EMOM Workouts: How to Perform an EMOM Workout

EMOM (an acronym for “every minute on the minute”) is a type of interval training that involves one-minute exercise sets with built-in rest periods. The concept of an EMOM workout is to perform a set number of repetitions of a particular exercise at the top of the first minute, and then rest for the remaining time before performing another exercise at the top of the next minute. To complete an EMOM workout, it is important to select an exercise you can complete in less than a minute. Follow these steps to add an EMOM workout to your routine: - __Choose an exercise you can do for a sustained number of reps__. To complete an EMOM workout, you can do the same exercise for the entire workout. You can also do a series of workouts and repeat them throughout the workout (called a circuit), or a different workout every minute. Some example exercises include [burpees](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/burpee-guide), push-ups, jumping jacks, or any other kind of bodyweight workout. - __Use a timer__. Complete the prescribed number of reps of the exercise within a minute. - __Rest for the remaining time__. After you complete the exercise, you can rest for the remainder of the minute. For example, if the set number of reps for a burpee is six and it takes you thirty seconds to perform all six burpees, then you have thirty seconds to rest before proceeding to the second minute. - __Do the next workout__. At the end of the sixty-second period, at the top of the next minute, do the next exercise in the workout. If the exercises you select are challenging for you at your fitness level, there are many benefits to EMOM workouts: 1. __Time efficiency__: An entire EMOM workout can last anywhere from five to thirty minutes, though many fall within the ten- to twenty-minute range. That means that you can squeeze a time efficient EMOM workout into the middle of a busy workday. 2. __Convenience__: You do not need special equipment to perform an EMOM workout. You can do bodyweight EMOM workouts. You can also perform ENOM workouts using resistance bands, barbells, dumbbells, [kettlebells](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/kettlebell-exercises), or exercise machines. 3. __Structure__: The structure of an EMOM workout is relatively simple and easy to understand—all you need is a minute timer. 4. __Flexibility__: You can tailor an EMOM workout to your needs and capacity. You can create an EMOM workout for cardio, strength, or hypertrophy. You can make workouts more challenging or less challenging, or perform an EMOM workout by itself or in addition to another workout. 5. __Health benefits__: Depending on the exercises you are doing and the difficulty, an EMOM workout can be a great source of cardio and help build strength. A sufficiently challenging EMOM workout will allow you to do more reps in less time or more challenging exercises over time, helping to build your stamina and endurance in the process. When designing an EMOM workout for yourself, determine what your fitness goals are and build a workout plan to help you achieve those goals. Follow these tips when building an EMOM workout routine: 1. __Consider your heart rate__. An EMOM workout should be sufficiently challenging to you at your current fitness level. Make sure that whatever exercise you are doing, your heart rate is at seventy percent to eighty-five percent of your maximum heart rate. If your heart rate gets up to eighty-five percent of your max heart rate, it is considered a high-intensity interval training (HIIT). 2. __Train for stamina__. Whatever exercises you are doing, make sure you can perform them with a consistent amount of energy throughout the workout. Many people exert most of their energy in the beginning of the workout, leaving them with very little energy toward the middle and end of the workout, which can lead to poor form. 3. __Make modifications as needed__. Do not be afraid to decrease the number of reps you are doing to leave a sufficient amount of time for rest. The rest gives you time to get your heart rate down so you can build energy for the next exercise. Conversely, if an exercise is starting to feel easy for your fitness level, add more reps or switch to a more challenging exercise. 4. __Think about the length of the workout__. The more exercises you add to the workout, the longer it will be. Workouts with just one exercise should be kept short. Workouts that are twenty or thirty minutes in length usually contain multiple exercises. 5. __Choose your type of workouts carefully__. Bodyweight exercises such as air squats, pull-ups, sit-ups, and box jumps are popular for EMOM workouts. You can also do strength-training exercises such as deadlifts, bench presses, or kettlebell swings. If you are incorporating weightlifting, make sure it is a suitable amount of weights that you can perform quickly with proper form. Choose combinations that work out different muscles in the body, or perform different EMOM workouts on different days. If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort. In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery. Throw on some athleisure, fire up a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com), and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and *GQ* fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time. Adding EMOM workouts to your routine can help you build muscle, stamina, and endurance.