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The 3-day EMOM workout program to build muscle in minutes

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The Best 30-Minute Chest Workout
Colin Anderson / Getty
The Best 30-Minute Chest Workout
Colin Anderson / Getty

A lean, muscular body comes from training at a quick pace. If you’re training for a stellar physique (as opposed to, say, raw strength), cutting down on unnecessary rest time will heighten your workout’s fat-burning effect, and get you out of the gym faster. The premise is simple: beat the clock to beat your gut.

The three workouts in this program are built around around the concept of EMOM, short for Every Minute On (the) Minute. Workouts that utilize an EMOM protocol are brutally simple, but one of the most effective methods for building a formidable physique. Progress with this program over several weeks, and you’re bound to see gains fast.

How it works

For your main exercise in each workout, you’ll perform each set at the start of every minute. That is, at the :00 mark you’ll begin doing your reps. From the time you’re done until the top of the next minute is all you get to rest. Compare this with the normal procedure of resting a minute (or much more) between sets, and you can see how EMOM sets promote efficiency. So you don’t fatigue too quickly, you’ll perform a low number of reps, which also happens to be ideal for gaining strength and muscle. For instance, you’ll do 10 sets of three in Week 1 of our program, or 30 total reps. As your body’s work capacity improves, you’ll add weight and volume; by Week 4, you’ll be doing 50 total reps with a greater load in approximately the same amount of time.

Directions

Perform each workout (Days I, II, and III) once a week, resting at least a day between each session.

The first exercise in each workout is done as straight sets in EMOM fashion: Begin each set at the start of the minute, and rest for whatever remains of that minute when your reps are done. Begin your next set at the top of the next minute. Exercises marked A, B, and C are done as a triset: Complete one set of A, rest as directed, then one set of B, rest, then C, and rest. Repeat until all the prescribed sets are complete.

When choosing a weight for each day’s EMOM exercises, pick a weight that you think will allow you six reps, but perform only three each set.

Multiple listed rep numbers (e.g., 10, 12, 15, 20) refer to the number of reps you’ll perform in each week. If, for example, you see reps listed as “10, 12, 15, 20,” then perform 10 reps on week 1, 12 on week 2, 15 on week 3, and 20 on week 4.

Routine

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How to build muscle in minutes

The EMOM Workout Program: Day I

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 1 of 7

Barbell Overhead Press

Equipment
Barbell
Sets
10
Reps
3
Rest
EMOM
Exercise 2 of 7

Trap bar deadlift with walk

Equipment
Trap Bar
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 3 of 7

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
10-12 (each side)
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 4 of 7

Leg Extension

Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
12, 15, 18, 20
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 5 of 7

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 6 of 7

Walking Lunge

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 7 of 7

Barbell Rollout

Equipment
Barbell
Sets
3
Reps
10, 12, 15, 15
Rest
30 sec.

How to build muscle in minutes

The EMOM Workout Program: Day II

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 8 of 7

Squat

Equipment
Squat Rack
Sets
3
Reps
3
Rest
EMOM
Exercise 9 of 7

Chinup

Equipment
Pullup Bar
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 10 of 7

Stepup

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12 (each side)
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 11 of 7

Pushup

Equipment
Sets
3
Reps
15, 20, 25, 30
Rest
30 sec.
How to
Exercise 12 of 7

Romanian Deadlift

Equipment
Barbell
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 13 of 7

Seated Dumbbell Curl and Press

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 14 of 7

Kettlebell Swing

Equipment
Kettlebells
Sets
3
Reps
15, 20, 25, 30
Rest
30 sec.

Build muscle in minutes

The EMOM Workout Program: Day III

Exercise
Equipment
Sets
Reps
Rest
Exercise 15 of 7

Weighted Pullup

Equipment
Pullup Bar
Sets
3
Reps
10
Rest
EMOM
Exercise 16 of 7

Goblet Squat

Equipment
Kettlebells
Sets
3
Reps
8-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 17 of 7

Dumbbell Bench Press

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
10-12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 18 of 7

Hanging Leg Raise

Equipment
Pullup Bar
Sets
3
Reps
10, 12, 15, 15
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 19 of 7

Seated Cable Row

Equipment
Lat Pulldown Bar
Sets
3
Reps
8–12
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 20 of 7

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
8–12 (each arm)
Rest
30 sec.
Exercise 21 of 7

Hammer Curl

Equipment
Dumbbells
Sets
3
Reps
10, 12, 15, 15
Rest
30 sec.
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