Utilizing Reverse Volume As A Training Tool
The exhausting,
depleting,
heart-beating feeling
Of a gnarly & murderous volume set.
As Powerlifters, there are few things we dread more in this life. We signed up for this sport because of its lack of cardio and abundance of singles, followed by 5-minute rest periods, right? While we know the importance of volume, it doesn't remove the excruciating pain of enduring it. Enter reverse volume. Rather than cranking out sets of 8 to 9 reps, you’re kept to 3-5 at a time, just with a higher frequency. The total workload is the same, yet the contents are flipped. While it’s less annihilating than so many reps in a row, is it too good to be true? Reverse volume does change the stimulus, so how does this impact your training effect? This method does not replace typical volume work- but does provide unique benefits- making it worth including. Learn how to incorporate this training style into your programming- for maximum benefits, depending on the goal.
What is reverse volume?
As mentioned above, typical volume refers to high-rep work. “Volume” is categorized by sets x reps, so “high-volume” means a higher workload with lower intensities. For Powerlifting training, volume phases help build work capacity, connective tissue strength, muscle mass, technical proficiency, and barbell confidence. They’re an important component in supporting your strength goals.
Higher-rep sets will stimulate more of that work capacity and hypertrophy benefit. Once you exceed that 4-5 rep range, your cardiovascular system will be doing more of the work, and you’ll accumulate adequate reps to optimally stimulate muscle growth (specifically from a muscular endurance/metabolic stress perspective- which contributes to hypertrophy gains). The lower intensities + increased time under tension are also helpful for connective tissue strength. So, there are distinct benefits to performing more reps, and the advantages of reverse volume do not invalidate traditional volume work. You need both in your program, just at potentially different times.
On the contrary, reverse volume is characterized by higher sets rather than reps. Your number of sets will likely be anywhere from 5-10, with reps from 3-5 (maybe even as low as 2). The total volume could be the same (i.e. 5x8 vs 8x5), but the benefits received will differ.
Some examples of reverse volume prescription include:
6x4,
7x5,
8x3,
Etc.
Reverse volume only makes sense for main movements: accessory work should generally include higher reps; in nature- so we are referring to your primary barbell SBD lifts here.
Because there are more sets, these workouts can take longer to complete- so that’s where timed rest periods come in handy- also helping manage intensities and promote efficiency.
Now that we’ve discussed the definition of reverse volume- let’s analyze the advantages of incorporating it.
2. What benefits does Reverse Volume provide?
Higher-rep sets evoke specific gains, as mentioned above, and reverse volume has its own set of those.
A) Heavier weights
A primary benefit of utilizing the reverse style- is that you can use higher percentages- whilst accumulating adequate volume. You can use heavier loads for a 7x4 vs. a 4x7, allowing you to hit volume PRs, build consistency with a certain weight, and retain the qualities necessary for maximal strength. Especially- when closer to a meet- it makes sense to utilize reverse volume, to preserve the specificity you need to push heavier. The technique, conditions, and even mentality required for a 4x8 are so different from that of higher-intensity, lower-rep work, and this discrepancy decreases with reverse prescriptions. The method is more similar to your competition-standard needs, helping you retain and stimulate some of those capabilities.
B) More practice with setup + getting under the bar-
With reverse volume, you’re increasing the opportunities to practice getting under the bar, dialing in your positioning, and building consistency. Think about the number of chances you have to “get it right” with six sets vs. three. If something feels off on your first one: you can improve during your second set- and make sure it remains constant for sets 3, 4, 5, and 6. Many lifters struggle with confidence in heavier conditions, getting comfortable executing through those first and crucial steps, with room to improve their positioning. With more sets, you’re demanding your brain to work through those deficiencies, exposing you to the aspects necessary to address.
When given higher sets, utilize this chance to improve, making your setup feel like second nature.
C) Less room for technical error-
While a benefit of higher-rep work is the challenge of technique, demanding more attention and focus on your form as you get past a few reps, sometimes this isn’t the primary intention. Sometimes your goal is clean reps without too much extra thought, just getting the work done- or you’re not at the level to be hitting higher-rep sets with the percentage prescribed- while making them all look good. With reverse volume, you’re far less likely (even with the same number of reps) to lose your shit on sets of 3-4 than that of 6-8. This advantage can help increase self-efficacy, giving you more data points of success- plus the neuromuscular qualities to maintain your technique, even under fatigue- and with heavier weights.
