Give Your Body a Summer Tone-up
By Ari Patel, Senior, University of California, Irvine
If you’re like most students, finding time in your hectic school schedule to work out can sometimes seem impossible, especially during finals weeks. As the big tests approach, you may want to focus only on your studies.
With late nights buried in books, you may resort to quick breaks where you fuel up on sugary snacks, sweet caffeinated drinks, and midnight burgers from fast food chains.
Making time to eat right and exercise regularly, though, can improve your academic performance. You’ll feel more alert, less stressed, and ready to take on all the end-of-the-year tasks at hand. Plus, if you keep up with regular exercise, you’ll hit summer feeling healthy, toned, and energized. A Student Health 101 survey found that 83% of college students want to get into better shape as the summer approaches.
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that all adults should engage in 30 minutes or more of moderately intense physical activity daily. Finding at least 30 minutes shouldn’t be so difficult. Try getting up earlier in the morning and working out before your day begins. Or schedule a regular half hour around lunchtime or before dinner.
Balancing Cardio and Strength Training
When you consider your workout routine, keep in mind the benefits of cardio and strength-building exercises.
Cardio is based on raising the heart rate. Running, jumping rope, and bike riding are all activities that can push your body to a point where the heart is working its hardest. Aerobic exercise can help you lose weight, reduce stress, strengthen the immune system, and improve muscle health.
Instead of focusing on heart rate and pulse as cardio does, weight training is based around building specific muscles through repetitive exercises. For example, you can work your biceps by lifting 10-pound weights, in reps of 10 for 20 minutes. Or you can lift 20-pound weights in reps of 5 for 10 minutes. Weight training increases strength, tones muscles, and heightens muscle endurance. It can also help maintain a lean body mass.
Cardio burns about 10 to 12 calories per minute (slightly more than the 8 to 10 burned per minute while weight training). The calorie burn stops soon after the workout is finished.
But, with weight training, your body is still “working out” for at least an hour after you’ve completed those exercises. After you finish your workout, your muscles are still in a shock, and it takes them some time to adjust back to normal. That adjustment burns 25% more calories after you’ve finished working out.
According to Women’s Health Magazine, for every three pounds of muscle you build, you burn 120 extra calories.
Alternatives to the Gym
While some students may get their physical activity in the school gym, others choose options that better fit their schedule, interests, and lifestyle. There are many activities to choose from, including bike riding, jogging, swimming, wall climbing, walking, yoga, pilates, and hiking.
Samir Shah, a student at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, credits his healthy lifestyle to dance and basketball.
“It’s hard to motivate myself to go to the gym sometimes,” says Shah. “But with dance, it [the schedule] is structured, so I’m almost forced to do that, which makes it easier to do.”
Like Shah, many students want to take part in activities that allow them to work out, without even realizing that they are doing so. They choose activities that they enjoy doing.
With any of these activities, you may want to add some sort of exercises that are dedicated to muscle building.
Body Toning Exercises
Here are a few simple exercises that can help tone your body, and you can do them in your room if you don’t feel like going to the gym. You can alternate activities on different days: Monday and Wednesday–arms and abs, and Tuesday and Thursday– legs and butt. However you choose to do them, the main thing is to get started and stick to a consistent schedule. These are just a few activities; to get a more comprehensive workout, look online for more exercises that will help tone your body.
Arms
Bicep Curls
Use a pair of free weights that you’re comfortable with. Consider 5-, 8-, or 10-pound dumbbells to start. Stand with your legs hip-width apart and, flexing your elbows, lift weights up toward your shoulders. Try for 12-15 repetitions but lift until fatigued.
Lateral Raises
This is one of the simplest arm toning exercises, and it helps build shoulder width and mass. Simply stand up straight with your legs together. Extend your arms at your sides, level to your shoulders with dumbbells of your choosing. Hold for 20 seconds. Try to do it 5 times.
Abs
The Plank
This is one of the easiest and most effective ab exercises. Get on the floor in a plank position. Make sure your back is straight, and you are resting on only your forearms and toes. Hold for 30 seconds. Work up to holding for a minute.
Bicycles
Lie on your back and bring your knees close to your chest. Place your hands behind your head. Lift your head to your left knee while extending the right leg and vice versa. Your legs should be “riding a bike” as you lift your head from side to side.
Legs & Butt
The Classic Lunge
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and then take one giant step forward with your right foot. Place your hands on your hips for balance and then lower your body straight down until your back leg forms a right angle at the knee. Using your leg muscles, slowly raise yourself back up. Repeat the exercise 20 times for each leg.
Squats
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides. Keep an upright posture and slowly lower your buttocks as if you’re about to sit down in a chair. Lower several inches and then slowly stand up. Do five sets of 10 squats.
Leg Raises
Get on all fours. Extend one leg back while the other remains bent. Lift the extended leg in the air 10 times. Repeat with the other leg.
All of these exercises are simple and fun, and can be done almost anywhere. By doing at least a few a day, you can help tone your body and feel more fit going into the summer.
ARATI PATEL IS A SENIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE. SHE IS A COFFEE ENTHUSIAST, STUDYING LITERARY JOURNALISM. SHE ENJOYS HIKING, DANCING, DISCOVERING NEW MUSIC, AND COLD WEATHER.
Find Out More
Click for more some great ideas on ways you can get fit from HealthFinder.gov.
Click for more great workouts you can use to get toned from the Amercian Council on Exercise.
Click for more some great tips for staying active in college from the University of Akron.
