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If you only have access to a barbell and some plates or are pressed for time but still want to get a muscle building, fat burning workout in, then a Complex is what you need to do. Romanian weightlifting coach Istvan Javorek was a pioneer in using complexes with his Olympic athletes. Javorek’s most famous athlete, Dragomir Cioroslan, competed in three Olympics, winning bronze in 1984. Javorek came to the USA and became a Strength and Conditioning Coach at the A&M University in Texas. This is where he introduced his concept of Complexes to the Western World. Since he was an Olympic Weightlifting Coach, he wanted these complexes to be done with heavy weights. This would tell him how ready his athlete was to perform on the weightlifting podium.

What is a Javorek Complex?

Complexes are a series of movements done without a break and without putting the barbell or dumbbell down. Javorek’s basic barbell complex goes like this –

After completing 30 reps the bar can be put down. No rests allowed during the set. As you see there are a number of exercises which the average gym goer may not be familiar or comfortable with.

It is fairly simple to adapt the Javorek complexes for the regular gym goer. Remember to keep to the basic principle while doing do so – use exercises which you can do without having to reset or change your grip. Also do not put the bar down till the set is over which is 30 reps in total:

•Bent over rows for 6 reps

•Power Shrugs for 6 reps – go up on your toes as you shrug the bar

A caveat for most trainees – start with the very little weight. For some even the Olympic bar, which weighs 20.4 kgs might be too much. I usually recommend starting with the Olympic bar but no harm in going lighter.

The first session if you can get two sets without pretty much collapsing on the gym floor, you have my respect! The good thing about these complexes are that you can easily replace the barbell with dumbbell and still get a great workout.

Weight can be increased slowly over a period of weeks and months. If you make this the mainstay of weight workout, expect serious sleeve splitting muscle hypertrophy while developing first rate conditioning.

Here is an example of a Javorek complex done with Dumbbells:

•Dumbbell Push Press for 3 reps

•Dumbbell Front squat for 3 reps

•Dumbbell Upright Row for 3 reps

•Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift for 3 reps

•Dumbbell Bent over Row for 3 reps

This complex is done twice for a single set.

The reason why complexes work

We know that the three mechanisms for developing muscle hypertrophy are –

Train using a heavy load and do exercises through a full range of motion. This creates lots of mechanical tension inside a muscle which will eventually lead to muscle growth.

Muscle damage is a direct result of resistance training. Muscle fibres experience micro tears during the lifting and lowering of weights. Protein synthesis increases as does muscle size while the micro tears are being repaired.

Doing lots of repetitions with lighter weight increases metabolites like Lactate, Hydrogen ions etc in the muscle. Metabolic stress has an anabolic effect, causing the muscle to grow. T Complexes induce muscle size growth through the metabolic stress mechanism. The added bonus being a jump in cardio vascular conditioning. What’s not to like.

Now go and do it.

Kamal Singh is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who has been coaching for 15 years

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