength levels. The second
option (upping the volume of a chosen lift) is excellent for less experienced lifters who are still
fighting their way through neuromuscular enhancement and optimal strength development. I like
to focus on volume initially, and then devote time and effort toward finding specific weaknesses
with my clients.
I know many strength coaches who are strong advocates of completely dropping an exercise
from a program once performance comes to a halt. If your bench isn't going up, stop benching,
they say. I don't agree. The problem is rarely in the exercise itself, but more in the manner in
which a trainee organizes the training variables. Let me explain.
Let's say Lifter X wants to increase his performance in the squat. He's performed the lift
continuously for the past three months and his progress has stalled quicker than a Yugoslavian
compact car. He looks for answers from various strength coaches and comes to the conclusion

that he should now substitute deadlifts for the squatting movement. Usually, the reasoning from
the coach is based on the assumption that the nervous system is now "bored" with the exercise
and things need to be "shaken up" a bit. Well, I don't know about you, but that's not a very
scientific explanation for what's really happening.
No one with an IQ greater than that of a tabloid newsstand junkie would argue with the Law of
Repeated Efforts. Simply stated, this physiological law relates to the fact that performing any
particular movement more often would yield better performance. I could give hundreds examples
of such a phenomenon, such as professional weightlifters or musicians. How many times do you
think Ed Coan has performed the squatting movement? I bet even he couldn't come up with a
total, but you can be pretty damn sure it's a lot!
Or how about a classical violinist? How many hours practicing a given score would a violinist
need to perfect his performance? Once again, the number is probably mind-boggling. So doesn't
it make sense that strength training could fall under the same law? In other words, executing the
squatting movement with an extremely high volume (i.e. practice) would lead to increased
performance.
Well, my friend, that's what this program is based on the Law of Repeated Efforts. Please take
note, this is a law and not a theory. In science, the term law is a holy grail. It's proof that a
method is a sound physiological mechanism with reproducible results and it isn't hearsay. So, let
science be your ally. Before I get into the gory details of this program, let me give you a little
science to back up my argument.
Repeated efforts lead to synaptic facilitation. This term relates to an increase in communication
strength between the nervous system and muscular system. The more you practice an exercise,
the greater the increases in strength of its synaptic connections within the motor neuron. In fact,
repeated efforts may also lead to the formation of new synapses that will lead to increases in
strength levels. Physiologists typically refer to synaptic facilitation as learning. Other coaches
have referred to this phenomenon as "greasing the groove." No matter what you call it, repeated
efforts activate the process of synaptic facilitation, which in turn, ups your strength levels! Pretty
cool, huh?
Now, what you've been patiently waiting for the parameters of this strength-boosting method
I call the Volume of Strength or VOS program. Volume of Strength simply means increasing the
volume of a particular lift (drastically!) in order to rapidly build strength levels. The increase in
strength is due to synaptic facilitation, which can only happen through repetitive stimuli. This
happens quickest with high-volume work.
This program can be used for any lift, but I prefer you use it for big, basic compound
movements: bench press, squat, deadlift, etc. You'll be able to perform supplemental exercises
along with the compound movements (I'll provide guidelines for those later). For now, here are
the parameters for the VOS program:

The Volume of Strength Program

WEEK ONE
Day 1
Load: 80% of 1RM (rep max)
Sets: 5
Reps: 3
Rest: 180 seconds between sets
Tempo: As fast as possible, even though the actual speed will be slow, given the load
Day 2
Off
Day 3
Load: 50% of 1RM
Sets: 8
Reps: 2
Rest: 60 seconds between sets
Tempo: Fast! Given that the weight's comparatively light, you should be able to explode!
Day 4
Off
Day 5
Load: 70% of 1RM
Sets: 5
Reps: 4
Rest: 180 seconds between sets
Tempo: As fast as possible

Day 6
Off
Day 7
Load: 55% of 1RM
Sets: 6
Reps: 2
Rest: 60 seconds
Tempo: Fast!

WEEK TWO
Day 8
Off
Day 9
Load: 85% of 1RM
Sets: 4
Reps: 3
Rest: 180 seconds
Tempo: As fast as possible
Day 10
Off
Day 11
Load: 50% of 1RM
Sets: 8
Reps: 2

Rest: 60 seconds
Tempo: Fast!
Day 12
Off
Day 13
Load: 75% of 1RM
Sets: 4
Reps: 4
Rest: 180 seconds
Tempo: As fast as possible
Day 14
Off

WEEK THREE
Day 15
Load: 55% of 1RM
Sets: 6
Reps: 2
Rest: 60 seconds
Tempo: Fast!
Day 16
Off
Day 17
Load: 90% of 1RM

Sets: 4
Reps: 3
Rest: 180 seconds
Tempo: As fast as possible
Day 18
Off
Day 19
Load: 50% of 1RM
Sets: 8
Reps: 2
Rest: 60 seconds
Tempo: Fast!
Day 20
Off
Day 21
Load: 80% of 1RM
Sets: 6
Reps: 3
Rest: 180 seconds
Tempo: As fast as possible

WEEK 4
Days 22-27: Take a break from the particular lift you're trying to improve, but don't stop
training!

Day 28
Test your 1RM!
Note: You don't have to test your new 1RM on this day. It could be day 29 or 30. In other words,
if you had a poor night's sleep, are stressed out or just feel like crap, you shouldn't test just
because it's Day 28. Use your own judgement.
With all my soap box lecturing about volume, repeated efforts, and synaptic facilitation, you
might be wondering why I prescribe a week off before testing the new 1RM. Well, since you've
been bombarding your chosen lift for three weeks straight, a certain period of rest from the
movement will allow for the completion of a few specific neural and muscular processes. I won't
get into the details since it would turn this article into a tome the size of the Starr Report, but just
trust me you need some time off from the movement before testing your new 1RM!
Obviously, these parameters are for one exercise only! Don't do this program for multiple
movements or you might be calling me from your couch because your boss just gave you a
permanent vacation due to infrequent work appearances! Choose one lift and bomb it!
Also, keep your supplemental exercises to a minimum during this phase. Here are the parameters
for the supplemental exercises throughout the VOS program:

Supplemental Exercises: General Guidelines

Sets: 4
Reps: 4-5
Load: 75% of 1RM
Total Supplemental Sets per Workout: 8
So let's say you use the VOS program for the barbell back squat. Follow my parameters for the
given day for the squat, then add two more assistance exercises to your workout, thus totaling
eight additional sets. The days off should be completely off with no resistance training
whatsoever.
Remember that your supplemental exercises shouldn't be taxing to the nervous system. If you use
this program to improve your squat, don't choose large multi-joint movements like the stifflegged deadlift and the good morning for supplemental lifts. That would be, um, bad. You'd burn
out in no time. Decline sit-ups and leg curls would be much better options for assistance
exercises.
For the bench press, any lying tricep extension variation, pressdowns, side raises, reverse flyes,
any rowing variation, pullovers, and hammer curls would be good supplemental choices. For the

deadlift and the squat, any leg curl variation, any sit-up variation (except crunches), reverse
hypers, side bends, cable leg abduction, and back extensions would all work fine.
Now, take this program to the gym and e-mail me in four weeks with your results!

About the Author

Chad Waterbury is a strength and conditioning coach with Bachelor of Science degrees in
Human Biology and Physical Science. Currently, he's studying Graduate work in Physiology at
the University of Arizona. He operates his company, Chad Waterbury Strength & Conditioning,
in Tucson, AZ, where his clientele consists of members of military special forces units, athletes,
professionals and non-athletes seeking exceptional physical performance and development. You
can contact him through his website, ChadWaterbury.com.