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7 EMOM Workouts to Put Your Fitness to the Test

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December 12, 2020 Guardian-Elite Fitness
High intensity interval training takes on many different forms and is constantly changing. Enter EMOM workouts. EMOM workouts are yet another form of high intensity interval training. Like all good HIIT workouts, an EMOM is short, intense and highly custom to your level of fitness and ability.

EMOM workouts definitely fit this criteria, and in this post, you’ll discover exactly what an EMOM workout is, how it works and some EMOM workout examples you can implement into your own training. We’ll also show you some EMOM workout examples below so you can customize your own targeted or full-body EMOM workouts.

  • What is EMOM Workouts
  • How to Do EMOM Workouts
  • EMOM Workout Ideas
  • EMOM Workouts for Fat Loss
  • EMOM Workouts with Dumbbells
  • EMOM Workouts with Bodyweight
  • EMOM Workouts with No Equipment
  • EMOM Workouts for Beginners
  • EMOM Crossfit
  • Medicine Ball EMOM

What is EMOM Workouts

kettlebell on ground with workout mat
EMOM workouts are remarkably simple workouts, but they might not always be easy. But first, EMOM? EMOM stands for “Every Minute On the Minute”

What this means is at the beginning of each minute of say, a 20-minute workout, you will be performing a set number of reps. When you’ve completed those reps, you take a rest period for any remaining time left in that minute interval. We’ll discuss more in depth how to set up and perform an EMOM workout later.

Form of HIIT
As alluded to in the introduction, EMOM is a variation of HIIT. HIIT is basically any workout that incorporates intervals with near maximum effort followed by intervals of rest. Because this definition is so broad, people have discovered different ways to challenge the body using a HIIT workout framework.

If you need something new to add to your workouts, an EMOM workout can be a great way to switch it up. Plus, there are so many different types of EMOM workouts, it’s easy to always try something new.

But let’s talk about why an EMOM workout is also effective for boosting overall fitness and even strength.

HIIT Workouts: The Absolute Best Way to Burn Fat and Improve Fitness

Metabolic Conditioning
Metabolic conditioning is a fancy term for doing a combination of cardio and strength training. That is exactly what EMOM is. Most EMOM workouts will include bodyweight or exercises with weights in conjunction with fast bursts or intervals of training, which make up the cardio aspect.

Metabolic conditioning is a very efficient way to train. It’s arguably one of the best ways to burn more calories for weight loss, but also boosts the metabolism and promotes muscle gain.

One key ingredient that makes metabolic conditioning used in EMOM workouts possible, is the high intensity level each set of reps are performed at. This high intensity can lead to what is known as EPOC or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.

EPOC
EPOC occurs when the high intensity of a workout in affect “resets” your metabolism to a very high level, and that doesn’t stop when the workout ends either. Your super-charged metabolism will stay that way for hours after your workout is over. You will be burning calories at a higher rate even after the workout is over. Nice.

To be effective the reps should be done at about 80% effort and under control. Form is key. Even though each rep is being done at a high intensity, if your form is sloppy, then the benefits of the EMOM go down and risk of injury and reduced effectiveness go up.

EMOM Workouts Are Easily Customizable
What makes EMOM so customizable is because the only rule here is that you start an exercise on the top of the minute for a predetermined number of reps and complete those reps with time left to spare.

Time is really the only limiting factor with EMOM. The type of exercises you do, number of reps and overall length of the workout is set by the person doing the workout.

Here is the full EMOM Training Manual:

  • Set Total EMOM Duration
  • Choose Exercises
  • Choose Reps
  • Get After It

That’s it. All joking aside, this is what makes EMOM simple and enjoyable, but also physically hard at the same time. EMOM are simple to set up.

Next, we’ll go over a few details for the workout, so you can get on to creating your own EMOM or try the 7 EMOM workouts below, and set fire to a few calories.

How to Do EMOM Workouts

EMOM workouts are simple to set up. Here are some basic guidelines for setting up and performing an EMOM workout.

Workout Lasts Between 10 to 30 Minutes

Normal EMOM’s will typically last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes total. So that will be one exercise every minute, for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on what you choose.

Reps Should Last 30-40 Seconds

When putting together your EMOM workout, you want to choose a number of reps that is challenging but not so much that you leave yourself no rest time before the minute is up and the next set of reps begin.

This could take some experimenting at first, but you should aim to finish the predetermined number of reps within 30 to 40 seconds. That way you leave yourself 20-30 seconds for rest before the next minute begins.

Cardio, Strength or Endurance

A typical EMOM will either focus on or include a combination of cardio, strength and endurance type exercises. You can even make a full-body style workout that incorporates all three.

Again, when performing any of the exercises we’ll outline below, form is always important. Don’t get so wrapped up in going fast that you can’t maintain control. The workout is not effective if the exercise is not performed with proper form. Focus on form, then speed and intensity.

Strength training exercises, especially those that use weights like kettlebells, barbells and dumbbells should be 75%-80% of 1 rep max. This way you know you will still be able to complete the full reps, but also be challenged.

EMOM Workout Plan
man jumping rope for emom workout
Any EMOM workout plan needs to start with a goal in mind. Do you want to focus on cardio, strength building or endurance? An effective EMMOM training program will focus on one of these three areas.

But what exercises are best for each area? Below we’ll cover the most frequently used exercises for strength, cardio and endurance.

emom workout exercises
EMOM Workout Timer
For any EMOM workout you decide to do, you’ll need to time yourself. In this case, having a timer is important, because you’ll need to know during the workout when the minute is up and it’s time to start the next exercise or set of reps.

While you can just use the timer on your phone, there are also apps made just for EMOM workouts, and the best part is, most are free to use. You can find a free EMOM timer here or search from the app store on your phone.

EMOM Workout Ideas

Below are the 7 EMOM workout examples to give a try. Add or subtract as needed, change the duration or add your own exercises.

These are by no means the only EMOM workouts. There are an endless number of EMOM workouts to use depending on your own goals and ability.

20 Minutes

Jump Squat

High Knees

Bicycle Crunch

Classic Push-up

EMOM Workouts for Fat Loss

20 minutes

High Knees

Jumping Jacks

Burpees

Mountain Climbers

Kettlebell Swing

EMOM Workouts with Dumbbells

30 Minutes

Dumbbell Squat

Dumbbell Thrusters

Dumbbell Walking Lunge

Plank Row with Dumbbell

Single Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squat

Dumbbell Hang Snatch

EMOM Workouts with Bodyweight

30 minutes

Pull-ups

Classic Push-ups

Box Jumps

Air Squat

Tuck Jump

Jump Squat

EMOM Workouts with No Equipment

15 minutes

Jumping Jacks

Classic Push-ups

Burpees

EMOM Workouts for Beginners
5 Minutes

Minute 1: Air Squats

Minute 2: Jumping Jacks

Minute 3: High Knees

Minute 4: Jump Squat

Minute 5: Crunches

EMOM Crossfit

30 Minutes

20 minutes

Even Minutes: Wall Ball

Odd Minutes: Kettlebell Swing

10 Minutes

15 Burpees

Medicine Ball EMOM

15 Minutes

Wall Ball

Medicine Ball Slam

Medicine Ball Russian Twist

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