Complexes Made Simple

by Ben Bruno

Here's what you need to know...

1. Complexes are a great way to build muscle, boost conditioning, and burn body fat while avoiding the boring cardio section of the gym.
2. Despite popular belief, the goal of the complex should be to add weight to the bar, not perform it faster. Too much emphasis on speed can lead to shoddy technique.
3. Complexes are a good way to push your limits in a relatively safe way, provided you do them correctly. There are 10 guidelines you need to follow.

Despite the name, complexes – a series of exercises performed in succession with a single implement – shouldn't be complex. To put together an effective complex that builds muscle and slashes body fat, you just need to follow a few simple guidelines.

Why Should You Use Complexes?

• They're a great fat loss and conditioning tool, especially for lifters who cringe at the thought of traditional "gerbil" cardio like the bike, elliptical, Stairmaster, or treadmill.
• Complexes are far less boring to perform as the cardio is "masked" as lifting, which is much more palatable for most meatheads.
• They're a good option for a quick workout when you're crunched for time. "I only have 20 minutes to work out" is no longer a valid excuse to skip the gym. They also make for a viable option for in-season athletes.
• They're a good chance to work on technique. Because complexes require using significantly lighter weights than what you'd normally use in your strength work, you get a chance to work on your form without your ego getting in the way.
• For banged up folks, it's a chance to do exercises you might not otherwise be able to do. If you have exercises you love doing but run into problems when you do them heavy, you often can do lighter versions of them in a complex without issue. Many times it's not the exercise that's problematic but the load. Cut down the load substantially and you can then perform the exercise without pain.
• It's a great alternative to a deload workout. I loathe deload workouts. I either like to train hard or skip the gym altogether. Complexes allow you to lift hard and get the feeling of pushing yourself without beating up your joints, making it a good option for days where you're ready to get after it mentally, but physically aren't feeling quite up to snuff.
• They're a good way to test your mettle. Complexes can be downright brutal. While you shouldn't approach every workout with the intent to kick the crap out of yourself, no one has ever gotten better by being a pussy. Sometimes you have to forget what the textbooks say, ditch the script, and just see what the hell you're made of.

That's not free reign to be reckless, and many dudes run into problems by being knuckleheads in the name of being "hardcore." However, complexes are a good way to push your limits in a relatively safe way, provided you do them correctly.

10 Complex Principles

I say "principles" rather than rules because one of the beauties of complexes is that they offer a lot of freedom and leeway to construct them according to your personal preferences and goals.

That said, there are some guidelines to follow:

1.  Form still matters.

I hate seeing people use poor form in the name of trying to be more "metabolic."

No matter what program you're following or what your goal is, good form still matters. Just because the weights are lighter and you're trying to burn fat and improve your conditioning doesn't mean you should lift like a spaz.

Use a full range of motion and always make sure you're in control of the weight and not just flinging it around – quality over quantity.

2.  Time isn't a good way to gauge progress.

With some programs, the workout and the load remain consistent and the goal is to complete the workout faster, with a better time indicating improvement.

To me, that's a misguided way to gauge progress because all it tells me is that you used shittier form and rushed through it. So while you may think you're getting better, you're really just shortchanging yourself and needlessly risking injury.

Instead, aim to increase the load you use for the complex while still maintaining good form. In most cases – not just complexes – adding weight to the bar is the best form of progress.

You could also do things like add more rounds or decrease the rest period between rounds, but don't rush the complexes themselves.

3.  Complexes should either have a full body focus or a lower body focus.

Upper body complexes sound good in theory but don't work very well in practice. The upper body doesn't have the same endurance capacity as the legs, meaning you can't challenge yourself nearly to the same degree without dropping the weights to almost pitiful levels.

You can certainly include upper body exercises in a complex, but make sure to alternate them with lower body exercises for a full-body training effect.

Alternatively, lower body complexes work well as a way to blast the legs while also jacking up the metabolism. The downside to them is that you might also jack up your lunch. Consider yourself warned.

4.  If you're using Olympic lifts, put them first in the complex and do no more than five reps.

Olympic lifts can work well in a complex and are a great way to work on technique with lighter loads. However, doing them in a fatigued state late in a complex or doing them for higher reps is a bad idea due to the technical nature of the exercises.

5.  Put the hardest exercises early in the complex.

"Hardest" refers to technically demanding lifts such as the Olympic lifts, along with exercises that require using lighter loads. Do those while you're still fresh.

6.  For full body complexes, alternate between lower and upper body exercises.

This gives the upper body a chance to rest (at least to some extent) while you do your lower body exercise, and vice versa, which in turn allows you to extend the complex without fizzling out.

7.  Try to order the exercises in a way that flows.

Nothing kills your complex mojo like an awkward transition between exercises. Instead, try to structure the complex such that one exercise flows seamlessly into the next so you can maintain a good rhythm.

An example of an awkward transition would be a barbell row into a back squat – you have to clean the weight and put it over your head before you can start squatting.

Examples of better transitions might be a push press into a back squat, a front squat into a military press, or a barbell row into a deadlift because they don't require extra steps to get into position.

