Holy Complexes!!!

[Matt Thornton]

Whenever I saw complexes before, I used to kind of look down on them. I'd seen them get a bad rap from some people, and overall they just didn't look all that effective. (Not sure why I was this retarded)

Lesson learned today: don't hate on something until you try it. I noticed a serious advantage to complexes while checking out an MMA conditioning article on T-Nation. I have a fight coming up with 2(!) minute rounds, and before MMA I was always more of an aerobic endurance kind of guy. So, in my quest to condition my body to go balls-out for 2 minutes at a time (getting rid of mental blocks that normally tell me "Slow down or you won't finish this 4 mile run!"), I decided to try a complex that was SUPPOSED to last for a minute and a half.

I do my normal thing, instead of doing gym class in the morning I glare at my gym teacher until he opens up the weight room, where I proceed to put on loud, angry music. I try this complex (I made up some of it):

-Deadlift, 6 reps
-Jump Shrug, 6 reps
-Bent Over Row, 6 reps
-Power Clean, 6 reps
-Front Squat, 6 reps
-Behind-the-neck push press, 6 reps
-Back Squat, 6 reps
-Good Morning, 6 reps

Tried it with 95 pounds, thinking nothing of it at first. By the bent-over rows, I was already having to push myself. I managed to get through the circuit once with 95 pounds, but I just didn't have the energy to do it a second time after a 90 SECOND REST so I decreased the weight to 75 pounds.

Holy hell. Complexes may not be what you want to completely rely on for fight conditioning, but then again, why would you ever rely on one method?

I usually try to compare the way an exercise fatigues you with an area of fighting. Complexes to me best simulate the feeling of scrambling in either a clinch or takedown position. This is probably a big reason why Randy Couture is such a big fan of them; complexes best simulate the fatigue of his area of fighting.

[SmarterThanYou]

I love complexes. And it's great when people look at you like you're nuts when you are screaming from 70-100 pounds, hahaha. Little do they know they probably couldn't do the circuit once.

[Brendon Katz]

yeh agreed. iv had some of my clients do complexes, and they are like no no, i can do more weight than that. usually i tell em its just for a 'warm-up set'. after the warmup set, they generally ask to go down some weight. and also, complexes > the rack for hyperactive teenagers.

[Braderlei]

yeah ive been doing them on my fridays in place of a leg workout. the one im liking so far is this:

deadlift -6 reps
overhead press -6 reps
squats -6 reps
calf raises -10 reps, hold for 3 seconds or so at the top of the raise
standing row -6 reps
shrugs -6 reps, hold for 3 seconds or so at top of shrug

i dunno if it is a good routine or not but it gets me beathing heavy and definetly works the hell out of me

[Urban]

Don't you guys think that complexes like these (where there are dramatic differences in weight capacities between lifts) would be better suited as circuits?

[Clint07]

I'm actually going to try a new complex tonite with my sandbag that I found on Ross Enamait's site:
Burpee
Sandbag Clean and Press into
Overhead Lunge (one each leg)
repeat 25 times

[krellik]

Originally Posted by Urban

Don't you guys think that complexes like these (where there are dramatic differences in weight capacities between lifts) would be better suited as circuits?

No.

But I do realise your point though...

But no.
Albeit I see no purpose for deadlifts in circuits, romanian yeah possibly, normal no.

A good starting point is the "Randy"...

..yeah you know what one im talking about...;) And suposedly the bear is good to... (isnt it urban?)

[Urban]

Originally Posted by krellik

And suposedly the bear is good to... (isnt it urban?)

I've grown more attached to simpler complexes recently: clean + frontsquat + pushpress and Snatch+ovheread squat. though some of the other ones mentioned in the other thread have peaked my interests.

Tell you guys what though, I WILL do this complex in the OP tomorrow.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Urban

I've grown more attached to simpler complexes recently: clean + frontsquat + pushpress and Snatch+ovheread squat. though some of the other ones mentioned in the other thread have peaked my interests.

Tell you guys what though, I WILL do this complex in the OP tomorrow.

I tried those the other day after reading your original post about it. I had serious trouble with the oh squat portion.

[Urban]

Interesting, I've always snatch my overhead squats into position, so it's no trouble for me. What was the problem?