We’ve also had a few more people flip the tire and a few people lift the big Atlas stone. We’re still waiting for a women to lift the 180 pound Atlas stone and for anyone to clean and press the full keg!

Tire – Greg A (the only one over 50 to flip it), Shawn Q, Mike R, Jarret W, and Hunter W (the only teenager to do it!)

Big Stone – Jim P and Jarret W

If I forgot anyone please let me know!

For my money, squats are the all around most effective lift you can do. They add more muscle while burning more calories than any other weight training exercise. If you want to build muscular strong quadriceps or just tone and define your thighs and glutes, squats are the answer. More concerned with performance? Squats will help you jump higher, run fasted, drive your golf ball further, and make your tennis serve faster.

Here at the gym, we do literally hundreds of squat variations. Powerlifting squats, Olympic squats, front squats, box squats, squats with chains, jump squats, Zercher squat, kettlebell front squats, single leg squats, etc. But today I’m going to talk about a little known squat variation that melts fat while it improves anaerobic conditioning and builds muscle in your quadriceps and calves: Metabolic Rhythm Squats.

To perform metabolic rhythm squats load a barbell with a weight you would use for a set of twenty barbell back squats. Rack the barbell on your back and assume a shoulder width stance with your toes pointed forward. Perform ten quarter squats coming up onto your toes on each rep. Immediately perform ten more quarter squats, followed by ten more quarter squats to your toes, ten more quarter squats, and finally ten more quarter squats to your toes for a total of 50 reps. The amount of knee bend is small (four to six inches for most people) and the tempo is quick. The following video will help illustrate:

If fat loss is your main goal, try putting these at the end of a full body circuit. Here is one option:

A1)  Front Lunge with Forward Reach (left leg) – 15 reps

A2)  Standing DB Shoulder Press – 12 reps

A3)  Front Lunge with Forward Reach (right leg) – 15 reps

A4)  Negative Only Chin-ups – 5 10 second negatives

A5)  Metabolic Rhythm Squats – 50

By the end of this circuit your heart should be pounding out of your chest and your lungs should be on fire. If they are not, you took too much rest between exercises or the weights you selected were too light. Perform four circuits, resting three minutes between each circuit.

If you are trying to increase muscle mass while getting cut up, try the following workout:

A)  Wide Stance Box Squats with Chains (use a ten to twelve inch box) – 12×3 with 30 seconds rest between sets.

A good starting weight is 50% of your one rep max plus chains. If you squat between 250 and 350 pounds, use two chains. If your 1RM is over 350 use three. If your 1RM is less than 200 pounds focus on a more basic program like five sets of five: this workout isn’t for you!

When done correctly this should be a posterior chain movement. In other words, you should feel this one in primarily in your glutes and hamstrings.

B)  Double Kettlebell Front Squats – 6×10 with one minute rest between sets.

C)  Metabolic Rhythm Squats – 4×50 with two minutes rest between sets.

Be prepared to not walk right for at least four days!

I have received such a high number of inquiries since my first blog on complexes I have decided to post some of the most popular complexes we use here at Kuzora Personal Training in Raleigh , NC :

The Beach Barbell Complex (named for the everlasting pump you get in your arms and shoulders)

Wide Grip Barbell Upright Rows – 12

Medium Grip Barbell Curls – 12

Medium Grip Upright Rows – 12

Close Grip Barbell Curls – 12

Close Grip Barbell Upright Rows – 12

Barbell French Press – 12

Choose a light weight for this one, usually a weight you could curl for at least twenty repetitions. Forty-five to sixty-five pounds works well for most men and an eighteen to twenty-four pound body bar will work for most women.

The Bodybuilders DB Complex (preformed on a flat bench)

Nose-breakers – 15

Semi-supinated Bench Press – 30

Flyes – 15

DB Bench Press – 30

This is great for hyperplasmic hypertrophy in all your upper body pushing muscles or the day after a heavy bench workout as “active recovery.” If you can do two rounds of this complex with thirty pound dumbbells you have an exceptionally high pain tolerance.

The Javorek Inspired Kettlebell Complex

Single Arm Swing – 6

Snatch – 6

Squat with Shoulder Press – 6

Bent Over Row – 6

Snatch – 6

I like to use this complex to perfect kettlebell snatch technique. By the time you get to the second set of snatches your shoulders and upper back are significantly fatigued and you are forced to generate most of the power with your glutes and hamstrings.

The DB Shoulder Tri-set

One & a Quarter DB Military Press – 8

Arnold Press – 6

DB Military Press – 6

Technically more of a mechanical advantage drop set, this complex takes advantage of increasingly easier movements to allow you to keep pressing the weight once you have already reached muscular fatigue. You can perform it seated or standing.

Hopefully these should keep you busy for awhile…

One way we accomplish this is thru our “Fitness Boot Camp.” In these classes we use various exercise modalities and equipment to create a constantly changing and appropriately challenging workout in a supportive, fun environment.

One of our favorite Boot Camp workouts here at Kuzora Personal Training, in Raleigh NC  is the “Blackjack.” Ask any of the people who participate in our boot camp and they will be sure to tell you just how “fun” this workout is!

The basic layout for the workout is as follows:

Perform One Jump Squat (regular squats are fine too!)

Jog 40 yards

Perform Twenty Push-ups (on your toes or your knees)

Jog Back

Repeat nineteen more times increasing the number of jump squats by one and decreasing the number of push-ups by one each time. Try to rest as little as possible.

Pretty simple, right? So let’s turn off the computer and start moving!

Oh, yeah, by the way email me if you can figure out why we call this one the “Blackjack.”

John Kuzora – Kuzora Personal Training Raleigh

Complexes are a series of exercises performed without putting your barbell, kettlebell, or dumbbells down. The many benefits of complexes include:

1) They are very time efficient

2) They require very little equipment

3) They burn a lot of calories

4) They build muscle and improve cardiovascular conditioning at the same time

Istvan Javorek, a professor of fitness and strength and conditioning coach in Kansas who is thought of as the creator or complex training, has this to say about complexes:

“My original goal with the Complex exercises was to find an efficient and aggressive method of performance enhancement that saves time and makes the program more enjoyable.”

So they next time you are pressed for time and need to squeeze in a workout try this complex I adapted from Mixed Martial Arts legend Randy Couture. He is quite possibly the best conditioned 45 year old alive, often out lasting men half his age so when he talks strength and conditioning take notice.

Perform the following series of exercises without putting the barbell down. Half of your Standing Military Press one rep max is a good weight to start with.

Bent Over Row x 8

Upright Row x 8

Military Press x 8

Good Morning x 8

Split Squat Right Leg Forward x 8

Split Squat Left Leg Forward x 8

Front Squat w/ Push Press x 8

Romanian Deadlift x 8

Perform three to five complexes resting one minute between each. If you do not know how to perform any of the exercises please find an NSCA certified trainer or Strength and conditioning coach to teach you proper exercise technique.

Kettlebells can also be an excellent tool for complexes. Here’s an example:

Single Arm Swing x 6

Snatch x 6

Front Squat + Push Press x 6

Bent Over Row x 6

Snatch x 6

If you would like more information on complexes please consult www.istvanjavorek.com