College Life is so busy. Apart from the usual classes, homework, research, and studying, you’ve also got internships, side jobs, and tons of extracurricular activities. This leaves you with little spare time. And whatever spare time is left gets spent on rest, bingeing on Netflix, social media, and other forms of leisure.
It’s important to spend time on rest, but it is also important to exercise. Most students don’t realize that regular exercise provides plenty of benefits that impact studies positively.
Research also shows that college students with gym memberships had higher GPAs compared to students without memberships. They were also less likely to drop out of college.
There are many other benefits to exercise that will be helpful not only during college but also after graduating. But you may be thinking that a gym membership is not a part of your budget. Or maybe, a fitness center may not be within reach.
There’s no need to worry since exercise can be done anywhere—even in your tiny dorm room. There are plenty of exercises that you can find out there, but we’ve selected eight that can be done with limited space and without creating much noise.
Here are some dorm room workouts that you can start doing today.
Planks are good at warming up multiple muscles, especially the core muscles. To start a plank: Place both palms on the ground and align the elbows below the shoulders. Ground your toes into the floor and straighten your entire body, especially your back and legs. Feel your core and leg muscles tighten as you hold this position. Hold the plank for 30 to 60 seconds.
The classic push-ups should always be part of a good routine. It uses a similar position as the plank, but you push yourself up with your palms and arms, then go back slowly to the original position. Make sure to keep your body straight.
This exercise provides similar benefits as the plank with the addition of building up arm muscles. We recommend doing 20 reps but you can increase the number as you get stronger.
Here’s another popular workout that can be added to your routine. Sit-ups tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles, hip flexors, and lower back.
To do sit-ups:
Try doing 10-20 reps for three sets.
V-ups are a more challenging form of the sit-up. This exercise targets the abdominal muscles, arms, and legs. V-ups also help with balance and coordination.
To do v-ups:
We recommend 10-15 reps.
Lunges target the glutes, hips, hamstrings, and thighs.
Try to do 10 reps per leg.
You can do this exercise as long as you have a portion in your dorm with an empty wall. Wall sits target your hamstrings, lower back, shoulders, and thighs.
Leg raises work well on your upper and lower abs. This exercise is also done on the floor, so make sure your dorm room floor is clean or you can use a mat.
Try 15 reps for three sets.
Calf raises strengthen the calf and gives definition to the legs. You can do this exercise while standing on the floor or on the stairs. Slowly raise your heel until you are standing on your toes. Hold it for a few seconds and return to the original position.
You can add intensity to the exercise by holding dumbbells in each hand. If you have difficulty maintaining balance, you can place a chair in front of you and lightly place both hands for stability.
We recommend at least 20 reps.
We understand that college life is busy but that’s no excuse for neglecting your health. That’s why we’ve made sure that these eight dorm room workouts can be done by anyone without the need for any equipment and can fit into any busy schedule. They may be tiring at first, but in the long run, your body and mind will thank you for it.
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