What Are EMOM Workouts?

Any workout regimen that starts with an acronym is intriguing. AMRAP, HSPU, HIIT, and PB — the workout world is filled with new routines all promising to give us a much-needed mix-up to our sweat sessions. That is why when we heard of EMOM, we knew we had to investigate. And after learning a bit more, we can confidently say that this regimen will get your pulse up.

Tony Milgram, level 1 CrossFit trainer at ICE NYC in New York, explained to Livestrong that EMOM stands for Every Minute On the Minute. "They're interval-based workouts where the goal is to repeat the same number of reps every minute, while also working for and resting for the same amount of time as the workout progresses," Milgram says.

So no matter what reps you are doing, the intervals are limited to 60 seconds. If it sounds similar to the perhaps more popular HIIT-style workout routines, it's because it is a version of it, NBC News says.

Recovery time is very important in EMOM workouts

Any remaining time you have left in your minute of repetitions will serve as the recovery time. Gerren Liles, Hyperwear athlete and Equinox master trainer, tells NBC News how important recovery time is to this method. "EMOMs are an effective style of training because it demands intense effort to gain any recovery within the allotted time," he says. Liles goes on to say that the beauty of this style of exercise is that it can be personalized, which gives a lot of variation. You can combine cardio with strength training and endurance.

While EMOM may be similar to the HIIT workout style, conditioning coach Alena Luciani, founder of Training2xl, tells LiveStrong of a defining difference. "With EMOMs, you have to complete the same number of reps each time. The timer and rep-goal combination encourage folks to work harder," she says.

So if you're ready to get your pulse up, and add some personalized variation to your pre-existing exercise routine, then EMOM might be a good fit for you. If not, there are many other acronyms to further investigate.