I’m a Personal Trainer: This is the Only Workout I Do When I Have No Time

Consistency is the most important factor when it comes to making fitness progress. However, life consistently throws curveballs at you that can derail your training plans and knock you off track.

As a personal trainer with almost two decades in the trenches, I have seen every reason that can ruin people’s fitness ambitions. It could be endless meetings stacking up, new emails flooding your inbox, fast approaching deadlines, or family commitments.

You wouldn’t know when one skipped workout becomes a habit, and you completely give up exercising.

Contrary to what most people think, you don’t need to spend countless hours in the gym daily to achieve your transformation goals. Short, consistent work is just as effective at getting you the results.

I primarily rely on every minute on the minute (EMOM) workouts whenever I am short on time and want to get a quick workout in without compromising training intensity.

EMOM is a type of interval training where you perform a set of exercises at the beginning of each minute and rest for the remainder of the time after you have completed the recommended number of reps.

In this article, I pull back the curtain on my tried and tested 15-minute EMOM circuit training routine, comprising bodyweight and compound dumbbell movements to maximize calorie expenditure and target muscle stimulation to promote subsequent strength and muscle gains. You’ll also learn how you can weave this cutting-edge routine into your hectic lifestyle.

Why Time-Efficient Workouts Matter

A hectic lifestyle usually makes fitness an afterthought, where carving out an hour for the gym can feel impossible.

Short, smart workouts can bridge this gap and help you achieve your goals without eating up your day. However, most quick workouts are nothing short of garbage. I despise those workouts where you can just flow through the exercises without even breaking a sweat. It makes you feel like you did not even train.

A high-intensity EMOM workout can spike your heart rate, torch calories, and boost your metabolism. This afterburn (EPOC) effect can help you burn calories for several hours after completing your training session.

According to a study published in the Sports Medicine journal, short, high-intensity workouts can be as effective for building strength and muscle as longer, lower-intensity workouts. (1)

The best part about my 15-minute full-body EMOM workout is that it targets all the major muscle groups and can still be scaled depending on an individual’s fitness and experience levels.

Principles Behind the EMOM Workout

Make no mistake, EMOM workouts aren’t a watered-down routine. I like to think of them as precision-engineered, high-octane workouts that hit every major muscle group with maximum impact within a short period.

To make the most of this routine, you must perform each exercise with a full-send effort for the recommended reps and limit rest to the allotted time.

It almost feels like this protocol is designed for busy folks, as it does not require any fancy equipment.

EMOM sessions are very different from your typical resistance training workouts. You must be totally dialed in as soon as you hit ‘start’ on your stopwatch. Every second is accounted for, and there is no time to chat around with your buddies or doomscroll on Instagram.

The goal is to push yourself in every exercise without compromising training technique. This ensures maximum efficiency while limiting injury risk.

Progressive overload is another pillar of his training regimen. It involves gradually increasing the demands on your muscles to ensure consistent progress. You could do this by increasing the number of reps, limiting rest time between sets, or using heavier weights.

Target Every Major Muscle

I combined this high-intensity training approach with full-body compound exercises to improve my core strength, balance, coordination, and boost strength and muscle gains. A well-rounded routine like this helps avoid developing weaknesses and imbalances.

You can perform the bodyweight variation of this circuit or use dumbbells or barbells, depending on what you have available. Some of my clients who train in their living room also use resistance bands to crank up the challenge. You are limited by your own imagination.

15-Minute Full-Body Circuit Breakdown

Now that you know everything there is to learn about EMOM training, it’s time to put all this knowledge to work.

This 15-minute EMOM workout involves performing three rounds of five exercises:

Time	Exercises	Reps (Suggested)
Minute 1	Squat to Press	8-12
Minute 2	Push-Ups	10-15
Minute 3	Plank with Shoulder Taps	20-30 seconds or 8-12 taps per side
Minute 4	Alternating Lunges	10-15 per leg
Minute 5	Bent-Over Rows	8-12
Minute 6	Squat to Press	8-12
Minute 7	Push-Ups	10-15
Minute 8	Plank with Shoulder Taps	20-30 seconds or 8-12 taps per side
Minute 9	Alternating Lunges	10-15 per leg
Minute 10	Bent-Over Rows	8-12
Minute 11	Squat to Press	8-12
Minute 12	Push-Ups	10-15
Minute 13	Plank with Shoulder Taps	20-30 seconds or 8-12 taps per side
Minute 14	Alternating Lunges	10-15 per leg
Minute 15	Bent-Over Rows	8-12

This EMOM session isn’t just about going through the motions for the sake of it. Every exercise plays a specific role in this routine, and you must perform them with a picture-perfect form to maximize their effectiveness.

For instance, your last rep of the third circuit should look identical to the first rep of the workout. Using a sloppy form can hamper target muscle fiber stimulation and increase injury risk.

