New Series – Tuesday Workout

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Tuesday! and the sequence is Deadlift and Bench Press. The program just repeats, alternating Star Complex’s. Follow along by watching the videos and downloading the program.

Day Star Complex A Star Complex B
Monday Overhead Press Squat
Tuesday Deadlift Bench Press
Thursday Squat Overhead Press
Friday Bench Press Deadlift

1. Perform the 5 exercises in Star Complex A as a circuit, resting 30 to 90 seconds between each exercise.
2. Complete 4 to 6 rounds of the complex, depending on your goals and capabilities.
3. Rest for as long as it takes you to set up Star Complex B.
4. Perform the 5 exercises in Star Complex B as a circuit, resting 30 to 90 seconds between each
exercise.
5. Complete 4 to 6 rounds of the complex, depending on your goals and capabilities.

Download / Print Program

Exercises Load Types Reps
1 Top-half deadlift Overload 3 – 5
This first exercise is your heaviest, and the top-half movement will allow you to use more than your limit strength in the standard deadlift. Start with the bar just above the knees. Good for activation and building your traps and upper back.
2 Deadlift from floor Strength 3 – 5
Moving up a notch in the force-velocity curve, this is a heavy deadlift, but not super maximal. The speed of movement should be faster than the previous exercise.
3 Power clean from hang or blocks Strength-Speed 2 – 3
Moving into the strength-speed portion of the curve. Focus on explosion, not on the load used. If you start from blocks it’s better for starting explosive strength (e.g. sprint start) and if you start from the hang it’s better for movements where you have to quickly switch from eccentric to concentric (e.g. running and jumping)
4 Jump good morning Speed-Strength 8 – 10
This exercise is a speed-strength movement, so it should be loaded but light enough so that you can accelerate. A load of 20% of your max good morning is adequate.
5 Broad jump series Explosive 8 – 10
This is a reactive or plyometric movement. Each rep should be a high quality jump and very explosive. Start off by doing each rep individually, and as you become better at it you can do them as a series with minimal transition between the jumps.

Exercises Load Types Reps
1 Top-half bench press Overload 3 – 5
This is a very effective activation movement for the rest of the complex, but it’s also one of the most effective triceps exercises you can do!
2 Bench press Strength 3 – 5
Focus on keeping the traps shrugged up when doing this movement (for added safety, stability and raw performance).
3 Speed bench press, as fast as possible with 60% of max Strength-Speed 5
Focus on two things here: 1) move as fast as possible (accelerating throughout the movement) with 60% 1RM, and 2) perform a quick turnaround between the lowering and lifting phase.
4 Medicine ball chest throw Speed-Strength 8 – 10
You can either perform this one standing and throw it in front of you, or lying on your back and throw it straight up. If you do the latter, make sure to throw it straight up or have a partner catch it for you!
5 Plyo push-up Explosive 5 – 10
No need to drop your chest all the way down. Just as in jumping, we want a short and rapid dip and minimal transition time before the projection upward. Stop when you lose your “pop.”

New Series – Monday Workout

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The program continues. Monday: Overhead Press and Squat.

Day Star Complex A Star Complex B
Monday Overhead Press Squat
Tuesday Deadlift Bench Press
Thursday Squat Overhead Press
Friday Bench Press Deadlift

1. Perform the 5 exercises in Star Complex A as a circuit, resting 30 to 90 seconds between each exercise.
2. Complete 4 to 6 rounds of the complex, depending on your goals and capabilities.
3. Rest for as long as it takes you to set up Star Complex B.
4. Perform the 5 exercises in Star Complex B as a circuit, resting 30 to 90 seconds between each
exercise.
5. Complete 4 to 6 rounds of the complex, depending on your goals and capabilities.

Download / Print Program

Exercises Load Types Reps
1 Top-half seated overhead press Overload 2 – 5
Start just above the weak point of the movement so you can use a lot of weight while still having enough of a range of motion to stimulate the pressing muscles.
2 Standing military press Strength 3 – 5
I prefer the standing variation over the seated because of its greater postural involvement. Make sure to squeeze the glutes hard during the whole pressing movement.
3 Push press Strength-Speed 2 – 3
Make an effort to create a “shoulder shelf” to push from by resting the bar on your deltoids at the beginning of the movement. Use a slight leg drive to get the bar past the weak zone while driving hard with your arms.
4 Medicine ball push-press throw overhead Speed-Strength 8 – 10
This is a very effective speed-strength exercise for the upper body. Focus on pushing equally with both arms, as most will tend to use only one arm. The motion is similar to a basketball pass, but overhead.
5 Feet elevated plyo push-up Explosive 8 – 10
No need to drop your chest all the way down. Just as in jumping, we want a short and rapid dip and minimal transition time before the projection upward. Stop when you lose your “pop.”

Exercises Load Types Reps
1 Top-half squat Overload 2 – 5
This movement is both a great neural activator and a very effective quadriceps movement. The top-half of the squat is done mostly by the quads.
2 Front squat Strength 3 – 5
For this complex I prefer the front squat over the back variation because the posterior chain and lower back were already heavily hit by the deadlift complex.
3 Power snatch from hang or blocks Strength-Speed 2 – 3
Doing this powerful movement from blocks focuses on explosive starting strength, like that needed for a sprint start. In contrast, the hang variation is more transferable to movements where you have to rapidly switch from eccentric to concentric, like in running.
4 Jump squat with bar Speed-Strength 8 – 10
Do this one with a minimal dip down, a quarter squat, no more. Keep the torso as upright as possible to focus on quad explosiveness. A load of 20% of your max squat is adequate.
5 Vertical jump series Explosive 8 – 10
Do a short and quick dip then reverse the motion as fast as you can. The transition from dip to jump should be lightning fast
6 Backward sprint with sled or Prowler Work Capacity 1
Keep a crouched position (knees bent at 90 degrees), and sprint backward for 30 meters. This will be hell on the quads, especially the vastus medialis.