Barbell Complexes - Anyone tried them?

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  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    DawnEmbers wrote: »
    Interesting. Going with the OHP weight would make the squat and deadlift pretty easy since I can squat over 135, deadlift well over 135 and my last OHP set of fails were at... 70. hmmm

    they aren't designed to be strength or mass building exercises...they are endurance exercises and great cardio work. They can also be used to help improve mobility. They aren't going to challenge you in the way doing just a dead lift heavy would...that's not their purpose.

    Exactly. I can DL 185, but I can OHP less than 100 (currently at 75x6--going for 80 tomorrow) so I would 75# for complexes...something I can easily DL, clean, front squat, and get tired OHPing.
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    they aren't designed to be strength or mass building exercises...they are endurance exercises and great cardio work. They can also be used to help improve mobility. They aren't going to challenge you in the way doing just a dead lift heavy would...that's not their purpose.

    I figured as much with all the cardio talk but thanks for the clarification. :smile: I do need to work on mobility though, so the hmm is more because while I might not do it now, I may consider it some day.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    yes, it's a great endurance builder...I'd replace the back squat with a front squat though and probably change the order...

    Dead Lift
    Hang clean
    front squat
    push press

    it's a more natural progression of movement. If you look at it, it's basically a slow motion version of a clean and jerk if they were all done from one to the other.

    Yeah, I like this. I don't like the idea of someone going from an OHP and bringing that bar down on their back unless their shoulders are really opened up and have great mo.
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    Though, now that I think about it some of the moves remind me of the Les Mills Grit Strength class, which is cardio with light weights. Some of the "routines" including row for a number of times then clean before pressing so many times then do squats (some will be front and some will be back) but those bars weigh like nothing. The most people lift in that one is maybe 40 lbs (the instructor) and most are more in the 10-20 range. Though I have only gone a few times, so other experiences will vary.

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