College can be super busy. Between school work, social life, jobs, internships, eating, sleeping and Netflix, it seems as if exercise is the first thing that I neglect. I always swear I am going to go to the gym until I realize I have a research paper due and I didn’t even look up the topic. Clearly, I need some quick workouts to do in between my homework. Here are five workouts to do in the residence halls, and most importantly in between collegiette activities.
1. Take a little time out between homework and walk all the way up the stairs to the top floor and then back down to the lobby. Deep breaths. Think about the butt you’re going to have when it’s over. Twenty flights of stairs equals a mile of walking. Climbing three flights of stairs burns approximately 15 calories. These little additions to your daily routine can make a lazy day into a productive one. Start with once a day, then twice and then three times. Build up your stamina and in no time your body will be more adjusted to the stairs.
2. Do a one-minute wall sit against your dorm room door! Generally, a person who weighs 150 pounds burns 5 calories per minute while doing a wall sit. Although this isn’t a large number of calories, you’re still toning your body and making yourself feel better on the inside. Your quadriceps will be strengthened on the front of your thighs, while your butt, abdomen and calf muscles are toned as well. If you don’t feel like going out of your way, squat while you shower for one minute intervals. This way you are adding a little exercise to a (hopefully) daily task.
3. Are you feeling as if your textbooks weigh way too much to be lugging around campus? My favorite way to use textbooks, other than for studying of course, is to use them to work out. Grab one book or combine two, hold them directly infront of you and squat down, keeping your head and chest up. Stand up tall raising the books above your head. Continue to do this for one minute. It’s a great way to tone your arms and your legs. Remember keep on inhaling and exhaling deeply.
4. While your textbooks are out, you may as well stack some on the ground and use it as a toe tap tool. Jump up and let the balls of your feet and toes tap the book and then switch feet quickly. Do this in one-minute intervals as well. The more books you stack the harder the task is.
5. Whichever wing of the hall you are, go to one end and lunge your way to the other end. This easy task sneaks in a quick workout between classes or during a study break, or even on your way to bae down the hall. If you don’t feel like going out of your way to do it, just lunge your way to the restroom and back. It’s a quick way to add toning into your routine and to feel accomplished.