I’m going to break from my normal musings and offer something I posted on Exact Fit Personal Training’s Facebook page, which is the business I own.

Here is a training “tip of the day” from Exact Fit!
The AMRAP (the term, humbly borrowed from CrossFit)

The word AMRAP stands for “As Many Rounds As Possible”. You complete a training circuit as many times as you can within a given time frame. For example, a 5 minute AMRAP can be: 5 deadlifts, 10 pull-ups, 10 push-ups. When 5 minutes is up, record your total rounds completed. The beauty of the AMRAP is that you can choose just about any group of exercise or training movements you’d like.

Personally, I like choosing pulling, pushing and pressing movements that may involve full or slight squatting motions. I’ll put weight on a bar and do 5 push presses, 5 upright bar rows and 5 push-ups…or, I’ll do 10 of each. I’ll also increase the rep count, lighten the weight and do the AMRAP for 20-30 minutes. This is an absolute killer…you power through the movements without stopping. Then, you try and beat your rounds completed the next time you do it. I believe the key to fitness (again, thank you CrossFit) is “constantly varied, high intensity, functional movements”. And, the AMRAP is a great way to do this!

The AMRAP combinations you can do are endless and you’re only limited by your own imagination. Some Exact Fit clients may agree (or, “painfully” disagree) that the Stepper AMRAP is the best. This is an Exact Fit “invention”…get on a stepper machine for varying intensities for 3-4 minutes, then jump off and do varying dumbbell and/or bar movements for 3-4 minutes, then get back on the stepper and repeat. Do this for 30-45 minutes…it is an absolute sweat “fest” and will tax you to the very top of your physical limits. When doing the bar/dumbbell movements try and stay away from single muscle movements such as the bicep curl, shoulder raise or tricep extension, etc. These are vanity exercises. You want to do functional movements…ones that create overall body work and core fitness. Squat thrusters, punching movements, Olympic lifts, modified Olympic lifts or any movements that causes the hip to “break” (like squatting) or slight bending of the hip or power movements pushing weight overhead or down toward the floor and back up. You want the body to use dynamic movements to create strength AND power!!!

The mantra among Exact Fit clients is this: “The Stepper AMRAP…it’s no joke, ‘cause in the process, you’ll get smoked!”

ENJOY!!!