Complexes, also generally known as combination lifts, consist of two or more exercises performed with the identical free weight in a non-stop, continuous fashion. While this method may initially appear just like low-intensity circuit training commonplace in machine-laden rec centers, true complexes are quite the other.

Romanian weightlifting coach Istvan Javorek popularized complexes within the Nineteen Seventies to reinforce athletes’ training intensity, increase workout efficiency, and eliminate the monotony of traditional “exercise, rest, exercise, rest” barbell training. (1)

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Complexes are unique because they concurrently train the muscular, cardiovascular, and neurological systems. They challenge your muscles, heart, lungs, and coordination. Learn classic barbell complexes together with creative complexes using dumbbells, kettlebells, and sandbags, then put them to work to ignite latest gains. 

Simplifying Workout Complexes

How Workout Complexes Work

A fancy strings together multiple exercises without rest. Unlike circuit training and a few sorts of supersets, complexes should be performed with the identical piece of apparatus since the transition from one exercise to the following must occur easily and without pause.

Complexes commonly involve the Olympic weightlifting movements (i.e. clean & jerk, snatch) and their derivatives resembling pulls and front squats. (2) Many coaches falsely consider complexes “must” consist of an influence clean to get the barbell off the bottom, followed by one or two additional exercises, resembling a press after which an overhead squat. (3)

In point of fact, complexes might be performed using a wide range of exercises and implements.

Based on Javorek, the variety of possible complexes is “unlimited, depending on a coach’s knowledge and creativity, the provision of apparatus, and the goals of the coach and athletes.” (3) 

Classic Barbell Complexes

Performing complexes with a series of exercises using a single barbell will be the most typical solution to implement this training method. Listed below are two complexes which can be relatively well-known within the weightlifting world.

Javorek Complex 1

Coach Javorek’s “Complex 1” incorporates Olympic weightlifting assistance exercises that construct full-body power, coordination, and conditioning. Complex 1 includes the upright row, high pull snatch, squat push press, good morning, bent-over row, and high pull snatch (again). (1)(3) Javorek advocated ending the complex with a dynamic movement, hence the repeat performance of the high pull snatch. (3)

One cycle of Complex 1 consists of 6 repetitions per exercise. Note that Coach Javorek also promoted “Complex 2,” which consists of the identical exercises performed for 3 repetitions each. (1)(3)

Upright Row

• How one can Do it: Stand along with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the barbell at mid-thigh position with an overhand grip. Push along with your legs toward the ceiling, rising onto the balls of your feet. Carry that momentum right into a shrug and vertical row, drawing your elbows up and out. Control the negative. 
• Sets and Reps: 4-5 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

High Pull Snatch

• How one can Do it: Using the identical stance and grip because the previous exercise, begin with the barbell on the ground above the front of your feet. Keeping your back tight, pull the bar from the ground by extending knees, ankles, and hips. Because the bar passes mid-thigh, aggressively shrug your shoulders. Allow your arms to hold the momentum to the overhead position while keeping the bar near the body. Receive the bar overhead with elbows straight. Reverse the motion and control the negative in the identical bar path. On the last rep of the set, rigorously “land” the bar across your upper traps as a substitute of the ground, so that you’re in position to start the following movement.
• Sets and Reps: 4-5 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Squat Push Press

• How one can Do it: Using a shoulder-width stance, begin with the barbell racked in your upper traps. Drop right into a full back squat. Immediately drive back to standing, using the momentum to help with an overhead press. Control the negative back to the racked position in your traps. Repeat the whole “squat and press” combination for every repetition.
• Sets and Reps: 4-5 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Good Morning

• How one can Do it: Keep the identical stance and hold the barbell behind your head in your upper traps. Allow your weight to shift to your heels as you bend forward by hinging or flexing on the hips. Maintain an arched spine and barely bent legs throughout. Reverse the movement, driving your hips forward, and return to standing. On the last rep of the set, “squat and press” to pop the bar barely over your head and produce the bar to waist-height under control.
• Sets and Reps: 4-5 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Bent-Over Row

• How one can Do it: Begin in a shoulder-width stance with the barbell held in front of your body in an overhand grip. Hinge forward and permit the barbell to hold below your chest. Depending in your flexibility and limb length, the bar may or may not touch the ground. Row by pulling your elbows up and out as you squeeze your shoulder blades together. Control the bar as you permit it to return to the stretched position.
• Sets and Reps: 4-5 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

High Pull Snatch

• How one can Do it: Using the identical stance and grip because the previous exercise, begin with the barbell on the ground above the front of your feet. Keeping your back tight, pull the bar from the ground by extending knees, ankles, and hips. Because the bar passes mid-thigh, aggressively shrug your shoulders. Allow your arms to hold the momentum to the overhead position while keeping the bar near the body. Receive the bar overhead with elbows straight. Reverse the motion and control the negative in the identical bar path.
• Sets and Reps: 4-5 x 6
• Rest time: Rest one to 3 minutes before repeating the primary exercise.

