Complex training

Complex training generally pairs one set of a heavy resistance exercise with a subsequent explosive exercise that uses a similar movement pattern. In English, it is called “complex training” or “contrast training,” referring to the contrast between different loads.

Examples of these pairings include:

• Back squat → Vertical jump
• Deadlift → Jump squat
• Bench press → Clap push-up (a push-up with a hand clap)

The heavy movement trains the ability to produce high force, while the lighter movement that follows trains the same muscles to work quickly. Pairing the two movements as one set is the defining feature of this arrangement. The actual program can vary considerably depending on which movements are paired, their order, and the intervals between them.

The underlying concept is post-activation potentiation (PAP). The idea is that contracting muscles against a heavy load first may allow them to respond faster and more forcefully for a short time afterward. In other words, performing a fast movement while the muscles and nerves are strongly stimulated by the heavy movement may help you use them more effectively.

However, heavy movements build fatigue at the same time as they wake up the muscles. The important thing is therefore to find the point when the “awakening effect” outweighs the “accumulated fatigue.” This is why the amount of rest after the preceding exercise is crucial.

A meta-analysis published in 2016 (47 studies) reported small average effects on jumping, throwing, and explosive upper-body exercise after a preceding exercise, and a moderate effect on sprinting. The size of the effect varied with participants’ strength levels, resistance training experience, the type of preceding exercise, and the recovery interval. This means that even within the same training approach, the right combination differs from person to person.

These days, two terms are used distinctly. “PAP” refers to changes occurring at the muscle level, while “PAPE (post-activation performance enhancement)” refers to actual improvements in outcomes such as jump height or speed. Because terminology and measurement timing vary across studies, it is difficult to identify a single interval as the best.

• Start with a light warm-up. Your body should be thoroughly warmed up before you begin the heavy movement.
• Finish the heavy movement with some strength left in reserve. If you push yourself to exhaustion, the explosive movement that follows may actually become slower. Usually, only a few repetitions are performed with a weight below the maximum you can lift once.
• Rest sufficiently between the two movements. Catch your breath and move on to the next exercise when your body feels light and ready. This interval varies from person to person, so you can find a suitable duration over several attempts.
• Use proper technique for fast movements. Land softly when jumping, and take care not to let your knees collapse inward.
• Start with fewer sets. If your strength level and exercise experience are limited, it is better to become familiar with basic movements such as the squat and jumps before trying this approach.

Compound exercise refers to exercise in which two or more joints and several muscle groups move together. Squats and deadlifts are typical examples. Because the lower body, trunk, and sometimes the arms work together in a single movement, the load is shared across the whole body, even when the weight is the same. This is why compound exercises are often used to develop whole-body strength and coordination.

Compound exercises and isolation exercises, which move only one joint, complement each other. Compound exercises are time-efficient, while isolation exercises are suitable for developing specific muscles in a targeted way or adjusting the load in smaller increments. Even with the same movement, the stimulus varies depending on range of motion, speed, rest, and skill level.

Complex training and compound exercise have similar names, but they refer to different things. Complex training describes how exercises are arranged in sequence, while compound exercise describes how many joints a movement uses. Complex training can include a compound exercise such as a squat.