AMRAP: Should You Try It? A Personal Trainer Weighs In
Step into any CrossFit gym and you are bound to hear the acronym “AMRAP,” which stands for “As Many Rounds as Possible” or “As Many Reps as Possible.”
Known in the industry for their versatility and ability to cater to all fitness levels, AMRAPs are ruled by time—you’re racing the clock to perform as many reps or rounds of a predetermined workout as possible. But, this type of workout can lead to risk of injury instead of using more slow and controlled movements to still increase your heart rate and achieve your goal for that session.
If you’re thinking about performing this shedder workout, be careful to prevent injury. Here are fitness tips from Dynamic Fitness & Rehabilitation’s M.A.T. specialist Maurice Harden for planning a safe workout.
Should You Try an AMRAP?
If you’re returning to working out after sports injury or physical therapy, I vote you skip it for now. Talk to a trainer to create a program that’s better suited for you.
If you’ve been out of rehab for a while or have been cleared by a medical trainer, then you may want to add an AMRAP into your workout routine -occasionally.
When mapping out an AMRAP, you can dial the difficulty up or down depending on your needs. You can mix up your exercises to reap different health benefits, shifting your focus between cardio, strength, mobility, flexibility, or a combo. You can also incorporate gentle exercises for warm-ups or if you’re unable to perform high-intensity exercises due to injury or health conditions.
Reps vs. Rounds
When planning out an AMRAP, you first need to determine whether you are going to focus on repetitions of individual exercise or rounds of entire circuits.
You can choose to put only one exercise in your AMRAP, but this will most likely require a shorter time frame. For example, if you perform only pike planks, your body will tire out more quickly than if you’re flowing through several exercises that activate different muscles. When focusing on repetitions of individual exercises, plan a time frame between 10 and 120 seconds.
If you want more of a full-body powerhouse workout, plan a series of exercises to be repeated back-to-back with as little in-between rest as possible. Instead of performing each exercise for a certain length of time, you perform the whole circuit as many times as possible. These circuit rounds require a longer timeframe, ranging from 5 to 20 minutes.
As an example, you could incorporate any (or all) of the following straight-forward exercises into your circuit. For each, start with 30 seconds with a 10 second rest in between:
Squats
Jumping jacks
Walking lunges
Sit-ups
Burpees
Plank jacks or step outs
High knees
Contact our fitness and health experts at Dynamic Fitness & Rehabilitation to start your personal training journey. We’ll do an assessment to create a plan that activates your body's true potential.
Safety First
As with most fitness activities, safety should be your top priority. Your first AMRAP might be your last if you don’t set realistic expectations and listen to your body.
Keep exercises simple to maintain proper form and stay on track without the confusion of needless complexities. If you decide to incorporate more advanced exercises into your routine, be safe by starting slow.
Form Over Speed
High-intensity exercises are pointless without correct form and even more-so if you end up injuring yourself. Start with low intensity movements that will put less strain on your joints than the typical HIIT style AMRAP.
When working out, your body will get tired and your muscles will burn, but don’t allow that to compromise your form. That’s when injuries occur.
Listen to Your Body
If you notice your form falling out of line, STOP and take a break. Don’t overexert yourself to the point of damaging your body. Be realistic and listen to what your body truly needs. Push yourself, but don’t overdo it.
Read More > Injury Prevention
Track Your Progress
Monitoring your progress by recording your performance during specific AMRAPs in a fitness journal or working out with a trainer can help you see your improvements over time. We’ll also help reveal where you need to do some work. This allows you to compete against yourself, the true test of progress.
This is your health journey, your mind, and your body. The only comparisons that matter are between you of yesterday and you of today.
Call (813) 422-5671 to speak with our Dynamic Fitness & Rehabilitation experts who will support you on your journey to a healthier and stronger life.
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Start Your Journey
When you work out, I know you are tempted to gain some serious health benefits in a short amount of time, but there are no shortcuts to your health. If you’re feeling fired up about building an AMRAP routine or two, make sure to keep the above tips in mind. Stick with low-intensity moves to help prevent the risk of injury but still work to elevate your heart rate, increase muscle mass, and improve aerobic capacity.
Not sure where to start? Feeling overwhelmed by the options as a beginner or someone coming back from injury? Our fitness trainers at Dynamic Fitness & Rehabilitation want to help you get fit and feel good, no matter what stage you’re at in your journey. Call (813) 422-5671 to speak to our team today!