Bear Complex

Popularized by CrossFit within the 2000s, the Bear complex builds full-body strength, power, and conditioning with one barbell and just few bumper plates.

“The Bear” consists of the facility clean, front squat, overhead press, back squat, and one other dose of the overhead press.

Power Clean

• How one can Do it: Stand along with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the barbell at knee-height (the “hang position”) with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Push along with your legs as you guide the bar toward your hips. Once the bar reaches mid-thigh, rapidly shrug and pull the bar up. Drop under the bar and shoot your elbows forward to receive the bar on the fronts of your shoulders within the “front rack” position. 
• Sets and Reps: 5 x 5-7
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Front Squat

• How one can Do it: Maintain the front rack position with the bar resting across the fronts of your shoulders. Adjust your grip to comfortably maintain control of the bar. Squat down while keeping your torso upright and your elbows aimed forward. After descending so far as your mobility will allow, rise up forcefully.
• Sets and Reps: 5 x 5-7
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Overhead Press

• How one can Do it: Standing with the bar within the front rack position, perform a slight countermovement or mini-squat and immediately drive upward to push the bar toward the ceiling. Lock your arms overhead before lowering the burden to shoulder-level. Repeat the mini-squat prior to every press. On the last rep of every set, rigorously guide the bar to rest across your traps and the backs of your shoulders.
• Sets and Reps: 5 x 5-7
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Back Squat

• How one can Do it: Secure the barbell across your upper back. Ensure your feet are roughly shoulder-width apart. Squat down so far as your mobility allows. Return to standing. On the last rep of every set, drive the burden overhead with a press and thoroughly lower it to the front of your shoulders.
• Sets and Reps: 5 x 5-7
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Overhead Press

• How one can Do it: Standing with the bar within the front rack position, perform a slight countermovement or mini-squat and immediately drive upward to push the bar toward the ceiling. Lock your arms overhead before lowering the burden to shoulder-level. Repeat the mini-squat prior to every press.
• Sets and Reps: 5 x 5-7
• Rest time: Rest as much as five minutes before repeating the primary exercise.

Complexes with Kettlebells, Dumbbells, and Sandbags

Who says complexes need be limited to barbells? Individuals who don’t understand complexes. That’s who. Dumbbells, kettlebells, and even sandbags are great tools for complexes.

These alternative implements construct brute strength, total-body coordination, and unrelenting conditioning. Give these complexes a try whenever you need a break from traditional barbell training or whenever you’re working with limited equipment. 

Javorek Dumbbell Complex 1

Coach Javorek programmed dumbbell complexes using two dumbbells, although a single dumbbell is a viable option provided you repeat the complex on the opposite side after performing all exercises on the primary side. (3)

Complex 1 with dumbbells is analogous to Javorek’s barbell Complex 1. Other than the plain use of dumbbells as a substitute of a barbell, the dumbbell version eliminates the nice morning. It consists of the dumbbell upright row, dumbbell snatch, dumbbell squat push press, bent-over dumbbell row, and a repeat of the dumbbell snatch.

Dumbbell Upright Row

• How one can Do it: Begin bent barely forward on the hips with the dumbbells hanging at knee-height. Forcefully extend your hips, knees, and ankles and transfer the momentum right into a vertical pull of the dumbbells. In the highest position, your elbows ought to be near shoulder-height and the weights ought to be near chest-level. Control the negative (lowering phase) to the starting position.
• Sets and Reps: 3-6 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Dumbbell Snatch

• How one can Do it: Start in a hip-width stance with the dumbbells hanging in front of your knees along with your palms facing your body. Powerfully drive through your legs and carry the momentum through the dumbbells. Draw the dumbbells along the front of your body and receive them overhead along with your arms straight. Control the negative and return the weights to knee-height. On the last rep of the set, lower the weights only to shoulder-level.
• Sets and Reps: 3-6 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Dumbbell Squat Push Press

