AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible)
A set performed to get as many repetitions as possible with a given weight.
Updated
AMRAP sets are performed until you cannot complete another rep with proper form, or within a specified time frame. In strength training, AMRAP sets help gauge progress and determine training maxes. In CrossFit, AMRAP often refers to completing as many rounds of exercises as possible within a time limit. They provide objective data for tracking improvement.
The two meanings of AMRAP
AMRAP means one of two things depending on where you see it. In a strength programme it means as many reps as possible: one set at a fixed weight, continued until you cannot complete another good rep. In CrossFit-style and circuit training it means as many rounds as possible, so AMRAP 10 means you have 10 minutes to complete as many rounds of a set circuit as you can, and your score is the rounds and extra reps you finish.
AMRAP sets in strength programmes
They usually come as the last set of the main lift, often written with a plus sign: 5+ means at least five, then as many more as you can manage with good form. The point is information. If you get 100kg for 8 reps, the common Epley formula, weight multiplied by one plus reps divided by 30, estimates a one-rep max of about 127kg, which can set the next block's loads without ever testing a true single. Comparing AMRAP results at the same weight across weeks is also a straightforward measure of progress.
Timed AMRAP workouts
A typical AMRAP 10 might be 5 pull-ups, 10 press-ups and 15 air squats, repeated for 10 minutes. You record something like 7 rounds plus 12 reps, then repeat the same workout a few weeks later to compare. Pacing matters more than people expect: the first round should feel easy, and steady rounds of similar speed almost always beat a fast start followed by long rests. Scale the movements so that every rep still meets the standard.
Common mistakes
Treating every set as an AMRAP, which piles up fatigue that the rest of the programme then has to pay for. Taking heavy squats or bench press to a grinding failure without safeties; an AMRAP set should stop at the last rep you can complete with good technique. And letting range of motion shrink in a timed workout to push the score up, which makes it useless for comparison.
Examples
- AMRAP set after main work sets
- 10-minute AMRAP of burpees, pull-ups, squats
- Final set taken to technical failure
Related Terms
Compound exercises
Put this into practice with exercises from the library.
Dumbbell Floor Press
Powerlifting · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Incline Row
Strength · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Lunges
Strength · Dumbbell
Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press
Strength · Dumbbell
Dumbbell One-Arm Upright Row
Strength · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Raise
Strength · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Rear Lunge
Strength · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Seated Box Jump
Plyometrics · Dumbbell
Common questions
What is AMRAP?
A set performed to get as many repetitions as possible with a given weight. AMRAP sets are performed until you cannot complete another rep with proper form, or within a specified time frame.
What exercises train the AMRAP?
Good options include Dumbbell Floor Press, Dumbbell Incline Row, Dumbbell Lunges, Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press, Dumbbell One-Arm Upright Row. Each links to a step-by-step guide with demonstration images.
What are examples of AMRAP?
AMRAP set after main work sets; 10-minute AMRAP of burpees, pull-ups, squats; Final set taken to technical failure.
Put it into practice
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A 12-week, four-day hypertrophy plan in three phases, with a modest calorie surplus