Burn Fat and Build Muscle with Training Complexes

Regardless of what your goals may be, we’d all like to make the most of our time in the gym. So, if I told you that there was a way for you to burn fat and build muscle all during the same 30-45 minute workoout, that would produce similar results to an hour an a half of weights plus cardio – would you want to try it? Of course you would! Nobody truly wants to spend hours in the gym each day. It’s just a means to an end. I’m about to explain an innovative way to structure your workouts to reap the benefits of both cardio and weight training, simultaneously. It’s called Training Complexes and if you’ve only got about 30-45 minutes to train every day, this is what you want to be doing.

What is a Training Complex?

A training complex is a group of 5-8 exercises completed back-to-back with very little rest between each exercise, all performed using the same resistance load – typically a barbell, dumbbells, weight plate or landmine bar. It’s cardio, it’s weight training, it’s conditioning, it’s strengthening, it boosts endurance capacity, it burns a ton of calories and helps to melt away the fat.. There’s no changing weights, waiting for machines or time to text between sets. You’re maximizing every second of your time in the gym and it’s truly an all-in-one training method designed for efficient results.

While I do not in any way take credit for Training Complexes, I will share some examples of a few Training Complex workouts below developed with the help of fellow T-Rex Training Strength & Conditioning Coach PK Mills, followed by some general guidelines for keeping in mind when performing the workouts.

Training Complexes – General Guidelines / Things to Remember

Don’t get sloppy on form! Keep your technique strict to reduce chances of injury.
Perform the most challenging exercises early in the training complex.
Training complexes should ‘flow’ and not be one repetitive movement after another.
Try to alternate between upper body and lower body exercises to give muscles a chance to recover.
Select exercises that do not require that you change the resistance / load. Try to keep the weight the same on all exercises.
Too many pulling exercises in a row will zap your grip strength. Try alternating between pushing and pulling movements and upper/lower movements.
Perform complex lifts (such as Olympic lifts) earlier in the complex
Rest for 2 minutes after each round is complete and re-starting the complex.
Perform 3 rounds for beginner, 5 rounds for advanced and 7 for elite.
Reps can be increased up to 12-15 if desired.
It’s not a race, don’t train to beat a time – this is how injuries happen.
Use combo exercises (i.e. curl to press) when possible.

COMPLEX 1 (Dumbbells)	REPS (50 Total/Round)
Squat	8 Reps
Romanian Deadlift	8 Reps
Reverse Lunge	8 Reps
Curl to Press	8 Reps
Renegade Row	8 Reps
Push Up	10 Reps

Video demos:

Dumbell squat :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJao9o7ROs0

Romanian dumbbell deadlift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH0stBpF7ko

Reverse dumbbell lunges:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYGzE8Uou7E

Dumbell Curl to press:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdQOmPMGjOY

Dumbell Renegade row:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gja70kgtvoQ

Push up :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t78SsqMFkrk

COMPLEX 2 (Barbell)	REPS (50 Total/Round)
Deadlift	10 Reps
Barbell Row	8 Reps
Military Press	8 Reps
Squat	8 Reps
Good Morning	8 Reps
Reverse Lunge	8 Reps

Video demos….

Barbell deadlift :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5zhnubunoE

Barbell row:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xlBxIMqh3A

Military press:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E4oWpi0RkA

Barbell squat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVB1q8zkP3o

Good morning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS2joWhhQUQ

Reverse barbell lunge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-g5yPNYv2k

COMPLEX 3 (Dumbbells)	REPS (50 Total/Round)
Dumbbell Squat	10 Reps
Push Press	8 Reps
Dumbbell Row (Two-Arm)	8 Reps
Romanian Deadlift	8 Reps
Push Up	8 Reps
Rollout OR Renegade Row	8 Reps

Video demos…

Dumbell squat :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJao9o7ROs0

Dumbell push press:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqvN10OF5fo

Dumbell rows – two arm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–gDUDFKx6Q

Romaniam deadlift :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9_PudlkeLI

Push up variations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t78SsqMFkrk

Rollout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOEuzgOyItg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYZx-y8b9iU

COMPLEX 4 (Barbell)	REPS (60 Total/Round)
Romanian Deadlift	10 Reps
Hang Clean	10 Reps
Overhead Press	10 reps
Squat	10 Reps
Good Morning	10 Reps
Reverse Lunge	10 Reps