• How one can Do it: Start in a shoulder-width stance with the dumbbells on the tops of your shoulders. Drop right into a full squat, then immediately drive back to standing. Use the momentum to propel the dumbbells into the overhead lockout position. Lower the burden to shoulder-level and repeat. One the last rep of the set, bring the dumbbells to waist-height with straight arms. 
• Sets and Reps: 3-6 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Dumbbell Bent-Over Row

• How one can Do it: Bend forward at your hips with a slight bend in your knees. Allow the dumbbells to hold out of your straight arms, barely in front of your knees. Row the dumbbells up and out by pulling the elbows out according to your shoulders. Return to the stretched position under control. After the last rep of the set, stand upright with the weights in front of you.
• Sets and Reps: 3-6 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Dumbbell Snatch

• How one can Do it: Start in a hip-width stance with the dumbbells hanging in front of your knees along with your palms facing your body. Powerfully drive through your legs and carry the momentum through the dumbbells. Draw the dumbbells along the front of your body and receive them overhead along with your arms straight. Control the negative and return the weights to knee-height.
• Sets and Reps: 3-6 x 6
• Rest time: Rest one to 3 minutes before repeating the primary exercise.

Kettlebell Complex

This kettlebell complex is performed with two kettlebells and uses a descending repetition scheme. Repetitions are reduced with each successive exercise, allowing you to take care of intensity as fatigue accumulates.

The exercises on this complex are the double kettlebell swing, kettlebell front squat, and kettlebell push press. When you’re only using a single kettlebell, perform the identical series while holding the kettlebell with each hands for every exercise.

Double Kettlebell Swing

• How one can Do it: Start in a large stance (one-and-a-half times your shoulder-width) holding the kettlebells in front of your body. Brace your midsection muscles and “hike” each kettlebells back between your legs as you “break” or flex on the hips. Your forearms should contact your inner thighs. Explosively extend your hips, projecting your arms and the kettlebells forward. Allow the momentum out of your hip drive to hold the kettlebells. Allow the downward motion of the kettlebells to dictate the timing of the following repetition — on the last moment, break on the hips again and repeat the swing. On the last repetition, bring the weights to shoulder-level using a “cheat curl” or power clean-motion.
• Sets and Reps: 12 x 8
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Kettlebell Front Squat

• How one can Do it: Bring your stance in to shoulder-width, with the kettlebells “racked” atop your upper chest region and your palms facing down. Keep your elbows pointed up and out as you drop right into a squat with an upright torso. Return to standing. 
• Sets and Reps: 12 x 6
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Kettlebell Push Press

• How one can Do it: Maintain a shoulder-width stance and keep the kettlebells “racked” near your upper chest. Perform a rapid quarter-squat and quickly drive back to standing. Use the momentum out of your leg drive to push the kettlebells overhead. Lower the weights to shoulder-level under control and repeat.
• Sets and Reps: 12 x 4
• Rest time: Rest roughly the identical period of time the whole three-exercise cycle took to finish, for a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio. 

Sandbag Complex

Sandbags are an unstable and downright awkward training implement — and that’s what makes them fun for complexes. Whether you shell out money for a professionally made, loadable sandbag or use a homemade version with a duffel bag and a few play sand from the ironmongery store, sandbag workouts at all times find yourself tougher than you expect.

This sandbag complex includes the sandbag clean, sandbag front squat, and sandbag reverse lunge.

Sandbag Clean

• How one can Do it: Start along with your feet at hip-width with the sandbag on the bottom in front of you. Grab the sandbag on the corners or, if available, hold the handles on the long side of the bag. Extend your hips, knees, and ankles to speed up the bag upwards while keeping the sandbag near your body. Drop under the bag, shoot your elbows forward, and “catch” the sandbag within the front rack position across the front of your shoulders. Stand fully upright before returning the bag to the bottom. On the last rep of the set, hold the bag in position and don’t place it on the bottom.
• Sets and Reps: 4-6 x 3
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Sandbag Front Squat

• How one can Do it: Stand upright with the sandbag racked across the fronts of your shoulders. Drop right into a squat while keeping your elbows high and your back straight. Drive back to standing. Repeat for repetitions.
• Sets and Reps: 4-6 x 5
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the following exercise.

Sandbag Reverse Lunge

• How one can Do it: Stand upright with the sandbag within the front rack position across your shoulders. Take a big step backwards with one leg and lower your back knee toward the bottom. Return to the starting position along with your feet together and repeat using the opposite leg. Alternate legs with each repetition. 
• Sets and Reps: 4-6 x 5 per leg
• Rest time: Rest one to 3 minutes before repeating the primary exercise.

