How many times have you assumed a great workout requires a fully equipped gym with tons of equipment? Stop assuming, it’s not true.
When equipment access is limited and your time is tight, it’s time to think outside the box. Forget about straight sets, supersets, and circuits. Instead, dive into this 15-minute barbell complex workout for next-level fat and conditioning.
Here, we will discuss complexes, their benefits, things to watch out for, and a five-move barbell complex workout that will get you buff in a hurry.
Are you ready? Then let’s go.
What is a Barbell Complex Workout?
Complexes are a series of back-to-back strength exercises combined into one seamless workout. You complete all reps of one exercise before moving on to the next without letting the weights hit the ground. The key to a successful barbell complex is logical flow. For instance, moving from bentover rows to a hang clean makes perfect sense.
On the flip side, going from a deadlift to a back squat doesn’t.
Benefits of the Barbell Complex
I’m not going to lie to you: Barbell complexes are challenging. Completing a series of exercises without the barbell leaving your hands may have you hating life in a hurry. But wait: There are great benefits to performing them, which are listed below.
Burns Fat
Complexes ramp you up and help torch fat by reducing rest periods, increasing muscle time under tension, and boosting your oxygen needs because you’ll be sucking in air after you’re done.
Improved Toughness
Performing a complex involves your body being under tension for an extended time, and you will lift when you’re tired. If you don’t talk yourself out of it halfway through, you will build physical toughness (improved conditioning) and mental toughness for gutting it out.
Minimal Equipment Needed
You don’t need a ton of gear for barbell complexes. Just a barbell and a few weight plates. Their intense nature means just three sets will leave you dripping with sweat and ready to hit the showers.
Fantastic for Conditioning
Complexes are tough, high-intensity workouts. While they might feel miserable, they significantly improve your conditioning quickly.
Tips for Crushing Barbell Complexes
Staying sharp on form and technique with barbell complexes is essential to maximize gains and prevent injuries. Here’s what to watch for:
Pay Attention To Technique
Keep your spine neutral and your grip on the barbell solid. Good form keeps you injury-free and your training more effective. You do this by moving smoothly from one exercise to the next and avoiding jerky movements.
Smart Weight & Exercise Selection
Pick a weight that’s challenging but permits good form. Pick your weakest movement for complexes, and that’s the weight you’ll use for the rest of the four exercises. Exercises should also be arranged logically to avoid jerky movements and keep the complex efficient and smooth.
Don’t Skip The Warmup and Cooldown
Get your muscles and joints ready with a short full-body warm-up, which reduces injury risk and boosts workout performance. Finish with a cool-down, stretch out, and do light exercises to assist with your recovery.
Reps and Sets
Feel free to experiment with reps, but three to eight reps per exercise is a good range for strength, hypertrophy, and fat loss. Depending on training time and goals, between three and five sets works well.
The 15-Minute Barbell Complex Workout
How to do it: After your warm-up, select your weakest movement and load accordingly. Perform three to eight reps of each exercise without putting the barbell down. After you have finished the complex, rest for two to three minutes and go again for the other two rounds for a total of three rounds.
1A. Bentover Row
1B. High Pull
1C. Push Press
1D. Back Squat
1E. Good Morning