If you're anything like me, you have a love/hate relationship with going to the gym and getting your work out on. This feeling definitely becomes enhanced when a new semester starts up, and it may seem like you'll be spending more time in the library than the gym. But there's no need to fear because I have come up with eight quick exercises that you can do in your dorm or room if you just can't get to the gym.
1. Sit-ups/Crunches
These are very useful, and sometimes overrated, abdominal exercises that help in strengthening your core and building up your ab muscles. Start with a moderate amount, like reps of 10-12, in sets of three.
2. Push-ups
Up until a few months ago, the last time I did a push-up was in high school gym class, but, alas, push-ups are a really easy way to work out your chest, shoulders, and triceps muscles. Start out doing 10 reps in sets of three and try to progress from there week after week.
3. Planks
I know, I know. Planks are terrible and they make you want to die, but, it's kind of hard to hate them when there are so many benefits to doing them. Planks help with strength and endurance and they work out your abs and your back. Try holding them in 30-second intervals, and eventually work your way up to holding it for two minutes.
4. Squats
Who doesn't love a good butt exercise (and also thighs, glutes, and core)? Start with 10 squats for every set you do, and try to progress from there.
5. Supermans
It may not be fun, but you can at least pretend you have superpowers. You do this by laying face down and raising your arms straight out in front of you (about five inches off the ground) and raising your legs to a similar height. Make sure to keep your body rigid and try not to relax your muscles (it wouldn't really be a good exercise if you were relaxing, would it?). This will strengthen your upper and lower back muscles!
6. Forward Lunges
This is my favorite exercise because it's so easy to do. A lunge is when you place your body weight onto a single leg and you work your hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and inner thigh muscles. Start with about 10 lunges per leg in sets of three, and work your way up from there.
7. Calf raises
Another really simple exercise is to stand and raise your heels a few inches off the ground so that you stand on your tiptoes. Hold it for a moment, and then lower yourself back down and repeat. You know it'll be working if you feel a stretch in your calf muscle. Try as many reps as you like (I normally start with 30) and try and progress week by week.
8. Pelvic Tilts
It may not look like they do much (and they probably don't even look like an ab exercise), but believe me, you'll be feeling the burn after a few sets of these. And you get to lie on your back, and who doesn't love laying down? Lay down with your knees bent and bend your pelvis up. And if this is too easy and you have access to weights, try placing a weight on your stomach to make it a little more difficult.
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