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Complex A for Eights

Row x 8
Clean x 8
Front squat x 8
Military press x 8
Back squat x 8
Good mornings x 8

Complex A

Row
Clean
Front squat
Military press
Back squat
Good mornings

Complex B

Deadlift
Clean-grip high pull
Clean-grip snatch
Back squat
Good mornings
Row

Complex C

Hang snatch
Overhead squat
Back squat
Good mornings
Row
Deadlift

Complex D

Upright row
Clean-grip snatch
Back squat
Behind the neck press
Good mornings
Row

Complex E

Power clean
Military press
Back squat
Good mornings
Behind the neck press
Front squat

Complex F

Overhead squat
Back squat
Good morning
Front squat
Rows
Deadlift

I've found this ideal for all pressing workouts. If you can handle ten pull-ups without too much strain, try it with this, too. Rowing for 100 reps seems risky to me, unless you can maintain quality positions and do quality reps. Please don't try this with any weight or exercise that you're not going to control.

Having warned you, I find that I can use this rep scheme over three workout sessions. It's a great way to build up a lagging lift or upper body issue. Try this simple week-long plan.

Workout One

Back squat or front squat 2x5
Deadlift 2x5
Military press variation 3x2-3-5-10
Pull-up 2xMax reps
Any ab exercise

Workout Two

Back squat or front squat 2x5
Deadlift 2x5
Military press variation 5x2-3-5-10
Pull-up 2xMax reps
A different ab exercise

Workout Three

Back squat or front squat 2x5
Deadlift 2x5
Military press variation 2x2-3-5-10
Pull-up 2xMax reps
Another different ab exercise

Note how simple the three workouts are, because we're trying to stick with the rules of experimenting. After this sample week, do what you'd consider a "normal" workout and test to see if you're pressing things with more ease.

If you like this little variation, try to slowly add an additional 2-3-5-10 exercise into your training. Pleasedon't go crazy and do 100 reps of five exercises on the first day. That's the kind of thing that idiots like me do. You don't want to do that, okay?

• To fix a problem, consider a short experiment with dead stop (FIC) movements exactly at your sticking point. Don't do a billion reps, just a few.

• Ab work won't give you a six-pack. It will, however, be the best support work you can do for your entire training regimen.

• Instead of embarrassing yourself on a treadmill, burn fat using a barbell or dumbbell with either Tabata front squats or a HIIT version of farmer's walks.

1. Start keeping a training journal. Your numbers should go up. After gritting out more reps with the same weight, the weights should increase. If they don't, that's a problem.

2. I learned a really valuable lesson from the Velocity Diet: Before and after pictures are worth their weight in gold. I noted in my summary of the V-Diet that Clarence Bass takes an annual photo shoot, and the pressure of this event leads to keeping on the details.

3. I started keeping a food log after some advice from Josh Hillis. I have to admit that writing down the fact that I ate two old-fashioned doughnuts stopped me from wondering why I've been putting on weight.

Measure your progress in the weight room one of three ways:

1. Your deadlift max increased.

2. You did more real pull-ups.

3. Your "three jump" increased.