Health_Fitness_UK_July_2017

FITNESS KNOWLEDGE
UPGRADE
YOUR
LUNCH
BREAK
Forget clocking extra office
hours – lunch is the perfect
time to burn calories! Here’s
how to make more of your
midday workout
Making it to the end of the working day is so much harder if
you don’t take a break. A study in the Scandinavian Journal
of Medicine & Science in Sports shows that even a 30-minute
lunchtime stroll can significantly boost a person’s ability to handle
stress at work. But why not ramp up the intensity of your workout
and amplify results? ‘It sounds obvious, but don’t use the time to just go through the
motions,’ says Georgia Gray, Fitness First personal trainer. ‘Be focused. Get the most out
of every rep. Don’t text during your rest periods. Basically, just work hard.’ Heading to
the gym this lunch hour? Follow these smart strategies to get more from your session.
use next.’ If you’re not sure what sort of
plan you should be following, speak to one
of the gym instructors and ask if you can
book a gym induction, during which they
should provide you with an exercise plan.
Get in there and just do it. Got it?
sleds and plenty of exciting new-fangled
kit – but it’s important not to simply ‘play
around’ with the latest equipment. In fact,
New Balance ambassador Shona Vertue
thinks it’s best to use as little equipment
as possible. ‘There’s nothing worse than
getting to a packed gym only to spend half
your time waiting for kit. Standing in line
won’t burn calories! If you’re using the gym
at a peak time, such as during the lunch
hour, find an empty corner, grab a kettlebell
or resistance band and do a circuit. That
way, you’ll spend your lunch hour working
out rather than waiting it out,’ she says.
GET WITH THE
PROGRAMME
Guilty of wandering around the gym
aimlessly? What you need is a game plan
for workout success. ‘Know exactly what
you’re going to the gym to do,’ advises
Gray. ‘Not only will you be more motivated
to beat your weight or rep targets, but
you’ll also save the time you’d normally
spend thinking about what bit of kit to
100 Health& Fitness // healthandfitnessonline.co.uk
WORK OUT WITH LESS
Modern gyms may be fitness-lovers’
playgrounds – with battle ropes, tyres,
MAXIMISE ON MOVES
When time is short, compound exercises
that work multiple muscles at once are
the key to strength rewards. ‘Revolve your
session around big, compound moves