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Bar Complex Workout – Randy Couture
When it comes to training for a fight, nothing can replace the real thing.
Sparring, and grappling are key to fine tuning your timing, endurance, and skills. However building your strength and muscular endurance off the mat can mean the difference between a winning the fight, or having to tap.
One of the best ways to build that muscular endurance is to use bar complex workout. A bar complex is a workout that requires you to perform a series of exercises with a barbell, without resting in-between, and without letting the barbell touch the floor until all the exercises are finished.
Why is bar complex training effective?
Bar Complex training technique is an awesome substitute for cardio that helps break up the usual road work needed to prepare for an event. You will be doing a very high number of repetitions consecutively that will get your heart racing.
Bar Complex training requires you to work outside of your comfort zone. Because you will be doing so many repetitions in a row, your muscles will be burning by the time you finish the first exercise. It requires you to dig deep mentally to push yourself to keep going until the circuit is complete.
This is also a great fat burner! Packing a full body routine into a rapid fire workout is a great way to finish your training session.
How do I do it?
One of my favorite Bar Complexes comes from one of the greatest fighters, and an all around great athlete, Randy Couture.
Randy Couture was an American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, former collegiate wrestler, and the former heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His training techniques are guaranteed to be brutal and whip you into shape in a hurry! One of his most popular routines was a bar complex series he used to supplement his training. I recommend you try to mix this workout into your routine after a run or sparring 3 times a week.
For this workout, do all the reps without letting go of the bar for the best conditioning effect:
I recommend you start with the 45lb empty bar and work up (depending on your base conditioning). Remember this is not a strength workout, it’s about fitness and endurance.
Do the following without stopping, that’s 1 set. Rest one minute, do 3-5 sets.
Bent rows x8
Upright rows x8
Military press x8
Good morning x8
Lunges x8 (each leg)
Squat push press x8
Deadlift x8
Here is a video showing how this workout is done: