3 Effective Lunch Break Workouts You Can Do In An Hour

Page last updated: 24th May 2023

What would you rather do with your lunch hour: eat at your desk while checking your emails, or head to the gym for a quick and effective workout that will take you a step closer to your fitness goal?

The Benefits Of A Lunch Break Gym Workout

If you struggle to fit workouts into your daily routine, a lunchtime workout may be the answer. Using your lunch hour to work out allows you to stay active without having to wake up early or sacrifice some of your social life or family time. It can also help to boost your energy to get you through the afternoon - a study by Leeds Metropolitan University found that people who work out at lunchtime reported feeling about 15% more productive after exercising and left work feeling more satisfied.

You'll also get all the benefits of increased physical activity, including:



• Improved overall health and wellbeing

• Increased energy levels and productivity

• Reduced risk of stress and depression

• Improved sleep

• Weight management

3 Of The Best Lunch Break Gym Workouts

To help you get started (or to stay on track) in reaching the recommended weekly exercise quota, our PTs have put together a selection of workouts, for all fitness levels, that are short enough to fit into your lunch break but will give you a fantastic workout, while leaving you enough time to freshen up before heading back to the office.

• Beginners lunchtime workout
• Intermediate lunch break workout
• Advanced lunch hour workout

Beginner Lunchtime Workout



1. Bodyweight squat - 3 sets of 12-15 reps

   • Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and engage your core.
   • Imagine sitting back into an imaginary chair and lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if you're sitting down.
   • Continue descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as low as you can comfortably go while maintaining proper form. Focus on keeping your chest up and your back straight.
   • Pause briefly at the bottom of the squat, then push through your heels and extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position.

2. Bodyweight lunges - 3 sets of 8-12 reps

   • Stand with your feet hip-width apart, engage your core and take a step forward with your right foot, approximately 2 to 3 feet in front of you.
   • Lower your body by bending both knees, ensuring your front knee is directly above your ankle and your back knee is hovering slightly above the ground. Aim to create a 90-degree angle with both knees, keeping your torso straight and your gaze forward.
   • Pause briefly at the bottom of the lunge, then push through your front heel and engage your leg muscles to return to the starting position.
   • Repeat the lunges for the desired number of repetitions on each leg.

3. Incline Press-ups - 3 sets of 8-12 reps

   • Start by positioning yourself in a plank position on a step or box, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and arms fully extended. 
   • Extend your legs straight behind you, resting on the balls of your feet. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
   • Engage your core muscles, bend your arms and lower your body towards the floor while keeping your elbows tucked in close to your sides. Lower your chest as close to the box as you can, or until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Your elbows should form a 45-degree angle with your body.
   • Pause briefly in the lowered position, then exhale and push through your palms, extending your arms to lift your body back up to the starting position. Keep your body straight and avoid letting your hips sag or your lower back arch excessively.

4. Bent over rows - 3 sets of 8-12 reps
   

   • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body, or use a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   • Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward from your hips, maintaining a straight back. 
   • With your arms fully extended, begin the movement by pulling the dumbbells or barbell towards your lower chest or upper abdomen, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your elbows close to your body as you initiate the rowing motion. 
   • Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position, fully extending your arms and allowing your shoulder blades to spread apart.

5. Crunches - 3 sets of 12 reps

   • Lie down on your back with bent knees and your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Place your hands gently behind your head, or you can cross them over your chest.
   • Engage your core and lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, using your abdominal muscles to initiate the lift, rather than pulling with your hands or straining your neck. Your lower back should remain in contact with the floor.
   • Continue the movement until your shoulder blades are off the ground, and you feel a strong contraction in your abdominal muscles. Avoid lifting too high, as it may strain your neck or engage other muscles excessively.
   • Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your head, neck, and shoulders back down to the starting position.

Intermediate Lunch Break Workout



1. Weighted barbell squats - 3 sets of 10-12 reps

   • Set up a squat rack or find a stable surface to support the weight.
   • Position the barbell on your upper back, resting it across your shoulders. Make sure it is centred and secure.
   • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out. 
   • Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down into a squat position.
   • Bend your knees and hips, pushing your hips back and lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground or lower, if possible. Keep your weight balanced on your heels throughout the movement.
   • Push through your heels and extend your hips and knees to return to the starting position.

