3 Types Of High Intensity Conditioning: HIIT, Complexes, EMOMs

When people think about High Intensity Training, they almost always think about HIIT. HIIT is great, but it’s not the only type of high-intensity conditioning you can use in your program.

These different conditioning workouts all utilise similar formats that encourage intense training; however, they can be used for slightly different goals: fat loss, anaerobic conditioning, increased work capacity, maximal strength endurance, and more.

In this article, we’re going to break down 3 types of high-intensity training: HIIT, EMOMs, and Barbell Complexes. If you want to add intensity to your training but want more options than just, check out this article!

What Is Anaerobic Conditioning?

Anaerobic conditioning is high-intensity training that relies primarily on energy systems that do not require oxygen for immediate energy production. This helps improve power output, fatigue resistance, and high-output performance at maximal intensity (Plisk, 1991).

You have two anaerobic metabolic systems that produce ATP (energy) in the absence of oxygen. These include;

• The ATP-PC system for short, explosive efforts, e.g., sprinting, maximal lifts, and vertical jumps.
• The glycolytic system for efforts lasting roughly 15–90 seconds, e.g., 400m sprint, 10-rep squats, circuit training.

These are the systems used for power when you sprint, push a sled, perform heavy deadlifts, or complete high-effort circuits.

Unlike steady-state cardio, anaerobic conditioning:

• Causes rapid fatigue
• Produces significant lactate accumulation
• Elevates heart rate aggressively
• Requires structured recovery

What Are The Benefits Of Anaerobic Conditioning?

Anaerobic conditioning improves speed, power, repeated sprint ability, metabolic efficiency, and work capacity. It also provides time-efficient cardiovascular training.

When programmed properly, anaerobic conditioning can:

• Improve explosive strength and power.
• Increase tolerance to metabolic stress.
• Raise lactate threshold
• Improve VO₂ max
• Enhance recovery between high-effort bouts.
• Increase calorie expenditure per minute.

This means being able to do more work at maximal intensity without dying!

Overall, Anaerobic conditioning’s primary goal is to;

1. Increase work capacity at high-intensity levels. 
2. Increase the ability to exert maximal force continuously or repeatedly.
3. Maximize recovery quickly after full efforts.

We’re going to look at three types you can use in your programming depending on your needs.

What Is HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)?

HIIT is built around one key principle: incomplete recovery.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) alternates short bursts of near-maximal effort with short recovery periods. The goal is to maintain high intensity while preventing full recovery between intervals; just enough to continue.

A typical HIIT interval might look like:

• 20–30 seconds all-out
• 30–60 seconds recovery

The shorter recovery doesn’t allow the replenishment of your creatine stores or for your physiological systems (heart rate, breathing) to return to baseline.

As a result:

• Heart rate remains elevated.
• Glycolytic contribution increases
• Metabolic stress accumulates
• Fatigue builds across rounds.

That cumulative stress is the ultimate goal of HIIT training.

How Do You Use HIIT?

HIIT is performed using short, high-intensity efforts (10–60 seconds) followed by brief rest periods (Gist et al., 2014). 

A single HIIT workout is usually 10-15 minutes due to the high physiological demand. However, it can go higher, or some athletes will use multiple workouts.

It can be performed using just about anything.

• Sprinting
• Dumbbells
• Assault bike
• Rowing
• Sled pushes
• Bodyweight circuits

For most people, 2–3 sessions per week is sufficient. More than that can interfere with recovery, especially if strength training is also being performed.

What Are The Benefits Of HIIT?

HIIT improves anaerobic capacity, increases metabolic stress, enhances cardiovascular fitness, and provides a time-efficient conditioning method.

Because of its intensity, HIIT:

• Improves short-duration power output 
• Increases oxygen utilization
• Enhances mitochondrial signaling
• Elevates post-exercise oxygen consumption
• Improving muscular power
• Provides significant conditioning in a limited time (Girard et al., 2018 & García-Pinillos et al., 2017)

It is particularly effective for individuals who want conditioning without committing to long-duration cardio sessions. This is one of its primary benefits for lifters, as it can provide cardiovascular benefits without requiring long cardio sessions.

Within the general public, it’s used for fat loss due to its high effectiveness (Kolnes et al., 2021).

However, it’s crucial to remember that HIIT is not moderate exercise but very intense. By the end of the workout, you should need some time to recover. If you don’t, you need to go harder!

Now, if you’re a beginner, you can ease into it. However, you won’t get the benefits just from using intervals; you must train hard during those intervals.

Examples Of HIIT Training

Common HIIT workouts include sprint intervals, bike intervals, kettlebell HIIT, rowing sprints, and high-intensity bodyweight circuits performed with short rest periods.

