Being a college student is hard enough without hearing the words 'freshman' and 'fifteen' together. As a sophomore and a softball player, I managed to not gain the freshman fifteen, but I know that after coming home this past summer quite a few of my friends said that they or their friends at school had.
Another problem I know of is not wanting to go to the gym on campus because people feel judged for not lifting a lot of weight. So here is a list of 26 workouts that won't take much time out of your day and also don't require going to the gym or require actual weights.
Arms High Half Sit Up x 20
Lay down on your back. Raise your arms straight out from your side, pointing towards the ceiling. Then slowly lift yourself up and keep your arms pointing straight towards the ceiling. Lift yourself halfway up and then come slowly back down.
Burpees x 10
The most dreaded thing to hear. To start a burpee, stay standing. Then, jump up, bring your hands down to your feet and then jump your feet out and back in then stand back up.
Crunches x 50
Laying on your back, feet flat on the floor, Put your hands behind your head and lift your chin towards the ceiling. Then crunch upward and back down.
Donkey Kicks x 20 each leg
Get on your hands and knees and kick the chosen leg back and up.
Elbow Plank Touches x 15 each arm
Lay down on your stomach and get in a plank position (on your elbows with your hands in fists). Then, without moving your hips, reach one arm out and touch the ground in front of you and then bring it back. Then reach out with the other arm and continue repeating. Try and pretend like there’s a dinner plate on your back for this exercise and you don’t want to move our back and break the plate.
Fire Hydrants x 20 each leg
Get on your hands and knees and kick the leg back and up then bring it at a parallel back towards your torso.
Goblet Squat x 15
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and grab an object with a little bit of weight to it. Hold it with both hands in front of your chest and squat down. *Make sure your knees do not go over your toes while squatting*
High Skips x 10 each leg
Stand with feet a little bit wider than shoulder width apart. Skip forwards and try and get as much extension in your legs as possible.
Incline Push-ups x 10
Find an object that is sturdy and wide enough for you to grip. Put your hands on it and spread your feet back so you are straight. Go down slowly and then raise yourself back up.
Jumping Jacks x 50
Stand tall with your arms at your side. Bring your hands out and up as you jump out with your feet and then back in again.
Kicks x 20 each leg
Stand tall and choose which leg you will do first. Whichever you choose, reach out the opposite hand straight out, parallel with the floor. Then kick the leg you chose up. The goal is to kick your hand (lightly) with your foot. Then switch legs.
Lunges x 15 each leg
Stand tall and choose a leg to do first, then lunge out with the chosen foot. *Make sure your knees do not go over your toes while lunging*
Mountain Climbers x 25 each leg
Get down in push-up position and then set one foot underneath your bellybutton. Rapidly switch your feet while maintaining balance.
Narrow Squat x 15
Stand tall with your feet even with your shoulders and squat down. For these ones, make sure that you do not roll to the outer edge of your foot but make sure that you instead keep your weight balanced throughout your feet. *Make sure your knees do not go over your toes while squatting*
Oblique Crunches x 20
Lay down on your back with your feet on the floor. Then choose which side you will do first and then roll onto your opposite side. Put your hands behind your head again with your chin tilted towards the ceiling and crunch upward. You should focus on using only the side of your core (your obliques).
Push-ups x 10
Get down in push-up position on the floor. Make sure that as you go up and down, you go slowly and also that you keep your body in a straight line.
Quick Feet x 25 each foot
Find a line or imagine one in the space and step over it and back as quickly as possible.
Raises (Calf) x 25
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and just slowly raise on to your toes and then slowly back down again.
Sit-ups x 20
Lay down on the floor and either tuck your toes under something, have someone hold them, or just deal with not having them held. Then cross your arms over your chest with your hands on your shoulders and sit up. Make sure that your arms touch your legs and then slowly go back down.
Toe Touches x 20
Upper Cuts x 10 each arm
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, staggered, your dominant foot in back. Focus on keeping your core tight as you do this exercise. Take an upper cut with your dominant hand and then with your other hand. Move slowly through the punches and make sure to keep your core tight. Twist as you finish your punch to engage your oblique’s as well.
V-ups x 15
Lay on your back. Then bring your arms and legs up to make a V shape and then back down again SLOWLY. Try not to let your legs touch the ground as you lower your legs to the ground.
Weighted Bridge x 20
Lay on your back with your feet on the ground. Tighten your core and lift it towards the ceiling.
X Jumps x 5 sets
Stand tall with your arms at your sides. Jump first forward and left and then back to center. Then jump forward right and back and then Backward right and backward left. The four jumps completes one set.
Y Lifts x 20
Lay on your back and slowly bring your legs upward. As your legs come up, bring your arms up as well, slowly reach between your legs and then come back down.
Zig-Zag Hops x 5 complete lengths
Stand tall with your arms at your side and then jump forward in a zig-zag pattern five jumps. Then repeat the process but coming backward.
And you’re done!
