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Wouldn’t it be great to be able to go in the gym and do a half hour workout but feel like you were in the gym for hours? As fighters we have no business being in the gym for hours because we’re on the mat or in the ring for hours learning technique. I’ve said this already in a previous post. Here is a great workout by Alwyn Cosgrove that will improve your metabolic power and muscle endurance. I recommend these if you aren’t swinging Kettlebells.
A complex involves a series of exercises that are done without rest and in this case, without putting the bar down. You run through the whole complex, rest for a certain amount of time and do it again, and again, and again. The amazing part is, it closely mimics a fight because it comes to around 3 minutes of work and I usually just have a 1 minute rest period. It involves a full body workout with some Olympic lifts.
Complex 1
- Deadlift – 6 reps
- Romanian Deadlift – 6 reps
- Bent Over Row – 6 reps
- Power Clean – 6 reps
- Front Squat – 6 reps
- Push Press – 6 reps
- Back Squat – 6 reps
- Good Morning – 6 reps
Complex 2
- Snatch Grip Deadlift – 6 reps
- Snatch Pull – 6 reps
- Upright Row – 6 reps
- Power Snatch – 6 reps
- Reverse Lunge – 6 reps each leg
- Push Jerk – 6 reps
- Jump Squat – 6 reps
My kettlebell coach told me to stop doing the complexes because I get all the work I need from the kettlebells. In my weekly workout, I only did complex 1, once a week. Don’t be a tough guy and try to load 45s on there unless you can confidently 42 reps with it. This will burn fat like crazy.
Try this out. You’ll hate it but love it. What’s your opinion? Should I be doing these in conjunction with Kettlebells? My rationale was to add muscle confusion to the mix but I’m no expert. Let me hear what you have to say.
Credit: Alwyn Cosgrove
July 19th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
I think it really depends on what your kettlebell training looks like. If your program calls for you to be training with kettlebells 5 days a week, yeah, I think doing complexes in addition would be overkill. But if you were on a program like Enter The Kettlebell! where you’ve got 3 prescribed kettlebell workouts per week plus two “variety days,” I see no reason why you couldn’t do a barbell complex on one of your variety days just to mix things up a little. A lot of it depends on how your body responds to this type of workout and how much recovery time you need between workouts.
July 20th, 2009 at 10:00 am
I do barbell complexes several times a week including as a warm up strength stuff.
As a heavyweight I can attest to how well these work as fat burners. When I want to up my metabolism I bang out 3-5 sets with a pyramid of weights first thing in the morning and I’m buzzing all day.
July 20th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
@Laura My kettlebell training is only 3 days a week. Variety is good right?
@Steve Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a brutal workout that will get your metabolism going crazy for hours.
Thanks for commenting guys!
July 23rd, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Will this work out helps to increase strength as well..?
Thanks for the post.
Lamy
Martial Art Training
August 31st, 2009 at 10:10 am
Lamy, yes it will def increase strength. These complexes are very useful for building power, plus conditioning your muscles for constant work… and don’t forget about the grip killing it does. It also goes without saying that form is more important that putting up the big weight. Normally when I do my complexes i’ll rock out with 115lbs and on my alternate days ill put the 45s on the sides and just do one set then work my way into my other workout as a warm up. Its been getting a lot easier to do the 45s…
August 31st, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Jonathan,
Great tip. I will try that out. Thanks!