Medicine for Mayhem: 20-Minute High Intensity The Ripper! Workout
 

You aren’t the kind of person who spends hours on the treadmill each week hoping to cut weight. You’re not a hamster on a wheel, you’re a serious athlete. You want to get ripped and put on more size but unfortunately most of the training techniques for these goals can contradict each other.

There is a way for you to both increase your strength AND kick up the calorie burn to cut. Redefine what “cardio” means with this barbell complex. You’ll get all of the benefits of cardio and support strength gains. Elite athletes have been using barbell complexes to drive gains and get shredded. Unlock your potential today with this 20 min complex to hit heavy weights, build muscle, and burn some serious calories.

It’s Not That Complex
So what is a barbell complex? You take a series of exercises performed consecutively, one after the other, using a single barbell. The weight stays the same throughout the set and you never take your hands off the dumbbell during the 4-6 movements. Transitions should be seamless between each movement. A good example is the clean and jerk. You finish the first movement and are immediately in position to do the other. Again, each movement flows into the other so you aren’t doing 5-8 reps of each individual movement, but rather one cycle through the movements counts as a rep. Got it? Let’s get to it.

The Ripper! Complex
Beginner: 3 rounds at 5-8 reps with 2 minutes of rest between each round
Intermediate: 4 rounds at 5-8 reps with 90 seconds of rest between each round
Advanced: 5 rounds at 5-8 reps with 60 seconds of rest between each round
The Ripper! Complex: Beginner
3 rounds at 5-8 reps with 2 minutes of rest between each round
Print
1
Round 1
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

2
Round 2
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

3
Round 3
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

The Ripper! Complex: Intermediate
4 rounds at 5-8 reps with 90 seconds of rest between each round
Print
1
Round 1
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

2
Round 2
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

3
Round 3
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

4
Round 4
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

The Ripper! Complex: Advanced
5 rounds at 5-8 reps with 60 seconds of rest between each round
Print
1
Round 1
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

2
Round 2
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

3
Round 3
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

4
Round 4
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

5
Round 5
Barbell Deadlift
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell thruster
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Barbell back squat
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

Behind-the-head push-press
8 sets, 1 reps (no rest)

How To Work Into Your Splits
You can use this either as a finisher at the end of your regular workout, or as a fast-paced conditioning workout when you’re short on time. For beginners try starting off with just the bar or 10lbs, intermediate can use 65-85lbs, and go 95lbs or higher for advanced. You don’t have to go crazy heavy on the weight. This isn’t about maxing out, it’s about burning body fat.

If you get through the beginner or intermediate in less than 20 minutes, challenge yourself to fit in another round. Easily hit your 5 rounds for advanced? Increase the weight or try out an AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) to challenge yourself.