~15 min
An EMOM variant where the rep count increases by a fixed amount (usually 1) every minute until you can no longer complete the work within the minute — that's when you 'die.'
How it works
At minute 1, perform 1 rep. At minute 2, perform 2 reps. At minute 3, perform 3 reps, and so on, always starting at the top of the minute. Continue increasing by 1 rep each minute until you fail to complete the prescribed reps before the minute ends — the workout ends there. Score is the last minute successfully completed.
Pros
- Simple, brutal, and highly motivating format
- Naturally finds your ceiling for a given movement
- Great progress-tracking tool (compare 'death by' minute over time)
- No pre-set time cap needed — it self-terminates at failure
Cons
- Can run long if conditioning is very high
- High fatigue accumulation right up to failure — technique risk late in the set
- Not appropriate for heavy/technical lifts due to breakdown risk
Best for
Conditioning benchmarksSimple bodyweight/kettlebell movementsCompetitive test pieces
Examples
- Death by Burpee: 1 burpee minute 1, 2 minute 2, 3 minute 3... until failure
- Death by 10m Shuttle Sprint: add one full shuttle each minute
Notes
A specific, well-known EMOM variant within CrossFit programming; 'Death by Burpee' is the most iconic version.