8.  Avoid choosing exercises that require a significant reduction in weight as compared to the other exercises.

The load you use for a complex is going to be limited by the weakest exercise, so try to avoid picking exercises that require drastic weight drops so you don't shortchange the whole complex.

For example, rather than a military press, you may be better off with a push press. Similarly, you might be better off using a power curl instead of strict biceps curl, or a high pull instead of an upright row.

This point applies more so to upper body exercises as these tend to be the weakest links.

9.  Try to give your grip a break.

Grip often becomes the limiting factor in how much weight you can use in a complex because the weight never leaves your hands. So whenever possible, give your grip a little reprieve by interspersing exercises that allow you to rest the weight on your shoulders – such as squats, front squats, and lunges – in between more grip-intensive exercises.

10.  Combo exercises can be great.

I'm typically not a fan of combo exercises (i.e. squat to press) for strength work, but they tend to work very well in complexes where strength isn't the primary goal.

Sample Complexes

Abiding by these principles, here are four sample complexes for you to try. That is, if you're up for it. Wussies need not apply.

Barbell Complex

Here, Eirinn Dougherty does 5 hang cleans, 10 reverse lunges with a front squat grip (5 per leg), 10 push presses, 10 squats, 10 high pulls, and 10 Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) all in succession without putting the bar down.

Eirinn makes it look easy, but trust me, it's anything but. Get the puke bucket ready.

Landmine Complex

Here Kevin Anderson uses the landmine to crank out 10 squat-to-presses, 10 single-arm presses per arm, 10 single-leg RDLs per leg, 10 single-arm rows per arm, and 10 reverse lunges per leg, all without letting the bar touch the floor.

Holding the thick part of the barbell really challenges your grip strength, but because the complex is composed primarily of unilateral exercises, one arm rests while the other works, allowing you to extend the set.

Trap Bar Complex

Here's a complex I like using the trap bar or Dead-Squat™ Bar that absolutely fries the legs: 10 split squats (5 per leg), 10 RDLs, and 10 low handle trap bar deadlifts.

For the final leg of the trap bar deadlifts, focus on getting your hips low and almost try to squat the weight up to keep the stress on the quads for a total leg blitz when combined with the RDLs.

Barbell Leg Complex

This one's a real doozy so you'll want to wear your big boy panties. Ten reverse lunges with a front squat grip, 10 front squats, and 10 squats, done as one continuous set.

Kevin knocks that sucker out with 225 pounds on the bar, which is no joke:

Put It To Work

Now that you have the guidelines to put together your own complex and even have a few to try, it's all on you now to put in the work.

4 Squat Challenges You Must Conquer

by Ben Bruno   

Photo Credit: Gavin Simpson

Here's what you need to know...

•  Every now and then it's fun to put on your big-boy panties and test your mettle.

•  Gym challenges need rules because there's a very fine line between pushing yourself hard and being reckless. The former will teach you a lot about yourself and show you what you're truly capable of, while the latter will get you hurt.

•  It's best to choose self-limiting exercises whereby there's far less potential for form breakdown. These challenges will focus on the front squat.

There's nothing like a good challenge to increase your work capacity and let you know what you're made of. Of course, you don't want to crush yourself every time you hit the gym and it's certainly best to spend the majority of your training following a well thought-out, reasonable program. If all you do is random challenges where you're constantly beating the crap out of yourself, your training will quickly deteriorate into the dreaded "C" word, and by that I mean clusterfuck, not necessarily CrossFit.

But every now and again it's fun to ditch the script, put on your big-boy panties, and just unleash hell. After all, how do you know what your limits are if you never push them? That being said, gym challenges need rules because there's a very fine line between pushing yourself hard and being reckless. The former will teach you a lot about yourself; the latter will get you hurt. I'm all for hard training, but you still need to be smart about it.

With that in mind, it's best to choose self-limiting exercises whereby there's far less potential for form breakdown, so instead of testing yourself with things like Olympic lifts, barbell deadlifts, and back squats, think front squats, sleds, farmer's walks, etc.

I'm going to share four front-squat challenges in this article, and they aren't for the faint of heart. Before you begin, you'll want to start the workout off with a squat-specific warm-up to prepare yourself for what's to come. Get in the bottom position of the squat with your hands pressed together like you're praying and your elbows touching the inside of your knees so you can push your knees out and get a good stretch in your groin and hips. Now, while you're down there, cough five times. That should help get all the sand out of your you-know-what. Now you're ready to rock.

1. The Bodyweight Front-Squat Challenge

Dan John recently shared a "fun" challenge where you back squat your bodyweight 50 times in a single set without racking the bar. I used to do something similar back in college where I'd try and see how many times I could squat my bodyweight (at the time I was hell-bent on getting 100 reps but my best was 67 reps with 170 pounds). These days I tend to favor the front squat to the back squat, especially when I'm pushing myself to the brink because holding the bar in front helps keep form in check. Having the bar on your back allows you to grind out ugly rep after ugly rep, but with the front squat, you'll just end up dumping the bar if your form slips and you start to lean forward too much.

