best way to spend 35 minutes in the gym?

LosingitinLondon

I recently joined a gym close to my work. The plan was to go when I finish work but given my schedule it's not always possible, so I've started going at lunchtime when I know I can't make it in the evenings.

I get an hour for lunch and taking away the time it takes me to get there and back, get changed, showered etc as well as making sure I have 5 minutes to stretch at the end of a workout leaves me with about 35 minutes to actually exercise. How would you best use that time? I'm looking to lose weight.

When I joined I got a free session with one of the PTs who gave me a workout plan to follow which is 20 minutes of cardio followed by sets of weights and ab exercises. I don't have time to do the whole thing when I go in at lunch. So far I've been doing 15-20 minutes on the treadmill followed by a few weights but I don't know if I'm getting the most out of my time.

I figure once I'm fitter and more confident I could go for a run outside in my break and use more of that hour, but I'm not ready to do that yet!

Other than the gym I do one or two pilates classes plus one yoga class each week, and most of my exercise pre-gym was walking.

rachylouise87

if your Gym does a HIIT class i would say thats the best way to spend it. strength and cardio rolled into one!

callsitlikeiseeit

i go to a planet fitness and theres a 30 minute circuit area. im not sure what all it involves, maybe tomorrow when i go, ill do it to see (today is my off day this week LOL )

PwrLftr82

I have exactly 35 minutes to spend at the gym. I lift. Upper/lower split Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri and do HIIT on Wed.

hoppinglark

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

i go to a planet fitness and theres a 30 minute circuit area. im not sure what all it involves, maybe tomorrow when i go, ill do it to see (today is my off day this week LOL )

I like the Planet Fitness 30 minute express! 10 machines, 10 step platforms.
You start at a station for a minute then get rest period to move to the next station. Adds up to 30 minutes and you work all the major groups.

andyluvv

Well, there are three apps I have been trying that are AMAZING
7 minute hero (making the 7 minute workout very fun)
The Walk - developed with the NHS and the department of health to get people walking their 20k steps a day.
and "Abs" by Passion4Profession - they have a series of exercises to work and strengthen the body. It's a bit expensive to get the whole set but worth it.
It's on sale atm at 10 pounds.

Oh and there's Fitness Flow - that generates random exercises every time you launch it. It keeps it fun I think

Drewlssix

Lifts, minute for minute they are the best. The hardest part is likely going to be forcing your self to take suitable breaks between sets, some say you want absolute rest between sets but I usually walk around since I tend to tighten up if I'm not moving. Try finishing a set and walking a lap or whatever equates to 50-60 seconds rest then hitting the next set. Or light yoga (disclaimer, never yoga'd and know nothing about it) if you want to stay in your spot.

Timorous_Beastie

If I only had ~30 minutes, after a little warmup, I'd spend it lifting weights, mainly because I don't get quite as disgustingly sweaty as doing cardio and would probably be able to get by with just a change of clothes and reapplication of deodorant instead of a full shower, restyling of hair, etc.

sandiebodi1

I used to do the lunch quicky - Warm up & then do strength training. You can do cardio when you work out after work - but you'll get the best results with strength training, period.

CarlydogsMom

Another vote for strength training; compound lifts, progressive weights, etc. I have been using a personal trainer, three times/week, and our sessions are 30 minutes. It's enough to make a significant difference in my strength, the benefits are amazing. You don't necessarily need a personal trainer, either, if you can find a good program you like (i.e. stronglifts, new rules of lifting for women, etc.). I like my trainer as he's a stickler for form over anything, and without him, I would have had no idea, really, how do perform these lifts correctly using all the books and tutorials in the world.

For example, Mondays are generally squats/calves (legs); Wednesdays are "push" exercises (i.e. bench, overhead press, and multiple accessory exercises), and Fridays are the king of all, deadlifts, and other "pulling" exercises. In four months, when I could barely overhead press a 20-pound fixed barbell, I'm now pressing 65 pounds. Squats: started at only the bar (45 pounds) and am now squatting 105 lbs; deadlift, started...what, maybe 65 pounds, now at 145; and my bench is not as impressive (started below bar weight, but only at around 70 pounds now). I'm 52. It WORKS. Use your other free time for cardio and lift, lift, lift!

rybo

Definitely "lift weights faster".
3x a week full body, then your other 2 days you can do whatever cardio you like it any.

musicandarts

I hate working out. I go there only to play squash. It is also great from a social angle.

slaite1

Lift during your lunch workouts. Don't get as sweaty and can probably get by with a quick shower and some dry shampoo

Cardio or whatever you like when you do have time to go after work. If the workouts are always short-do some circuits. You can google and get some basic circuit workouts.

LosingitinLondon

Thank you all for the really useful replies - I'll change what I'm doing so I'm using that time to lift weights raher than cardio.
They also do some half hour classes over lunch so I will see what they are like as well.