Superhero Complex Support Thread

I’m through week 3 of the Superhero Strength Complex program and I think I understand everything well enough but do have some questions. I’ve seen random queestions here and there and thought it would be a good idea to have a dedicated thread and maybe Thibs will drop by once and a while.

I had done HP Mass for three phases and had great results. When I switched over to this I tried to start my Bench Press day with the same weight percentages, 87.5% of my 3RM. After the 2nd Bench Press day in week 1 I determined that for the Flat Bench Press that 87.5% was just too heavy for me. I could lift it but it wasn’t explosive enough. I sucked up my pride a bit and dropped it down to what the lowest weight in the wave loading portion of HPM was. It was better but still a bit “grindy.” I’m not sure if the Top Half Bench Press (Overload) set before is just exhausting the muscle too much to where I should be using even less weight. I don’t want to keep dropping the poundage I use or do I? For week four where you basically start over with the same reps as week 1 but add weight; I’m considering dropping 10lbs from the Top-Half BP and keeping my Flat Bench weight where it’s at. Any recommendations?

Oddly enough, my shoulders which didn’t seem to adapt as well to HPM are actually seeing very good gains from SH Complex. Is that weird?

Alright, so another Bench Press complex done and another frustrating morning. My Flat Bench press form was pretty good today and I felt good for the first two sets and then some shoulder pain creeped in. I really think it’s the Top-Half BP that is causing me shoulder pain for some reason. I can only guess that I’m doing it incorrectly and will need to watch the videos a few more times. Any thoughts?

Meanwhile, I’m loving the results I’m seeing with my Shoulders and even my legs. The leg portion of the complex is not as good for me because my lower back is still recovering and I still have trouble deadlifting from the floor. It’s funny that I can do Power Snatch just fine though…

I gave up on flat bench a while ago due to multiple arm problems, however, I am able to do declines with minimal trouble. And, it seems many trainers like properly done declines over flat anyway. Just an idea…

[quote]docsrocks wrote:
I gave up on flat bench a while ago due to multiple arm problems, however, I am able to do declines with minimal trouble. And, it seems many trainers like properly done declines over flat anyway. Just an idea…[/quote]

Yeah I read Thibs spill yesterday about shoulder pain so I’m thinking more and more about the Decline Press. Tomorrow I’m suppose to do the chest portion of the SH Complex but I may skip it and just do some declines and then do the Deadlift portion.

Anybody else following this program? How are you doing with it? How are your results?

I’m in my first week of the program, so I’m still working out the poundages. Personally, I’m using less weight and concentrating on explosiveness and form… but that’s just me. I’m fairly happy with my strength levels - 5’8", 165 lbs, 410 lb deadlift, my goal is maintaining strength with maybe some slight increases, losing a little fat and working on my conditioning. My girlfriend and I are expecting a baby soon so I’m looking for a way to maximize my time in the gym and CT’s programs are always good for that.

Getting ready to start my last workout of the program. I have really enjoyed it. I’ve lost fat and gained some of the “power look” CT talks about. I’ve auto-regulated throughout(as I interpret it), varying rest periods within the complex. Typically I would add more volume and rest to the first complex and reduce rounds and rest for the second pattern. I would almost always make sure I did prowler work for the second pattern.

What are you folks doing after the program? I still have some fat to lose and thought about either doing a conventional lifting program with fasted am cardio (a la Shelby Starnes), or doing CT’s War Room Strategies. I did this a couple of years ago and liked it.

I did end-up dialing back the weight 10lbs and just focusig on form and making sure my presses are explosive. I actually had a good bench press routine today; I was thrilled.

After the program I like to do some assistance work.

  • Mon / Thu: Shoulder Shrugs / Rear Delt Rows / Hamstring Curls
  • Tue / Fri: Wide-Grip Upright Rows / Reverse Grip Rows / Hamstring Curls (Real creative right? Hopefully one day my back will heal and I can do RDL’s again.)

I don’t have access to or room for a sled nor do I have time to drag one to a park or anything so I’ll either do a treadmill with a steep incline, stairmaster, or mountain climber. I know it’s not the same but it’s all I have to work with.

Fasted cardio sounds like a good idea. Dr. Lowery has an article somewhere in the 2010 archive, I believe, that talks about that too.

I started this program and I’m in my second week of doing it. I just follow this program and that’s it. IMO if you hit it hard enough you will be too exhausted to do anything right afterwards. I think I need to add in some other lifts to target certain body parts but they will be done on the 3 days that I am not using the superhero complexes

Sorry, I think I was unclear. Just finished the six week program. I am curious about what others will do for fat loss after the six week program is complete. bkimble88, agreed I had nothing left in the tank after, especially doing the Pulse Feast with a low-carb dinner.