It'd be damn near impossible to hold the bar for a 50-rep front squat in one continuous set unless I used paltry weight. So to adapt the challenge to the front squat, I changed the rules and set off to complete 50 front squats in four minutes. You can break it up into as many sets as you want and you can choose your rest intervals. The clock starts when you unrack the bar for the first set and ends when you rack the bar after completing your 50th rep. If you're the type that enjoys watching other suffers, here's a video of me completing the challenge.

Start with a weight you could squat for about 25-30 reps (i.e. very light) with the ultimate goal of completing all 50 reps with your bodyweight on the bar. Once you achieve that, to step it up even further and eliminate the need to fuss around with a lot of small plates, use the following weight guidelines that I borrowed from Dan John's back squat challenge:

Bodyweight 135 pounds and under: Use 135
Bodyweight 136-185 pounds: Use 185
Bodyweight 186-205 pounds: Use 205
Bodyweight over 205: Use 225

The key is to work on your pacing so you don't blow your load too early. I originally set this as a 5-minute challenge and gradually worked down to 4 minutes, so it may be wise for you to do that too.

2. The 10-Minute Challenge

Do one set of squats on the minute for 10 minutes, for a total of 10 sets. Keep the weight constant and do the same amount of reps on each set. Set a timer and start each set promptly on the minute. Your rest after each set is however much time is left in the minute. How many reps you decide to do in each set is up to you. Low reps are easier than high reps in the sense that you get longer rest periods, but they're harder in the sense that you'll be using heavier weight. I personally do 5 reps per set because I find it's a happy medium.

Start by putting your bodyweight on the bar and trying to complete 5 reps in all 10 sets. If you don't get all 5 on every set, keep the weight the same until you can. From there, strive to complete all 50 reps with 1.25 times your bodyweight on the bar.

3. The Front-Squat Iso Hold

This one is simple, but it's anything but easy. You've surely done a wall sit before, right? Take that and multiply it by 1,000 and you've got a front squat iso hold. Get in the bottom position of a front squat just before the point where your hamstrings touch your calves and hold it for as long as possible. Be sure to do these in a power rack so you can dump the bar on the pins when you're done. Start with 95 pounds on the bar until you can hold it for at least 30 seconds, at which point you can move up to 135 pounds on the bar. From there, try to increase the duration of the holds. Anything over 30 seconds with 135 is damn respectable.

I'd recommend doing these at the end of your workout because your legs won't have much left afterwards. Interestingly, after doing these at the end of my lower body workouts twice a week for six weeks last summer, my front squat form felt much better and I felt a lot stronger coming out of the hole, so these have value beyond just as a challenge.

4. Tabata Front Squats

About ten years back Dan John shared the idea of Tabata front squats. I wish I'd never read that article because of course I tried it and I was hooked. The protocol calls for doing 20 seconds of front squats, resting 10 seconds, and repeating it 8 times, with the stipulation being that you can't drop below 8 reps on any of the sets. So in total you end up doing 70+ front squats. The whole thing lasts just 3 minutes and 50 seconds in theory, but it's really about a half-hour workout because you end up spending the other 26 minutes trying to catch your breath!

Dan John originally shared this as fat loss protocol, but I prefer to just use it occasionally as a good gut check with the goal being to see how heavy I can go and still complete the challenge.

Be strict with the rest intervals, which is much easier said than done when you're in the heat of it. Those 10-second rest intervals feel like a blink of the eye and it's almost like the clock is giving you the finger. Some people get all huffy when you refer to something as a Tabata that doesn't exactly replicate the original Tabata protocol. I couldn't care less about what something is called, but if that bothers you, feel free to call them 20:10 front squats, Dan John front squats, or just do what we've done with a bunch of other exercises and name it after some Eastern European country.

8 Moves For A Crazy-Strong Core

Serious lifters take major action to strengthen the posterior chain. Why should the core receive anything less? Use these innovative exercises to blast your core into oblivion!







Many compound lifters scoff at abdominal exercises and argue that heavy squats and deadlifts work the core sufficiently. I think this is a mistake. Sure, the core gets taxed during heavy compound movements, but it's often the hidden weak link and limiting factor that keeps lifters from reaching new PRs.


In other words, a stronger core inevitably leads to bigger lifts. If it helps, think of it this way: Squats and deadlifts work the glutes and hamstrings a hell of a lot, but most serious lifters still do supplemental posterior chain work. Why should the core be any different?


There's a catch, though. Crunches, basic planks, and side planks aren't going to provide the stimulus necessary for strong lifters to get stronger, because they're simply too easy. You need to challenge yourself with difficult, high-tension core exercises to see improvement across the board.


Here are eight demanding exercises to take both your abdominal strength and your overall strength to the next level!
EXERCISE 1 ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH LEG RAISE


Generally I'm not a big fan of combination exercises, because one exercise is typically a lot harder than the other and you end up not being able to push yourself on the harder exercise. But here, both exercises are equally difficult, thereby allowing you to blast your upper back and core simultaneously.