D) Work capacity-
With the higher intensities characterized by reverse volume, you’re doing significant reps with more weight. This facet helps increase your work capacity more specifically- you’re de-mystifying heavier percentages- while also getting your heart rate up and exerting effort in multiple bouts. Standard volume work may help increase muscular endurance and tissue capacity, whereas reverse volume drives efficiency & consistency under fatigue and repetition. These adaptations are similar to a meet- if you can get through 6-9 volume sets, you can power through a long meet day composed of 9 single reps. It helps prepare you for the conditions you’ll be under in the future.
E) New stimulus-
Reverse volume is just another way to program sets x reps. If you’ve been doing no more than 5 x 5s for quite some time (past the newbie stage)- staleness is a potential outcome. You’re achieving the same stimulus repeatedly, and simply changing the number of sets performed can be what you need to foster some momentum & help you move forward. Introducing a new training methodology can help keep the gains coming, adding newfound benefits to your performance, especially when it makes sense with your level + goals. The combination of higher intensity and higher volume (two essential components of strength development) can be potent with increasing your one-rep maxes, including the other gains mentioned above.
Essentially, Reverse volume has a higher specificity to competition than traditional volume, as well as improving work capacity, provides a novel stimulus, and helps to boost your barbell confidence.
It’s worth including at some point- but how does one go about doing so?
3. Programming Reverse Volume
Reverse volume can replace your typical rep work for a phase, bridge the gap between higher- and lower-volume training, or, for certain other applications- as addressed below.
A) In place of higher reps, during a meet prep-
If you consider meet prep into three 4-week blocks, reverse volume could make up that first one. While standard volume training can also work here, you may be seeking a different stimulus & increased specificity gains. With this application, it makes sense to include reverse volume on your main lifts, maybe a 6x4 or 8x3, for example. Look for 20-35 total reps done- and percentages roughly between 65-85%, increasing by about 3-5% each week as you inch closer to meet day. Your number of reps can also progressively taper down. Rest periods should be about 2 minutes long with this strategy, potentially lower, depending on the percentage- to ensure efficiency. Apply this prescription to your main SBD movements, and you can either undulate- or apply the same- to accessory variations.
B) Post-meet
Many lifters associate those weeks after the big day with a hefty volume block, and this is a great time for that. You’ll want to focus on increasing that work capacity, embracing variety, and building up strength & muscle mass for your future goals. However, after you’ve been peaking, tapering down cardio & accessory work, and recovering from your meet, jumping straight into 4x8s or 6x6s can feel grueling and intimidating. It takes a while to rebuild the qualities necessary for that level of volume. In this instance, reversing the sets x reps helps give you what you need- while meeting you where you’re at. It can feel more approachable, potentially improving the quality of your training sessions.
EMOMs work well with this application- (change your 6x3 into a 6-minute EMOM: 3 reps on the minute) to help manage fatigue and ensure efficiency.
C) For heavier variations-
In a volume block, if you want to push some variations to higher percentages than others, for whatever reason, choose reverse volume for those exercises. Maybe the goal of one movement is more technique and strength focused vs. hypertrophy benefits, and in this case, lower rep ranges make sense. For example, if you want your deficit deadlifts or chain benches to be loaded more heavily- but still with adequate volume- increase the sets & decrease the reps. On the contrary, if the goal of your Front Squats is solely to build some nasty quads, higher reps there makes more sense.
D) Between a higher-volume and strength block, during off-season, etc-
Reverse volume can also serve as a transition period between higher-volume and heavier-strength work. It somewhat combines the two qualities. Maybe you’re in an off-season phase, progressively ramping up to a meet prep. Or, you've just gotten off months of building higher-rep work: and want to continue developing your strength-just with more specificity. A reverse volume block is a sensible choice here- helping you retain your volume gains while adapting to higher intensities.
Reverse Volume Programming Rules:
Choose your sets x reps for your main movements, and apply those to each.
Stay within the 65-85% range (starting lighter and increasing as the weeks go on)
Time your rest periods so your workouts aren’t 3+ hours long.
Utilize reverse volume for more technique/strength-focused lifts.
EMOMs work well with this method, too.
Feel free to undulate other accessory-based movements, too.
Shoot for about 18-35 total reps. (to make it truly “volume” focused).
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High-rep, so-called “cardio”-based sets of pure effort and exertion, taking everything you’ve got inside you. As Powerlifters, it’s the kind of work we dread. An alternative path is the one in which sets and reps are flipped: you’re only doing a couple each time, but a lot of them. This method has unique benefits compared to typical straight sets of volume, namely, the increase in specificity, work capacity, practice under the bar, and variety. It can be used in many applications- from meet prep to post-meet to a transition period, and you’ll likely benefit from incorporating it at some point. While it doesn’t replace typical volume, it does suck less- and you still get better: Win-win situation.
