30 Minute Full Body Barbell And Dumbbell Complex Workout
The Fat Frying Trifecta Cardio With Weights Workout
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m sharing a 30 minute full body barbell and dumbbell complex workout.
I call this the “Fat Frying Trifecta” cardio with weights workout.
This total body complex workout style will:
- hit every muscle in your body
- burn fat
- maintain and build muscle
- increase strength
- improve overall athleticism
This is the first complex workout found in my Live Lean Afterburn 1.0 Foundation workout program.
3 Workout Styles To Fry Fat Without Burning Muscle
This 30 minute full body workout contains 3 styles of training that will incinerate more fat than any traditional low intensity steady state cardio workout.
Plus, you’ll do this without the risk of burning into your gold mine, your lean muscle.
I call this the fat frying trifecta workout, because it contains the following 3 different fat burning workout styles, that won’t make you lose muscle:
- Barbell complexes
- Dumbbell complexes
- Tabata workout finisher
Since we’re training with resistance, the muscles are also under constant tension, thus maintaining, and in some cases, growing bigger and stronger.
How To Do A Barbell And Dumbbell Complex Workout
Complex workouts are a hybrid workout style that combines cardio with resistance.
I often refer to them as “cardio with weights” since you’ll be lifting lighter weights faster, for longer periods of time.
Even though the weights are moving faster, it’s important to complete each exercise with proper form.
Each barbell and dumbbell complex is comprised of 4 multi-joint compound exercises.
Multi-joint exercises recruit the most muscles, thus burn the most calories.
The key to complex workouts is to never let the weight out of your hand for the entire complex.
Step #1: Weight Selection
During the complex, you will be lifting the same weight for all 4 exercises.
Therefore it’s important to select a weight that you can lift for the indicated reps, for every exercise within the complex.
Before starting the complex, figure out which of the 4 exercises is the most challenging for you.
Choose a weight for that most difficult exercise, and stick with it for all the exercises within the complex.
For example, in the barbell complex, the barbell high pull is probably the most difficult exercise within the complex.
Based on this, you will choose a weight for the barbell high pull, then use that same weight for the rest of the exercises.
Step #2: Complete All The Reps For Each Exercise Within The Complex Without Resting
To perform the complex correctly, complete all the reps of the first exercise, then without resting or letting go of the weight, move directly into the next exercise.
This means you’ll transition from one exercise to the next, with no rest, and without resting the weights on the ground.
You will never let the weight out of your hands as you transition from exercise to exercise within the complex.
Hello forearm burn.
By holding on to the weight for long periods of time, your forearms, wrists, and hands will be tired after these complex workouts.
This truly is a total body workout, as you’ll also be getting an incredible forearm workout.
After you complete all the reps of each exercise within the complex, you can then put the weight down and rest for the indicated time.
That’s one set.
Repeat for the indicated number of sets.
Step #3: Complete The Ignite It Up Exercise
After completing the last complex circuit set, move directly into the ignite it up exercise.
The ignite it up portion of the workout features another metabolism boosting exercise to increase your metabolism and fire up your fat frying internal fat burners.
Step #4: Finish The Complex Workout With A 4 Minute Tabata Workout Finisher
Following the tabata protocol, this 4 minute workout finisher is meant to push your body to the limit.
The tabata workout follows a 20 seconds of work vs. 10 seconds of rest interval protocol, for a total of 4 minutes.
30 Minute Full Body Barbell And Dumbbell Complex Workout
Here’s the breakdown of today’s 30 Minute Full Body Barbell And Dumbbell Complex Workout.
Total time:
- 30 minutes
Reps:
- 5 reps
Complete all 5 reps of each exercise, then without resting or letting go of the weight, move directly into the next exercise within the complex.
Rest:
- 0 second rest between exercise within the complex
- 120 seconds rest after each complex
Transition from one exercise to the next, with no rest, and without resting the weight on the ground.
At the end of the complex, place the weights on the floor and rest for 2 minutes.
Sets:
- 3 sets per complex
Warm Up Exercises:
Complete 1 set of the following warm up exercises.
- WU1. Hanging Strict Hollow And Arch Swing x 10 reps
- WU2. Standing Cross Body Arm Swings x 10 reps
Barbell Complex Exercises:
Click the links below for the step-by-step exercise demonstrations.
A1. Barbell Front Squat
The first exercise in the barbell complex is the barbell front squat.
