Fresh Ideas: 3 Deadly Complexes For Fat Loss and Conditioning
How do people go to the gym day after day and do the same 30 minute workout on the elliptical machine? Honestly I would rather do some sprints in the parking lot outside of a 7/11 in a rival gang’s territory at 2am with nothing on but a game worn jock strap from Terry Tate.
No, but seriously, I would rather challenge myself and do something different every time. That is where this blog post comes in. I hope to provide some fresh ideas for you to use when it comes to the end of the workout, when you need to get that finisher in. Now hold on to your butts and crack open a Spike!
1. Burpee/Mountain Climber Combo: This one is pretty straight forward. You give yourself a rep amount to hit for each movement. I am a fan of doing 60 mountain climbers (30/side) and 12 burpees (with the push up). Rest for 60 seconds in between each round. Rinse and repeat at least 4 times and try to work up to 8 or 10. Keep the trash can near by…
2. TRX Circuit from Hell: OK, now things get interesting. That TRX in your garage isn’t just for rows and planks, it can be used for some of the hardest complexes imaginable. For this you will go from one exercise to the next, performing 10 reps (per side if for each movement. The exercises are: Atomic push ups, rear foot elevated split squat, leg curls, rollouts, and rows. Try to get through the whole circuit in under three minutes.
3. Grab bag Finisher: This is the one I use the most. I put together five or six exercises and put them into a complex. They usually involve low risk movements with lighter weights than normal, for obvious reasons. Think medballs, kettlebells, slideboards, TRX, body weight, and barbell exercises. Here is one you can try today that will have you screaming for mercy:
- Plate loaded front squat (Hold a 10-25 pound plate out in front of you while squatting). x8
- Renegade Row 8 reps/side
- TRX Rollouts (or ab wheel) x10
- KB Swings x12
- Bodysaw x12
- Overhead Medball Slams x20
BONUS: Here is a Death Circuit I did three years ago with Eric Cressey. I promise my posture is much better now:
If you want some more of these, I highly recommend you check out Tony Gentilcore’s blog. He posts tons of circuits on there, and blogs about the latest Lord of the Rings convention. Enjoy and be safe. Have some other circuits or finishers you want to share? Post them in the comments section.
Great post!!
Really nice post here, Kev. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only person who would have exercise ADD if I went and did the same thing at the gym day in & day out. I recently posted some alternated forms of cardio on my blog…
Wow this is a great post, just what I need right now. Thanks!!
Kevin,
Here’s one I using the Val slides:
a1. Val slide prone knee tuck 3 x 12
a2. Val slide mountain climber 3 x 6/side
a3. Val slide pike 3 x 12
a4. Val slide body saw 3 x 12
a4. Val slide prone hip abduction 3 x 12
make it harder ..use one leg.., or add an alligator walk.
TE
Hi Kevin, I’m currently doing a barbell complex for 5 circuits and 10 reps per exercise. I’m using a 15kg weight.
A) RDL
b) bent over row
c) hang clean
d) front squat
e) push press
f) alternating lunge with bar on back
do you have any comments on how I might improve my condition progressively (adding weight vs adding reps vs adding circuits) and my current standard of fitness?
Nice post Kevin. I like doing these types of things at the START of my lifting workout. Yeah, I then need to rest a while before getting into the lifting, but I think they make great warm-ups.
I haaate cardio work, so I have to keep it interesting. My gym’s cardio equipment all have TVs, so I’ll play games where I’ll blast it out during a commercial break, race to get my heartrate up to a certain level before Iron Chef comes back on, or hop machines each time a show segment is over.
Great post! Thanks!
But what in the world is an overhead meatball slam? Google is not helping any…
haha wow. Clearly I am hungry. Meatball=medball. Explains a lot…
Geez, I saw Coach Nick on-line and he’s got me doin’ the body saws to 30-40 degrees out.
Again, Coach Nick T. Does these circuits at the end of the weight lifting in order not to go in tired to the heavier work.. Makes sense to me. Great blog, Fitcast. Much appreciated. thanks