For this week’s workout, we’ve got a 32 minute strength and conditioning EMOM workout. You’ll need 36 minutes to complete it as it consists of two 16 minute EMOMs with 4 minutes of rest in between. You’ll be hitting some upper and lower body strength exercises paired burpees and rowing for a full-body HIIT workout that will leave sweaty and ready to tackle whatever comes next.

Tough Strength and Conditioning Barbell and Dumbbell Workout for the Gym - Running on Real Food Workouts

What’s an EMOM workout?

I’ve shared quite a few EMOM workouts before because they’re some of my favourite kind of workouts. They allow you to get a lot of work done in a short period of time, they keep you on track, they can be scaled to any fitness level and are always a great workout.

EMOM starts for every minute on the minute meaning when the clock starts, you’ll complete the reps of the first exercise then rest until the clock hits 1:00. At 1 minute, you’ll perform the second exercise, resting until 2:00 and, so on and so on.

How to Perform this Workout

Each of the 16 minute EMOM’s consist of one lower body strength movement, one upper body strength movement and one conditioning movement. The strength movements are uni-lateral meaning you’ll work each side of the body separately. This challenges your balance and core and forces you to really focus on that one side. For the conditioning portions, we’re going to be doing burpees in the first EMOM and rowing in the second. Since the 4th minute of the EMOM is resting, really go for it on the max effort burpees and row.

To do this workout, start your clock and perform 10 single arm dumbbell presses on each side, then rest until the lock gets to 1 minute. At 1 minute, perform 16 barbell reverse lunges then rest until the clock reaches 2 minutes. At 2 minutes, hop on the rowing and give it your all until the clock reaches 3 minutes. Rest a full minute before repeating. You’ll work through that for 16 minutes or 4 total rounds.

Once you’ve complete the first EMOM, take 4 minutes rest and then start the second one following the same format at the first. Push it on those burpees! Over 20 is a great score, so go for it!

Time and Equipment Needed

To complete this workout, you will need:

  1. Barbell. You’ll need one barbell for the reverse lunges and step-ups. I suggest a weight of 65 to 85 lbs. You can either hold the barbell on your back like you were going to do a squat, or in a front rack position.
  2. Dumbbells. You’ll need one or two dumbbells for the bent-over rows and presses, depending on the weights you use. I suggest a weight of 25-45 lbs. for the rows and 20-35 lbs. for the presses.
  3. Rowing machine. You’ll need a rowing machine for the max effort row in the first EMOM. If you don’t have access to a rower, try a sprint on a spin or assault bike or use a treadmill. Fast skipping would also work.

Scale the weights accordingly so you can complete the required reps in under one minute. You will get little rest between exercises but that’s ok because you have a full minute of rest built into each round.

Conditioning EMOM Workout Details

16 minute EMOM 1

Complete 4 rounds, perform exercise every minute on the minute for 16 minutes.

1. Single Arm Dumbbell Press x 10/arm
3. Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunge x 16
4. Max Effort Row
5. Rest

— Rest 4 minute start EMOM 2. —

16 minute EMOM 2  

Complete 4 rounds, doing each exercise every minute on the minute for 16 minutes.

1. Bent Over Dumbbell Row x 10/arm
2. Alternating Barbell Step Up x 16
3. Max Effort Burpees
4. Rest

How to Scale this Workout

Want to make it harder, increase it to two 20 minute EMOMs so you’re doing 5 rounds of each. Need to scale it down, reduce it to 3 rounds each or two 12 minute EMOM’s. Choose weights that are challenging but allow you to get all the reps in.

Don’t forget to come back and tell me how you made out with this by leaving a comment below, or you can tag me on Instagram @runningonrealfood and use #runningonrealfood so I can check out your hard work!

More EMOM Workouts

Full-Body 30 Minute EMOM Workout // 30 Minute EMOM Conditioning Workout // CrossFit EMOM Workouts for Conditioning // CrossFit-Style Workouts: AMRAP, For Time and EMOM