People often cheat the heck out of hanging leg raises, usually by leaning way back, swinging, and creating momentum. This makes for a less than effective core exercise, and also leads to some significant spinal flexion. Holding the chin-up position helps prohibit backward lean, forcing you to be strict with the leg raises, which makes it safer and more effective.
BEN BRUNO ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH DYNAMIC L-SIT
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:40








Doing these with rings is especially great for stabilizing the body and keeping from swinging, but a bar works fine if you don't have access to rings. Don't lower your legs all the way down; stop 1-2 inches short to keep tension on the core. If it's too hard at first, hold the chin-up at mid-level and/or bend the legs to shorten the lever length.


Counting time can be difficult for this exercise unless you're positioned in front of a clock, so it's best to go for reps.
EXERCISE 2 ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH DYNAMIC L-SIT


I suck at naming exercises, so I normally just call these "spread 'ems" or "open sesames." No matter the title, it's a great exercise to challenge your core and upper back.


Hold the chin-up position, go into an L-sit position, and slowly open and close your legs while keeping the torso steady. Learning to resist swinging is one of the most challenge aspects of the exercise. The slower you go, the harder it is. Try to keep your legs as straight as possible.
BEN BRUNO ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH DYNAMIC L-SIT
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:31








You can also do these from the hang position if the chin-up hold is too tough. Like the chin-up iso-hold/hanging leg raise combo, it's usually best to do these for reps. Just make sure to wear loose shorts to avoid giving your fellow gym-goers a show they don't want.
EXERCISE 3 ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH L-SIT FLUTTER KICKS


This movement starts at the same point as the open sesame, but moves vertically rather than horizontally. Hold the chin-up position, enter an L-sit position, and perform small flutter kicks with your legs straight out. These are harder than the dynamic L-sit combo, so master that exercise first.


The goal is to keep your legs straight, but if you're unable to manage that initially, start with bent legs and progress to straightening them. Because the legs move quickly, it's tough to count reps, so it works better to do these for time. Start at 5-10 seconds and build up from there. That time will go by slower than you think!
BEN BRUNO ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH L-SIT FLUTTER KICKS
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:36






EXERCISE 4 ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH L-SIT LEG EXTENSION


I saved L-sit leg extensions for last because it's the hardest L-sit variation. Start by holding the chin-up position and extend your legs into an L-sit position. Bring your legs in, extend them straight out, and keep your torso steady to avoid swinging.


Put a medicine ball or dumbbell between your feet to increase the challenge. You can do these for reps or time.
BEN BRUNO ISO CHIN-UP HOLD WITH L-SIT LEG EXTENSION
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:28






EXERCISE 5 SINGLE-LEG PLANK WALK


Get in a push-up position with one foot on a Valslide or furniture slider and let the other foot hover just off the floor. From there, walk forward with your hands, keeping your arms as straight as possible, and keep your hips steady.


Walk as far as possible with one leg and switch legs on the way back. If you don't have space to walk, use a slide board to walk forward and backward for a set number of reps, and then switch legs. In either case, this exercise works your core and shoulders and jacks up your heart rate, which makes it a great finisher to an upper-body workout, either on its own or as part of a circuit with movements like battling ropes, sled pushes, or farmer's walks.
BEN BRUNO SINGLE-LEG PLANK WALK
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:29






EXERCISE 6 SHOULDER-FRIENDLY SUSPENSION STRAP FALLOUT


The normal suspension strap fallout progression is to start with the straps around waist height and extend your body until your arms are directly overhead. As you improve, you lengthen the straps and extend out farther, progressing until the straps almost touch the floor, which resembles the starting position of a standing ab wheel rollout.


There's certainly nothing wrong with that progression, but for people with shoulder issues it can be problematic. To make it more shoulder-friendly, set up several feet behind the anchor point of the straps. This also makes the exercise significantly harder, because you don't have to extend your arms out nearly as far to challenge the core. The tension is more or less constant throughout the movement.
BEN BRUNO SHOULDER-FRIENDLY SUSPENSION STRAP FALLOUT
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:36








There isn't much range of motion at the arms, but this exercise lights the core up when done correctly. The farther you walk back, the harder it becomes. On the plus side, the farther you walk back the easier it becomes on the shoulders, but only walk back to a point where you can still control the movement. If you start to feel the exercise in your lower back, you've gone too far.


Perform this exercise for reps, and focus on progressively moving farther backward.
EXERCISE 7 SINGLE-LEG FALLOUT


Single-leg fallouts decrease your support base, which makes the exercise harder and adds a rotary stability component. The normal fallout already does a great job at working the anterior core, so this wrinkle makes it even better at building all-around core strength. Like the shoulder-friendly fall-out, perform this exercise for reps and focus on progressively moving farther backward.
BEN BRUNO SINGLE-LEG FALLOUT
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:35






EXERCISE 8 SINGLE-LEG BODYSAW


Regular bodysaws are great, and many people are surprised by just how difficult such a tiny range of motion can be. Once you've got that down, though, you can take it a step further by doing single-leg bodysaws. From there, if you feel frisky, try the single-arm, single-leg version, which challenges even the most advanced lifters.
BEN BRUNO SINGLE-ARM, SINGLE-LEG BODYSAW
WATCH THE VIDEO - 0:29








Trying to count during this exercise is nearly impossible due to the intense strain throughout your body. Go for reps, and enjoy all the benefits your newfound core strength brings!

