Barbell

COW #7

Alright. It's been a while, so I hope your ready for this one!

This complex offers some unique characteristics and challenges that you will quickly notice once you get busy on this.

Right off the bat you'll notice that this complex involve not just the barbell or dumbbell, but incorporates both to create a very unique stimulus as you progress through the 5 sets - hopefully increasing weight each time in an appropriate fashion.

Be sure to pay attention the video demo so that you know what order everything should be completed in and what the movements should look like. Also, pay special attention to how quickly Linds transfers from the BB and goes right to the DB......You need to do the same. Don't dilly-dally around. You can take your rest once the entire set is complete.


COW #7

5 Sets @ AHAP + UB:

  • 1 BB Power Clean
  • 1 BB Hang Power Clean
    --RIGHT INTO--
  • 3 SA DB Power Snatch
  • 3 SA DB Shoulder-to-Overhead
  • 3 SA DB Front Squats

**Perform all SA DB movements on one side, then complete all 3 movements on the other without setting the DB down.



COW #6

It's that time again....

It's time to hand over this week's Complex Of the Week so that y'all can give it go!

This one is pretty straight forward. All of the movements involved are simple and don't require a ton of technic to get a powerful result. The limiting factor is going to be the strict press, but that's OK.....too many people neglect the strict press and this will act as a wake-up call for a lot of you. 

Be sure to spend some time prepping the positions that this COW demands - such as the overhead and front rack positions, as well as the bottom of the front squat. I would also encourage you to start with a light weight that you KNOW you can perform perfectly.....just gradually build from there.

Alright. Give it go!


COW #6

5 Sets @ AHAP + UB:

  • 1 Power Clean
  • 3 Strict Press
  • 5 Push Press
  • 7 Front Squats

Complex Of the Week #4

It's been a while since we've posted a COW, so we are going to throw it at you right off the bat!

You'll find that this complex makes you earn the opportunity to hit the final 6 front squats....and once you're there....you're not sure you want to be there anymore. Here it is:


COW #4

Complete 5 Sets of :

  • 1 Power Clean
  • 3 Hang Power Cleans
  • 2 Push Press
  • 6 Front Squats

As always, this complex needs to be done in an unbroken set. I would recommend starting very light so that you can get a good vibe on what this complex is all about. Once you get that first set under your belt, move into some heavier weights based on how it feels. By the last set you should be nervous about whether or not you're going to make it through all 12 reps.

This is not the highest quality video, and for whatever reason the first power clean was cut off, but I think this still serves the purpose and gives you an idea of what it should look like. Have fun with this one and kick this week off with a bang!

Complex Of the Week #2

Bro! You ready to get your COW on?

Bro! You ready to get your COW on?

As promised, here is your next Complex Of The Week!

This one came to me after a long weekend of traveling and a nasty workout that had more pullups than I've done in the past 2 months. Needless to say, I was not going to effectively perform any sort of pulling movement - so, by default, I went with a press complex.

Now here's the deal.....this complex will not be the heaviest you'll perform just due to the nature of the movements involved. That being said, it will get heavy if you progress in a smart way and follow the rules laid out below. Why? These "rules" will force you to think and then perform, rather than just going at it without a focus or goal. They will also elicit a more potent stimulus. Just trust me and follow the rules. 


COW #2

Athletes have 3 shots to find today's 1RM of the following complex:

  • 1 Strict Press
  • 2 Push Press
  • 3 Push/Split Jerk
  • 4 Thrusters

Rules:

  • Athletes are allowed ONE warm-up set.
  • Athletes must keep rest breaks between sets to 3min or less.
  • As always, the complex must be performed with no drops or re-racks --- Unbroken.
  • This should be obvious, but all movements must be performed to the highest quality and maintain movement standards. No sloppy reps!


I Got A Fever....

This will make more sense later on, but do you see what I did there?! HA! 

Alright, alright....enough with the bad jokes. Let's get in to this one so y'all can enjoy the rest of your day.

I may just be me, but it seems as thought complexes have become a little more "mainstream" as of late - which is great! It may have something to do with the increasing popularity of this f*cking freak - Dmitry Klokov - and the crazy shit he's been doing with some insane weight.

Here's just one example of the silliness.... 

Forget about the music and bust out your calculators....this is 205kg.... x 2.2....that's 451lbs that he's tossing around!!! Notice that this complex is done without dropping the bar or adjusting the grip in any unnecessary way. That's really what makes a complex a complex....It's a collection of movements that are performed in an unbroken fashion. 

