If you're the type of person who isn't ever going to be a morning exerciser, don't beat yourself up about it. Some people are jump-out-of-bed, birds singing, run-down-to-the-gym types. Some of us, on the other hand, will stay in bed until the last possible minute, before desperately chucking on some clothes and showing up to work 10 minutes late.
If you're one of the latter, you probably leave your exercise until after work. Which means that it probably gets shunted out of the way for more fun evening activities. Like the pub.
Consider, then, if you haven't already, fitting exercise into your precious lunchtime. Sure, it's a faff getting changed and showered and all that but, if it means you get your evenings back then really, it's not that big a deal.
Besides, there's like a million super-short, super-effective classes running at gyms all across the country now, catering to people just as morning-shy as you.
Read on to find our faves.
Cycle 30
Just because it's only half an hour, don't expect an easy ride. Cycle 30 at Another Space in Covent Garden is the "most cardio focused workout in town". It aims for maximum calorie burn and mixes in "intervals and tempo for full body strengthening and toning". Even better, because you worked so hard, you get a free shake to take on your way.
Cycle 30 at Another Space, London, weekdays at 12:15
CXWORX™
Les Mills is a man who gets about in the fitness community. I've even got a sports bra with Les Mills' name on it. Which is nice, if a little weird. Anyway – among his many classes is CXWORX™, a core workout that (duh) focusses on your torso and the sling muscles that connect your lower body to your upper. It's a mix of equipment-based work with resistance tubes and weight plates but be ready for some serious ab work through the medium of crunches, planks and more.
CXWORX™ at various Nuffield Health Gyms, Pure Gyms, Virgin Actives and more
GRID
Members of Virgin Active will be well versed in the Grid – aka the floor space marked out with white and black lines in the shape of a grid (obvs). The Grid is home to four different classes, all 30 minutes long: GRID Lean, GRID Strong, GRID Active and GRID Fit. Each class focusses on different elements, using different exercises to work your way across the Grid. Think circuits, ramped up big time.
GRID at various Virgin Active Gyms
TwentyFour
TwentyFour moves in 24 minutes? No problem, right? Well... This class, which has been around since 2014, is a HIIT class which burns up to 400 calories in just that short time. It involves "bend, squat, twist, pull, push, and lunge movements". Get ready to sweat.
TwentyFour at various Virgin Active Gyms
BadAss
Gymbox is known for its gruelling but fun classes and, by all accounts, BadAss is no different. It's 30 minutes focussed on your bum and legs and falls under their "look better naked" category. Apparently sweating starts almost as soon as you start squatting.
BadAss at various Gymbox Gyms
Ass & Abs
Frame is one fitness company that knows how to have fun with its classes and Ass & Abs is no different. At 30 minutes long, it seems do-able from the outset but, midway through, you're (literally) shouting with the effort of it all. DOMS for days afterwards but my goodness is it worth it.
Ass & Abs at various Frame studios
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