What’s the best one-hour gym routine you can do?

January 19, 2017 ZImka

So you have limited time in the gym. Here’s what you should be doing.

Photo: iStock

Looking to sneak in a workout before work but unsure how to best use your precious free time?

We often struggle with choosing which exercise will yield us the best result. So, we asked co-founder of Flow Athletic and former NRL star Ben Lucas about what you should be doing to keep fit and toned if you’ve only an hour to spare.

Is one hour enough?

This is good news for the workaholics.

“Yes, one hour of a mid-intensity workout is definitely enough,” says Lucas. Essentially, you just need to make sure that you are complementing this effort with a healthy diet.

“Diet tends to be 80 per cent of the battle when it comes to body goals.”

What should we do?

Think about whether you want a full body workout, or are training for something more niche, like an obstacle course or a marathon.

Training towards your goals is essential, “in order to create a routine that is relevant for you,” says Lucas.

You’re welcome to do different areas on different days (i.e. leg day) but you must be training enough days of the week to get to work out the whole body.

“Right now, in a one hour workout, I love full body strength circuits,” says Lucas. “They cover all bases by containing resistance training, cardio and core work.”

How do we structure a full-body workout?

“I would set up two circuits, with five exercises in each circuit, and do three rounds of each,” says Lucas.

“Each circuit should consist of a push, pull, squat, cardio and core movement. Do 15 reps of each exercise with one minute between rounds of the circuit and two minutes between the first and second circuit.”

For those who aren’t too creative with their circuits?

The first circuit might consist of push-ups, narrow grip ‘lat’ pulldown, alternate forward lunges (15 each leg), mountain climbers and V- Sit sit-ups.

The second circuit might consist of incline dumbbell presses, bent over wide barbell rows, dumbbell squats, burpies and bicycle crunches.