Sprint Intervals

• 20 seconds sprint
• 40 seconds walk
• 10–15 rounds

Assault Bike

• 30 seconds hard
• 30 seconds easy
• 10–15 rounds

Bodyweight Circuit

• 40 seconds burpees
• 20 seconds rest
• 10 rounds

HIIT training is awesome and can be highly effective when used appropriately. That’s why we incorporate aspects of HIIT into all of our fat-burning workouts. We pair HIIT with Strength Training and Circuit training to target Fat Loss from all angles.

If you want a highly effective Fat Loss Program with HIIT Training, check out our Fat Loss Programs!

What Are Complexes?

Combining strength training and conditioning into a single continuous effort, these are highly effective at improving metabolic strength, maximizing prolonged output, and overall performance.

A complex is a sequence of exercises performed consecutively with the same piece of equipment and no rest between movements. This usually involves compound barbell or dumbbell movements.

Complexes generally consist of 4-6 exercises, performing 5-10 reps per exercise. That means 1 set will usually consist of 30-50 reps. That’s intense.

This muscular strength and cardiovascular workout creates:

• Continuous muscular tension
• Elevated heart rate
• Significant glycolytic stress
• Grip and trunk stability are heavily taxed.
• Local muscular fatigue

They are especially effective during fat-loss phases or when training time is limited, but strength stimulus is still desired.

What Are The Benefits Of Complexes?

While not complex-specific, a large meta in 2025 looked at “Metabolic Resistance Training,” which includes various protocols similar to a Barbell Complex.

As you’d expect, it found this style of training produced significant improvements in multiple health and performance variables (Tongwu & Chuanwei, 2025)

1. Strength Endurance: You’re performing repeated loaded movements under fatigue. That improves the ability to sustain force output over time.

2. Conditioning With Load: Unlike sprint-based HIIT, complexes condition the body while under external resistance. That’s valuable for athletes who need both strength and conditioning.

3. Work Capacity: Complexes increase your ability to handle more total work in a session without excessive rest.

4. Efficiency: They allow you to combine strength training and conditioning into one structured block.

5. Fat Loss. Complexes are very effective as a conditioning workout during fat loss phases to maintain mass.

Examples Of Complex Training

Since you use the same load for all the exercises, try to arrange the exercises to start with the lightest movement. Base the weight used on that exercise, and by the time you get to the strongest exercise, you’re fatigued.

At the same time, try to order them so that it makes sense movement-wise. It can’t be perfect, but you want the complex to be efficient. We’ll show you a barbell complex example.

Barbell Complex Example

• 6 Bent-Over Rows (Lightest and Upper Body)
• 6 Deadlifts (Hip Hinge. A strong movement, but the bar still hangs in front)
• 6 Hang Cleans (Power movement bringing the barbell to the rack position)
• 6 Push Press (Upper)
• 6 Front Squats (Finish with lower body)
• Rest 90–120 seconds
• Repeat 3–5 rounds

Dumbbell Complex Example

• 8 Romanian Deadlifts
• 8 Dumbbell Rows
• 8 Thrusters
• 8 Reverse Lunges (each leg)
• Rest 90 seconds
• Repeat 3–4 rounds

Kettlebell Complex Example

• 10 Swings
• 8 Cleans (each side)
• 6 Front Squats
• 6 Push Press
• Repeat 3–5 rounds

Using the Mace for complexes is another awesome workout!

If you’re just getting into Mace Work, check out our training guide that will teach you everything you need to know!

What Is An EMOM?

EMOM stands for “Every Minute On the Minute.” 

They’re workouts that require completing a prescribed amount of work at the start of each minute. Any remaining time in that minute counts as rest before the next round begins.

EMOMs differ from HIIT in that the rest period is not fixed but rather depends on how quickly you complete the work.

• If you finish in 35 seconds, you get 25 seconds of rest.
• If you take 50 seconds, you only get 10 seconds.

This format naturally regulates intensity. If you slow down, recovery shrinks. That forces pacing, efficiency, and intensity; if you slack during the work interval, you cut down your recovery time.

For example:

• Minute 1: 12 kettlebell swings
• Minute 2: 10 push-ups
• Minute 3: 12 goblet squats
• Repeat for 15–20 minutes.

Unlike HIIT, which uses the clock as the finish line, EMOM uses the clock as an external stimulus to get the reps done.

They are extremely demanding but also predictable. This makes EMOM a great tool for structured programs.

What Are The Benefits Of EMOM Training?

EMOMs are useful for:

• Building strength endurance
• Optimizing anaerobic conditioning
• Practicing movement quality under fatigue
• Controlling training density
• Maintaining structure without randomness

EMOMs improve training, conditioning, pacing control, work density, and strength endurance by structuring work within fixed time intervals. As we mentioned, this pushes intensity, creating several training benefits.

1. Built-In Intensity Regulation: If you slow down, your rest decreases, which forces output. At the same time, it can also teach pacing as you progress (de-Oliveira et al., 2014).

