Short on time but still want to get in a great workout? Look no further than AMRAP workouts. These high-intensity, fast-paced routines will have you burning body fat and toning up in no time.

What are AMRAP Workouts?

The term “AMRAP” stands for “as many reps as possible,” or it can also signify “as many rounds as possible.” Either way, the intensity of these workouts is undeniable. With no breaks and constant movement, they offer a potent fat-burning workout while at the same time promoting strength gains and cardiovascular fitness. That said, since there are no planned breaks (stop to catch your breath only if you have to), each workout is much shorter than a workout that includes rest times.

This type of high-rep training will revolve around doing as many repetitions or rounds of a given exercise as possible, usually within an allotted time. If you’re focused on one exercise, then you’ll do as many repetitions as you can until you literally can’t do another rep. If you’re doing rounds, you’ll do as many repetitions as you can for that round and then move immediately to the next round until your time is up.

What are the Benefits of AMRAP Workouts?

AMRAP workouts have a host of great benefits, such as:

Shock Your System—your body, being the well-oiled machine it is, has no problem getting used to stressors placed on it and adapting. What does this mean for you? It means there will be no “getting used to” this workout. Because there are so many ways to “mix it up,” you could, quite literally, never do the same workout twice.

Ramp Up Your Progress—when you shock your system out of exercise boredom, guess what happens? Your progress can skyrocket! Because your body cannot get acclimated to the same old, same old workout, it is forced to become better, faster, leaner, and stronger.

Use Any Type of Exercise—you can mix it up or make virtually any exercise work for you with an AMRAP workout. From bodyweight exercises to weight training, this workout is so versatile, all that’s required is an iron will to keep going until you can’t go anymore.

Fuel that Afterburn—because AMRAP workouts are high intensity, you’ll continue to burn extra calories long after your workout sesh is over.

Get Stronger—all those reps will pay off over time as well as your body adapts to the stressors and becomes stronger to make it through your tough workouts. Your heart will thank you, too, since this type of workout is not only a great form of resistance training but an exceptional cardiovascular workout as well.

Time-Saving Workouts—want to be efficient and effective? Choose an AMRAP workout. You can dictate the length of your workout to fit within your schedule, but you won’t skimp on results because this type of workout is all work, no play.

Try One of These AMRAP Workouts

While you can do an AMRAP workout with a single exercise (simply keep going until exhaustion or for an allotted time), there are myriad versions that involve rounds of various exercises. Remember, there are no rests/breaks during these workouts, so keep going until you hit the allotted time or rep range. Here are some favorites:

1. The Ultimate Arm AMRAP Workout

Do as many rounds as you can within 20 minutes:

• Alternating Biceps Curls—15 repetitions for each arm
• Triceps Kickbacks—do 15 repetitions with your right arm and then 15 with your left
• Alternating Front Lateral Raises with a Dumbbell—do 15 reps for each arm
• Single-Arm Hammer Curls—do 15 reps with your right arm and then immediately do 15 reps with your left arm
• Dumbbell Triceps Overhead Extensions—start with your right side and do 15 repetitions followed by 15 repetitions with the left
• Dumbbell Side Lateral Raises—simultaneously lift your arms out to the sides to perform 15 lateral raises

2. Butt & Leg Blaster AMRAP Workout

Do as many rounds as you can within 15 minutes:

• Bodyweight Squats—simply squat down with only your body weight and pop back up, repeating until you’ve performed 10 repetitions
• Walking Lunges—complete as many walking lunges as you can for one full minute
• Glute Bridges—drop down onto your back and perform as many glute bridges as you can for one minute
• Side Lateral Lunges—lunge toward the right, return to center, and then lunge toward the left, again returning to center. Repeat until you have completed 10 repetitions on each side

3. Full-Body Blast AMRAP Workout

Do as many reps as you can for 20 seconds, and then move on to the next exercise. Keep cycling through the exercises until you complete a pre-determined workout period (e.g., a 15-minute total workout):

• Diamond Pushups—20 seconds
• Plank—20 seconds
• Kettlebell Swings—20 seconds
• Alternating Forward Lunges—20 seconds
• Crunches—20 seconds
• Pullups—20 seconds
• Battle ropes—20 seconds

4. Cardio AMRAP Workout

Do as many reps as you can during the allotted time. Keep cycling through the exercises until you complete a pre-determined workout time (e.g., a 20-minute total workout).

• Jump Rope—30 seconds
• Burpees—30 seconds
• Jumping Jacks—30 seconds
• Mountain Climbers—30 seconds
• High Knees—30 seconds

You can mix it up and create your own workouts as well. Focus on reps, time, certain body parts, or goals. Just keep it short and intense. While you shouldn’t do an AMRAP workout every day due to the intensity, it’s okay to aim for two to three a week.

And remember to always start with a good warm-up (at least five minutes) so your body is primed and your muscles and joints are warm and ready to go before maxing out your performance. Likewise, remember to cool down and stretch before you get on with your day.

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