As the cold November bite arrives, along with darker mornings and evenings, it becomes all too easy to spend too much time in bed (completely understandable – we all do it). But while endless assignment deadlines play their part in this, we are still more likely to become sedentary during winter than in summer and the pounds pile on.
An obvious solution would be to join the gym, however it’s not always that easy. Gym anxiety can be a serious struggle, membership can be really expensive and near-Baltic temperatures lead to a serious lack of motivation to leave the house unnecessarily. So, we’ve made a comprehensive guide to exercises that can be done in the comfort of your bedroom – all with minimal to no equipment required.
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
Apologies in advance to the person living below you as this one involved a lot of jumps but HIIT is a fantastic – and super quick – way to get active. You perform a high intensity exercise for 30 seconds before resting for 60 seconds and repeating with the next exercise. Example exercises include:
- Squat jumps
- Burpees
- Jumping jacks
- Mountain climbers
Performing a range these will most definitely work up a sweat and as tough as the training intervals can be, they’ll be over before you know it!
Abs
- Plank
- Bicycle crunches
- Flutter kicks
- Russian twists
Upper Body
There’s a common misunderstanding that working out your upper body can be difficult to do without equipment, however there are still plenty of options, no equipment required.
- Push ups (crazy effective – even if you need to place your knees on the ground for extra support)
- Tricep dips (use the side of your bed frame as a platform)
- Arm circles: lift you arms until they’re parallel to the ground and rotate them in small circular motions. Sounds simple but this will really tire your shoulders out.
Lower Body
Super easy and no equipment required, although a resistance band is great for making your workout more intense.
- Squats
- Hip thrusts (can be elevated by using your bed)
- Lunges
- Donkey kicks
- Wall sit
And that’s it, our guide to staying active when going to the gym just isn’t an option – a great alternative to trudging down Oxford Road in the rain or down Ladybarn Lane in the dark. Many great YouTube videos are available to demonstrate individual exercises. Plus, they provide the perfect revision break. The boost in endorphins will be great motivation to finish that essay!
*Disclaimer* In order to prevent injuries, it is always advised to consult with your GP before starting any new exercise routine.