How to Exercise During Your Lunch Break
Emphasize intensity over length of time., Ditch stretches as part of your warm up., Try high-intensity circuit training., Try the stairs., Take advantage of resources at work., Don't overdo it.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Emphasize intensity over length of time.
A shorter workout can be just as effective as a longer one if you amp up the intensity.
Generally, this means using greater resistance or completing repetitions more quickly.The easiest way to build an effective lunchtime workout is to take a routine you normally do and tighten it up.
For example, if you have a strength-training routine that normally takes 40 minutes to complete, increase resistance and decrease the number of reps you do of each exercise so the same routine only takes 15 or 20 minutes.
Make sure you're doing exercises with which you're familiar.
Your lunch break is not the time to learn new moves, and doing an exercise incorrectly can result in injury.
Focus on exercises that work more than one muscle group over exercises that isolate particular muscles.
This will enable you to get a whole-body workout in less time. -
Step 2: Ditch stretches as part of your warm up.
You may be accustomed to stretching for five or ten minutes, but if your entire workout is only 15 or 20 minutes this is typically a waste of time.
While you do need a brief warm-up, you typically don't need to do any elaborate stretching.You do, however, want to make sure you're warming up the muscles you'll be exercising adequately.
Taking five minutes or so at the beginning of your routine to jog in place or do some crunches or side bends can be an effective warm up.
You can shave minutes off your routine by multi-tasking as well.
For example, if your office is several stories up, taking the stairs can provide a warm-up — especially if you're going to do cardio or work on strength-training your legs. , Circuit training is a series of exercises that are performed rapidly, then repeated.
For example, jumping jacks one minute, push-ups one minute, squats or lunges one minute, sit ups one minute.
After a brief rest, then you repeat the entire series once or twice.
It is the repetition of the exercise sequence which gives it the name, "circuit."Intervals vary from 20 seconds to usually two minutes or less.
A circuit does not necessarily have a cardio or resistance element — although it is a good idea to include these things.
You might try brief burst of intense resistance training, followed by a brief burst of cardio, followed by another interval of resistance training focused on a different muscle group.
Circuits can be modified to work different muscles — just make sure you are not working the same group of muscles back-to-back.
For instance, don't follow push-ups with another exercise that focuses on upper body — do lower body exercise, like squats, instead.
This gives your arms a chance to rest briefly.
If you've never attempted circuit training before, you may want to watch videos or sit in on an exercise class first so you can get an idea of how the method works and how to pace yourself. , People often feel self-conscious exercising in front of others, at least at first.
The stairwell is a great place for lunchtime exercises.
It is usually cooler, more private and lends itself naturally to exercising.
You can walk, jog, or even sprint the stairs as well as incorporating some bodyweight exercises to strength train.
Use caution while exercising on the stairs, as falling on or down stairs can cause serious injury.
Think about your fitness level and decide whether or not you can safely complete these exercises. , Some office complexes have gyms in the building.
Other employers provide discounted memberships to employees at a local gym.
If you have these options available to you, they can save you significant time and money.If you're not sure about what resources are available, ask your boss or coworkers.
They can give you more information on what's available and how to sign up.
It's also a good idea to let your immediate supervisor know that you plan to start a lunch break exercise program – especially if you typically eat in your office and your supervisor and coworkers are accustomed to you being around and available at lunch.
You might be able to find a coworker who's interested in doing the same thing and wants to tag along with you.
As long as you aren't distracted by working out with someone else, their presence can be motivating. , While a shorter workout does need to be more intense if you expect to get results, the point of a lunch-break workout is not to utterly wear you out so that you're hobbling around for the rest of the day.You may want to try your routine one day over the weekend so you can judge how you're going to handle it and whether it will be too much.
Keep in mind you don't necessarily want to do anything that will have you sweating profusely either, since you're going to have to go back to work immediately.
How much you sweat depends on your particular body chemistry – as well as where you workout and what you do.
This is something to keep in mind when you're deciding whether your workout will be too much for a lunch break.
For example, if you plan to fit in a quick jog at a nearby park during your lunch break, pay attention to the weather.
While this may be perfect when the weather is cooler, it might be too much during summer months when it gets hot. -
Step 3: Try high-intensity circuit training.
