What Does AMRAP Mean?

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Everything you need to know about AMRAPs, including sample workouts

Co-authored by Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: September 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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What are AMRAP workouts?

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AMRAP Benefits

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AMRAP Workouts

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Starting AMRAPs

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AMRAP Risks

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Related Workout Terms

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AMRAP means “as many reps/rounds as possible.” Essentially, an AMRAP workout is when you try to complete as many reps or rounds of a certain exercise as you can in a certain amount of time. We’ll tell you more about what AMRAP means, the benefits of an AMRAP workout, sample AMRAP routines, how to start doing them, their risks, and similar fitness terms.

AMRAP Meaning

AMRAP stands for “as many reps as possible” or “as many rounds as possible.” An AMRAP workout is one where you complete as many reps or rounds of a certain exercise in a set time. It provides high-intensity cardio and strength training.

Section 1 of 6:

What are AMRAP workouts?

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AMRAP is an acronym that stands for “as many reps as possible.” It’s a high-intensity workout model where you do as many reps of a given exercise as you can in a set amount of time, instead of just finishing a predetermined number of reps. ^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} It also sometimes stands for “as many rounds as possible.” In this case, a “round” is a series of workouts, and you try to cycle through the series as many times as possible. AMRAPs are mostly used for measuring your fitness abilities, but can also be used as rigorous workouts that target specific muscle groups or fitness goals.
- AMRAP workouts can be focused on cardio, strength training, or a mix of the two.
- Sometimes, “AMRAP” is followed by a number, like “AMRAP 4.” This number indicates how many minutes to perform the reps or rounds for.

Section 2 of 6:

AMRAP Workout Benefits

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AMRAPs test and measure your abilities. Primarily, AMRAPs are a way to monitor your fitness progress. Trainers often have you do a round of AMRAPs once to see what fitness level you’re at, then they’ll have you do it again later. By comparing your results, you can see exactly how far you’ve come, and how much further you need to go to reach your goals. ^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
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AMRAPs efficiently target certain muscle groups. AMRAP workouts tend to focus on certain muscle groups or particular outcomes, like faster cardio. When you’re pushing those goals to the limit, you’ll inevitably see more growth and better results. That’s why AMRAPs are a great tool for making progress toward your fitness goals, whether that’s weight loss, muscle growth, or just plain endurance. ^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
3

AMRAPs can adjust to any level of fitness. How many reps you can do will be different than how many someone else can do, and that’s okay! You’ll still be getting a workout of the same intensity when that intensity is maxed out, only your workout will naturally be adjusted for your own body and abilities. That means AMRAPs are useful for both fitness beginners and long-time pros. ^{[4]
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Research source}
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AMRAPs give you both strength and cardio training. AMRAP workouts tend to focus on either cardio or strength, or both. But even when you’re focusing on just one, going all-out makes it a test of stamina and endurance, meaning a cardio workout also starts to train your muscles, and a strength workout starts to train your stamina and cardio abilities. ^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
5

AMRAPs can boost your mental health. You probably already know that physical exercise can improve your mental health and mood, but recent studies suggest that high-intensity workouts like AMRAPs have an even greater effect. ^{[6]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} This could be because the workouts provide a greater sense of accomplishment, or because they produce more stress-busting endorphins than usual. ^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}

Section 3 of 6:

AMRAP Workouts to Try

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Beginner AMRAP workout This workout is a great entry point to the AMRAP style. It uses your bodyweight to provide both strength and endurance training. To do it, set a timer for 10 minutes and perform this cycle of exercises as many times as you can: ^{[8]
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Research source}
- 10 burpees
- 10 pushups
- 30 mountain climbers
- 20 bear crawls strides
- 30 seconds of planking
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Cardio AMRAP workout This is a simple cardio AMRAP to get your body moving and drain your stamina, while giving you short breaks from cardio with basic bodyweight exercises. It’s great for burning calories while building strength in your limbs. Set a timer for 30 minutes, then cycle through this set of exercises as many times as you can: ^{[9]
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Research source}
- Half-mile run
- As many pushups as you can complete:
- As many pull-ups as you can complete
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Strength AMRAP workout This AMRAP workout uses some basic strength training equipment to challenge your upper body, core, and legs without exhausting yourself with cardio. Set a timer for 15 minutes, then cycle through this series of exercises as many times as you can: ^{[10]
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Research source}
- 20 renegade rows
- 20 kettlebell swings
- 10 pushups
- 5 pull-ups
- 20 lunges