Reps: 5
Rest: 0 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- While maintaining proper form, complete every rep, then without letting go of the weight, move directly into the next exercise.
A2. Barbell Bent Over Row
After completing all the reps of the barbell front squat, immediately transition into the next exercise, the barbell bent over row.
Reps: 5
Rest: 0 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- While maintaining proper form, complete every rep, then without letting go of the weight, move directly into the next exercise.
A3. Barbell High Pull
Once you complete all the reps of the barbell bent over row, immediately transition into the next exercise, the barbell high pull.
Reps: 5
Rest: 0 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- While maintaining proper form, complete every rep, then without letting go of the weight, move directly into the next exercise.
A4. Barbell Push Press
The last exercise to finish off the barbell complex is the barbell push press.
Reps: 5
Rest: 120 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- While maintaining proper form, complete every rep, then put the weight down and take a 120 seconds break.
- Repeat the barbell complex circuit for a total of 3 sets.
- After you complete all 3 sets of the barbell complex, move directly into the ignite it up exercise.
Ignite It Up Exercise: Push Up
For the ignite it up exercise you’ll complete 60 seconds of push ups.
Reps: 60 seconds
Rest: 120 seconds
Sets: 1
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- This ignite it up exercise is only completed after finishing all 3 sets of the barbell complex.
- After you finish all 60 seconds, move on to the dumbbell complex portion of the workout.
Dumbbell Complex Exercises:
During the dumbbell complex, you’ll use the same workout style and methodology as the barbell complexes.
B1. Dumbbell Front Squat
The first exercise of the dumbbell complex is the dumbbell front squat.
Reps: 5
Rest: 0 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- Before starting the dumbbell complex, figure out which of the 4 dumbbell exercises is the most challenging for you.
- Choose a weight for that exercise, and stick with it for all the exercises within the dumbbell complex.
- After completing 5 reps, smoothly transition immediately into the next exercise, without dropping the weights.
B2. Dumbbell Push Press
The next exercise of the dumbbell complex is the dumbbell push press.
Reps: 5
Rest: 0 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- After completing 5 reps, smoothly transition immediately into the next exercise, without dropping the weights.
B3. Alternating Dumbbell Forward Lunge
The third exercise of the dumbbell complex is the alternating dumbbell forward lunge.
Reps: 5 per leg
Rest: 0 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- Once again, during the transition from exercise to exercise, the weight is never leaving your hands.
- Once you hit 5 reps per leg, walk over to a flat bench and immediately complete the dumbbell flat bench press.
B4. Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
The last exercise in the dumbbell complex is the dumbbell flat bench press.
Reps: 5
Rest: 0 seconds
Sets: 3
Tempo: 10X0
Coaching cues:
- If you don’t have access to a flat bench, you can also use a sturdy box or step.
- Follow a controlled tempo, while keeping your core tight, to ensure you feel it in the chest muscles.
- After pressing out 5 reps, get back on your feet, put the dumbbells down, then take a 2 minute break.
- Repeat this dumbbell complex circuit 2 more times, for a total of 3 sets.
- Once you finish the third and final set of the dumbbell complex, move right into the 4 minute afterburner finisher.
4 Minute Tabata Workout Afterburner Finisher Exercises
This is about to get challenging.
We’ve programmed this 4 minute tabata workout finisher using 4 variations of the best full body, bodyweight finisher, the burpee.
It’s beast mode time.
There’s only 4 minutes left, so think of this as the 3rd period, or the 4th quarter, and the end zone is in sight.
Keep working hard and push your body to the finish line.
C1. Burpee
The first tabata exercise in this workout finisher is the regular standard burpee.
Reps: 20 seconds
Rest: 10 seconds
Sets: 2
Coaching cues:
- Once the 20 seconds is up, take a 10 second break to catch your breath, then move on to the next burpee style.
C2. Burpee Push Up
The next tabata exercise is the burpee push up.
Reps: 20 seconds
Rest: 10 seconds
Sets: 2
Coaching cues:
- For this burpee variation, we’re adding a push up.
- If you’re out of breath at this point, it’s all good, since this means the results are coming.
- If you have sweat on your shirt, it just means the fat is frying and melting off your body.
C3. Jump Burpee Push Up
We’re now moving on to another style of burpee, the jump burpee push up.
Reps: 20 seconds
Rest: 10 seconds
Sets: 2
Coaching cues:
- We’re stepping up the burpee with a variation that includes a push up with the jump as well.
