AMRAP – Pushing Your Body’s Limits
For me, AMRAP is somewhat of a new term for a somewhat common action in the gym. AMRAP stands for “As Many Reps/Rounds As Possible”. I would consider myself a “gym girl” who has tried loads of different workouts ranging from tabata, kickboxing, pilates, HIIT, etc, so hearing about AMRAP I was intrigued on exactly what it is and how/why people are incorporating it into their workout routine and I am going to share with you the information I have found.
For the people who despise having dedicated cardio days (me, me, and me), AMRAP is going to be your next best friend. How AMRAP works is that you are completing the most amount of reps or rounds in a given amount of time, usually for a minimum of two exercises. And the greatest thing about it is you are working at your own pace.
Before I began fully researching and writing this article, I wanted to test out doing AMRAP in my workout routine, so I replaced it for my cardio workout. For reference, on my “cardio” days I do a 25 minute cardio warmup, followed by HIIT (usually around 20-30 minutes), and end with 10 minutes more of cardio. Instead of doing alllll that, I did a 10 minute warmup, 30 minutes AMRAP, and ended with 10 minutes cardio. I also figured that because I do HIIT on a regular basis this should be a breeze, but I was definitely wrong. For most of my workouts I am fixated on doing a set number of reps for a set number of rounds and overtime increasing the weight in order to track my progress. AMRAP is kind of the opposite way around. You are doing as many reps or rounds as possible in a given amount of time, which makes tracking your progress easier. For example, in 5 minutes I completed three rounds, 8 reps each, of four different exercises.
AMRAP is also extremely versatile. You can AMRAP with weights (I recommend light weights because you’re aiming for high reps), you can do AMRAP with the stair master, or other small exercises like crunches, sit-ups, etc.
Now, the “why” for doing AMRAP is simple. Although AMRAP is not the same as HIIT, it is still considered a high intensity workout, even if the exercises are low intensity. Therefore, our bodies metabolism is working in overdrive causing stress on our muscles that’ll eventually lead to muscle growth. You’ll also notice that the burning sensation you get when completing an exercise will lessen as your body becomes stronger and you’ll be able to last longer without needing a rest.
Another great thing about it is it increases your post-exercise oxygen consumption or (EPOC). This means that after you have completed your workout, your body will continue to burn calories at rest. The more oxygen you need during your workout, the longer your body takes to recover and replenish.
Here’s a beginners AMRAP workout to get you started:
Complete each exercise for 8 reps, as many rounds as you can, in five minutes.
Plank jacks
Dolphin push ups
Crunches
Bicycles
Do this set (or something similar) weekly and track your progress. I like to do AMRAP sets with two high intensity exercises and two low-medium intensity exercises.