Quad Killer: 20-Rep Front Squats

by Ben Bruno   11/05/13

Here's what you need to know...

• Twenty rep squats are great for building leg size, but they aren't perfect. Form can get ugly, and they don't work well with front squats.

• Front squat 21's, front squat-back squat combos, countdowns, and rest-pause sets are all effective spins of the 20-rep squat protocol.

The quickest way to build bigger legs is with high-rep squats. But I'm not talking high reps with light weights. I'm talking high reps where you start to question your sanity halfway through the set, yet somehow manage to override the intense burn and gut it out.
There's something extremely gratifying about pushing your limits and seeing what the hell you're made of, not to mention it's a great way to pack on a whole bunch of muscle in a hurry.
What I don't like about traditional high-rep back squats is the inevitable, near-debilitating lower back pump that accompanies them. Anyone that's gone to hell and back on a high-rep set of squats can relate to what I'm talking about. Moreover, any time you push your limits, form tends to get ugly fast.
That's why I prefer front squats in general to back squats. For one, front squats are a better quad exercise than back squats because most people – either due to anthropometry, mobility restrictions, and/or technique preference – tend to turn back squats into a more hip dominant exercise. Considering most people squat for quad development, front squats make more sense.
Moreover, front squats offer an inherent safety check. If your form gets too shoddy you'll just dump the bar, whereas with back squats you can continue to grind out ugly rep after ugly rep until either your mind or your lower back gives out, whichever comes first.
Trouble is, front squats don't usually lend themselves to higher reps because holding the bar becomes an issue, so you can't grind out reps the way you can with back squats. With that in mind, here are four front squat finishers to blast your quads to new growth.

1. Front Squat 21's

Any bro worth his salt has done 21's with biceps curls. These are the same thing, only with front squats.
• Start by doing 7 reps from the bottom position to about halfway up.
• Next, without racking the bar, do 7 reps from the top to about halfway down. (You know, how most guys do their regular squats.)
• Finish up with 7 full front squats. That's one set.
Here's what it looks like in action:
You'll need to use a lighter weight than you'd otherwise be able to use for regular front squats, especially if you do them after your heavier work as a finisher. Because of that, holding the bar shouldn't be as much of an issue.
Wussies need not apply.

2. Front Squat/Back Combo

This is a new spin on the classic 20-rep squat that combines front squats and back squats.
Pick a weight that you think you can front squat for 8-10 reps. Start by doing as many front squats as you can before racking the bar briefly to get into position for back squats. However many reps you got on the front squats, you must make up the remaining difference with back squats to hit 20 total reps.
So if you got 8 reps on the front squats, you'd need to grind out 12 back squats. Or if you got 10 front squats, you'd have to do 10 back squats. The weight will be less than what you'd use for a 20-rep back squat, but they're just as brutal and you'll feel them more in your quads without the agonizing lower back pump.
With heavy back squats, the lower back tends to be the limiting factor and the squats tend to deteriorate into more of a good morning. But when you've already smoked your legs with the front squats, it's easier to keep good form and you feel the squats more where you want to feel it and less where you don't.

3. Front Squat Countdown

This combines higher rep work with strategically placed isometric holds for complete quad annihilation.
Start by doing 6 full front squats followed by a six-second isometric hold in the bottom position, at or slightly above parallel. Then, without racking the bar, do 5 reps followed by a five-second hold: then four, then three, then two, then one. In total, it comes out to 21 reps and 21 grueling seconds of holds that feel like an eternity.
It won't take a whole lot of weight to have your legs begging for mercy. If this seems like too much at first, start at 5 reps and work down. I've also had good luck with some of my clients using goblet squats, which are still brutal in their own right but are much more manageable.

4. Rest-Pause Front Squats

Rest-pause training can mean several different things depending on who you ask, but the style I'm referring to is taken from Dante Trudel's training program. In that context, a rest-pause set is essentially three mini-sets, each separated by 10-15 deep breaths that end up taking about 20-25 seconds.
Start by picking a weight that you can get for 8-10 reps, rest 20-25 seconds and rep it out again, this time shooting for 3-5 reps. Rest 20-25 seconds and rep it out a third time, this time shooting for 2-4 reps. Aim for 14-20 total reps.
I prefer slightly higher rep ranges, but for those of you that struggle to support the bar with higher reps, the lower end of the rep range will be fine.
Some coaches don't recommend rest-pausing squat and deadlift variations for safety reasons, but the self-limiting nature of front squats helps ensure that your form stays in check. It ends up being a great way to grind out some more reps than you'd be able to do in one continuous straight set because you don't have to worry about supporting the bar for so long.

No-Nonsense Warm-Ups for Big Lifters

by Ben Bruno   10/29/13

Here's what you need to know...