If I didn’t have time for a SAT or SUN back/bi’s I would sometimes substitute the last three excercises of Fridays Deadlift for three back and then the Prowler push. Seemed to work well. Maybe not ideal but often weekend workouts are a no go with the family.

If you are after more fat loss, I would just continue the program and maybe switch up some of the exercises, do back squats instead of front, incline bench instead of flat a differnt form of the deadlift, etc

[quote]bkimble88 wrote:
I started this program and I’m in my second week of doing it. I just follow this program and that’s it. IMO if you hit it hard enough you will be too exhausted to do anything right afterwards. I think I need to add in some other lifts to target certain body parts but they will be done on the 3 days that I am not using the superhero complexes[/quote]

Maybe my work capacity has just gotten that much better but I hit it pretty hard. The Chest / Deadlift days kill me, finishing up with the Broad Jumps is brutal. Honestly though, the first two weeks I did my assistance work on Wednesday but my capacity has improved a bit and I can get in the assistance work. At least for me, Shrugs, Rows, and Leg Curls don’t take much out of me, although I get a really good burn going with the Rows.

Edit: One thing I did change after mid-week 2 was reincorporate Surge Pre-Workout into my peri-nutrition and that was a great decision for me. My total carb in-take per day is at 150 grams and I am still seeing some good body fat reduction. I have a long weekend coming up in July so I will probably drop my carb intake in-half for the two weeks prior because I’ll be spending a lot of time at the pool that weeken.

How long does it take you guys to complete one complex? It took me about an hour to finish 4 rounds of the deadlift complex and I was too spent to do the bench.

Granted, it was my first day back after a 4 month lay off, but still.

I did the Deadlift/Bench complexes for the first time on tuesday.
4 rounds of each complex.
Took me a little over an hour.
I will be trying the Squat/Overhead Press complex tomorrow.

Has anyone came up with some good complexes for crowded gyms?

I did this for my bench complex:

Fat bar Pin press
Fat bar bench press
Speed bench with 50% max (regular bar)
Speed bench with 20-30% max (regular bar)
Clap push ups

Each complex takes me about 40-45 minutes. 5 rounds with 30 seconds between sets. Unfortunately I can’t do all 5 at the same time in the intended circuit, so it probably could be done a bit faster (set up time).

[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
Has anyone came up with some good complexes for crowded gyms?

I did this for my bench complex:

Fat bar Pin press
Fat bar bench press
Speed bench with 50% max (regular bar)
Speed bench with 20-30% max (regular bar)
Clap push ups[/quote]

First off, it’s my second round of complexes, and it does get easier. Sometimes I do 4, sometimes I do 5 exercise. Depends on equipment and/or space. I spend between an hour to hour and a half, that includes walking in, setting up and stretching. I now rest about 30 seconds between each exercise. But I had to work up to that 30 seconds…

For the crowded gym complex, keep it to 3 exercise, maybe four.

As per your example: 1 Overload OR 1 Strength
1 Strength/Speed OR 1 Speed/Strength
1 Explosive OR Work Capacity

That way, you use one station, one or two bars and 1 body :slight_smile:

So for you, you could do: Pin Press, Medicine Ball Chest Throw and Plyo Push ups
or
Bench Press, Speed Press and Clap Push up.
or
Incline Press, Speed Floor Press and Bench Plyo Push ups
or

Well, you get the idea.

Right now I can only hit the gym 3 times per week ( due to work and a few other prior obligations ) what is everyone’s opinion on how to set up the crowded gym complex into 3 days?

I’ve thought about doing one day for deadlift complexes ( some back work added as well ) one day for pressing complexes ( bench and over head ) and one day for squat complexes.

Or doing a simple A/B rotation M/W/F with complex A being pressing ( bench/OH ) and complex B being dead/squat this way everything is hit every 5 days vs once per week.

Any thought or other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Day 1: Complex A
Day 2: Complex B
Day 3: Complex A
Day 4: Complex B
Etc

Has anybody that’s been doing this for a while noticed if getting 5 or 6 sets in is more productive than just doing 4? Also, what are you seeing as weight increases after each 3 weeks?

I did the Squat/Overhead Press complexes today.
4 rounds of each complex.
Took me a little over an hour, same as the Deadlift/Bench Complexes.

I am lucky and can workout in a large, mostly empty gym Mon-Thu so I can do the complexes as prescribed, well minus the sled/prowler work. I use 2 power racks. If your gym is crowded, the complexes mentioned with 3 exercises would be a good alternative.