Tip Bench Press Star Complexes Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness TrainingVideos Tip Bench Press Star Complexes Do Russian-style star complexes for rapid strength and muscle gains Here' s how by Christian Thibaudeau April 26, 2017April 5, 2021 Tags Bench Press, Exercise Coaching, Tips Real complexes originated in the Soviet Union. Complexes are simply blocks of exercises. The Soviets used only two exercises in their complexes – one strength-movement and one power/explosive movement. The idea was to work both extremes of the strength curve. I've taken the concept of complexes and ramped it up. Instead of training only two points on the force-velocity curve, I train around five points, which is why I call them star complexes. (This is part of my 6 Weeks to Superhero program.) https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/6-weeks-to-superhero Each complex will use five exercises of the same movement pattern. The five exercises will be performed back to back, starting with a heavy/slow movement as the first exercise. Each subsequent exercise will be lighter in resistance than the previous exercise, allowing for progressively faster rep speeds. Here's an example using the bench press: Top-Half Bench Press, Overload, 3-5 Reps 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. Bench Press, Strength, 3-5 Reps Focus on keeping the traps shrugged up when doing this movement for added safety, stability and raw performance. Speed Bench Press, Strength-Speed, 5 Reps Focus on two things here: Move as fast as possible (accelerating throughout the movement) with 60% 1RM. Perform a quick turnaround between the lowering and lifting phase. Medicine Ball Chest Throw, Speed-Strength, 8-10 Reps 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. Plyo Push-Up, Explosive, 5-10 Reps No need to drop your chest all the way down. We want a short and rapid dip and minimal transition time before the projection upward. Stop when you lose your "pop." Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training 9 Reasons to Olympic Lift For a Better Physique Olympic lifting makes you stronger, faster, and sexier, but can it also get you jacked? Here’s what you need to know. Training, Weightlifting Daniel J Brown June 26 Training 4 Ways to Fire Up Work Capacity Roll like a martial artist, do loaded sprints, and use complexes wisely to build all-around athleticism and strength. Powerlifting & Strength, Training Dan John May 7 Training Tip A Workout for Fatigue-Proof Fighting Guard your face without burning out. Strengthen your shoulders to stay resilient. Here's how, plus a cool breathing technique. Training Alex Chrysovergis November 7 Training The Key to Continuous Muscle Growth Here's what to do when your training plan stops working. And it will stop working. Training Christian Thibaudeau April 9