If you’re ever interested in a new workout plan or simply bored with your old one, you should consider giving the EMOM workout a try. EMOM is an acronym that stands for “every minute on the minute,” meaning you start a new move with a specific rep count every minute. Once you complete the reps, you get to recover for the rest of the minute. “The trick is that your rest time is also built into that minute, so the slower you move, the less rest you get,” says Jess Sims, a NASM-certified personal trainer and instructor at Shadowbox and Fitting Room in New York City.
On the brighter side, the faster you get your reps done, the more time you have to rest. Once that minute is up, you move onto the next exercise, completing those reps and resting for the remainder of that minute. Sims suggests aiming to finish the reps in 45 seconds, giving yourself 15 seconds to rest after each move. “That way, you can keep the intensity consistent from round to round.”
EMOMs can be focused on cardio workouts or strength workouts. A cardio-focused workout will include a higher rep count and very little to no weights. A strength-focused workout will require heavier weights fewer reps. For example, if the workout requires lifting heavy weights, the rep count should be 4 to 10 so you can take the time to do the moves properly. Plus, you’re increasing the intensity when you add resistance. If it’s more of a cardio based workout, such as burpees or squat jumps, it’ll probably call for somewhere between 8 to 12 reps per move.
No matter the workout, you should be working at an intensity that makes the last rep feel really difficult. “That will let you know you’re working to the appropriate amount of fatigue-the whole point is to reach the point of fatigue to challenge your muscle to change,” says Pete McCall, M.S., C.S.C.S., an ACE-certified personal trainer and spokesman and host of the All About Fitness podcast. So, what do you think about this workout? Could this convince you to change your routine?