Workouts

EMOM / workouts

EMOM means every minute on the minute. You start a set at the top of each minute and rest for whatever is left of it, so the clock sets the rhythm.

EMOM workouts2

EMOM30 minChelseaEvery minute: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 air squatsEMOMFight Gone Bad3 rounds of five one-minute stations, scored on reps

Interval sessions4

Fixed work and rest on a clock, close cousins of the EMOM.

Intervals20 minThreshold Tens10 rounds of 1 minute hard, 1 minute easyIntervals25 minTempo Twenty5 rounds of 4 minutes at threshold, 1 minute easyIntervals30 minSprint Day8 x 200m all-out with full recoveryIntervalsTabata Something ElseTabata intervals across four bodyweight movements

How to set up an EMOM

Conditioning: 10 to 15 minutes

Pick work that takes 30 to 45 seconds, leaving 15 to 30 seconds of rest. Example: a 12-minute EMOM alternating 12 calories on the rower and 10 burpees.

Strength: 8 to 15 minutes

1 to 3 reps at 75 to 85% of your one-rep max every minute. Example: 10 minutes of 2 power cleans at 75%.

Ascending: until you fail

Add a rep every minute: 1 burpee in minute one, 2 in minute two, and so on. Your score is the last full minute.

If the work takes more than 50 seconds the format stops working, because there is no rest left. Cut the reps until you can hold the rhythm. More in EMOM vs AMRAP.

Using EMOMs in your week

An EMOM fixes the pace for you. That makes it useful for three different jobs: conditioning where you want steady work without blowing up, skill practice when you are a little tired, and strength work where you want lots of quality reps without grinding.

Choosing the work. For conditioning, the work should take 30 to 45 seconds so you get 15 to 30 seconds of rest. For skill and strength, keep it to 10 to 20 seconds. Do one test minute before you start: if it takes longer than you expected, cut the reps now rather than at minute six.

Formats worth knowing:

  • Alternating: minute one rowing, minute two burpees, minute three rest, repeated. Each station gets two minutes to recover.
  • Every 2 minutes: heavier work such as 3 front squats every 2 minutes for 10 sets, with time to reload and breathe.
  • Skill: 10 minutes of 3 to 5 strict pull-ups or a handful of double-unders, stopping each set before your form slips.

Scaling. Keep the clock and reduce the reps first. If you fail to finish inside the minute twice in a row, drop a rep or two for the rest of the piece. The rhythm is the point, so a smaller number done on time beats a bigger one that runs over.

Mistakes to avoid.

  • Picking reps that leave no rest. Once the work takes 50 seconds or more, it stops being an EMOM and becomes a long, slow AMRAP.
  • Letting transitions eat the minute. Set up every station before the clock starts.
  • Using an EMOM as a max test. It is built for steady, repeatable work, not one heroic minute.

Questions

How to log a score →
What does EMOM mean?
EMOM stands for Every Minute On the Minute. At the start of each minute, you perform a prescribed set of work, and the remaining time in that minute is rest. The next minute starts a new round. The clock is the metronome; the work is the same each round.
How do I choose EMOM rep targets?
Aim for a rep target that takes 30-45 seconds at moderate intensity. That gives you 15-30 seconds of rest per minute, which is the EMOM sweet spot. If the work takes more than 50 seconds, the format breaks down. There's no recovery and intensity drops fast. Scale reps until you can hold the rhythm.
EMOM vs AMRAP: what's the difference?
An AMRAP gives you a fixed time and asks for maximum work. An EMOM gives you a fixed time AND a fixed work-per-minute, so the only variable is how cleanly you hit the rep target. AMRAPs reward pacing; EMOMs reward power output per minute. Both train conditioning; they train it differently.
Can you do EMOMs for strength?
Yes. Strength EMOMs are excellent for power output. A typical pattern is 1-3 reps at 75-85% of your 1RM every minute for 8-12 minutes. The fixed rest forces consistent technique under accumulating fatigue, which is the exact stimulus that builds repeatable max-effort capacity.

Log them in Fiz

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