Working out in your lunch break can be an excellent way to incorporate exercise into your day. You do need to be clever with your time management, though. Travel time, changing clothes, showering: all of those need to be factored in, unless you’re lucky enough to have a luxurious two-hour break, of course.
To fit it all in – and leave time for some actual lunch – the workout itself needs to be efficient. We’re talking around 30 minutes of quick but effective exercise, so you have plenty of time for everything else.
That’s exactly what the experts at our Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt clubs, David Lloyd Meridian Spa & Fitness, have created: a swift full-body workout that you can easily achieve in your lunch break.
This short but mighty routine uses the EGYM Smart Strength system, which you’ll find in many David Lloyd clubs across the UK and Europe.
“EGYM offers an effective full-body workout that saves time and is specifically designed to strengthen basic muscles and achieve your best training results,” explains Janina, Activities Manager at David Lloyd Meridian Spa & Fitness, Hamburg Am Michel.
Janina has come up with an EGYM routine that works the whole body, moving between different machines to focus on individual areas. “Circuit training is a perfect solution if you’re short on time but still want to do something good for your body,” she says. “Switching between different stations changes up the training stimuli. This type of programme will suit your individual training goals, whether you want to build up muscle or achieve general fitness, weight loss or body toning.”
New to EGYM? Not a problem. Before the initial training session, you can do a simple test to measure flexibility, strength and endurance, as well as body measurements such as body fat, body water and basal metabolic rate.
You’ll notice that we haven’t included the number of reps or the weights in the workout. That’s because the EGYM equipment automatically adjusts to your test results and adapts the training difficulty for each session.
Just 30-35 minutes a day gives you a full-body workout that helps you achieve your training goals with maximum efficiency.
The lunch break workout
Janina has created an EGYM sequence that works the whole body with just three exercises.
EGYM leg press
This exercise strengthens leg muscles for more resilience in everyday life and to prevent muscle loss. Simply push your legs against the resistance of the weighted plate, then return to the start position in controlled movements.
EGYM seated row
Long hours at a desk can lead to hunched posture. Reverse this with the EGYM Seated Row exercise. Start by extending your arms out to grasp the handle firmly, then pull it towards your upper body in a slow, controlled manner. As you pull the handle back, your shoulder blades should squeeze together, keeping your back straight. Keep your elbows tucked close to your body. In the final position, the handle is pulled back, close to your upper body, and your shoulder blades are fully contracted. Return the handle to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner, maintaining tension in the back muscles.
EGYM back extension
The back extension exercise is particularly effective for strengthening the lower back muscles, and improving stability and posture. To avoid injury, it’s important to perform this smoothly while maintaining the correct posture. Start in an upright sitting position with a straight back and relaxed shoulders. Slowly press your back against the padding while stretching the spine to activate your lower back muscles. In the final position, lean your upper body backwards, fully activating your back muscles. Then return to the starting position in a slow, controlled manner, maintaining tension in your back muscles.
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