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Within Session Exercise Sequencing During Programming for Complex Training: Historical Perspectives, Terminology, and Training Considerations

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Abstract

The primary aim of this narrative review was to outline the historical genesis of resistance training strategies that incorporate high-load, low-velocity exercises and low-load, high-velocity exercises in the same training session allowing for different “exercise sequences” to be simultaneously implemented. Discrepancies between scientific works and the terminology used within contemporary sport science publications are identified. Upon review of the literature, we propose “complex training” to be considered an umbrella term with 4 different implementations, generally used to indicate a method in which movement velocity or load is altered between sets and/or exercises within the same session with the aim of improving slow and fast force expression. We propose the following terminology for said implementations: contrast training—exercise sequence with alternating high-load and low-load (higher-velocity) exercises in a set-by-set fashion within the same session (corresponding with ‘contrast pairs’ and ‘intra-contrast rest’); descending training—several sets of high-load (e.g., back squat) exercises completed before the execution of several sets of low-load, higher-velocity (e.g., vertical jump) exercises within the same session; ascending training—several sets of low-load, higher-velocity exercises completed before several sets of high-load exercises within the same session; and French contrast training—subset of contrast training in which a series of exercises are performed in sequence within a single session: heavy compound exercise, plyometric exercise, light-to-moderate load compound exercise that maximises movement speed (i.e., external power), and a plyometric exercise (often assisted). Finally, practical applications and training considerations are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Patrick Cormier, Dana Agar-Newman & Molly Henneberry

  2. Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Patrick Cormier, Dana Agar-Newman & Molly Henneberry

  3. UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, Catholic University of Murcia, UCAM, Murcia, Spain

    Tomás T. Freitas & Pedro E. Alcaraz

  4. NAR, Nucleus of High Performance in Sport, São Paulo, Brazil

    Tomás T. Freitas & Irineu Loturco

  5. SCS, Strength & Conditioning Society, Rome, Italy

    Tomás T. Freitas, Anthony J. Blazevich & Pedro E. Alcaraz

  6. Faculty of Science and Technology, London Sport Institute, Middlesex University, London, UK

    Anthony Turner & Chris Bishop

  7. College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Vermont, Vermont, USA

    Adam Virgile

  8. School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia

    G. Gregory Haff, Anthony J. Blazevich, Daniel G. Baker & Michael McGuigan

  9. School of Health and Society, University of Salford, Manchester, UK

    G. Gregory Haff

  10. Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand

    Michael McGuigan

  11. Faculty of Sport, Catholic University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

    Tomás T. Freitas

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  1. Patrick Cormier
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  2. Tomás T. Freitas
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  3. Irineu Loturco
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  4. Anthony Turner
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  5. Adam Virgile
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  8. Dana Agar-Newman
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  9. Molly Henneberry
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  10. Daniel G. Baker
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  11. Michael McGuigan
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  12. Pedro E. Alcaraz
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  13. Chris Bishop
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tomás T. Freitas.

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Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this review are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Funding

No funding was received for this project.

Conflict of Interest

None of the authors had any conflicts of interest to declare.

Author contributions

CB, PC, TTF, PEA, and MM contributed to the study conception and design. Data synthesis and analysis was performed by PC and TTF. The first draft of the manuscript was written by PC and all authors (IL, GGH, AT, AV, AJB, DA-N, MH, DGB) reviewed and contributed to the drafts and the final version of the submitted paper.

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Cormier, P., Freitas, T.T., Loturco, I. et al. Within Session Exercise Sequencing During Programming for Complex Training: Historical Perspectives, Terminology, and Training Considerations. Sports Med 52, 2371–2389 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01715-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01715-x

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