The Lunchtime Loop

Six stations, three loops, thirty minutes door to door — the circuit that fits inside a lunch break

Bootcamp
All levels
30 min
Works for 6–18
1 instructor
Effort 4/5
Any studio or meeting-room-sized space
circuit
lunchtime
quick
stations
minimal-kit

The ClassPlans programming teamLevel 3 group-fitness qualified · 10+ yrs teaching

Kit: 6 station cards, mats, one pair of dumbbells at two of the stations. Runs entirely bodyweight if the kit cupboard is bare.

Warm-up4 min

Coats Off, Clock On

RPE 3

Setup: Six stations in a tight loop before the first arrival: 1 squats, 2 push-ups, 3 fast feet, 4 dumbbell rows, 5 reverse lunges, 6 plank taps. Lunchtime members arrive in dribbles right up to the start — build the loop so a late arrival can slot in at any number without a briefing.

How it works: Four minutes, follow-along from the middle: marching with arm swings, air squats slow then quicker, hip hinges with a reach, and one 20-second preview effort of fast feet so the first beep is nobody's surprise. Point at each station as you name its move — that ten-second tour is the whole induction.

What to say

“You're on the clock and so am I — moving by minute one, back out the door by half past.”
“Squats slow here, quicker later — grease first, work second.”
“Late in is fine — join the loop at any number and it all comes out even.”

Easier

March through everything; skip the preview effort.

Harder

Preview effort becomes 30 seconds with high knees.

Workout8 min

Loop One — Settle In

6 × [40s work / 20s move]RPE 6

Setup: Everyone at a number, no more than three per station. Timer set to 40 seconds work, 20 seconds to move. One loop is six minutes flat; spend the spare two on a walking demo of the two dumbbell stations before the first beep.

How it works: Loop one at seven-tenths, learning pace. Call each move-on by name and keep one eye on the desk crowd's push-ups — cold shoulders and keyboards make for grumpy elbows, so offer the bench or wall version early and warmly. The room rule gets said once here: quiet feet throughout, because someone is always on a call next door.

What to say

“Seven out of ten this loop — we've two more and your afternoon meetings don't need to know about this.”
“Push-ups on the bench are the smart opener — floor is waiting for loop two.”
“Fast feet stay quiet — speed comes from your arms, not the floorboards.”

Easier

30 seconds work with 30 to move; wall push-ups and step-back lunges throughout.

Harder

Hold seven-tenths anyway — loop one is capped for everyone.

Workout7 min

Loop Two — The Working Loop

6 × [40s work / 20s move]RPE 8

Setup: Same loop, same 40/20 timer, straight back in after a 60-second breather that you narrate — water, shake the arms out, pick one station to be brave at.

How it works: This is the loop the class is named after: same six stations at nine-tenths. Coach the middle four intervals hardest — that's where lunchtime resolve quietly dips. Count down the final ten seconds of every station and name one honest performance per interval. Offer the floor push-up to the bench crowd, the jump squat to nobody — this class sends people back to work, not to the physio.

What to say

“This is the one that changes your afternoon — nine out of ten, right now.”
“Pick your brave station and spend properly at it.”
“Rows: elbow to the hip, slow on the way down — the desk did enough damage to that posture this morning.”

Easier

Repeat loop-one pace with pride — showing up at lunch was the win.

Harder

Dumbbells appear at the squat and lunge stations for anyone whose loop one looked bored.

The rest of this class plan is free — along with 3 more this week.

ClassPlans programming team

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