This month’s workout is focused on developing total-body explosive power. You will perform a set each of three flowing total-body movements (one round of the complex) in less than a minute. The remainder of the minute will be your rest – so the quicker you get through the complex, the longer your rest will be. When the clock hits the minute mark, you will perform another round. This will continue until the allotted time is over. If you are unable to complete a round within the minute, you will continue to perform continuous rounds until the time is up.
Done quickly and at the appropriate level, this should equal roughly 40 seconds’ work and 20 seconds’ rest. Interval training such as this is perfect for boosting anaerobic power but also aerobic capacity. This specific work-rest interval has been proven to be particularly effective in improving your VO2 max. The high-intensity functional movement also makes this workout great for both adding muscle and burning fat.
You can tailor the workout to suit your fitness level by selecting your level from the below. Choose a weight that is challenging but allows you to complete the required reps in roughly 40 seconds – 50% of your bodyweight is a useful guideline.
You will need…
- A barbell with around 50% of your bodyweight
- A stopwatch
Beginners
3 x deadlift
3 x hang power clean
3 x thruster
On the minute, every minute, for 12 minutes
Intermediate
5 x deadlift
5 x hang power clean
5 x thruster
On the minute, every minute, for 15 minutes
Advanced
6 x deadlift
6 x hang power clean
6 x thruster
On the minute, every minute, for 20 minutes
Deadlift
- The bar starts on the floor. Driving through your heels, extend your knees and hips until standing up tall with knees and hips fully extended.
- Keep your chest up and back flat.
Hang power clean
- From the standing position, bring your hips back slightly and dip with the knees to achieve hang position.
- Keeping the bar close to you, explosively extend your hips and knees, and in the same flowing movement, explosively shrug to bring the bar up to rack position on your shoulders.
Thruster
- Keeping the bar in racked position, perform a front squat, keeping your elbows high.
- At top of the squat drive through your heels explosively so the bar leaves your shoulders.
- Drive the bar overhead to the full extension of your elbows.
- Ensure your ear is visible in front of your arm - this ensures the bar is fully overhead and not out in front of you.
Chet Morjaria is a strength coach. He is sponsored by British sports nutrition company Boditronics and by British clothing company RazorStorm. He specialises in Olympic weightlifting and is a Level 2 British Weightlifting Coach. As well as training in powerlifting and strongman, he is co-founder of Ironwork UK, a coaching framework that focuses on honing skills and developing strength.
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Big move breakdown: the thruster
This is a taxing move that using many of your biggest muscles. It essentially combines two total-body movements, the front squat and the push press, into one continuous, explosive movement so that you move the weight over a much longer distance.
Moving a large load over a long distance in this way, yet still doing so quickly, produces high power output – meaning greater intensity, which is the key variable associated with maximising positive adaption to exercise.
This is why the movements in this workout, and indeed this intense method of training work so well. So give it a go, and when it gets tough (and it will), remember – it is worth it!
