As much as I'd like to be able to spend hours in the gym pushing myself, I don't have that kind of time most days.
...and most parents don't either.
When time is of the essence, the EMOM (every minute on the minute) format is a lifesaver. I've adopted this strategy from CrossFit and various boutique gyms, and it's perfect for squeezing in a quick, effective workout when time is tight, or you don't have a ton of equipment.
The format is based on stations and time intervals. Each station is one exercise completed for the requested duration, and then you can either stay at that station for the next interval or rotate to the next station. I recommend rotating to the next station to rest that tired muscle group while you work on an opposing or complementary exercise.
Ok, let's break down the intervals and exercises.
Time Formats
My most utilized time format is the 0:30 work followed by 0:30 rest. By the 0:30 mark, you're usually pretty exhausted, so I like rotating to the next movement during the rest period.
The other popular time interval is a 0:40 work/ 0:20 rest ratio. This is good, but sometimes the 0:20 rest seems rushed in the later rounds. Instead, I'd rather push harder during the 0:30 work with more rest than higher reps with a lower weight.
Either one you choose, it'll be a good workout.
Exercise Options
Now, it's time to pick the movements.
Having a background in program design can be helpful here, but it isn't required. I usually follow the following format.
Station 1: Push
Station 2: Pull
Station 3: Legs
Station 4: Core or Cardio
This allows each area of the body to be hit while not overwhelming any particular body part. The studies show that sets per week are the metric to look at, not whether you're doing them all in one day or spread across the week. So, there's no need to have a "leg day"...the soreness you feel isn't growth...it's just soreness.
Either way, feel free to mix and match any of the exercises to create your ideal and ever-changing workout.
Below are examples. There are hundreds of exercises for each category, and it isn't worth it to list them all.
Push
Push-up
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Shoulder Press
Pull
Pull-up
Bent over row
Hang Power Clean
Bicep Curl
Legs
Squat
Lunge
Split Squat
Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Nordic Curl
Core and Cardio
V-Up
Bicycle Crunch
Reverse Crunch
Bike
Run
Burpees
Box Jumps
Jump Rope
After choosing your four exercises and their time format, you'll need to decide how many rounds you want to work out. Each round is four minutes long, so I choose four or five rounds to get enough reps in while keeping it short.
That's it!
Start the clock, proceed with that exercise, and do as many reps as possible in the allotted time.
It's a straightforward yet effective format and can be customized to nearly any environment or equipment.
Let me know how it works out for you.
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