Working out is good for you. It relieves stress, helps you sleep, keeps you healthy, and can improve both your body Image and your self confidence; all things a college student could use. However, not everyone has time to hit the campus gym. Some people just don't want to, and I don't blame them. My school's gym is always packed, and I can't remember the last time I saw someone wiping down a machine after using it.
Even if you were a bit of a gym rat back home, you might want to find an alternative way to work out. If you're not lucky enough to have a more private gym nearby, don't lose hope, because there are other alternatives.
You probably already know about body weight exercises. Push-ups, squats, and planks should all be included in your workout, but here are some other exercises you might not have thought of. Whether you're trying to mix up your routine or just want to do a workout that doesn't require changing out of your pajamas, here are some student-accessible exercises to try in the comfort of your own dorm.
Exercise 1: The Textbook Press
Textbooks are expensive, so you're going to want to get as much use out of them as you can. They're also heavy, so you can use them as improvised weights too. Stack your textbooks and use them to perform a shoulder press or chest fly. You can also load up your backpack and use it as an improvised kettle bell for additional exercises.
Suggested Reps: 3 sets of 12 (or until your grip slips and the books fall on your head).
Exercise 2: The Chair Curl
There's a good chance you didn't bring Dumbbells to college, and I don't blame you. Lucky for you though, there's still a good way to get some bicep reps in. Every college in America seems to have come with the same wooden desk and the same weird blue chair. Believe it or not, that chair can make for a decent weight if you know how to use it. The chairs aren't that heavy, but they're an awkward shape which adds some difficulty to it. Holding it with different grips also let you add more of a challenge to your curls if you still find it too easy.
Suggested Reps: 4 sets of 8
Exercise 3: Dresser Dips
Personally, the tricep dip is one of my favorite exercises. It's simple, effective, and it hits a muscle group most people overlook when they think about arms. Plus, this workout doesn't require much space to do. You can do them on your table, your dresser, or even that chair you just used for bicep curls.
Suggested Reps: 1 set of 25 during every commercial break while avoiding homework.
Exercise 4: Dormbed Decline Push-ups
While traditional push-ups only work your lower pecs, decline push-ups work the entire pectoral area. They require someplace elevated for your feet, and it becomes a harder workout depending on how elevated your feet are. Lucky for you, your dorm bed is already ten feet off the floor.
Suggested Reps: Perform to exhaustion 4 times
Exercise 5: Take out the Trash
College is a busy time in a person's life. That being said, if you have the free time to workout, that means you have the free time to clean your dorm too. Honestly, it's filthy. Trying moving your furniture around to get all the trash that's piled up in the corner of your room, and bag it up. Maybe do some shrugs with it on the way to the dumpster. That'll work out your deltoids and traps.
Suggested Reps: Until your dorm is clean