• Athletes who sprint, cut, and jump require specific, detailed warm-ups. For lifters, the emphasis should be on extra warm-up sets.

• Forget the "static stretching makes you weak" nonsense. You're not stretching immediately before performing a max effort lift and the increased mobility will improve your lifts.

• Foam rolling, activation work, and dynamic warm-ups can be helpful, but greatly depend on individual needs and preferences.

A good warm-up can help to reduce injuries, but we need to keep perspective – for lifting, the warm-up shouldn't be an entire workout unto itself. Between foam rolling, activation work, stretching, dynamic warming-up, and whatever else is new and cool this week, it could take you well over a half-hour before you even touch a weight if you tried to incorporate them all.
Part of the problem comes when lifters get their warm-up recommendations from physical therapists or strength coaches who work with athletes. When you're injured, you obviously need to place a greater onus on warming up and doing corrective work. Same goes if you're warming up to sprint, cut, jump, or play sports.
But if you're a healthy guy just looking to bench, squat, or knock out some chin-ups, that stuff is overkill. With that in mind, here are the main things to focus on.

1. Warm-Up Sets

It never ceases to amaze me when I see a guy go through an elaborate 30-minute warm-up doing every trendy drill under the sun, only to jump right into the lifting session by going straight into his first working set.
Let's say Justin foam rolls every inch of his body and does a long dynamic warm-up complete with activation work, but then jumps straight to his first working set of squats with 315 on the bar. (Or more likely, his first set at 185 pounds, because strong lifters don't warm-up this way.)
Now along comes Hugo, who walks straight from his car to the rack and starts squatting with the goal to do his first working set with 315. He begins by warming up with just the bar for two sets of 10-15 reps, doing the reps slow and purposeful, pausing in the bottom position to stretch his hips. He then does 95 pounds for 8, 135 for 5, 185 for 5, 225 for 3, 255 for 1, and then 285 for 1, all with great form and focusing on being explosive out of the hole.
My money is on Hugo incurring fewer squatting injuries than Justin, and his squatting performance will also be far better.
I'm not saying that all you should do is warm-up sets. I'm saying that warm-up sets are by far the most important part of the warm-up and are the only real "must" when gearing up to handle heavy weights.
There are several objectives for warm-up sets:
• Increase core temperature and tissue temperature (i.e., warm up).
• Lift-specific mobility work.
• Form rehearsal. This is why it's important to treat your warm-up sets seriously and practice solid technique.
• Acclimate yourself to the weight without creating excessive fatigue. That's why I recommend doing fewer reps as you work up in weight.
• Get your mind right. This is the time to stop thinking about whatever else you have going on in your life and start focusing on the task at hand.

2. Increasing Tissue Temperature

You should strive to have a light sweat going by the time you start handling heavier weights. This won't be much of an issue if you live in a warmer climate and your warm-up sets may be all you need, but if you live in a colder climate you'll want to get moving around a bit before starting your lifting session.
This could mean doing some light cardio, calisthenics, or dynamic mobility drills. Wearing layers is also a great way to expedite the warm-up process in colder weather. This portion of the warm-up should take between zero and 6 minutes.

3. Static Stretching

The new trend is to recommend a dynamic warm-up in place of static stretching, but for lifters I still recommend static stretching for reasons I outline here. To be even clearer, I recommend short-duration static stretching, holding each stretch for 10-20 seconds.
Some people use "the research" to suggest that static stretching decreases subsequent performance, but if you look closely at the existing research and use a little bit of common sense, you'll see that these fears are largely overblown and misguided, especially if you're using short duration stretches and waiting at least a couple minutes between stretching and handling heavy weight.
Another knock on static stretching is that it's largely ineffective for increasing long-term flexibility. I don't agree, but regardless, it's completely irrelevant to the discussion of stretching pre-workout.
All we're looking to do pre-workout is increase short-term range of motion to be able to get into better positions on our strength training exercises, and static stretching definitely helps with that.
Full range of motion strength training with good form is still the best way to increase mobility, but I also know that most guys – especially heavily muscled lifters – are unable to do full range of motion strength training without stretching first, especially when they're tight and sore from previous lifting sessions.
While a general stretching routine focusing on the major muscle groups is good, lift-specific stretching is even better pre-workout. For example, if you're squatting or deadlifting, spend 20 seconds in the bottom of the squat pushing your knees out with your elbows. Or if you're doing Bulgarian split squats, get in the bottom position and hold it for 15-20 seconds on each side to loosen up before your first set.
Start with a few general stretches, paying particular attention to areas where you're particularly tight, and finish with a stretch specific to your first exercise of the workout. All told, the stretching portion of your warm-up should take between 2-8 minutes depending on how much you need and what exercises you have planned for that day.

