Looking for some new EMOM workouts to try?
You have come to the right place.
In this article, we will give you 25 EMOM workouts that will challenge you both mentally and physically.
Let’s get started!
What Does EMOM Mean?
The meaning of EMOM is simple. It means Every Minute On the Minute.
To do an EMOM workout you do whatever the listed exercises are at the start of every minute.
A simple example workout would be 20 jumping jacks EMOM for 20 minutes. This would mean you do 20 jumping jacks at the start of every minute for 20 minutes.
When you start the workout you start the clock at and do the 20 jumping jacks, let’s say it takes you 35 seconds to do the jumping jacks. You then have the remaining 25 seconds to rest before the clock hits 1 minute and you do 20 jumping jacks again and so on until you have done it for 20 minutes. Of course, the workouts get harder as you go on and fatigue sets in.
Related: The 20 Most Brutally Difficult CrossFit WODs
Benefits of EMOM Workouts
There are several benefits to doing EMOM workouts over traditional workouts. The first would be that it is less boring. Knowing you will have to go every time the minute changes keeps your mind engaged, keeps you planning how you want to tackle the workout and what is coming next.
Another benefit of the EMOM workout is that it teaches you about pacing. The clock dictates when you will be working and every minute you will know if you have gone too fast or too slow depending on how much rest you have left before the next minute starts.
EMOMs also are a great tool to measure how much progress you have made. You can try and increase the number of reps you do in a workout over time or the amount of time of the workout. Example: week 1 you deadlift 225lbs for 5 reps EMOM for 10 minutes then in week 3 you go for 6 reps instead of 5 or for 12 minutes instead of 10.
EMOM workouts are also quite versatile. You can use them to train for endurance, power, anaerobic systems and mechanics.
A good EMOM also gives you built-in rest periods. These are rest periods you normally don’t get in a regular CrossFit WOD and they give you time to evaluate your pace, your technique, your overall feel and if you want to change your game plan for that workout going forward.
EMOM Workouts are Challenging
This is another benefit of the EMOM WOD. As with most other WOD’s they will challenge you both mentally and physically. While there is a rest period before the next minute starts it’s never long enough.
You will need to challenge yourself to finish many times. While the first few minutes might seem to go by with ease by the end you will often be asking yourself if you will even be able to finish the workout with cutting corners or scaling back. It’s those last rounds minutes of an EMOM that test what you are made of and if you are able to fight through the fatigue.
I would argue the mental toughness needed to finish some EMOM workouts will transfer to every other facet of your life, not just fitness.
25 EMOM Workouts That Will Challange You
These EMOM workouts should be a nice break from your typical workout or WOD but they won’t be easy.
#1 Workout For Beginners
10 Minutes
- 5 Push-ups
- 5 Air Squats
- 5 Crunches
#2 Workout – Rowing and Burpees
20 Minutes
Even mins: 12/15 cal row
Odd min: 8 burpees
This is one of the best emom workouts for cardio.
#3 Workout – Kettlebell Swings and Burpees
12 minutes
- 6 Kettlebell swings – choose a moderately heavy weight
- 6 Burpees
#4 Workout – Deadlifts and Burpees
16 Minutes
- Even Minutes – 6 burpees
- Odd Minutes – 8 deadlifts – use a moderate weight
#5 Workout – Bodyweight EMOM Workout
20 Minutes
- 5 Pull-ups
- 5 Box Jumps
- 5 Push-ups
- 5 Crunches
#6 Workout – Box Jumps, Thrusters and KB Swings
30 minutes (pace yourself)
- 5 Box jumps
- 5 Thrusters (55lbs/20kg)
- 5 Kettlebell swings
#7 Workout – Burpee Fun
12 minutes
- Odd: 15 Squats
- Even: 10 Burpees
#8 Workout – Cardio EMOM
20 EMOM
- 2 High Knees
- 2 Air Squats
- 2 Burpees
- 25 m Sprint
#9 Workout – Prepare for wobbly legs
16 Minutes
Min 1: 10 Front Squats at 95lbs/45kg
Min 2: 15 Toes to Bar
Min 3: 20 Wallballs 14lbs/6kg
Min 4: Rest
Repeat until 16 mins
#10 Workout – Upper Body EMOM
12 minutes
- Min 1 -15 pull-ups
- Min 2 -20 push press 75/45
- Min 3 – 10 burpees
- Repeat for 12 mins
#11 Workout – Jason Khalipa Workout – Invented by Him
20 Minutes
- Even minutes: 20 wall balls
- Odd minutes: 15 toes to bar
#12 Workout – Squat Cleans
10 Minutes
- 1 squat clean at 85% of 1-rep max
#13 Workout – Kettlebell EMOM
12 Minutes
- Min 1 -10 Kettlebell Cleans
- Min 2 – 15 Goblet Squats
- Min 3 – 20 Kettlebell Swings
- Repeat until 12 mins
#14 Workout – The Burpee Mile
- Do 5 burpees EMOM, run the remaining time. Continue until you have run 1 mile.