Advantages of Using Complexes

Now that you simply’ve seen a few classic complexes, consider the training effects of this style training. Complexes provide varied, high volume, metabolically demanding training. Since you never put down the burden, some muscles are likely to be trained throughout the whole complex.

These typically include the forearm (“grip”) muscles and postural muscles of your spine. Complexes thereby enable lifters to enhance local muscle endurance in areas that commonly limit performance.  

Modern complexes stem from Olympic weightlifting, a sport of quick lifts — the clean & jerk and the snatch. Subsequently, each repetition within the complex ought to be performed with maximum intent for velocity. This promotes high power outputs and speed-strength training adaptations. 

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Complexes are essentially high-volume sets divided into shorter sets, or clusters, of every exercise. These clusters are linked together without pause. Breaking longer sets into shorter clusters is thought to advertise power and performance. (4)

If you are definitely not “resting” between clusters of every exercise during a fancy, many muscles get relative rest. For instance, during Complex 1, your shoulders get a break through the good morning and your legs get a little bit of break through the bent-over rows. This feature allows power output to be preserved throughout high-volume workouts. 

Although complexes are great for training muscular strength and power, don’t fail to understand their cardiovascular training demands. By minimizing rest, complexes pack loads of productive training briefly periods of time. Complexes ultimately train multiple energy systems. The short-energy phosphagen and anaerobic glycolysis systems are trained during initial repetitions of ballistic exercises, and the all-important aerobic system is trained within the latter repetitions and throughout recovery between complexes.

Complexes are also useful for reenforcing exercise technique. Exercise derivatives, often representing key components of a more complex lift resembling the clean & jerk or snatch, might be linked together in a fancy to reinforce learning. (5) Along with the technical demands of every exercise, the athlete is tasked with seamlessly transitioning from one exercise to the following. These fluid transitions construct latest coordination and enhance motor control. 

Toward the tip of the complex, the athlete must proceed to exhibit crisp technique despite growing fatigue. It is a common demand of many sports. As such, complexes are thought to advertise sport performance and injury prevention. (2)(6)(7)(8)

Who Should Perform Workout Complexes?

While complexes were originally used for competitive strength sport athletes, they’re not just for advanced lifters. When properly programmed with the best exercises and training volume, many lifters can incorporate complexes into their training program.

Complexes as Warm-Ups

Irrespective of what your workout holds, a fancy can function an invigorating and effective warm-up. Use a light-weight weight (and even an empty barbell). Perform two sets of a fancy near the start of your session. (3) Any complex can raise your body temperature, but one of the best warm-ups are specific to the following workout. (2)

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Try and use complexes with movement patterns just like the demands, goals, and exercises of the session’s workout. A fancy comprised of lower body movements before a giant leg workout, for instance, or dumbbell Complex 1 before a back or shoulder workout.

Complexes for Weightlifting Prep and Motor Learning

If a fancy includes movements complimentary to the first lift of the workout, the complex can function specific movement prep. (2) By combining exercise variations and assistance exercises in a fancy, you reinforce positions and movement patterns required in your primary lift of the day. 

For instance, a fancy consisting of a Romanian deadlift (RDL), jump shrug, and hang clean is great movement prep for the upper complexity clean exercise. The complex re-enforces key technical features of the clean in simpler forms via a learning strategy called “chunking.” (9)

The complex serves to activate and mobilize muscles just like the hamstrings and potentiate the triple extension movement pattern utilized in the clean. Altogether, these features are expected to reinforce subsequent exercise performance. 

Complexes for Sports Performance, Post-Rehabilitation Training, and Injury Prevention

Because complexes could also be progressively intensified by manipulating the burden, volume, rest intervals, and complexity of the exercises, they’re wonderful tools for training for the physiological demands of sport. 

Complexes are commonly used to recondition previously injured athletes for the demands of sports. (7)(8) Even though it is best to work along with your sports medicine provider for individualized recommendations, post-rehabilitation complexes typically involve  progressive intensities and volumes. A standard post-rehabilitation advice is to begin with a weight of 10-15% of your body weight for Javorek Complex 1 and progress to 35% of body weight over the course of a month. (7)(8)

Developing strength, power, and coordination via complexes may minimize the chance of athletic injury, but consistent and progressive programming is totally essential. Complexes are typically performed thrice per week and progressed by progressively adding weight or progressively adding cycles to the complex. (3)(7)(8)

Complexes for Conditioning

On account of their high volume nature, complexes are an efficient type of metabolic conditioning. Select a fancy using barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, or perhaps a landmine unit for an efficient general physical preparedness (GPP) and cardiovascular training stimulus.  

