Last time we talked about surfing the strength curve and showed how switching up your rep ranges boosts hypertrophy.

But what about building muscle AND cutting fat at the same time?

Most trainers will tell you that it can’t be done. Well, I’m here to say, they’re flat-out wrong!

Don’t believe me? I didn’t think it was possible either, until I began utilising one of the most effective workouts in muscledom.

And here is where things get REALLY interesting… not only are these workouts great at building muscle and cutting fat at the same time, but they are super-efficient too.

More muscle in less time?

Hell, yeah.

Blowtorch body fat?

Yessir, it melts off like butter.

But don’t just take my word for it…

Strength coach Dan John is a die-hard fan. This is why he makes them the cornerstone of his conditioning training and mass building programs.

So what are they?

Complexes.


Southwood Strength

Dan John’s love affair with complexes began in Southwood Junior High, San Francisco. His weight training program at the time was a simple meat-and-potatoes combination of cleans, presses and squats.

But all that was about to change…

On one particular day, his instructor, Mr. Freeman, spiced things up. The exercises were the same - cleans, presses and squats - only now there was one significant ingredient added to the mix: once you started the three lifts, you weren’t allowed to put the bar down.

On paper it sounded easy, but the workout was to prove Dan wrong. He recalls: “I choked on those last reps of the front squat trying to figure out where I left my lungs.”

Fast forward to the present, and strongman Dan sees complexes are special. This realisation was recently underlined when a student approached him during the transition of a workout with a question: “Coach, can I get a copy of all the complexes for my dad? The rest of the guys in the fire department want to do them, too.” Dan agreed, and asked why. “Coach, everybody’s getting huge!”


Dynamic Density

So what’s the secret sauce behind this routine recipe? Well, a couple of things immediately spring to mind:

1. By removing any rest periods between exercises, you complete more work (weight lifted).
2. By sequencing the exercises in super-set fashion, you put your body under load for longer (increased time under tension).

In very basic terms, these two things combined ramp-up your training density. 

The result?

Like our hero firefighters, you get to build muscle as you cut fat.


Complexes Workout

To give this system a try, check out this Dan John dynamo:

Row x 5 reps
Cleans x 5 reps
Front Squat x 5 reps
Military Press x 5 reps
Back Squat x 5 reps
Good Mornings x 5 reps

Rest for 1-2 minutes then repeat for two more sets. Start light with just the training bar and gradually add weight.

Want a quick and easy test-drive? Reduce the workout to three exercises for two sets and use complexes for your warm-up. Or alternatively, ramp the reps to eight for an end-of-session cardio finisher.


Until next time,

Squat for Glory!

Lee