#15 Workout – Power EMOM
10 minutes
- Odd min: 20 Wallballs
- Even min: 10 Power Snatch
#16 Workout – No Joke
20 Minutes Total
First 10 Minutes
- Even minutes – 6 Handstand Push-ups
- Odd minutes – 8 toes to bar
Second 10 Minutes
- Even Minutes – 150-meter run
- Odd Minutes – 6 ring dips
#17 Workout – Snatches and Burpees
10 minutes
- Odd minutes – 15 Dumbbell Snatches alternating arms
- Even minutes – 15 Burpees
#18 Workout – Bodyweight EMOM
15 Minutes
- Minute 1 – 20 lunges
- Minute 2 – 20 sit-ups
- Minute 3 – 10 Handstand push-ups
- Repeat for 15 minutes
#19 Workout – Burpee Torture
10 minutes
- 15 burpees EMOM
#20 Workout – Total Body Workout
20 Minutes Total
Minutes 1-10
- Odd minutes – 16 box jumps
- Even minutes – 16 goblet squats
Minutes 11-20
- Odd minutes – 16 push-ups
- Even minutes – 16 wall balls
#21 Workout – Cardio Madness
14 minutes
- Minutes 1-4 – 15 box jumps
- Rest 1 minute
- Minutes 6-9 – 15 Kettlebell Swings
- Rest 1 minute
- Minutes 10-14 – 10 burpees
#22 Workout – Kettlebell Crazy
10 minutes
- Even minutes – 12 burpees
- Odd minutes – 20 kettlebell swings
#23 Workout – Full-Body EMOM Workout
15 minutes
- Minute 1 – 20 lunges
- Minute 2 – 20 sit-ups
- Minute 3 – 10 Handstand push-ups
- Repeat until 15 minutes
#24 Workout – Power Builder EMOM
10 Minutes
- 2 Power Cleans (75-80% max)
#25 Workout – Kalsu – The Mother of all WODs
If you can handle this WOD Rx you are a flat out beast. This Hero WOD named after Robert James “Bob” Kalsu who played football for the Buffalo Bills in 1968. He then left the team to fulfill his ROTC obligation with the Army. He went on to serve the United States in the Vietnam war and was killed in action.
The Workout
- EMOM
- 5 burpees
- Max rep thrusters 135/95 lbs
Continue until you reach 100 thrusters.
Most people will not be able to complete this WOD Rx. It is the most difficult WOD in all of CrossFit in my opinion. The good news is there is a scaled-back version than is more doable.
Scaled back version:
- EMOM
- 3 burpees
- Max rep thrusters 95/65 lbs
Continue until you reach 100 thrusters
This version still isn’t a cakewalk and it will definitely test you mentally and physically, if you need to scale back even more feel free to do so.
Let’s wrap it up
I just gave you 25 of the best EMOM CrossFit workouts that should keep you busy for quite some time. Some of them are more challenging than others but I am sure everyone can find a WOD in here that they like.
Many of these workouts can be done by almost anyone. Scale back any of these you need to and work your way up from there.
Let me know if there are any good EMOM workouts that I missed in the comment section below.
Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.
My EMOM workout is Brutal
Bench press @ #135 10 reps
Squat @ #135 10 reps
Pull-ups. 7 reps
10 rounds! Try it I dare you
My age 41
Occupation US Navy
Rank The Chief