A superhero in six weeks!

How I built muscle and got rid of fat - FAST!

My fastest muscle building and fat loss program

When I'm paid to get an athlete, bodybuilder or actor into the best shape possible, to remove the maximum amount of fat and add maybe 10 pounds of muscle "for show," I have hundreds, maybe even thousands, of protocols for doing so. But if I have to do it fast, I use only one type of training to do it: star complexes.

The idea is pretty familiar, but I've taken it to a whole new level.

Soviet complexes in bodybuilding

If you're familiar with complexes, someone probably hasn't told you the whole story. First, get rid of all ideas of what a complex is. You know what I mean. Standing in place and with one axis without a break to practice various exercises. Usually with light weight. That's what we used to do when I was weightlifting. We called it a warm-up.

The real complexes come from the Soviet Union. Later, Dr. Donald Chu wrote a book about this "secret" and explained how he used it to prepare athletes for three different Olympics.

Complexes are simply blocks of exercises. The Soviets only ever used two in a row. One strength, one explosive. The idea was to exercise both ends of the same curve.

I was shown this idea by my football coach and later mentor. He had us doing squats and then squats with a jump right after. It's the same movement, just different skills being practiced.

It's an incredibly effective method and I've been experimenting with it for years. Today I use complexes with almost every athlete I coach. Complexes allow you to train both strength and speed and pack on some muscle in the process.

I have taken this method so far that the results my clients get are literally shocking.

Thibaude'sStar Complexes

I've added even more juice to the concept of complexes. Instead of two points on the strength and speed curve, I train five. That's why I call them star complexes.

Each complex will use five exercises of the same movement pattern. They'll be done in sequence. It will start with a heavy exercise and each successive exercise will be lighter, allowing for added speed of execution. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it in no time.

Explosive weight loss

This progressive method creates an incredible metabolic response that is great for weight loss, especially when combined with short breaks. The breaks need to be short enough to keep the heart rate high, but not so short that they dramatically affect performance. The weight loss is further enhanced by an additional endurance exercise at the end of the complex.

Most of my complexes include two strength exercises and three explosive ones. The reason? Explosive exercises are better for weight loss than slow ones. The endurance exercise at the end just adds to it.

Remember, the faster you train without compromising performance, the better. Explosive training increases insulin sensitivity in muscle tissue more than other types of training. If you put too much emphasis on the eccentric part of the movement, you will decrease insulin sensitivity. This part of the movement can even reduce glycogen resynthesis for up to 36 hours. And that's scary.

More explosive exercises will make you more insulin sensitive, which will get rid of fat storage and increase your metabolic rate for a few hours after your workout.

The last stuff is the actual calorie burn from performing complex exercises. Your body is like an engine. The bigger it is, the more fuel it burns. Big exercises burn more calories.

Four types of movement patterns

I've divided body movements into 4 basic patterns:

1. Deadlift
2. Squat
3. Overhead Press
4. Bench press

Each of the complexes targets one of these movement patterns and you will perform two complexes each day. Combined they will be as follows:

1. Perform the 5 exercises in complex A in a circular pattern, resting 30-90 seconds between exercises.
2. This complex will be 4 to 6 rounds, depending on your goals and ability.
3. Rest as long as needed before starting complex B.
4. Perform the 5 exercises of Complex B in a circular pattern, resting 30-90 seconds between exercises.
5. This complex will have 4 to 6 rounds, depending on your goals and ability.

Maximum results with training supplements

Complexes can be used for a variety of purposes: weight loss, strength development, and building high-performance mass. Complexes can do it all. However, I set this program for maximum weight loss while adding maximum muscle. My supplementation protocol will reflect this.

Understand, just because you're losing weight doesn't mean you can't get stronger and gain muscle. I've coached several bodybuilders who were improving their physiques the week before a competition. That means they had weeks of hard core dieting behind them. For maximum results, you need to indulge in these high-end supplements around your workouts.

This is my recommendation for maximum results:

1. Drink half of the pre-workout supplement ^15-20 minutes before your workout and the other half about halfway through your workout.
2. Drink the post-workout supplement 30 minutes after your workout.
3. Eat your regular meal 60-90 minutes after your workout.

What results can you expect?

Dramatic. I see these over and over again.

I've seen hockey players lose 5% fat in five weeks without changing their diet. I've seen fitness athletes lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks and get stronger. And I've seen football players completely change their physique in six weeks and add 20% to their performance in all exercises.

The superhero program in 6 weeks

Stellar deadlift complex

Star complex for squats

Star complex for overhead pressing

Star complex for bench press

Progress from week to week.

Week 1

Weeks 2-3

Week 4

5-6 weeks

Source: www.t-nation.com
Author: Christian Thibaudeau
Translated by Jaromír Uhlíř