AMRAP or AMAP workout set is a training term that means “as many reps as possible” or “as soon as possible”.
In the last year or so, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity, and many athletes are interested in using it as a training tool. This short article will explain some of the AMRAP set’s concepts, as well as some of the psychological, programming, and strength benefits, as well as some of the potential menaces.
The AMRAP set, for starters, is a type of powerlifting test that involves a fixed load and a set number of reps. Amrap is an acronym that stands for “as many rounds as possible” or “as many reps as possible.”
A number is always attached after it, this number specifies the number of minutes you have to work. For example, amrap9, this means that you have to complete the circuit for a total of 9 minutes before taking a break. If you’re in a competition, the number of reps or rounds you complete within this time (minutes) will determine your final score
If it is an amrap, you are free to go at your own pace. If the movements are complex, for example, you do not need to go very fast; however, if the movements are mostly body weight, you can go faster. Before beginning an amrap, it is usually a good idea to have a goal in mind.
Physiology:
Because AMRAPs usually consist of more than four reps, they can be used at the end of a volume training block, when adaptation is more likely to occur within that rep range. We will need some time to adjust to the new training methods.
One of the tenets of the leading competition protocol is to prepare the athlete to perform at their best on 1RM. AMRAPs, unlike 1RMs, have little effect on recovery if properly programmed.
We can do AMRAPs more frequently than we can do 1RMs. While some Bulgarian training exponents will tell you that consistent 1RMs are demonstrable, in most cases, iit is heavy singles, not max effort, that are sustainable.
For an AMRAP set, changes from a lifter’s normal technique are not “make or break” moments. The technology is less advanced, making it less likely to rule out technical inefficiency as a cause of poor testing results.
The AMRAP set, like the heavier single, has even more utility and can be carried at an RPE of less than 10 (maximum effort). Not only will performing an athlete’s AMRAP and capping the set to RPE 9 make recovery easier, but it will also provide accurate data on an estimated 1RM.
We are specifically speaking about using them at specified time intervals in general, and Brian Mann recently led research on strength games.
He explains using APRE in his dissertation (Autoregulated Progressive Resistance Exercise). This is most likely one of the reasons for the rise in AMRAP use and interest. Mann follows a similar principle, in which performance above a certain threshold (e.g., 5 extra reps equals +10lbs in training load the following week) necessitates an increase in training load the following week. For more information, see Mann’s research and article.
Ironically, doing AMRAP quite recurrently leads to better recovery than doing it less frequently, owing to athletes’ adaptation to the new training stimulus and the repeated bout effect. Athletes can expect their experiences to adapt to regular AMRAP use after 3 weeks of more frequent use, after which AMRAP will cause fewer recovery deficits.
AMAP sets are also a good way to add a little more volume to your workout. However, it’s more rational to make a case for another set than to add an extra rep to the same set. I can see training protocols where the AMRAP set is moved to a specific RPE, which would alleviate some of the fatigue associated with pushing the AMRAP set to failure.
Psychologically:
If done correctly, an Amap workout can create a positive attitude as a testing tool.
There is dissatisfaction, frustration, and a general sense of failure if we choose a weight for an athlete to perform with 1RM and the athlete devotes to a single test moment after 4-12 weeks.
Is not it all a waste of time? The added benefit is that failure does not always imply that no work has been completed. Athletes can still complete a few reps, though not as many as they had hoped. This sounds like a psychological setback.
In the same vein, In terms of success and performance, having the right mindset, training partner, song, or extra “oomph” can often help you get in just one more rep.
Athletes frequently describe “watershed moments” when they realize they are capable of much more than they previously believed, resulting in a complete re-calibration of their RPE scale.
RPE8 now carries a lot more weight than it did previously. To discover that fact, you might have to put in a hell of a performance on the AMRAP set.
Athletes can mentally prepare in smaller increments by seeing the tests repeated rather than waiting for the larger “do or die” trials at the end of 8, 12, or 16 weeks. Some athletes thrive in a constant testing environment, while others find the mental preparation required to perform at their best each week to be too taxing.
We must fit it into the context of the athlete’s psychology, training experience, and training annual plan, as with most training ideas.
Programming:
AMRAPs can be used to evaluate an athlete’s endurance at a specific training volume. When a lifter falls short of their expected rep range, it could indicate that they are unable to recover from the current volume. This may be an opportunity for the coach to reduce the current volume to aid recovery.
This increase in training max will naturally increase volume, allowing lifters to stay closer to their volume limits for a more effective training effect.
AMRAP is a tool that can be used for both training and testing, but it is still a tool. If you use it incorrectly, it will do more harm than good, just like any other tool.
Hammers are great tools, but they do not do a great job of holding fish. Ensure the AMAP workout is part of a larger training plan that includes devotion, consistency, progress, and an annual plan.
