USING EMOMS IN YOUR NON EMOM WOD

EMOMs, or Every Minute on the Minute(s), are training protocols that we use often in strength work, occasionally for conditioning work. I like using them during “speed” days where our focus is on a bit more volume and that volume being done with SPEED SPEED SPEED. Volume here is referring to the number of repetitions overall and is important to note on the programming side (my job) for individual movements, workout segments like strength session, or the entire training period as a whole aka your hour class. I know for most of you, heck probably all of you, whether a day is a speed day or not doesn’t matter and in a way that is good. I want you to come in with the intent on working hard and moving fast no matter the day.

I say this all the time, that no matter your goals it is important to train with a purpose. Having days where the reps are higher and the weight relatively lower are important to train your body how to apply what we are learning during heavy days for all occasions. One of the bigger knocks on CrossFit is we just throw workouts together with tons of reps and high weight of unsafe, barbell movements with high skill and therefore injure and kill people at a drastic rate. I disagree…no deaths here yet. Like any sport, or anything that takes practice and skill, our training requires us to learn skills and how to apply them in many variations. If we learn how to perform a power snatch really well at heavy weight, there is no doubt that we can learn that same movement with the same good technique (read : safe) at lighter weight and faster repetition. It just takes practice like the heavy, low volume protocol.

EMOMs allow for many benefits in a small period of time. When applying this concept of learned technique and adapting to various performance requirements, the timing allows for focus on a given technical concept. This is why we often do EMOMs with olympic lifting. While it is a shorter time between sets than the standard “Set x Reps” method, I like it because it keeps us “in the zone”. We often times coach you to focus on one or two concepts in a session. This fits perfectly into the EMOM timing, just enough to recover, remember, focus, then perform. I also think there is something to be said for staying in the zone for mental benefit. Rather than wait around for 2, 3, even 4 minutes before doing another set of a lift, all that time thinking about the 15 different cues you’ve heard over the years  just for the setup position, with an EMOM you have to face the beast in under a minute after finishing whether you like it or not. In a WOD/Conditioning segment the same concepts hold true especially in the ability to focus on the technique of the movements.

Now, how can you apply this to a WOD that ISN’T written as an EMOM? Think about it, how often do your coaches tell you about a technique for performing your work being to break it up and set manageable, repeatable rest periods? There is never a time where doing a max effort segment of work with no predetermined set of reps to stop at is better than knowing your limits, staying to them, and repeating this way until you finish or reach a place where you can sprint to the end.

Try and apply this method in the next few days where your WODs are not EMOMs. Find ways to break up the work, especially the more difficult skill movements, that you can repeat. Then set a rest period that you stick to throughout from start to finish, just like you would in a 12m EMOM. Intensity isn’t just from burning yourself out, it’s better served by building and keeping it throughout your work session.

THURSDAY

Strength : Bench Press
3-3-3-3

then Strict Press: 5-5-5

WOD : 12m AMRAP
20 Wall Ball 20/14
20 SDLHP, KB 53/35
2 Wall Climbs