Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 20-Minute EMOM workout packs on muscle from head to toe

Arnold Schwarzenegger may have spent the majority of his bodybuilding days living in the gym, but he understands that us regular folk can’t do that (nor do we want to). Does that mean you can’t still build muscle or get stronger? Absolutely not. In his latest Pump Club newsletter, the Austrian Oak says “consistency” and “intensity” are what leads to results. That’s why he’s shared this shorter 20-minute EMOM workout – it won’t eat too much into your time, but still packs a punch for building muscle and strength.

“If you want to see results, many different programs and exercises work,” Arnold says. “The key to results is consistency and intensity. That’s why EMOM workouts can be a time-efficient approach that forces you to bring intensity to every set. EMOM stands for “every minute on the minute.” The idea is simple: at the start of each minute, you do your set of exercises. Once you finish the reps, you rest for whatever time is left in that minute. When the next minute starts, you go again.”

For this EMOM workout, you can use bodyweight, dumbbells, or even a barbell if you’re in the gym. The format is simple: choose one lower-body move from the list, set a timer for 10 minutes, and complete the specified reps at the start of each minute. Remember, finish early and the rest of the minute is yours to recover. After 10 minutes, pick an upper-body exercise and repeat. Here are your options:

Lower body exercises

• Bodyweight: squats, lunges, or hip raises – 8-12 reps
• Weighted: deadlifts, goblet squats, or leg presses – 6 reps

Upper body

• Bodyweight: pushup, inverted row, or pullups – 8-12 reps
• Weighted: chest press, row, or overhead press – 6 reps

If you're looking for similar workouts like this from Terminator himself, then here's a 20-minute full-body workout for you to try next (dumbbells will be required). Alternatively, for those days you're really tight for time, here's a speedy 10-minute AMRAP from Arnie. Again, slightly different from your normal 'reps and set style', but it packs a muscle-building punch in minimal time.