4. Foam Rolling

Recent research suggests that foam rolling can help improve range of motion without impeding strength, making it a good choice pre-workout. That said, I put much more stock in what I experience in the gym with my clients and my own training.
In that context, the verdict seems largely personal. Most seem to love foam rolling and report feeling much better and more limber afterwards. For these folks, I absolutely recommend foam rolling.
On the other hand, others don't seem to notice that much of a difference and could just as easily do without it. For these folks, I'd say it isn't as important. If forced to choose between foam rolling or stretching, I'd choose stretching because you can stretch in positions that closely mimic – or in some cases replicate exactly – the positions you'll need to achieve during your strength work. However, there's certainly no reason why you can't (or shouldn't) do both.
Foam rolling should take around 3-5 minutes. Some research suggests that you get best results from rolling an area for at least 10 seconds, so 10-20 seconds is a good rule of thumb. You don't need to go crazy, but don't rush it either. If you foam roll, do it before static stretching.

5. Dynamic Warm-Up

Dynamic warm-ups are the new thing and are purported to be much more effective than "old school" warm-up routines. However, I'm not sold when it comes to lifters.
I'm a big fan of dynamic warm-ups for athletes warming up to sprint, cut, jump, and play sports, but besides increasing core temperature, most dynamic warm-up drills don't have much application for lifters just looking to crush weight. Remember, the warm-up should be specific to the activity.
Most lifters are tight and need to focus on increasing mobility before their lifting session to be able to achieve the proper positions. If you watch people go through a dynamic warm-up, they typically just go through the motions exhibiting their current mobility levels rather than improving their mobility. Translation: Tight guys do the drills poorly and limber guys do them well.
If you want to do a dynamic warm-up to increase core temperature, that's fine, but don't let it replace stretching, which I like to think of as static mobility work.

6. Activation Work

Activation work is a catchy term that refers to doing a bunch of low-level exercises like band walks and bodyweight glute bridges before the lifting session. These exercises have value for more novice lifters – I often use them with older clients – but once you achieve decent strength levels, you quickly graduate beyond them.
There's certainly no harm in doing them, but I'd relegate them to the "waste of time" category for stronger and more advanced lifters.

Warm It Up!

I'm not against a long warm-up if you have the time or have some specific issue that needs extra attention, but for most people with tight schedules, a 10-15 minute warm-up is plenty, provided you don't dawdle and you spend your time focusing on the right things.
It's very, very important to warm up, but keep it quick so the majority of your training time can be spent, well, training.

References

MacDonald GZ, Penney MD, Mullaley ME, Cuconato AL, Drake CD, Behm DG, Button DC. An acute bout of self-myofascial release increases range of motion without a subsequent decrease in muscle activation or force. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2013 Mar; 27(3):812-21.

Sullivan KM, Silvey DB, Button DC, Behm DG. Roller-massage application to the hamstrings increases sit-and-reach range of motion within five to ten seconds without performance impairments. International Journal of Sports and Physical Therapy. 2013 June; 8(3): 228-236.

Squats for Those Who Can't Squat

by Ben Bruno 10/11/13

Here's what you need to know...

• Squats may be the king of exercises, but many lifters can't perform them safely or effectively.

• You don't need to squat ass-to-grass.

• Switching to front squats, controlling stance and depth, and sticking to moderate rep ranges are just some on the ways to improve the safety and efficacy of squats.

Squats are one of my absolute favorite exercises. Unfortunately, as much as I love squats, my knees and back don't. If I'm not careful they can really do a number on me. I could nix squats altogether in favor of more single-leg work, but squats are too valuable to ditch entirely, plus I just enjoy doing them.
If you have a similar love-hate relationship with squats, here are some ways to make the lift more user-friendly.

1. Switch to Front Squats

Most lifters who train for general strength and physique goals are better off doing front squats than back squats. For starters, it's easier to squat to an appropriate depth with front squats than back squats, so more people can do it well.
Moreover, front squats are a lot easier on the body. You're forced to keep a more upright posture and there's a built-in safety mechanism that prohibits you from breaking form too much – you'll dump the bar before it's able to get too ugly. You're also using less weight, and any time you can get a comparable training effect with lighter loads, you're doing your body a favor in the long run.
Lastly, front squats do a better job of targeting the quads, which is why most people squat to begin with. Unless you have a good "squatters build" (i.e., short and stocky), back squats generally end up looking like a good morning and in turn target the posterior chain to a greater degree.
The biggest knock with front squats is that it can be difficult at first to hold the bar, especially if you don't have the flexibility to use a clean grip. If that's the case, try using straps or the cross-arm grip and you should be all set.

2. Shoot for About Parallel

Aim to squat to parallel or maybe slightly below. For most lifters this means you need to squat deeper because most people squat abysmally high. Quarter squats are just an ego exercise; they allow you to handle more weight than you deserve to be lifting. Any time you mix ego and heavy-ass weights, bad things happen.
Some bodybuilders argue that quarter squats are better for targeting the quads, but usually that's their way of trying to justify squatting high because they don't have the mobility to squat deep. There's research supporting the idea that full squats are better than partial squats for leg development, and if you need empiric evidence, just watch footage of guys sporting the hugest quads on the planet squat – Ronnie Coleman, Tom Platz, Olympic lifters, etc. They all get down there.
That said, there's such a thing as "too low," especially for those with lower back and knee issues. It's cool on the internet to preach rock bottom or ass-to-grass squats, but going to that extreme range can be problematic for those with prior knee issues. The last few inches from parallel to rock bottom is where the pelvis tucks under for most lifters, putting the lower back at risk.
I used to squat rock bottom, so I'm not just some guy bashing something I can't do. I've recently switched to at or just below parallel for my heavy work and my joints feel much better for it.
You're also not giving up much from a muscle-building and performance standpoint by going to just under parallel as opposed to rock bottom. Of course, this is largely a moot point since most people fall in the high squatting camp, but it's worth mentioning for the few "ass to ankles" squatters out there.

