It is the beginning of November and based on the location of your University or College, the temperatures are probably dropping, and the sun is most likely beginning to sneak into hibernation. What used to be your indefatigable summer fitness motivation has slowly evolved into a sluggish outlook commonly influenced by being overworked and sleep deprived.
Sleep deprivation and overworking are normal experiences of any college student; if you're looking for the remedy to lack of motivation and mental clarity along with sluggishness, you've come to the right place.
If it is too cold to walk to the gym on your campus, or you just aren't comfortable working out in front of others, working out in your dorm could be the perfect solution. A dorm workout consists of a variety of exercises combined to provide you with a balanced workout without needing any specific "gym" equipment.
If you aren't sure what a "dorm workout" should consist of, you can always google examples of one, along with following fitness bloggers and social media influencers.
Based on your health/fitness goals you can work out as much or as little as you want, keeping in mind that muscles require adequate rest to effectively respond to physical activity. Dorm workouts provide you with the freedom of being able to exercise at any time of the day, therefore gym hours and schedules are no longer valid excuses for skipping a workout.
Understandably, everyone needs an "off day", after a long day of classes/work sometimes working out just isn't appealing. But there is a difference between an "off day" and cheating yourself; when embarking on a health/fitness journey, you are promising yourself that you are going to make changes to your lifestyle for your personal improvement.
Dorm workouts are not for everyone, some need the routine of going to the gym to hold themselves accountable; working out in your dorm requires a level of commitment to yourself that you will not perform the workouts incorrectly (can lead to injury) to make them easier or skip workouts for frivolous reasons.
Starting a health/fitness routine can be daunting, I know it was for me when I began my journey but don't let the fear of starting to keep you from improving your way of life. My whole life my weight has yo-yoed, I was constantly battling myself. I've always had wider hips and broader shoulders and I allowed what people told me about my body, define it.
I bounced between starving myself in addition to over-exercising, to leading an extremely sedentary life and bingeing. I don't remember a time in my life where I wasn't constantly thinking about my body. My lifestyle change is the only New Year's resolution that I have actually followed through with; I knew that this one was detrimental to my quality of life.
Before embarking on my journey, I allowed my insecurities to cloud my thoughts and prohibit me from doing things I wanted to do. Hating what I looked and felt like, I made the executive decision to change my own life, and it has paid off.
If you're daunted by the idea of coming up with your own workout and haven't found one that you love, below is a workout that I have programmed and currently do daily. I prefer workouts that target various muscle groups each session, but several people prefer to break it up and target a different muscle group each day; it all depends on your preference.
This workout consists of three different exercise sequences, four rounds of each sequence; feel free to modify this workout based on your circumstances, abilities, and what you are looking to gain from the workout.
Abs/Obliques: 4 Rounds
- 15 crunches
- 15 bicycle crunches
- 15 Russian twists
Legs: 4 Rounds
- 20 lunge pulses on the right leg (go into a lunge and bounce at the bottom)
- 20 lunge pulses on the left leg (go into a lunge and bounce at the bottom)
- 8 squats with 10 pulses at the bottom each time
Upper Body: 4 Rounds
- 10 shoulder taps (plank position, alternate tapping each shoulder while keeping hips parallel to the ground)
- 10 push-ups (modification: push up from the knees instead of holding plank position)
- 10 tricep dips
I am not a certified professional, the conclusions drawn in my articles are solely backed by real-life experiences. Please be aware that health and fitness are not one size fits all, so please do not utilize these methods if they contradict with what a certified physician/professional has recommended to you and your specific case.
