Tip: Do Metabolic Finishers, EMOM Style

Get your heart rate up for 10 to 20 minutes using EMOM. Here's how it works and why your body will love-hate it.

The Muscle You Might Be Missing

There's a muscle that many strength and size-focused lifters don't think enough about, and that's the myocardium – the heart. It needs regular attention and adequate stimulation as well. Few things you can do in the gym will get your heart pumping (thereby strengthening your myocardium) quite like 10-20 minutes of metabolic finishers.

EMOM

At the end of your regular workout, stoke your metabolic fire with EMOM conditioning. EMOM stands for "every minute on the minute." Here's one way to do it:

  1. Load up the Prowler, a trap bar for farmer's walks, or a sled to pull. You want the load to be heavy enough that you can sustain it for 25 to 30 seconds without busting a gut.
  2. You'll have to adapt to your available space, but at the top of the minute, push, carry or drag the load for about 25 seconds. Take the rest of the minute to recover.
  3. In round 2, push or drag it back to the starting point. Your distance to cover for each round remains the same, but your rest periods will get shorter as you tire.
  4. Repeat for 10-20 rounds. Say bad words between heaving breaths.
Dean Graddon (B Ed, MA) is a high-school teacher and coach with over 20 years' experience working with athletes from such diverse disciplines as swimming, soccer, volleyball, basketball and triathlon. Dean is dedicated to the promotion of health and fitness and loves a good challenge.