In a workplace where the typical nine-to-five has become a night spent at the office, we understand that time, especially in the gym, is of the essence. To accommodate for limited gym time, try one of the best techniques to jack up your heart rate and harden your body: the complex. A complex is a series of lifts combined in a nonstop, continuous movement using the same piece of equipment.
“My original goal with complex exercises was to find an efficient and aggressive method of performance enhancement that saves time and makes the program more enjoyable,” says former Romanian Olympic weightlifting coach Istvan “Steve” Javorek, who created the training technique in 1967.
All you need for this intense workout is an Olympic barbell and plates, a pair of sturdy collars to keep the weights secure, and perfect exercise technique. Whether you’re goals are fat burning, muscle growth, or both, blast through this full-body barbell workout and see real results fast.
DIRECTIONS FOR FAT LOSS:
Perform 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and so on, for 10 reps each, without resting between exercises. This is one complete set. Rest 45 seconds between sets. Repeat for four total sets. Do this workout twice per week in place of steady-state cardio. A good starting weight is 65 pounds.
DIRECTIONS FOR MUSCLE GAIN:
Perform 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and so on, for 5 reps each, without resting between exercises. This is one complete set. Rest 90 seconds between sets. Repeat for two total sets. Do this workout twice per week in place of your conditioning workout. Choose no more than 95 pounds to start.
THE WORKOUT >>> [PAGE 2]
THE DYNAMIC WARMUP
Using just the bar, perform 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and so on, for 5 reps each, without resting between exercises. Do this as a dynamic warmup before starting your regular workout.
THE WORKOUT
1A. Deadlift
Stand in front of the bar so that your shins touch it and your feet are shoulder-width apart. Squat down and grab the bar with an overhand, slightly-wider-than-shoulder-width grip. Keep your elbows straight. Without allowing your lower back to round, pull your trunk back and up, drive your hips forward, and stand up. Squeeze your glutes at the top and return to the start position.
1B. Hang Clean
Using a shoulder-width overhand grip, bend your knees to initiate the move. Pull the bar as high you can by explosively standing up as you bend your elbows and raise your upper arms. Rise up onto your toes. Flip the bar onto your fingers and catch it on top of your chest. Bend your knees to squat under the bar at its highest point. Stand up straight and reset the bar before repeating.
1C. Front Squat
Hold the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Raise your upper arms until they’re parallel to the floor. The bar should sit on the fronts of your shoulders. Drive your hips back and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause and return to start.
1D. Hang Snatch
Use an overhand grip, wide enough so the bar rests at your hips when you are standing straight. Drive your hips back and squat down until the bar is below your knees. From there, explosively jump up, extending your entire body so that you come up on your toes. Pull the weight straight up and then drop your body underneath it, catching the bar above your head in a squat position with straight arms.
1E. Overhead Squat
Hold the bar, snatch style, over your head, so it’s directly above your ankles with your arms fully extended. Drive your hips back and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Pause and return to the start.
1F. Overhead Press
Adjust your grip on the bar to a shoulder-width, overhand position. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Push the barbell straight overhead, pause, then return to start.
1G. Bentover Row
Keeping a natural arch in your spine, drive your hips back until your trunk is nearly parallel to the floor. Pull the bar to your belly button, hold, and return to start.
1H. Romanian Deadlift
Maintain the shoulder-width grip and drive your hips back until your trunk is nearly parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glutes and push your hips forward to return to the start.