David Lloyd Clubs has unveiled a waterproof suit collection, designed to help office workers seamlessly transition from their workspace to the swimming pool and back.
The innovative suits were developed in response to feedback from members who found it difficult hard to exercise because of their busy daily schedules.
The ‘Swim Suit’ collection is made from specialist water-resistant, hydrophobic fabric, with each piece taking over three weeks to produce. It aims to make exercising easier and less time-consuming and could soon be available to the public.
A spokesperson for the health and wellness group said: “More and more members are using our work stations and dipping in and out of the pool, gym, group classes, or padel courts throughout the day, creating a much more balanced work life.”
They added that integrating wellness into the day can significantly impact overall wellbeing, but finding the time can be challenging, so any assistance in maximising your time can make a big difference.
Speaking about the new design, they said: “The 20 minutes or so to get ready and showered after exercising can eat into your day. Now, you don’t even need to think about it – you can be straight out of the pool and back at your desk in a matter of seconds.”
A survey of 2,000 office workers has shed light on the struggle to balance health and work, with 80% having up to five hours of consecutive meetings or working over three hours beyond their contracted time. This often means sacrificing fitness and wellness activities due to a lack of time.
As a result, two-thirds said they would love to take part in more fitness and wellness activities if their job didn’t get in the way and 70 per cent think that employers should be supportive of taking breaks for wellness during the workday.
Sadly, 40 per cent feel guilty about exercising during work hours and those of the 18 per cent who fit their exercise into their work day said they do it at lunch time.
“The pressures of work and family commitments can be overwhelming and it is hard to carve out time to look after ourselves,” said a spokesperson.
“Rather than starting the new year with unrealistic goals, it’s more beneficial to form healthy habits that integrate into our lifestyles, improving wellness over the long term.”