15-Min Strength-Skill EMOM

How this EMOM workout works

This is an EMOM — Every Minute On the Minute. At the top of each minute you start the prescribed work; whatever time is left once you finish is your rest, and then the next minute begins whether you are ready or not.

A well-scaled EMOM leaves you roughly fifteen to twenty-five seconds of rest in the early minutes. That will feel too easy at the start, and it is meant to — the fatigue arrives about two thirds of the way in, and the rest you banked early is what carries you to the end. If a minute arrives before you have finished the previous set, cut the reps.

Who this intermediate workout suits

This session assumes you can already pace yourself across a full workout without your technique falling apart. The volume is higher and the rest is shorter than a beginner equivalent. If you are having to stop mid-set to recover, treat it as a signal to scale rather than a reason to push through.

How to scale each movement

Scaling is how this workout stays useful across a range of abilities. Pick the version of each movement that lets you keep moving at a steady pace, and note what you changed so the next attempt is a fair comparison.

Box Step-ups — easier: use a lower step. Harder: drive the trailing knee up at the top, or jump instead.

Pike Push-ups — easier: raise your hands onto a step to reduce the angle. Harder: elevate your feet to shift more weight overhead.

Sit-ups — easier: anchor your feet, or reduce the range to a crunch. Harder: hold your arms overhead throughout, or switch to V-ups.

What you need

No weights are needed for this workout — but you will want a box, bench, stair or low wall to step or jump onto.

Every box movement here also works as a step-up, so height is flexible. If you have nothing suitable to step onto, tuck jumps are a reasonable substitute.

Warm up before you start the clock. Five to ten minutes of easy movement plus a few light reps of each movement in the workout is enough, and it matters more on short, intense sessions than on long ones.

Common questions

How long does 15-Min Strength-Skill EMOM take?

About 15 min of working time, plus five to ten minutes of warm-up beforehand and a few minutes of easy movement afterwards.

Do I need any equipment?

No weights are required. You will need a box, bench, stair or low wall to step or jump onto; a step-up works in place of the jump.

Can beginners do this workout?

It is written at intermediate level, but the scaling options above let you run it at a lower intensity. Reduce the reps and choose the easier movement variations.