Afterburn Workouts Blog

Get ready for a storm…

It’s time for THUNDER AND LIGHTNING baby!

In terms of fitness, I use the phrase “Thunder and Lightning” to describe something called complex training (different then complexes) where you alternate between a heavy strength training exercise and lighter, unloaded power training exercise for a similar movement pattern.

What is strength?

Strength is a term used to describe the total amount of force your neuromuscular system can produce. It is the foundation upon which all subsequent bio-motor skills are built.

Thus the strength training exercise is the THUNDER part of the complex set. It is performed at high levels of resistance at a slower, more controlled speed for 30 seconds.

I recommend a particular 3-1-X tempo is used allowing for up to 6 reps in 30 seconds followed by a 30-second rest and transition. This means you will lower the weight/load in 3 seconds, pause for a count, and then explode back to the starting position and repeat for time. This tempo eliminates the stretch reflex (the natural bounciness and elasticity in your muscles) and forces your muscles to fully engage and work harder.

What is power?

Power is a term used to describe the amount of work completed per unit of time. In other words, it’s the ultimate combination of strength and speed.

Thus the power training exercise is the LIGHTNING part of the complex set. It’s performed at low to moderate levels of resistance (or less resistance than the strength exercise) and at a high speed for 15 seconds followed by a 30-second rest and transition. Then you move onto another complex set for a non-competitive movement pattern in a circuit format to get in a great whole body workout.

For example, a complex set for the lower body can include heavy loaded front squats for strength training followed by bodyweight jump squats for power training. Doing front squats first will allow for a better performance on the jump squats to follow.

Why?

Studies show that performing a strength training exercise prior to a power training exercise for a similar movement pattern results in greater Type II-b fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment for the muscle groups involved and thus provides greater gains in power and the rate of force development.

This phenomenon is called Postactivation Potentiation (PAP) and it describes the enhanced and immediate muscle force output of explosive power training movements after a heavy strength training exercise is performed (Robbins, 2005).

It has recently gained popularity in the fitness community due to it’s ability to provide a natural ergogenic effect, or performance-enhancing benefit, by optimizing force and power production above and beyond performance achieved without the use of the PAP protocol (Robbins, 2005).

Thus the PAP phenomenon can potentially maximize the performance of explosive activities like weight lifting, sprinting, jumping, and throwing in addition to boosting athletic performance in power sports like football, basketball, baseball, and track and field (French, Kraemer, Cooke, 2003; Hilfiker, Hubner, Lorenz & Marti, 2007).

In other words, the logic here is that the high-tension strength training work fully engages and excites your central nervous system (CNS) resulting in greater total muscle recruitment thus making you significantly more explosive for the power training work to follow.

The result is that complex training provides a better overall training effect including a:

- Greater muscle-building and fat-burning stimulus for some killer whole body toning and tightening

- Bigger metabolic disturbance resulting in a larger calorie burn both during and in the 24-48 hours following the workout

- Boost in strength, power, and athletic performance to bust through any frustrating training plateau

Now that we know the method behind the madness, below is an outline of both the equipment and bodyweight versions of this incredible workout template that we use in our group training:

Equipment-Based Metabolic Workout Routine Example

Complex #1:

Strength Exercise – KB Front Squat Variation

Power Exercise – KB Sumo DL Variation

Complex #2:

Strength Exercise – DB 2-Arm OHP

Power Exercise – Band Speed Chest Press Variation

Complex #3:

Strength Exercise – TRX Suspended 2-Arm Rows

Power Exercise – Med Ball Slams Variation

Equipment-Free Metabolic Workout Routine Example

Complex #1:

Strength Exercise – BW Squat Variation

Power Exercise – Speed Squats Variation

Complex #2:

Strength Exercise – Fist Push Ups Variation

Power Exercise – Speed Presses Variation

Complex #3:

Strength Exercise – BW 2-Leg Hip Hinge Variation

Power Exercise – Skater Jumps Variation

I should also mention that incomplete rest between movements results in a cumulative fatigue over the course of the 20-minute workout that will dramatically improve work capacity, cardiovascular conditioning, and muscular endurance as well.

Lastly, the thunder and lightning complex training soundtrack even comes complete with a vocal metronome that announces the 3-1-X tempo in which you will perform the strength training exercise to fully automate your workout- pretty slick if I might say so myself

Are you ready for the Thunder and Lightning Challenge??

We shall see

Angela

Afterburn Workouts – where group training gets PERSONAL

I have always found that success leaves clues so I obsessively study the methods of the many great coaches and business minds out there- I find it fascinating.

One thing that I keep seeing time and time again in my research is the KISS principle:

Keep It Simple Stupid

It love this concept and I firmly strive to apply it to everything I do, including the workouts I create.

Most people get too overwhelmed with how to lose weight or how to build a good workout that’s space and time-efficient.

After all, with all of the fads, gimmicks, and misinformation out there about fat loss it’s quite difficult to know what’s right and wrong and where to start.

And if you’re anything like me, you’re super busy and probably don’t have more than 30 minutes available to workout on a regular basis.

