Besides laziness or lack of motivation, time or lack of it is one of the biggest excuses for not working out. Not everyone is a freak for working out, but constantly using no time as a reason an excuse for not working out doesn’t do your health and fitness any favors. Your health and fitness don’t need any more excuses; It requires action. This is where this 5-move, 15-minute EMOM conditioning workout comes to the rescue.
It’s perfect when you’re tired of using time as an excuse or when you have little time to work out and want to stay on the gain train. A common misconception is that you need 30 minutes or more and plenty of equipment for a great workout.
More time and access to equipment make for better workouts, but when neither of those is an option, time-saving workouts are the way to go.
The five-move workout below uses an intensity method called every minute on the minute (EMOM) to get the work done; here, we’ll explain the advantages of using EMOM sets and a five-exercise EMOM conditioning workout to blast those excuses away.
What Are EMOM Sets
So, what exactly are EMOM sets? Every Minute on the Minute (EMOM) is a high-intensity training method that involves performing an exercise or set of exercises at the start of every minute for a set number of minutes. The challenge is to complete the number of repetitions (of your choosing) as quickly as possible within each minute, followed by a rest for the remainder.
Advantages of Performing Emom Sets
Although the high-intensity burn on your lungs and muscles is not much fun, it does have three fantastic benefits.
Time Efficiency
EMOM sets are the epitome of time efficiency. Whether you’ve got 10 minutes or 30, an EMOM session ensures you make every second count. By structuring your workout to start a new set every minute, you maximize your training time with the time you have.
Improved Conditioning
The alternating periods of intensity and short rest create a stimulus that challenges your cardiovascular system and improves aerobic endurance. You push your heart rate up, bring it back down, and then push it up again. Interval-style training like EMOM sets is a fantastic way to boost your cardiovascular conditioning, making you better prepared for life’s challenges.
Ability To Do More Stuff
By demanding consistent effort every minute, you train your body to perform at a high level, even as fatigue sets in. Over time, this translates to doing more work in less time. You’ll find that you can handle more volume and maintain a higher intensity across your workouts, leading to greater strength and muscle endurance gains.
How To Structure Your 15-Minute EMOM Workout
Warmup:
Always start with a warm-up to prepare your body for the upcoming workout
Select the Exercises
Choose the movements you can do with one piece of equipment, such as a dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell, TRX, or resistance band. I like to include compound exercises like squats, presses, a row, a deadlift/single-leg movement, and a core exercise. Choosing five exercises in a circuit style is a sweet spot for EMOM workouts.
Set the Reps
Decide on the number of repetitions for each exercise. Ensure the reps can be completed within 30-45 seconds, allowing some rest before the next minute starts. Usually, between six and ten reps work here. Going six will enable you to go heavier, and performing eight to 10 allows for a more moderate load.
Once you do that, you are good to go. If that sounds like too much work, use the workout below to feel the power of the EMOM.
15-Minute EMOM Conditioning Workout
One dumbbell powers the five-move EMOM circuit. If you need a different weighted dumbbell, organize it before you start. If you want one dumbbell for the entire workout, pick your weakest move of the exercises below and go with that weight for the whole workout.
1A. Goblet Squat: 6 reps
1B. Lawnmower Row: 6 reps per side
1C. Offset Side Lunge 6 reps per side
1D. Unilateral Floor Press 6 reps per side
1E. Leopard Crawl 6 steps forward and backward (both sides is = one rep)
Repeat twice for a total of three rounds in 15 minutes.