2. Improved Work Capacity: You’re performing a fixed amount of work in a fixed time window. Over weeks, you can increase total reps or load without increasing session length.

3. Technical Practice Under Fatigue: Because sets repeat frequently, EMOMs reinforce movement efficiency.

4. Structured and Progressive Overload. Unlike HIIT or even circuits, EMOMs are structured and measurable.  This makes it easier to apply progressive overload and measure improvements (Chaves et al., 2024).

• Week 1: 5min EMOM performing 10 push-ups
• Week 2: 5min EMOM performing 12 push-ups
• Week 3: 5min EMOM performing 15 push-ups

6. Improving Muscular Endurance: Research has shown that using EMOMs in strength training can significantly improve muscle strength endurance (Wibowo et al., 2022).

Examples Of EMOM Training

EMOMs can be used no matter your training goals. That said, in the world of strength training, EMOMs are the most dominant conditioning protocol.

Many Strongman athletes use EMOMs because they must exert high levels of force in continuous, repeated efforts.

In terms of exercises, EMOMs can be used with anything and are largely dependent on your goals.

Basic Conditioning EMOM (12 Minutes)

• Minute 1: 15 Kettlebell Swings
• Minute 2: 12 Push-Ups
• Minute 3: 15 Air Squats
• Repeat cycle 4 times

Anaerobic Conditioning EMOM (10 Minutes)

• Minute 1: 3 Front Squats
• Minute 2: 5 Pull-Ups
• Alternate for 10 total minutes
• This keeps intensity high without long rest periods.

Strength EMOM (5 Minutes)

• Minute 1: 3 Reps 85% 1RM Squat or Push Press
• Rest For The Remaining Minute
• Repeat each minute

Sprint EMOM (8–12 Minutes)

• Minute 1: 12 Calorie Assault Bike
• Rest the remaining time
• Repeat each minute
• The goal is to finish in 30–40 seconds consistently.

Final Say On Anaerobic Conditioning 

All three methods above train the anaerobic system, but they apply stress in different ways.

• HIIT emphasizes maximal intensity and incomplete recovery.
• Complexes combine resistance training and conditioning into one continuous loaded effort.
• EMOMs structure work around time density and performance pacing.

This variety means every trainee has an option to include in their training. Endurance athletes, strength athletes, obstacle racing, MMA fighters; whatever your goal is with training, one of these high-intensity conditioning workouts will help get you there faster. 

FAQ: 3 Types Of High Intensity Conditioning — HIIT, Complexes, and EMOMs

1. What’s the difference between HIIT, Complexes, and EMOMs?

All three train the anaerobic energy systems, but they apply stress differently.

• HIIT uses short, near-maximal efforts with incomplete recovery to maximize cardiovascular and metabolic stress. 
• Complexes combine multiple resistance exercises back-to-back without setting the weight down, blending strength and conditioning.
• EMOMs structure work inside fixed time intervals (“Every Minute On the Minute”), emphasizing pacing, density, and repeatable output.

2. Which method is best for fat loss?

All three methods will definitely contribute to supporting fat loss, but through slightly different mechanisms.

• HIIT maximizes calorie burn per minute and elevates post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
• Complexes create high muscular tension and metabolic stress under load, helping preserve lean mass during a deficit.
• EMOMs increase training density, allowing you to perform more work in less time.

For most lifters, combining strength training with either HIIT or complexes produces the best results. The key is intensity plus consistency — not just sweating more.

3. How often should I perform high-intensity conditioning?

Because anaerobic conditioning is neurologically and metabolically demanding, most trainees benefit from 2–3 sessions per week. Doing more can:

• Interfere with strength recovery
• Increase joint stress
• Reduce performance in heavy lifts

If you’re also lifting heavy 3–5 days per week, use conditioning strategically — not daily. High intensity works because it’s intense, not because it’s constant.

4. What’s the best high-intensity training for strength athletes?

For many strength athletes, EMOMs provide unique benefits that are especially beneficial for them. EMOMs allow:

• Measurable progressive overload
• Consistent bar speed and rep targets
• High force production with controlled fatigue

Unlike traditional HIIT, EMOMs can use heavy compound lifts while keeping structure tight. That’s why they’re common in strength sports and strongman-style conditioning. If your priority is maintaining maximal strength while improving conditioning, EMOMs often integrate more cleanly into structured programs.

5. Do beginners need anaerobic conditioning?

Most programs ignore anaerobic conditioning, but that doesn’t mean beginners should.

Improving anaerobic capacity:

• Increases work capacity
• Improves recovery between sets
• Enhances power output
• Raises lactate threshold

However, beginners should start conservatively and gradually increase intensity:

• Lower total rounds
• Use moderate loads
• Use longer recovery windows

Build technical proficiency first, and then you can begin to layer in structured stress using HIIT, complexes, or EMOMs.

References

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