College Fitness
Most students suffer not only from a lack of disposable income during their time in college, but they are also decidedly short on time. Some can chalk it up to bad time management skills, but for others, attending classes, studying, and holding down a part- or even full-time job makes it nearly impossible to find a few spare moments in any given day to sleep, eat, join clubs, or socialize.
For this reason, it can be difficult to stick to a fitness routine, as well. But four years of poor eating habits and a lack of exercise can turn the freshman fifteen into a much more significant weight gain, leaving students unhealthy, unhappy, and ultimately worse for the wear.
So if you are a student that wants to maximize energy, focus and retention, and overall fitness levels, here are just a few ways to make a little room in your busy schedule to squeeze in some exercise.
Be Reasonable With Your Time
The first thing to remember is that you don’t necessarily have to do an hour of intense exercise in order to make your efforts worthwhile. In fact, many of the “rules” you have likely ascribed to the idea of fitness may not necessarily apply. So throw your antiquated notions out the window and try to keep in mind that any type of exercise burns more calories and increases fitness levels more than sitting on your butt.
If all you can manage is ten minutes of combination squats and bicep curls in the morning and twenty minutes of jogging around campus in the afternoon, it’s better than nothing. And the upside is that even this minimal physical exertion can help to clear your head and boost endorphins, making you feel better physically and perform better mentally.
Adapt Your Ideas of Fitness
In addition, you don’t have to resign yourself to traditional forms of exercise like walking, jogging, or lifting weights. There are all kinds of options for college students, and some can even be performed in a tiny dorm room. For example, you could try yoga or mat Pilates, or put together a routine that includes low-impact exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, crunches, and some work with hand weights or a resistance band.
You could also do dynamic moves like frog jumps, burpees, 180-degree jump turns, jumping jacks, or even high-knee running in place. If you don’t have time to plan your own routine, simply look for ready-made ones online, complete with tutorials, or get an app to help you out (there are dozens).
Some of the favorite Project Swole routines include Werewolf Training, Fat Loss for Men, Fat Loss for Women, HIIT, HIRT, and the full body workout routine.
If you have use of the rec room in your dorm and you’re not particularly self-conscious, you could do kick-boxing or Zumba videos (you might even entice your friends to join). You could also use the gym facilities on campus if you want access to more equipment.
Prioritize
In truth, you simply have to make it a priority. Time management is essential to getting everything done when you’re in college, but like most people, you’ll only take time for the things that are truly important to you, whether that means cramming for a test, getting some shut eye, or perusing MBA rankings online.
When you commit yourself to improving or maintaining your fitness level you’ll almost certainly find the time to work in a workout. With so many options for types of exercise and short programs, there’s no reason not to stay in great shape during your time in college.
Tags: college, exercise, fitness, freshmen, school, time management, tips, workout
For this reason, it can be difficult to stick to a fitness routine, as well. But four years of poor eating habits and a lack of exercise can turn the freshman fifteen into a much more significant weight gain, leaving students unhealthy, unhappy, and ultimately worse for the wear.
Yes.