Sometimes it’s hard to get a work out in. You might have access to a gym on campus, but if it’s on the opposite side of your dorm and it’s snowing outside, you might not want to make that trip. Thankfully, you can do each of these workouts individually or collectively as effective ways to still stay active without leaving the comfort and privacy of your dorm.
Running in place is a great way to work out without using a lot of space. Make sure you have enough room in the middle of your dorm and start by jogging in place or go straight to running. The amount of time that you spend running in place is up to you whether for one minute or five minutes at a time. Repeat five or ten times and you will have done an effective cardio work out without leaving your room or having to use any gym equipment. You can combine running in place with push-ups to intensify this workout. After a minute has passed, drop down and do between five or ten push-ups. Continue doing so for about ten minutes and you will be set.
You might remember this one from elementary school but having a jump rope in your room can be a fun way to get a dorm room work out. It’s a relatively simple but effective cardio work out and doesn’t even require a jump rope. As long as you do the jump rope motion for a set amount of time, you will still be sure to work up a sweat. You can decide if you want to jump rope for an amount of time or based on the number of times you jump. Plus, if you do it without an actual rope, you can’t mess up. Like always, make sure you have enough room and there’s nothing on the floor you could accidentally step on.
Push-ups are probably the most ideal type of work out for staying in your dorm. You don’t even need a lot of space, just make sure you have enough room to lay completely down on the floor. You might want to do push-ups on a softer surface like a rug or mat so you don’t strain your hands on a cold, hard tile floor. Aim to do a set of ten push-ups before resting and repeat for five or so sets. To change things up if you are feeling up to the challenge, try different variations of the classic push-up. Try with one arm behind your back, reaching out in front of you or clapping in between push-ups for an extra challenge.
Feeling a little bit more stressed than usual? Doing a little bit of yoga goes a long way. Yoga actually is a pretty underrated way to work out and also serves as a method of being connected to your body on a deeper spiritual level. You can literally feel your troubles melt away if you schedule in a little bit of mindfulness by doing yoga on a regular basis. Even if you are a beginner and have no idea where to start, there’s no reason why you should at least give it a chance. There are plenty of tutorials online that will give you a breakdown of different poses to try and go deeper on how beneficial yoga is. By trying it out in your dorm, you also don’t have to worry about people judging you if you mess up a pose. If you do end up falling in love with yoga, you can even join a class on campus or outside. This way you will have had some extra practice and can improve your flexibility even more.
One of the best parts of choosing to work out in your dorm is not needing a lot of equipment. Planking is one of the best examples of a work where you just need yourself and your phone to act as a stopwatch. Planking is great for building up strength in your core. To start, get in a position where you are lying with your elbows and knees touching the ground. Use the timer feature on your phone and set it to one minute. Once you feel ready, lift up your knees and start the timer. To be honest, this might feel like the longest minute of your life. Once the minute is over, you might feel like collapsing which is understandable. One minute of planking per work out is enough and you’ll definitely feel the effects. That’s part of the fun of exercise right?
You might have to move some furniture around for this one. Wall sits also don’t require any equipment, just an empty wall with enough room for you. Stand with your back directly on the wall and set your timer once again for a minute. Once the time starts, bend your knees and pretend like you are sitting in a chair. This will definitely work out your lower body. The lower on the wall you sit, the more you’ll feel it in your quads. Once again, this might feel like a minute lasting at least five but it’ll be over before you know it. For an extra challenge, try crossing over one leg over the other and balance on one leg.
Sometimes working out doesn’t have to be so formal. All it takes is turning up your favorite music, clearing some space in your dorm and letting loose to work out. We all know it’s gym etiquette to keep your music to yourself by plugging in your headphones. This way, you can experience your favorite music the way it was meant to be. Whether you follow an organized choreography to your favorite songs or just going crazy and feeling yourself to the music. Just make sure your roommate is not present if you are going to be playing loud music. However, if you are on good terms with them, have them or your friends join you!
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