Fit in 15 Minutes: 5 Energizing Workouts for Your Lunch Break

Work from home, be it full time or hybrid has become the norm for many of us in recent years.
For the majority of employees this flexibility provides many advantages, such as an increased ability to manage personal life around work commitments. [1] However, working from home can also be challenging. Often, you end up sitting in front of your laptop for 8 hours or more without leaving the house or getting enough movement. While you might feel more motivated when in the office to take a walk with your favorite colleague, at home it may be the case that the longest distance you cover all day is to the coffee machine.

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The NHS recommends that adults aged between 19 and 64 should exercise daily. This includes at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening exercise and at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. [2] 

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In this article, we share effective and fun workout ideas that bring noticeable benefits in just 15 minutes. They are perfect for integrating into your lunch break to add more movement to your day.

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Please note: You will need certain equipment for the following workouts.

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1. Skipping rope

What might have once been a fun childhood memory can now become an effective endurance workout for your lunch break. Most people probably don’t need an explanation of how rope skipping works: you swing a rope over your head and jump over it as it comes to your feet. To add some variety to this training, you can try different jump variations: forward, backward, on one leg, or both. The goal is to get into a steady rhythm. It’s no coincidence that rope skipping has always been a favorite workout for boxers, as it is excellent for muscle building, improves stamina, reactive strength and balance. [3]

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Photo by mart-production on pexels.com

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Whether indoors or outside on a sunny day – rope skipping can be done anywhere, as long as you pick somewhere with suitable space. This type of workout is perfect for your lunch break. Just 10 minutes of rope skipping is as effective for cardiovascular fitness as 30 minutes of jogging. [4] So, get up from your desk, grab the rope, put on your favorite song, and get skipping!

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2. Hula Hoop

Can you feel the midday slump creeping in? Hula hooping is a fantastic workout to shake off the fatigue and wake you up during your break. As you spin the hoop around your waist, your body stays in constant motion, giving your cardiovascular system a good boost. [5]

It's no secret that sitting at a desk for long periods of time can have negative impacts on the body. An advantage of hula hoop training is that the circular movements mobilise the spine and can have a positive effect on back pain. [6]

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Photo by karolina-grabowska on pexels.com
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A hula-hoop workout has benefits on your muscles, as you need to constantly engage different muscle groups to keep the hoop from falling [7]. For beginners, a 10 to 15-minute session daily is ideal – making it the perfect addition to your lunch break.

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3. Balance Board

Do you not only want to improve your movement, but also train your sense of balance? The balance board could be just what you need! A balance board is a device consisting of a board and roller. You can perform various exercises standing, kneeling or even sitting on this piece of sports equipment. As the name suggests, the balance board helps you to train your balance whilst also providing a workout. While this can be beneficial for all age groups, older people in particular benefit from this training, as sense of balance slowly deteriorates with age. [8]

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Photo by Оля Ка on pexels.com

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Similar to hula-hooping, the balance board can also help prevent back pain, which is especially beneficial for those of us who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk. [9] During your lunch break, short sessions on the board are a great way to break up long periods of sitting and add some movement to your day.

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If you would like to find out more about the body impact of an office desk job, we recommend reading our article on this topic.

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4. Rebounding

Rebounding is an excellent, joint-friendly full-body workout on a mini-trampoline. The numerous physical and mental benefits include: muscle and strength building, improving bone density, burning calories, stimulating the lymphatic system, as well as better balance and coordination. In addition, rebounding acts as a natural mood booster: not only is it a lot of fun, but it can also help reduce stress. [10] 

So what could be better than leaving a busy morning at work behind with a short trampoline session? As 15 minutes on the trampoline has been proven to burn more calories than 30 minutes of jogging [11], we didn't want to keep this great lunch break workout from you.

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If you want to find out more about the benefits of rebounding, be sure to check out our article.

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5. Exercise Ball

The exercise ball offers a wide variety of effective and versatile exercises to help you stay fit during your lunch break. It’s suitable for all age groups -  the key is ensuring the size of the ball matches your individual body size so you can perform exercises safely and effectively. Regular workouts with the exercise ball can improve posture. [12] It’s especially good for targeting core areas like the abs, back, and glutes. Since it’s a dynamic piece of equipment, it also helps enhance your sense of balance. [13]

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Photo by mart-production on pexels.com

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You may have heard the trend of people replacing their office chair with an exercise ball, hoping to experience health benefits. While targeted exercises can offer the benefits mentioned above, many experts warn against using it as a permanent replacement for an ergonomic office chair. The likelihood is high that you’ll end up with back and neck pain rather than improving your posture. [14] It is therefore better to use the exercise ball for short exercise sessions to specifically strengthen muscles and prevent tension.

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Did our article inspire you? Give these workouts a try and find out which one you like most. But please remember to consult your GP if you have any existing physical issues. This way, you can ensure that the training is truly suitable for you and good for your health. Have fun trying them out!

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References:

[1] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full

[2] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64

[3] https://www.crossrope.com/blogs/blog/why-do-boxers-jump-rope-how-jumping-rope-makes-you-a-better-boxer

[4] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs

[5] https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/hula-hoop-benefits#boosts-cardio-fitness

[6] https://www.aok.de/pk/magazin/sport/workout/trendsport-hula-hoop-wie-effektiv-ist-hula-hoop-fitness

[7] https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/hula-hoop-benefits#boosts-cardio-fitness

[8], [9] https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/balance-board-exercises

[10] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/trampoline-workout-benefits

[11] http://article.sapub.org

[12], [13]

https://www.healthshots.com/fitness/staying-fit/5-fantastic-reasons-why-you-need-to-add-an-exercise-ball-to-your-workouts

[14] https://www.ergolink.com.au/blog/what-you-should-know-before-using-an-exercise-ball-as-an-office-chair

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Want to stay fit at home? Then visit our At Home category for live workouts and expert advice.