3. Control the Eccentric

When people talk about squats and knee pain, it's usually the knees coming over the toes. I'm not too concerned with the knees coming over the toes – provided it's not excessive – but I'm a lot more concerned with dive-bombing the eccentric and bouncing out of the bottom. One study showed that bouncing increases shear force on the knee by 33%, which jibes with my experience.
For folks with knee issues, I highly recommend controlling the eccentric portion of the squat rather than dive bombing to prevent bouncing. You don't necessarily have to pause in the bottom position, but I suggest it. This will also ensure that you're relying on the muscles to lift the weight rather than using momentum.

4. Get Wider

Some people advocate a really wide stance squat where you break at the hips and push your butt back while trying to keep the shins as vertical as possible. This will indeed take stress off the knees, but it'll also puts more stress on the lower back, and it also makes for a shitty quad stimulus.
Others advocate a really close stance squat with an upright torso to smoke the quads and take stress off the lower back, but this forces you into a knee-break squat where the knees shoot forward excessively. I'm not worried if the knees come out over the toes to some extent, but a pure knee break squat is a bad idea for long-term knee health.
Instead, I recommend taking a moderate stance just outside shoulder-width and breaking from both the hips and knees at the same time. This will allow for a good torso position and still smoke the quads without putting quite so much stress on the knees. Personally, just moving my stance out a few inches has made a world of difference for my knees.

5. Squat to a Box or Pins

The primary reason for squatting to a box or the pins in a safety rack is to serve as a depth gauge. For high squatters, it forces you to go all the way down. For ass-to-grass squatters, it stops you from going too low. Squatting to a box or pins also encourages you to control the eccentric so you aren't bouncing your ass off the box or bouncing the bar off the pins.
Whether you use a box or pins is largely a matter of personal preference and what you have available. Both work well, but remember that if you're using a box, you're just using it as a depth gauge, not rocking back onto the box like you would for a powerlifting-type box squat.

6. Use Chains

Chains are typically thought of as a powerlifting tool to help overload the lockout, but they're also a great way to take some stress off the lower back and knees in the bottom position while still allowing you to move big weights.

7. Stick to Moderate Reps

Those with joint issues will do best spending the majority of their training time in the 6-12 rep range. Going much below that is flirting with danger, and doing super high reps can often lead to some gnarly form breakdown.
The good news is that 6-12 range is great for hypertrophy, so it's not like you're resigning yourself to a lifetime of being a skinny little bitch. Getting strong in moderate rep ranges is the best way to get jacked.

8. Squat at the End of the Workout

Squatting at the end of the workout ensures you're sufficiently warmed up, and it also means you'll have to lighten the load, which takes stress off the joints and makes it easier to maintain good form.
Most of the time with heavy front squats, the limiting factor is how much weight you can hold, not how much weight your legs can handle. With heavy back squats, the lower back is often the limiting factor, not the legs. If you pre-exhaust the legs prior to squatting, the legs become the limiting factor, which is what you want.

The Ultimate User-Friendly Squat?

Putting it altogether, my favorite user-friendly squat variation is the chain front squat to a box.
As a reference point, I'm using a 12-inch box, which puts me right around parallel. Taller lifters may be able to get away with using a slightly higher box, but don't get carried away and start rationalizing that your 18-inch box puts you at parallel, because unless your name is Shaq or Dwight Howard, it probably doesn't.
If you're gym doesn't have low enough boxes, you can also do chain front squats to the pins, like so:
The key here is to control the eccentric to avoid bouncing the bar off the pins, so think about resting it on the pins as quietly as possible.
Of course, if you don't have chains, you can also just use straight weight. In that case I like to bump the rep range up a bit because I find my knees tolerate it better.
Now contrast that to how I used to squat with a closer stance while going all the way down. I no longer advocate that most squat this deep, especially if you have knee issues. If you turn the volume up on your computer and listen closely, you can actually hear my knees cracking!
I'm no doctor, but common sense tells me that can't be good long term, even if it doesn't cause pain in the short term.

Closing Thoughts

You don't necessarily have to apply all the tips here. For example, if you prefer back squats to front squats, that's fine. Same goes if you prefer free squats to squatting to a box or pins. Putting some of these tips into practice though will definitely help your squatting in the long run.

Works Cited

Ariel, B.G. Biomechanical analysis of the knee joint during deep knee bends with heavy loads. In: Biomechanics IV, R. Nelson and C. Morehouse (Eds.). Baltimore: University Park Press, 1974, pp. 44-52.