3 Of My Favorite Barbell Complexes

I’m a big fan of barbell complexes. Their time efficient, they are great fat burners, and they also provide adequate volume for some good hypertrophy results. Barbell complexes are a middle of the road training system meaning that they aren’t going to make you crazy big like say HIT training, they’re not going to rip fat off you like Tabata, and they’re not going to make you strong as an ox like Westside training. But they’re good for all around training goals and for the average person who wants to make sure that they still in decent shape all throughout life.

However there are plenty of poorly put together and downright foolish barbell complexes out there and I’ve done a number of them. You have to make sure that your barbell complex was put together by someone who knows what they are doing and didn’t feel like constructing some Frankenstein like monster just so that they could say that it’s theirs. Use the tried and true complexes and then expand out on your own for different ones after getting a feel for them. Alright now for the complexes.

Complex #1 – The Bear

I don’t know who created “The Bear” complex but they knew what they’re were doing. The bear is a tough complex that strikes a good balance between building strength and getting adequate volume in. I first heard about the bear complex from Chaos & Pain and am not sure who originated it. Anyways here is what the bear is. It’s a clean from the floor into a front squat then a overhead press then a back squat then another overhead press and then cleaning it back down to the ground. And that counts as one “rep”. The bear is done with different protocols I’ll tell you the one’s I’ve used.

I generally do the bear for a 5 x 5 format that’s the one I started with and the one I most like to do. You can try different but I’d suggest starting off with that. Others recommend some scheme of 7 sets or something, not sure never tried it and don’t care to. 5 x 5 works for me and provides a good mix of strength and size benefits. If you just want to challenge yourself then you could do them until you can. Set a timer for 30 minutes do as many as possible and then try to beat that number next time.

Complex #2 – Dan John’s Complex

Dan John’s Complex is obviously a complex that I got from Dan John from a T-nation article and have been using ever since. It’s simple and too the point. It hits all the major muscles and be adjusted for more strength training, more size building, or more fat loss as needed. Granted all of these can be adjusted so I should rephrase that. This complex is easiest to adjust and Dan has already lain out how to adjust it without having to resort to all sorts of experimentation and then hoping for the best.

For a fat loss focus you do the complex for 8 reps each, for size you do it for 5 reps each, and for strength you do it for 3 reps each. Pretty simple. You do the complex for 5 sets (or at least I do). I’ve also used this complex as a warm up. Alright here is what the complex is. First off you complete all the reps for each exercise before moving on to the next unlike the bear. Alright so it’s rows to cleans to front squats to military press to back squat to good mornings. Complete all the reps (3, 5, or 8 respectively) and you’ve completed the set.

Javorek’s Complex

Istvan Javorek is a Russian trainer who first came up with the idea of complex training and pioneered the idea. Javorek states that he came up with the complexes in order to “find an efficient and aggressive method of performance enhancement that saves time and makes the program more enjoyable.” while I’m not sure about the enjoyable part the rest of the statement rings true. Javorek’s original complexes are some of the best for obvious reasons (he after all invented the idea of barbell complexes and used them with much success on his athletes).

I like Javorek’s complex number one and it’s the one that I use the most of his. Though I have tried them all and enjoy them all but that’d take up the whole article to include them all. So I chose my favorite. Alright now for Javorek’s barbell complex number one. Each exercise is done for 6 reps before moving on to the next exercise. You start out with upright rows to high pull snatch to behind the neck squat push press to good mornings to bent over rows. Remember each exercise is done for 6 reps before moving on to the next one,

Summary

Alright so there are three of the best barbell complexes that there are. You can experiment with trying out complex training alone or use them to supplement other types of training. You can also use them as “finishers” for after your main workout is done to burn some fat and build some muscle in the process. They sure as hell beat normal cardio and are much better for you overall. They’re also something that you can do on a off day to burn some fat and keep things going. It’s up to you how you use them but I would strongly encourage you to use them.

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-Charles Sledge

 

Charles Sledge