However, there is no simpler and brutally effectively way to burn belly fat, crank up metabolism, and tone and tighten your whole body then the training style referred to as “Complexes.”

Complexes allow you to get a maximum amount of work done in a very short period of time and in a very small amount of space making it the perfect fit for home/travel workouts.

Want to learn more?

Then keep reading

Complexes Defined:

- Choose 2 or more exercises using the same implement or load and then perform them for either a certain number of reps or for a certain period of time

- The key to properly performing complexes is that each exercise is performed back-to-back without any rest between exercises. In other words, you should not put the implement or load down at any point until completing all exercises within a given complex

- Like anything in fitness, progressive overload is the key to building lean muscle, burning belly fat, and improving conditioning. Complex progression is accomplished in any of the following ways:

a.) Increasing the Number of Exercises within the Complex: Moving from a 2-exercise complex to a 4-exercise complex and then to a 6-exercise complex

b.) Increasing Intensity: Using heavier loads and/or more advanced exercise variations within each complex

c.) Increasing Density: Complete more reps with a given load within the same work period or complete the same reps or more with a given load while employing shorter rest and transition periods between complexes

Types of Complexes:

- There are 3 main types of complexes listed below in order of difficulty, from easiest to most difficult:

1.) Succession: This complex involves completing the prescribed reps or work period for each movement before moving to the next movement Below is a great example of 2 different 15-Second Succession Complexes that work your whole body at once:

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Complex

1- KB/DB 1-Arm Bent-Over Row (L) @ 15 s of work

2- KB/DB 1-Arm Bent-Over Row (R) @ 15 s of work

3- KB/DB 1-Arm High Pull (L) @ 15 s of work

4- KB/DB 1-Arm High Pull (R) @ 15 s of work

5- KB/DB 1-Arm Squat to Press (L) @ 15 s of work

6- KB/DB 1-Arm Squat to Press (R) @ 15 s of work

Rest for 60 seconds and repeat up to 8 times for 20 total minutes

Bodyweight Complex

1- Side Pillar Leg Swings Variation (L) @ 15 s of work

2- Side Pillar Leg Swings Variation (R) @ 15 s of work

3- Push-up Variation @ 15 s of work

4- Lunge Variation (L) @ 15 s of work

5- Lunge Variation (R) @ 15 s of work

6- Squat Variation @ 15 s of work

Rest for 60 seconds and repeat up to 8 times for 20 total minutes

2.) Sequence: This complex involves shifting from one movement directly into another until you complete the entire complex. It’s a bit more challenging both mentally and physically to switch between different movements after every single rep compared to succession complexes. Below is a great example of 2 different 3-Minute Sequence Complexes that work your whole body at once:

Kettlebell 3-Minute Sequence Complex: Perform 3 minutes of continuous work followed by 1 minute of rest for up to 5 total rounds

Beginner: KB 2-Arm High Pull, Catch Squat + Overhead Press

Dumbbell 3-Minute Sequence Complex: Perform 3 minutes of continuous work followed by 1 minute of rest for up to 5 total rounds

Beginner: DB Sumo Deadlift + Curl to Press

3.) Combination: This complex involves joining several movements together to form one smooth movement with minimal to zero transition between movements. Combining high pulls and squat to presses is a great example of a 2 movement combination complex. This integration of multiple smaller movements into “one big movement” makes it the most “complex” of the complexes.

- Complexes can also be performed with any of the following tools: kettlebells, battle ropes, dumbbells, barbells, bodyweight, bands, suspension trainers, med balls, and cable systems

The Top 6 Ways to Build a Perfect Complex

1.) Choose the load for a given complex based on the load you can use for your weakest movement within the complex. In other words, if your weakest movement within a given complex is the overhead press, be sure to select the appropriate load for the prescribed rep total or work period for the overhead press and use that same load for all other movements. In general, select a load that you can successfully use for the more upper body-dominant movements as the lower body is much stronger.

2.) Place your weakest movements earlier on in the complex when you are most fresh. Examples include weak sides (weak arm, weak leg, weak rotation to one side), lagging muscle groups (glutes, upper back, hamstrings), and lagging movement patterns (hip-dominant and upper body pulling movements).

3.) Place higher skill movements that require lots of coordination and motor skill earlier on in the complex when you are most fresh. Examples include olympic lift variations like snatches, cleans, and jerks.

4.) Place fast, explosive, and power training movements earlier on in the complex when you are most fresh. Examples include ballistic kettlebell exercise variations and bodyweight plyometric exercise variations like squat jumps, plyo push-ups, and box jump.

5.) Ensure proper exercise flow by ordering the exercises in your complex to allow for smooth, seamless transitions. For example following KB Goblet Squats with KB 2-Arm Overhead Presses is ideal because the holding position at the top of each exercise is the same.

6.) The only limitations when performing complexes are skill set, pain tolerance, exercise recall, and fitness level. However, the exercise selection and ordering for complexes is unlimited!

It’s quite ironic that the simplest way to boost your fitness results is with something called complexes, isn’t it?

Ha ha!

Are you ready for the Complexes Challenge??

We shall see

Angela

Afterburn Workouts – where group training gets PERSONAL