2. Mountain climbers - 3 sets of 15 reps
   

   • Start in a press-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart directly beneath your shoulders.
   • As quickly as you can, pull your right knee towards your chest without letting it touch the floor then return to the start position. 
   • Repeat immediately with your left leg. This is one rep
   • Continue until you have completed the required amount of reps.

3. Dumbbell chest press - 3 sets of 8-12 reps
   

   • Gripping two dumbbells, sit on a bench before slowly lying down and extending your arms so that the dumbbells are above you, palms facing towards your feet.
   • As you lower the dumbbells, keep the elbows tucked to prevent the elbows from flaring. 
   • Lower the dumbbells in line with your mid-chest, making sure to lower the dumbbells until they are either side of the chest.  
   • Return to the starting position by pushing through your arms, chest and feet as you lift the dumbbells back up in an arc direction until your arms are extended.

4. Back raises - 3 sets of 12-15 reps

   • Lie face down on a back extension bench or stability ball, positioning your hips and lower abdomen on the support.
   • Place your feet securely against the footrest or have someone hold them in place.
   • Cross your arms over your chest, engage your core muscles and, keeping your back straight throughout, slowly raise your upper body by contracting your lower back muscles.
   • Lift until your upper body is in line with your legs or until you feel a comfortable stretch in your lower back.
   • Hold the position briefly, before lowering your upper body back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.

5. Plank - 3 sets of 30 seconds

   • Adopt a push-up position, with wrists and elbows stacked directly under the shoulders, and body in a line from head to heels.
   • Push through your hands and squeeze your core by pulling your belly button towards your sternum to engage the abs.
   • Hold the position for as long as possible or for the desired time.

Advanced Lunch Hour Workout



1. Barbell clean and press - 3 sets of 8 reps
   

   • Approach the barbell taking with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outwards. Push your hips back and grip the barbell just outside shoulder width apart, with a pronated grip. 
   • To begin the lift, deadlift the bar until it reaches your knees by pushing through your feet while extending the knees and hips simultaneously.
   • Once the bar reaches just above the knees, explosively push your legs into the ground while extending your hips and knees so you come up onto the balls of your feet. At the same time, shrug your shoulders with as much power as you can.
   • As the shoulders reach their highest point, swing your elbows under the bar so they are facing straight ahead, and the barbell is resting on your front delts. 
   • Take a slight dip by flexing at the knees before driving the hips forward and pressing the barbell above your head. 
   • To return the barbell back to the floor you need to reverse the movement, so lower the bar so that it is resting on the front delts before bringing it down to hip height and deadlifting it back on the floor.

2. Barbell back squat - 3 sets of 10-12 reps

   • Set up a squat rack or find a stable surface to support the weight.
   • Position the barbell on your upper back, resting it across your shoulders. Make sure it is centred and secure.
   • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out. 
   • Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down into a squat position.
   • Bend your knees and hips, pushing your hips back and lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground or lower, if possible. Keep your weight balanced on your heels throughout the movement.
   • Push through your heels and extend your hips and knees to return to the starting position.

3. Barbell Romanian deadlift - 3 sets of 10-12 reps

   • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell on the ground in front of you.
   • Bend your knees slightly and hinge at your hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
   • Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   • Engage your core and lift the barbell off the ground by extending your hips and straightening your knees.
   • Keeping your back straight and maintaining a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward at the hips, lowering the barbell towards your shins.
   • Lower the barbell as far as your flexibility allows, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
   • Push your hips back and drive through your heels to return to the starting position, standing tall and squeezing your glutes.
   • Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form throughout.

4. Barbell bicep curl - 3 sets of 8-12 reps
   

   • Stand straight, gripping a barbell using a supinated grip so that your palms are facing upwards.
   • Engage your core and pin your elbows close to your sides.
   • Squeeze your biceps as you bend at the elbows to curl the barbell towards your shoulders.
   • Lower the barbell slowly, until it returns to the starting position.

5. V sit ups - 3 sets of 8-12 reps
   

   • Lie flat on your back on the floor, with your arms extended above your head and your legs extended.
   • Begin the reps by squeezing your abs as you simultaneously lift your legs and arms off the floor, reaching your hands towards your feet.
   • Reverse the movement by slowly lowering to the starting position.

For some even shorter workout options, check out this quick 30-minute circuit or try one of these 20-minute HIIT workouts. You can access a wide range of high-quality gym equipment at a PureGym near you.