Try This Kitchen-Sink AMRAP Workout

You may have heard the term AMRAP, which means “As Many Rounds As Possible” in a given time. However, fitness is not a race.

Too often, many people use the term as they speed through exercises. Eventually, their form starts to fail and they risk injuries. Use a time limit more as a mark of endurance, and you assess your capability to continue an exercise for a given time.

For instance, we did what we call the “Kitchen-Sink AMRAP” this week. This is simply a full-body circuit mixed with upper-body, lower-body, core and cardio exercises to produce a quick, challenging and effective workout when you’re pressed for time.

Warmup

Do a push-up and squat half pyramid 1-10 with 50-meter jogs and some dynamic stretches between sets.

The pyramid looks like this: 1 push-up, 1 squat, easy jog for 50 meters. Then 2 push-ups, 2 squats, easy jog for 50 meters. 3/3, 4/4 and work your way up to 10 push-ups and 10 squats. Your totals for this warmup are 55 push-ups and squats when you stop at 10/10.

AMRAP (As many rounds as possible)

You have 30 minutes to do the following circuit of exercises:

Run 400 meters or bike fast for 2 minutes: Shoot for your goal mile pace if you’re preparing for timed runs. If you want to run a mile in seven minutes, you would strive to run your 400 meters (one lap around a track) in 1:45 and try to keep that window below two minutes if possible (eight-minute mile pace).

After the run or bike, do the following without rest:

Squats: 10

Pull-ups: 5-10 (or dumbbell rows: 10 per arm)

Lunges: 5 per leg

Push-ups: max (do hand release push-ups if you’re in the Army)

Step-ups: 5 per leg

Dips or bench dips: 10-20

Heel raises and toe raises: 10 each (shins)

Crunches or plank: 1 minute

This workout requires minimal equipment and should be easy to recreate just about anywhere. Skip any exercises that you cannot complete due to your abilities or the lack of equipment or facilities. Feel free to add in other exercises to prepare you better for any fitness test.

Cooldown Reverse Push-ups and Squat Half Pyramid

Do the pyramid from 9-1 to complete the full 1-10-1 pyramid. The cooldown looks like this: 9 push-ups, 9 squats, run 50 meters, 8/8, run 50 meters, 7/7, run 50 meters … down to 1 push-up and 1 squat. Mix in some dynamic stretches during this cooldown reverse pyramid as part of the 50-meter jog section. There are 45 total reps of squat and push-ups in this cooldown.

This is a good intermediate-level workout that can be accomplished in roughly 45 minutes when you count the warmup and cooldown sections. You can scale this workout up or down easily, depending on the abilities of the people doing it with you.

Cut the pyramid in half and only go up to five or six. You also can make the AMRAP sections shorter in time, replace the exercises with easier options or decrease the repetitions, if needed.

The same holds true if you want to make it more difficult by extending the AMRAP period, doubling the reps of the warmups or increasing the repetitions of the AMRAP exercises if you prefer.

In the end, you will have a workout that will keep you moving for the entire time, but with built-in recovery as you rest muscle groups as you cycle through the exercises.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you’re looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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