The Amrap fitness technique burns fat faster

The aim of Amrap is to perform as many reps or rounds of an exercise such as squats, within a time limit, to the point of complete exhaustion

IF you are back at the gym and were hoping for a gentle return to fitness, you may be disappointed. The latest approach being adopted by trainers is far from a softly-softly one.

If you haven’t yet heard a personal trainer or gym instructor issue the instruction “Amrap”, then you might before long.

Amrap is an acronym for “as many reps (or rounds) as possible” and the objective is to achieve just that, performing as many reps or rounds of a circuit, within a time limit, to the point of complete exhaustion, leaving you in a sweaty heap on the floor.

A training technique used by athletes, it is gaining popularity for mainstream use, with gym instructors and personal trainers setting the gruelling workout for clients. Matthew Haines, the acting head of sport, exercise and nutrition science at the University of Huddersfield, is studying the effects of the Amrap approach and says it is hard work, but highly efficient.

“A typical Amrap session lasts between give and 15 minutes, but no longer than 30 minutes,” he says. “It’s tough, but it’s over very quickly.”

If you were thinking that it sounds similar to high-intensity interval training, you would be right. However, there are key differences. Unlike HIIT, which involves predetermined bursts of effort and recovery — you might be told to do four flat-out 30-second sprints on a bike with 90 seconds of easy pedalling, for example — an Amrap workout is less prescriptive.

In its most basic form, according to the American Council on Exercise, Amrap involves selecting a single exercise and a time constraint, then just going for it.

“It really can be something as simple as performing a single exercise, such as lunges or press-ups, for as many repetitions as possible within a couple of minutes,” Haines says.

Zana Morris, a fitness trainer in west London, is a big fan. “It really is amazing what you can achieve even in 60 seconds of maximum effort with one exercise,” she says. “It’s a very efficient and effective way of training if you do it right.”

If you are very fit, add weights such as kettlebell swings to your Amrap circuit

If you want something more advanced, you can do an Amrap circuit by deciding on a short series of exercises and a specific number of repetitions for each one, then completing as many “rounds” of the circuit as you can in a set time.

Whereas with HIIT you know your session is over once you’ve completed a fixed amount of sets, with Amrap you just keep going for as long as you can until the timer pings.

“There is no scheduled rest period after each exercise and you move from the last exercise straight back to the first movement,” Haines says. “If you are really fatigued you take a breather, but the idea is to pack in as much as you can.”

Amrap allows you to find your level. You know when you’ve done enough because you simply cannot do any more. For this reason, Haines says, you are working within your fitness limits rather than pushing yourself towards overexertion.

“The good thing is that Amrap workouts can be adjusted according to fitness levels,” he says. “You can make up your own format and time limit.”

Morris says it’s a great way to evaluate your workout. “If you just perform 12 to 15 reps of an exercise and feel as if you could do more when you finish, it is like doing a gentle walk in terms of the fitness gains,” she says.

“But with Amrap you perform an exercise to failure or the point of fatigue, and you have an idea of how you can push past that the next time.”

As you might expect, the more effort you put in, the greater the return. “With HIIT there is strong evidence that it improves blood pressure, blood sugar control and lowers body fat over time,” Haines says. “And while Amrap research is in its infancy, it is likely to produce similar results.”

This style of training is highly effective for fast calorie burning because Amrap uses carbohydrates, stored in the body as glycogen, for fuel very quickly. “The rate at which you use glycogen is impressive,” Haines says. “With all-out effort, there is a rapid turnover of the body’s carb stores.”

Morris agrees. “When you do Amrap with exercises that engage the body’s largest muscle groups, such as squats and burpees, not only does it help you build muscles and become toned more quickly, it is an unbeatable fat-burner,” she says. “Adding weights as you get more confident will bring even greater rewards.”

Amrap is highly effective for fast calorie burning because it uses carbohydrates, stored in the body as glycogen, for fuel very quickly

With self-imposed limits, it’s more likely that you will stick at this workout, Haines says. “Some forms of high-intensity training are so physically challenging they will feel unpleasant, which might make some people less likely to stick with them,” he says. “But with Amrap there are fewer expectations to achieve a certain number of reps as you set your own benchmark, and this might engage people more.”

Of course, it is not for the faint-hearted and it won’t work if you don’t work hard. Morris says her top tip is to start small.

“Set yourself a target of completing as many squats as you can in 60 seconds every day,” she says. “You will be astounded at the changes in your body shape within a matter of weeks. Switching your mindset to Amrap can be physically and psychologically transformative.”

One version of the burpee: (A) Begin in a starting position. (B) Drop into a squat position with your hands on the ground. (C) Jump in a plank position. (D) Do a push up. (E) Return to plank position and back to the squat position. And finally jump up from the squat position.

HOW TO DO THE AMRAP WORKOUT AT HOME

● Start by selecting a single exercise — squats, lunges, push-ups, burpees, tricep dips — and perform as many of that exercise as you can in 60 seconds. Rotate the exercises so you do a different one on different days if you like a bit of variety, otherwise stick to those that use the large muscle groups in the lower body.

● As your fitness improves, pick a circuit of four to five exercises such as squats, push-ups, lunges, plank raises and crunches, and perform 10 of each, moving swiftly on to the next exercise with no break. Aim to complete as many rounds of that circuit as you can in five minutes.

● If you are very fit, add weights and more variety to your Amrap circuit, including sprints (on the spot), kettlebell swings, upright row, bicep curls, single leg squats, weighted squats and lunges, and burpees. Do 12 of each exercise, moving swiftly between each, and aim to complete as many rounds of the circuit as you can in five to seven minutes.

The Times