Bodyweight Variation

Don’t be disappointed if you don’t have access to dumbbells or are looking for a workout to do while you are traveling. The body weight variation of this EMOM workout is just as effective. All you need to do is replace squat to press with air squats and bent-over rows with glute bridges.

Even if you are opting for the bodyweight version, always begin with 5 to 10 minutes of dynamic stretching. It boosts blood flow to the target muscles and improves mobility and performance. Similarly, end with a static stretching flow to flush the metabolites out of the muscle tissues and promote recovery.

Coach Tip: 

Pace yourself during this workout to ensure you can get all the work done while looking like a champ.

Avoid trying to perform all the reps as quickly as possible, as it can speed up the onset of fatigue and affect your form. Most rookies perform 10 reps of air squats as quickly as possible in the first round, as it gives them more time to rest.

However, this approach makes you pay dearly in the second and third rounds, as your CNS will be heavily overloaded.

Instead, perform one squat every three seconds to prevent overloading your quads and glutes quickly. This calculated approach saves you from exhaustion and can help improve your overall work capacity in the long term.

Feel free to scale this workout according to your current fitness levels. Beginners can add a one-minute rest after completing each round to catch their breath and reset. This ensures their ATP levels are replenished before they jump into the next circuit, allowing them to perform at their best.

How to Incorporate This Workout Into Your Routine

These EMOM workouts are incredibly versatile as they involve minimal equipment and can be done using bodyweight exercises. This allows you to perform this circuit anywhere and at any time, leaving you no excuse to skip a session.

These 15-minute sessions can fit anywhere, morning rituals, lunch breaks, or bedtime flows. Doing them at these times carries its own benefits.

Performing them first thing in the morning can kickstart your metabolism and keep you energized throughout the day. Sneaking an EMOM workout during your lunch can recharge your focus, while doing it before hitting the sack can help you unwind and improve sleep quality.

That said, consistency is the most important factor. Pick a time that you can stick to and do these workouts in those slots religiously to achieve the desired results.

Pair it with Other Habits

Tying these EMOM sessions with daily habits like brushing your teeth or brewing tea can help keep you on track. This track is called habit stacking, and can make exercising automatic and second nature.

Start Small and Scale Intelligently

Many experienced lifters kick off this EMOM challenge by aiming for 20 to 30 reps in their first week. Cranking up the intensity so high during the initial phase can lead to exhaustion and overuse injuries, as your body isn’t ready for this new load.

Start with 10 reps per exercise, aiming for 30 seconds of work and rest. Push to 12 reps and lower your rest duration as you gain more experience.

Stress Busting

These EMOM sessions can also be an incredible way of blowing off steam. Performing this quick workout can clear your head and release endorphins into your bloodstream, making you feel unstoppable and relaxed.

Many of my clients perform this 15-minute circuit whenever they’re feeling stressed and report that it works like magic.

But remember, fitness isn’t just about one epic training session; it’s about showing up regularly. You must stick to the following EMOM circuit for three to five days a week to get the best bang for your training buck.

Thankfully, these 15-minute sessions are crisp enough to fit into any routine, ensuring you never miss a day.

Benefits Beyond the Gym

Each round of this 15-minute EMOM workout comprises exercises like squats, push-ups, and rows, which can help build overall strength and muscle. This can improve your performance in day-to-day activities and sports. The high-intensity format also boosts endurance, helping you train or work harder for longer.

Sticking to this EMOM routine also forges ironclad discipline. Each time you complete the three rounds, you prove to yourself that you can prioritize your fitness, no matter how busy life gets. This consistency also breeds confidence, in the gym and beyond.

I must add that these short workouts are notorious for increasing the risk of overtraining.

Since you can complete this session within 15 minutes, many people aim to do it daily. While this won’t be a problem for the majority of people, it can lead to joint, tendon, and muscle sprains for advanced folks pushing their limits in each session.

Limit these full-body workouts to six sessions a week.

Learn to listen to your body and feel free to take a day off from training if you feel overly fatigued. This is your body telling you it needs more time to recover.

Conclusion

When it comes to making progress in your fitness journey, it’s not usually about time but about training intensity and consistency. This 15-minute EMOM workout delivers on both fronts. Plus, it blends strength and cardio, sculpting your physique while boosting heart health.

Start with training three alternate days a week and slowly increase the volume, intensity, and frequency as you gain more experience. Within six weeks, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. Best of luck!

References:

1. Iversen VM, Norum M, Schoenfeld BJ, Fimland MS. No Time to Lift? Designing Time-Efficient Training Programs for Strength and Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review. Sports Med. 2021 Oct;51(10):2079-2095. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01490-1. Epub 2021 Jun 14. PMID: 34125411; PMCID: PMC8449772.

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