The Origin
The Armor Building Complex was first introduced by the famous strength coach Dan John.
He designed it as a finisher after long kettlebell certification weekends.
During these weekends, practitioners perform massive volume of overhead pressing.
Their shoulders take quite a lot of a beating.
That's why this complex emphasizes legs and core while keeping upper body work balanced.
The Complex
The complex is 2 Clean + 1 Press + 3 Front Squat with double kettlebells.
That's it.
The structure is brilliant in its simplicity.
You clean the bells twice to get them into position, press once to work your shoulders without overdoing it, then hammer your legs with three front squats.
The emphasis stays on your lower body and core while your upper body gets just the right stimulus for growth.
Program Overview
- Equipment: Two kettlebells
- Complex: 2 Clean + 1 Press + 3 Front Squat
- Format: EMOM (one complex per minute)
- Duration: 15-45 minutes per session
- Frequency: 2-4 days per week
- Weight: What you can press 3-5 times
- Rest: Until the next minute (EMOM) or until breath normalizes (round-based)
Use the Kettlebell Craft Training app to track your complexes, set timers for EMOM rounds, and monitor your weekly volume.
Training Variations
Single Kettlebell
Don't have matching bells?
Clean & Press right side, switch hands, Clean & Press left side, then 2 Front Squat.
Alternate which arm you start with each round.
Round-Based Instead of EMOM
If you prefer working in rounds instead of every minute:
Light day: 5 rounds • Medium day: 8-10 rounds • Heavy day: 15+ rounds
Rest 30-60 seconds between rounds.