Here’s an example of conditioning complex requiring only a single dumbbell. Perform 4 repetitions per movement:

• Dumbbell Snatches
• Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
• Dumbbell Push Press
• Overhead Squat

Repeat immediately with the dumbbell in the opposite hand and that’s one cycle of the complex. Rest 90 seconds after the second side. Perform three to 5 cycles with each arm.

Programming Recommendations for Workout Complexes

While complexes can deliver a wide range of advantages, some programming goals will ensure an efficient training session with maximal intensity and recovery.

Anchor Intensity on the Most Difficult Movement

When stringing together a series of exercises, you’re only as strong as your weakest movement. Subsequently, the weakest movement must dictate the burden used for any complex. 

For instance, Coach Javorek programs the burden used for Complexes 1 and a pair of on the upright row, since it is tougher than the opposite movements (high pull snatch, push press, good morning, or bent-over row). (6) Start by identifying the weakest link within the complex, then program your working weight based on your goal. 

Program Based on Your Primary Training Goal

From movement prep to performance training, complexes might be effective for a wide range of goals. The parameters of your programing (exercise selection, intensity, volume, and rest intervals) should reflect the first purpose of your complex. 

For power and strength training, most of your complexes ought to be performed with moderate weights. Perform all repetitions with maximum intent for movement velocity. (10) Repetitions for every exercise inside the complex ought to be kept relatively low. Clusters of two to 5 repetitions are effective for constructing strength and power. (4)

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Ensure your reps stay quick and crisp throughout the complex, as greater velocity loss may end in diminished power adaptations. (11) In case your final reps of every exercise are losing speed, reduce the burden and/or repetitions. 

For conditioning, consider the remainder intervals between complexes. To prioritize aerobic training adaptations, use shorter rest intervals (e.g. one minute). Recognize that short rest intervals will even necessitate lighter weights and/or lower repetition volumes. To prioritize adaptations within the phosphagen and glycolytic energy systems, allow longer rest between complexes (e.g. 90 seconds to 5 minutes). 

For coordination and motor learning, light loads are initially really useful. Moderate-to-high repetition volume (e.g. eight to 12 repetitions per exercise) could also be only, provided the technique doesn’t break down resulting from fatigue. (9) 

Complexes, Simplified

Complexes are probably the most invigorating training methods. They’re also incredibly versatile, facilitating the event of strength, power, coordination, conditioning, and resiliency. Although traditional complexes are performed exclusively with barbells, you need to feel empowered to make use of equipment of your selection, including, but not limited to dumbbells, kettlebells, landmines, medicine balls, and sandbags. 

References

1. Javorek, I. (1988). Exercise techniques: General conditioning with complex I and II. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 10(1), 34-37.
2. Judge, L. W. (2008). Core Training for Superior Sports Preparation. Journal of Coaching Education, 1(2), 38-63.
3. Javorek, I. S. (1998). The advantages of combination lifts. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 20(3), 53-57.
4. Moreno, S. D. et al. (2014). Effect of cluster sets on plyometric jump power. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 28(9), 2424-2428.
5. Duba, J., Kraemer W.J., & Gerard Martin, M. A. (2007). A 6-step progression model for teaching the hang power clean. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 29(5), 26.
6. Javorek, I. (1990). All-sports conditioning: Six-week training program. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 12(4), 62-69.
7. Panariello, R. A., Stump, T. J., & Cordasco, F. A. (2017). The lower extremity athlete: postrehabilitation performance and injury prevention training. Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine, 25(3), 231-240.
8. Lorenz, D., & Maddalone, D. (2017). Postrehabilitation performance enhancement training and injury prevention within the upper extremity. Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine, 25(3), 220-230.
9. Morris, S. J., et al. (2020). Taking a long-term approach to the event of weightlifting ability in young athletes. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 42(6), 71-90.
10. Behm, D. G., & Sale, D. G. (1993). Intended reasonably than actual movement velocity determines velocity-specific training response. Journal of Applied Physiology, 74(1), 359-368.
11. Pareja‐Blanco, F., et al. (2017). Effects of velocity loss during resistance training on athletic performance, strength gains and muscle adaptations. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 27(7), 724-735.

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