Now, for an important question....WHY?

What is the benefit of complexes? Besides the obvious fact that you are performing actual exercises designed to build strength.....one detail that is often forgotten is TIME UNDER TENSION. Simply put, you are under the load of whatever you're moving for an extended period of time, which is a great way to stress your system into moving faster, performing movements more aggressively and ultimately stressing your system into adapting to all of these factors by packing on muscle and building strength. All good things!

The only downside to complexes is that you must already possess solid technique of the movements you are including in the complex. If the technique is not there in one or more of your chosen movements, the entire outcome of the complex will suffer and the truly shitty nature (in a good way) of these will not become as apparent. 

Other than that, complexes are truly potent tools that can be used to become better at ALL things. It's also an amazing way to pack in a lot of work into a small amount of time.....also a major plus!

Now, as I mentioned in the beginning of this whole thing.....complexes having seemingly become more popular. Again, this is awesome and all, but everyone that I've seen has been performed with a barbell. Now it's my turn to ask.....WHY?

As I've mentioned before in several blogs prior to this one, barbell are a convenient, neat way to move weight, but how many times in your life are things so neatly set up and presented to you as a loaded barbell? My guess would be that it's probably a rarity.

So, this is where I make my argument that you might consider utilizing the potent nature of complexes, but apply a certain amount of "real-life" to the situation by using odd objects.

Hopefully you can see that this would be a great way to build your strength and conditioning in a way that will better prepare you for what you might actually encounter in your day-to-day life.

Not to mention, the extra effort that odd objects require of an individual will surely add an extra dose of spiciness to an already spicy workout scenario -- Always a good thing, right?!

Now, because I'm such a big fan of complexes, I've decided to start a weekly series of COWs: Complex Of the Week. I will share whatever crazy combo I come up with for the week, and post it up right here on the blog so that you can give it shot wherever it is that you workout. 

I think this will be fun, cool way to reach out and connect with some of you that may not have the chance to workout at TCS, and not to mention, a great way to introduce and implement an outstanding training tool into your program or routine.

I would really love it if those of you that decide to take on the COW would post your results and general thoughts and experiences in the comments section. I don't know.....I think this could be pretty damn cool!

In any case, this is COW #1. And as we've already covered, this one is without the use of the barbell, but rather some dumbbells. Before I turn you loose, the dumbbells definitely make things a little more difficult. If you need to, break this 15min workout into thirds and try to increase the load every 5 minutes. I think this would be the best course of action, but it's just my suggestion. Be smart and work hard! Simple as that. Enjoy!

Recap: Barbell Seminar

This past Saturday Coach Jaime Shauger hosted an Olympic Lifting Seminar at TCS.  I knew that the seminar attendees would be in great hands and would leave with new skills and information that will undoubtedly help them lift more heavy stuff.  

I asked Jaime to give us a quick run-down of the day's events so that outsiders would have a little insight into what's available to them the next time a seminar is offered....here's what she had to say...

This past Saturday I had the privilege of coaching an amazing group of people for my first Barbell Seminar. The two hours flew by and we all had a great time! We spent some time warming up our bodies, prepping our ankles, hips and shoulders, and then we got into the fun stuff! We broke down the mechanics of the Snatch and Clean & Jerk and of course had time for everyone to load up their bars and lift heavy!

The experience from these lifters ranged from beginner to advanced TCS and LIFT athletes. They all walked away with new knowledge and skills to better their lifts and bring to their daily workouts. Can't wait for the next seminar on July 12th!

What's Your Oly IQ?

Some of you may have seen some recent posts on the TCS social media outlets that Coach Jaime Shauger will be running an Olympic Lifting Barbell Seminar this Saturday from 10-12 at Travis County Strength. 

This seminar is dedicated to increasing your Oly IQ and improving your clean & jerk and snatch movements.  

What I really want to stress to y'all is that the information, drills, and skills you'll be receiving from Jaime are all based from her own training experience and success.  In fact, Jaime successfully qualified for Nationals at her very first Oly meet!  Since then, she's continued to train, learn and reach new milestones as this major competition nears.

This offering is only open to 10 athletes and has been filling up since being released.  Regardless of whether you're a brand new lifter or very experienced, this seminar has a lot to offer.

REGISTER HERE