Section 4 of 6:

Easing into AMRAP Workouts

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Go slow at first. Yes, the goal is to see how many reps or rounds you can do, but you’re only competing against yourself! Those reps won’t have good form or maximal benefits if they’re sloppy, and you may end up injuring yourself if you’re in a rush. ^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Take it easy, perform each exercise thoughtfully, and don’t think of it as a race.
- Instead, think of AMRAPs as simply a measuring tool to see what your body can do.
- To start, go for a workout that lasts 30 minutes or less, and gradually add 1 minute at a time each time you perform the workout.
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Measure your progress. Each time you complete an AMRAP workout, record how many reps or rounds of each workout you completed. This way, you can compare it to how many you completed last time, and how many you will complete next time in order to track your progress. ^{[12]
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Research source}
- Keep a workout notebook where you record this. Also record how you felt during and afterward, like if you were tired, energized, or anything else.
3
Avoid doing AMRAPs as your regular workout routine. AMRAPs aren’t meant to be your daily workout routine. They’re much too high-intensity, may lead to injury, and there are diminishing returns if you don’t let yourself rest. ^{[13]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Try an AMRAP once a week, and do less-intense workouts on off days.
- Also, stop doing AMRAPs if any part of your body hurts or starts to function unusually.

Section 5 of 6:

Risks of AMRAP Workouts

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AMRAPs can lead to fatigue-related injuries. AMRAPs push you hard by design. If you’re not careful, they may push you too hard, causing muscle fatigue and stress, which makes you more susceptible to injuries like muscle tears or joint sprains. ^{[14]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} That’s why it’s important to go slow and listen to your body, even when you’re trying to push yourself.
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AMRAPs can make you more sore than usual. If you work your muscles too hard, they can get more sore than usual. ^{[15]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} When they’re more sore than usual, you might have to wait longer in between workouts while you recover.
- To avoid this, stretch before and after your workout to warm up and wind down your muscles.
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AMRAPs could lead to metabolic illnesses. If you perform too many AMRAPs, or push yourself too hard, your muscles may get overly stressed. When this happens, the proteins in your muscles might break down, which can lead to greater problems in your metabolic pathways, like kidney damage. ^{[16]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Again, it’s important to only do AMRAPs occasionally, like once a week, rather than every day.

Section 6 of 6:

Related Workout Terms

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EMOM This means “every minute on the minute.” It’s a workout method where you perform a given exercise within a minute, then start it again or move on to the next workout once the minute is over. It’s meant to help you do a high-intensity workout while pacing yourself and keeping up your momentum. ^{[17]
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Research source}
- For example, your EMOM workout might look like 1 minute of lunges, 1 minute of push-ups, 1 minute of sprints, and so on.
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HIIT This stands for “high-intensity interval training.” In a nutshell, HIIT workouts are where you perform at a high intensity for a given span of time, like sprinting for 3 minutes, doing pushups for 2 minutes, etc. ^{[18]
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Research source} There are many different kinds, and both AMRAP and EMOM are kinds of HIIT.
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LISS This stands for “low-intensity sustained state,” and is sort of the inverse of HIIT. With LISS workouts, the aim is to do an easy-to-moderate workout for a long period of time. They help keep your heart rate up without overstraining your body, and are great for off days or people with chronic injuries. ^{[19]
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Research source}
- Examples of LISS workouts include walking, light jogs, casual swimming, or most other workouts done at a slower, less-intense pace.

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What Does AMRAP Mean?

AMRAP Meaning

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What are AMRAP workouts?

AMRAP Workout Benefits

AMRAP Workouts to Try

Easing into AMRAP Workouts

Risks of AMRAP Workouts

Related Workout Terms

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