You have probably gathered that I love simplicity. IMHO, some of the most effective fitness and longevity hacks lie in the simplest things!
In the Athletic Aging Weekly Workout series, we have explored different movement types, different weight and repetition schemes, and isometric and dynamic movements.
Today, we are going to manipulate something else that is exquisitely simple, and that is, time!
How the Time Domain Changes the Stimulus
In functional training, we often see the same workout structured in different time formats. Two of the most common are:
AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) within a fixed time
EMOM (Every Minute(s) on the Minute), where work begins at the top of each minute
At first glance, these workouts may look identical. The same exercises, the same loads, and even the same total potential volume might be programmed. But research suggests that the structure of time and rest alone can meaningfully change the physiological stimulus of a workout.
The Physiology of the Clock
Exercise scientists often distinguish between external load and internal load.
External load: the measurable work performed (reps, sets, weight, distance).
Internal load: how the body responds (heart rate, lactate, oxygen consumption, perceived exertion).
When we change the time domain of a workout, we often keep the external load the same, but we change the internal load.
A recent study examining high-intensity functional training compared two workouts that used the same movements and similar total volume but were structured differently: one performed for time and the other as an EMOM session.
The results were striking. The “for time” structure produced:
Higher heart rate
Greater oxygen consumption
Higher blood lactate
Higher ratings of perceived exertion
In contrast, the EMOM version produced a lower metabolic and cardiovascular strain, likely because the built-in rest intervals prevented fatigue from accumulating as quickly.
The clock changed the physiological demand of the workout even though the exercises were the same.
Different formats can be used strategically
AMRAP-style workouts
Improve work capacity
Build metabolic conditioning
Challenge pacing and mental resilience
EMOM-style workouts
Maintain technique under fatigue
Manage joint stress and recovery
Allow higher-quality repetitions
Changing these formats across training weeks can create variety in stimulus without constantly increasing load or volume.
So, sometimes the smartest programming change isn’t heavier weights or different movements—it’s simply changing the clock.
This week, we have 2 workouts to try! Same movements, same repetitions, same weights and options. But what changes over these two workouts is the time domain. Try these two workouts on separate days and see if you feel the difference!
Workout 1
Warm Up
AMRAP 7 (As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes). Perform each movement in sequence for as many rounds of all 4 movements as you can do in 7 minutes.
10 up-downs
10 air squats
10 ab mat or traditional sit ups
Movement Practice
Movement options
Row substitution: 10 burpees, 12 calorie air bike, 250m on the treadmill, 75 single under jumprope.
Dumbbell Thruster substitution: 10 goblet squats (holding a weight), 10 squat jumps, 20 air squats
V-Up substitution: Review the VIDEO for modifications of the V-up. Can also substitute the Ab Mat sit-up or traditional sit-ups.
Select weights/options that you can do the movements unbroken, EXCEPT for the V-ups. These are intended to be difficult with the need to break up the 24 repetitions.
Each round should take around 4-5 minutes to do, with 2-3 minutes of rest before the 7-minute interval finishes. Select your options accordingly.
Workout
E7MOM x 3 - EVERY 7 minutes x 3 sets. Set a clock for 7 minutes x 3 rounds. When the clock starts, perform each movement in sequence. Record your finish time. Rest for the remainder of the 7-minute interval. Repeat when the next interval clock starts.
12 Calorie Row
10 Dumbbell thrusters
24 V-ups (ok to break up into smaller sets with brief rest in between)
10 dumbbell thrusters
12 Calorie Row
SCORE: Total time working (Log your finish time for each of the 3 rounds). The lower the number, the better the score!
…. for a different day, do the same warm-up and keep the same movement options that you did for the 7:00 interval workout. Now try it as an AMRAP!
AMRAP 15 (As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes)
12 Calorie Row
10 Dumbbell thrusters
24 V-ups (ok to break up into smaller sets with brief rest in between)
10 dumbbell thrusters
12 Calorie Row
SCORE: Total number of rounds and reps. ** See how it compares to you E7MOM workout!
Cool Down
Team… regardless of which workout you did, your body needs some post-workout love to help jump-start your recovery. Check out this 20-minute full-body, deep stretch and nervous system reset from Five Parks! #dontskiptheyoga
Full-Body 20-minute Deep Stretch Yoga from Five Parks
References
Smith JS, et al. The physiological responses to volume-matched high-intensity functional exercise protocols with varied time domains. Front Physiol. 2025.
Maté-Muñoz JL, Lougedo JH, Barba M, et al. Cardiometabolic and Muscular Fatigue Responses to Different CrossFit® Workouts. J Sports Sci Med. 2018;17(4):668-679.
Buchheit M, Laursen PB. High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle: Part I: cardiopulmonary emphasis. Sports Med. 2013;43(5):313-338.
Buchheit M, Laursen PB. High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle. Part II: anaerobic energy, neuromuscular load and practical applications. Sports Med. 2013;43(10):927-954.
Feito Y, Heinrich KM, Butcher SJ, Poston WSC. High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT): Definition and Research Implications for Improved Fitness. Sports. 2018;6(3):76.
TAKING NEW CLIENTS!
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This Just Dropped……
Hard Conversations in the Menopause Transition: Hormones, Testing, GLP-1s and what’s “Ideal” Now
This week we welcome back our resident reproductive endocrinologist and menopause specialist, Dr. Carla DiGirolamo, for another candid conversation. We pull back the curtain on Carla’s own menopause experience—how she navigates her symptoms, what she’s learned, and what she practices herself. We also dig into the hard conversations so many of us are having as we navigate this ever-evolving space, and how years of working closely with active midlife women have shaped her thinking on hormone therapy, GLP-1 medications, testosterone, hormone testing, and what actually moves the needle for athletic women in the transition.
Great info. I'm going to try the 10 minute workout today.