The Simple Truth About Complex Workouts

If you want to burn fat in a time efficient manner but don’t want to lose your hard earned muscle, a complex could be key.

- Lara McGlashan

Sometimes the simplest way to burn fat is complex, and no, we don’t mean “complicated.” A complex is a series of exercises performed seamlessly one after the other, using the same equipment and same weight for all the moves. All reps of one move must be completed before moving to the next, and you can only put the equipment down when all exercises are finished.

Complexes are essentially a form of metabolic conditioning, which incinerates mega-fat while maintaining lean mass. According to one study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, participants who exercised three days a week using techniques similar to a complex lost more fat than participants who only did four hours of aerobics per week. Furthermore, the lifters retained all their lean mass and were shown to significantly increase their metabolism — while the aerobic-only group decreased theirs.