3 Fun Workouts For Busy Agency Nurses

By Josh Jezard

3 Fun Workouts For Busy Agency Nurses

Finding time to exercise as a successful agency nurse can sometimes feel impossible. With the long shifts, strange working patterns and trying to find time to unwind it can be hard to get motivated to actually work out. But nurses, more than anyone, know the positive impact that exercise can have on one's health and wellbeing. Exercise can boost the body, mind and soul and helps to:

- Control your weight

- Improve your mental health and mood

- Keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age

- Strengthen your bones and muscles

- Improve your sleep

As a busy agency nurse, it can be daunting to try and find a whole hour to dedicate for exercise. The good news is there are plenty of workouts out there that you can fit into your routine and the majority of them can be done in less than an hour!

HIIT Workouts

High-Intensity Interval Training workouts are a great way to efficiently achieve great results in shorter amounts of time. HIIT is a great accelerant for your metabolism and these workouts burn calories long after you've finished exercising.

HIIT workouts are quick and require very little equipment meaning you can fit them in anywhere anytime. You can find loads of great HIIT workouts online and there are even dedicated apps that have set workouts that you can finish. Below is a great workout by the Body Coach Joe Wicks and it only takes 15 minutes, give it a go and see how you get on!

Aerobics

Now stick with us on this one. If you thought of Mr Motivator giving it his all in some colourful spandex or any one of the celebrity workout DVDs that pop up just after Christmas we'll forgive you. Aerobics actually refers to any activity that strengthens the heart and lungs, such as cycling or walking.

We like aerobic exercises because you don't need any equipment and it can take any form that you desire. If you love a good bike ride but the thought of going for a jog puts you off then go for a ride. You can find all sorts of cardio exercises online and they range from 15 minutes up to an hour. The below video is a low impact workout for 30 minutes and is a great start for beginners. If you're feeling adventurous there's an array of dancing aerobic exercises set to all kinds of music, from hip-hop to pop to house music.

Kickboxing

That's right Kickboxing is a fantastic workout incorporating strikes with the hands and elbows as well as powerful kicks. Don't worry, while the sport of kickboxing sees two fighters go head to head and beat the living daylights out of each other, the drills and workouts used are a great way to get fit without ever having to step into the ring.

Like the other workouts and unlike actual boxing, kickboxing workouts require very little equipment and there are many examples online that squeeze a thorough workout in within 30 minutes. The great thing about kickboxing is alleviating all the days stress through some focused aggression and exercise. We've chosen the below workout to get you started.

These are just a few examples of quick, fun and easy to do workouts. Fitting some form of regular exercise into your daily routine will not only improve your personal life but your professional life too. Active agency nurses often feel more energised at work and the physical stresses of the job take less of a toll on active muscles. What workouts do you enjoy doing?

Whether you’re a Community Nurse, Registered General Nurse or an Emergency Nurse Practitioner if you’re interested in working through the UK’s premium nursing agency as an agency nurse register today.

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