- During the 10 second break, drink some water to stay hydrated.
C4. Burpee Push Up Tuck Jump
It’s time to kick it up a notch.
Let’s move on to the last style of burpee, the burpee push up tuck jump.
Reps: 20 seconds
Rest: 10 seconds
Sets: 2
Coaching cues:
- Complete a burpee, then a push up, then a tuck jump.
- After you finish this 20 second set, take another 10 second break, then go through and repeat that tabata finish for one more round.
After you complete 2 rounds of this 4 minute tabata workout afterburner finisher, you are done.
Congratulations You Are Now Feeling The Afterburn
That’s how it’s done.
Once you finish the workout, your body fat will be burning off, and you will absolutely be dripping in sweat.
That’s the awesome feeling of the afterburn.
Great job on completing this killer workout.
Get More Fat Frying Workouts Like This Using My Best Selling Live Lean Afterburn System
I want to see you incorporate more workout styles like this into your workout schedule.
I’ve seen the best body recomposition results for myself, and from my clients, when following my Live Lean Afterburn style of training.
Afterburn Effect training styles will burn the most calories, burn those last 10 stubborn pounds of fat, and build lean muscle at the same time.
These afterburn workouts are efficient and designed to be finished within 45 minutes, using just dumbbells, barbells, and your bodyweight.
Afterburn Foundation Program: Live Lean Afterburn 1.0
Go purchase the “Foundation Program” Live Lean Afterburn 1.0.
Or if you’ve already completed the 1.0 version, check out the “Graduate Program” Live Lean Afterburn 2.0.
Afterburn Graduate Program: Live Lean Afterburn 2.0
Go purchase the “Graduate Program” Live Lean Afterburn 2.0.
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Today’s Question Of The Day:
- Are you going to try this 30 minute full body barbell and dumbbell complex workout?
- If you did, what did you think of it?
Be sure to share your answers in the comment section below.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
AMAZING WORKOUT! Someone actually had to make sure I was ok and not having
a heart attack because I was breathing so heavy haha! LOVE IT!
Hi! I have four trainings a week with dumbbells (I started my diet four
weeks ago, I would like to loose weight but keep my muscles) and a question
is: Can i do this training between my dumbbell trainings? I would like to
do this one, and another one of your four minutes tabata training.
Can i Just do the dumbell complex and tabata sets? because i don’t have a
barbel at home.
looks more like CROSSFITT !!!!!!
Love this workout I have been using it from your old video and lost 10
solid pounds and of course inches! Love these videos keep some more coming
like this please!
Brad could u find a way to make a cake healthy cause I’m celebrating my
birthday and a year of living lean plz reply if u can
loveee this workout , going to do it today for open friday so move and hits
all the muscles
Killer! I almost cut it short because of how challenging it was.
Looks a killer workout!! Well done you! You nailed it! x
you already had shown this workout before (y) But is okay ^-^
Man I know why you were really tired on BGTV . Your a savage Brad
Today was actually my second day doing this workout!! I saw it from your
previous video some time ago and printed the workout in my journal!
Its a KILLER!!…in a great way!! My muscles are literally sore right now
and I lift daily.
I incorporated this into my workout by starting my sessions with these
circuits and then I hit a desired body part whether back…legs etc. Might
sound plenty but I don’t go super heavy with the circuits just enough that
challenges me and gets my heart racing. Love it! Thanks Brad!
Hi Brad!! How long does this workout take to complete overall? and would
this be your whole workout for a day? thank you!!
Now this is something for sure I would do! Nice job! Love it.
Complexes are my favorite! I’ve only ever saw once someone else doing
complexes at the gym.
Love these kind. Great stuff. I just finished a tempo chest and tris
workout. Killer. Tempo is another way to mix up your workouts. Always
great workouts Brad. Thanks for the vid.
Hi Brad,
Currently I am completing a cycle of your Advanced Mass workouts and have
another round to go before I change it up again. The style of workout in
this video seems to be a full body style of HIIT. How often are you doing
this type of work out in a week?
I am always conscious of leaving enough time between workouts for my body
to recover fully.
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Hey brad you always talk about changing things up so I was wondering if you
ever thought about getting into power lifting because I see a lot of power
lifters who are able to stay lean and I was curious if you ever thought
about giving it a try?
Do you see many people at your local gym training like this? If not, why do
you think that is?