A quick post to share my quick gym session today. A bit time-limited so had to get it done fast. Someone in the gym remarked that it looked tougher than what I would usually be doing. I did a 20 minute 4MOM after about 10 minutes of mobility and activation. You may be familiar with EMOM (every minute on the minute) and I have just looked online for explanations, it’s amazing how confused people are about the basics. An EMOM should be a maximum of 30 seconds work followed by 30 seconds of rest followed by the same in the next minute and continuing for 5, 10, 15, 20 minutes. This protocol is a work:rest ratio of 1:1 and research tells us this is the optimal range for most athletic gains including body composition. The 30 seconds of work is MAXIMAL. If you want an idea how tough that really is (if you are doing it properly) try an EMOM for 5 minutes of burpees. Yeah, told you!
As you get fitter you can push the work out to a minute, 90 seconds or even 2 minutes. Even a professional athlete will struggle to output a ratio of 2:2 minutes work:rest if working maximally. And that is what a 4MOM is, 4 minute blocks of work and rest and I did 20 minutes so 5 rounds, hence my description 4MOM20. My Tabata Timer (links below) has about 30 variations of EMOM’s, 2MOM20, 2MOM10, 3MOM15 etc, all designed at a 1:1 work:rest ratio.
So today I did a push loaded exercise followed by a bodyweight pull, bodyweight push and then calories on the Assault Air bike, which looked like this –
- 5 x Thrusters (17.5 kg dumbbells)
- 5 x pullups
- 10 x push ups
- 20 calories (3 rounds, rounds 4 and 5 were 15 – yeah I suck :/ )
On the first round my goal was to get on the bike and see out the 2 minutes after the other 3 exercises and use the cals I got there as the benchmark. It was 20 and on the second round I got to 20 within 2 minutes, round 3 I got to 20 but when I looked up I had run over time. I readjusted and got 15 in round 4 within 2 minutes and the same for the last round.
It was tough. I would put this workout as an intermediate level, using 22.5kg dumbbells or higher and hitting 20 cals every round would be more advanced. If you give it a go remember the standards, Thrusters your butt must get lower than your knees and full extension at the top, full extension at the bottom of the pull ups, chin over the bar and push ups chest to floor not hips!
Lastly this is not a thrashing. Firstly it’s only 20 minutes and half that time you’re resting, secondly it’s structured so that the loading is done when you’re freshest, then 2 bodyweight exercises ending with a cardio emptying – in my mind this workout hits your body in a well structured way eliciting the best hormonal and biomechanical response. Yes it will take you quickly into the “pain cave” but that’s what we have to do sometimes!
Tabata timer links