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Step 4: Try the stairs.
-
Step 5: Take advantage of resources at work.
-
Step 6: Don't overdo it.
Detailed Guide
A shorter workout can be just as effective as a longer one if you amp up the intensity.
Generally, this means using greater resistance or completing repetitions more quickly.The easiest way to build an effective lunchtime workout is to take a routine you normally do and tighten it up.
For example, if you have a strength-training routine that normally takes 40 minutes to complete, increase resistance and decrease the number of reps you do of each exercise so the same routine only takes 15 or 20 minutes.
Make sure you're doing exercises with which you're familiar.
Your lunch break is not the time to learn new moves, and doing an exercise incorrectly can result in injury.
Focus on exercises that work more than one muscle group over exercises that isolate particular muscles.
This will enable you to get a whole-body workout in less time.
You may be accustomed to stretching for five or ten minutes, but if your entire workout is only 15 or 20 minutes this is typically a waste of time.
While you do need a brief warm-up, you typically don't need to do any elaborate stretching.You do, however, want to make sure you're warming up the muscles you'll be exercising adequately.
Taking five minutes or so at the beginning of your routine to jog in place or do some crunches or side bends can be an effective warm up.
You can shave minutes off your routine by multi-tasking as well.
For example, if your office is several stories up, taking the stairs can provide a warm-up — especially if you're going to do cardio or work on strength-training your legs. , Circuit training is a series of exercises that are performed rapidly, then repeated.
For example, jumping jacks one minute, push-ups one minute, squats or lunges one minute, sit ups one minute.
After a brief rest, then you repeat the entire series once or twice.
It is the repetition of the exercise sequence which gives it the name, "circuit."Intervals vary from 20 seconds to usually two minutes or less.
A circuit does not necessarily have a cardio or resistance element — although it is a good idea to include these things.
You might try brief burst of intense resistance training, followed by a brief burst of cardio, followed by another interval of resistance training focused on a different muscle group.
Circuits can be modified to work different muscles — just make sure you are not working the same group of muscles back-to-back.
For instance, don't follow push-ups with another exercise that focuses on upper body — do lower body exercise, like squats, instead.
This gives your arms a chance to rest briefly.
If you've never attempted circuit training before, you may want to watch videos or sit in on an exercise class first so you can get an idea of how the method works and how to pace yourself. , People often feel self-conscious exercising in front of others, at least at first.
The stairwell is a great place for lunchtime exercises.
It is usually cooler, more private and lends itself naturally to exercising.
You can walk, jog, or even sprint the stairs as well as incorporating some bodyweight exercises to strength train.
Use caution while exercising on the stairs, as falling on or down stairs can cause serious injury.
Think about your fitness level and decide whether or not you can safely complete these exercises. , Some office complexes have gyms in the building.
Other employers provide discounted memberships to employees at a local gym.
If you have these options available to you, they can save you significant time and money.If you're not sure about what resources are available, ask your boss or coworkers.
They can give you more information on what's available and how to sign up.
It's also a good idea to let your immediate supervisor know that you plan to start a lunch break exercise program – especially if you typically eat in your office and your supervisor and coworkers are accustomed to you being around and available at lunch.
You might be able to find a coworker who's interested in doing the same thing and wants to tag along with you.
As long as you aren't distracted by working out with someone else, their presence can be motivating. , While a shorter workout does need to be more intense if you expect to get results, the point of a lunch-break workout is not to utterly wear you out so that you're hobbling around for the rest of the day.You may want to try your routine one day over the weekend so you can judge how you're going to handle it and whether it will be too much.
Keep in mind you don't necessarily want to do anything that will have you sweating profusely either, since you're going to have to go back to work immediately.
How much you sweat depends on your particular body chemistry – as well as where you workout and what you do.
This is something to keep in mind when you're deciding whether your workout will be too much for a lunch break.
For example, if you plan to fit in a quick jog at a nearby park during your lunch break, pay attention to the weather.
While this may be perfect when the weather is cooler, it might be too much during summer months when it gets hot.
About the Author
Andrea Jordan
Creates helpful guides on practical skills to inspire and educate readers.
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