FitnessU

Gym-Free Routines

• Cardio Kick-Boxing
• Simple Cardio Workout
• At-Home Wall Workout
• More Exercises

Cario Kick-Boxing

Directions:

• Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and your toes pointing out. Bend your knees so they’re right over your toes and sink down into your hips. As you rise, bring your arms up with you and inhale. As your arms go back down towards your sides, exhale. Do four or five of these.
• This workout consists of the basic components of cardio kick-boxing that, once your master, you can use in different combinations. Here are the moves:
• Jumping jacks: Jump both legs out to the sides, squat, and bring your arms up above your head. Jump and bring your legs back together, and your arms down by your sides.
• Jump ropes: Begin to hop on your toes. Make sure you have a slight bend in your knees, then bend your elbows and move your arms in a circular motion.
• Jabs: Make fists with your hands and bring them up right near the side of your face, with your elbows tucked. Extend one arm, knuckles facing forward, keeping soft elbows.
  Retract the arm and place it back up near your face. Repeat on the other side.
• Speed bag: Pretend there’s a ball hanging from the ceiling. Reach your arms up with bent elbows and move one wrist over the other. You can come onto your toes and hop side to side as you hit the pretend bag.
• Front kick: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and raise one knee to the height of your hip. Flex your foot and extend your leg out as your standing leg is grounded. Retract and bend the knee, then put your foot down and switch legs.

-Eliza, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Simple Cardio Workout

Directions

• This workout consists of burpees, high knees, mountain climbers, and plank jacks. Do 10 reps of each with little to no rest in between moves.
• Burpee: Bring your hands to the ground, jump your feet out behind you, and do a pushup. Bring your feet in and stand, jumping when you get to the top.
• High knees: Bend your knees and lift your feet so your thighs are parallel to the ground. Alternate legs. One rep is equal to two high knees (one on each side).
• Mountain climbers: In a plank position, jump one of your feet forward and then switch, bringing the other leg forward, and the first one back. Try to keep your hips straight.
• Plank jacks: While in a plank position, do a jumping jack motion with your legs. Bring both legs out and then back in. Try to keep your core tight and your back flat.

-Chase, Northern Illinois University

At-Home Wall Workout

Directions

• Begin with seated squats and wall jacks. Stand with your back flat against the wall and then squat so that your legs are at a right angle. While you’re in the squat, bring your arms up over your
  head and back down, as they would move in a jumping jack motion. Complete these for 30 seconds.
• Stand straight on one leg and raise the other leg up against the wall. Push into the wall with your leg and your forearm to maintain balance. Engage your abs and keep your butt tucked under. Hold for 30 seconds. Turn around and switch to the other side, again holding for 30 seconds.
• With your back facing the wall and with straight arms, place your palms on the wall. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and tighten your abs. Lift your leg out in front of you as high as you can while keeping it straight. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs and hold again for 30 seconds.
• The next exercise is pushups with leg extensions. Do a pushup against the wall with one leg extended back. Do 15 pushups with one leg, and then 15 with the other.
• The last part of the routine is swimmers with hamstring curls. Stand straight in front of the wall, facing it. Extend your arms straight out over your head so that your pinkies are touching the wall. Bring back one arm at a time. Make sure that you don’t lift open your ribcage when you bring your arms back. Lift your lower leg at the hamstring and hold while you perform this exercise. Do 15 arm movements on each leg.

-Airyn, Elmhurst College

More Exercises

Instead of hitting the gym, I work out with a yoga DVD in the comfort of my dorm. The DVD is for beginners. There are two options on the DVD: you can either do a rejuvenation exercise or an energizing exercise, both of which are only 20 minutes long. I do these exercises as a way to stay healthy and I find that when I am doing them, I am less stressed and more focused.

-Angela W., Stonehill College

Do lunges wherever you can, walk on your toes, jump, and incorporate your workout into things you already do in your dorm.

-Stephanie C., University of Michigan-Flint

This past summer, I did the Insanity workout program. It's really intense but encourages you to go at your own pace for your health. It also requires no equipment. I also enjoy finding yoga videos on YouTube that can be done sans equipment in my living room or community area in a residence hall. Always find time to exercise, even a little bit, because it increases blood flow to the brain to let it work faster!

-Beth L., Oklahoma City University

There are a lot of easy ways to exercise by using your own body weight rather than a set of dumbbells. For example, lean against your bed frame and do a set of pushups. It puts less pressure on your wrists and back and gives you the same result as traditional pushups. A lot of yoga positions like "salute the sun" and "downward dog" help stretch out your back so you don't feel as stiff and compressed as you do when you first get up in the morning. You can do a set of squats with your back against the wall. Make sure your back touches the wall the entire time so you know it is staying straight.

-Brendan T., The College of Saint Rose

Squats with hands on a chair for proper form. Pushups. Leg lifts and arm work using a backpack of books for weights.

-Craig C., University of Montana

Easy exercises that can be done in the dorms are just lifting free weights or even soup cans. These are easy exercises that can be done watching TV or as a study break.

-Amy M., Robert Morris University

One of the best things you can do is a morning stretch. It may not be a hard and heavy workout, but it's definitely a good way to start your day off right. You can even do them lying in bed! One I like to start off with is just rolling your ankles around, followed by bending your knees, and then your whole leg from your hip, getting your legs primed and ready for your day. You can do the same with your arms, starting at the wrist, moving to elbows, and then shoulders. Then, when I get up, I just do some basic toe-touches and arm/leg stretches to start off my day. Something that I've also just become interested in is yoga. Yoga can really be done anywhere; all you need is 3—4 feet of space around you! This is something great that you can do in your dorm, common room, bedroom, or really anywhere. It also helps if you have friends doing it too, so you can all motivate and relax each other.

-Abbey N., The College of Saint Rose

I do sit-ups in my dorm room. I also do jumping jacks as well as pushups. I do these exercises because they help work my arms, my abdominal region, and my legs. These exercises are easy and convenient to do inside your room and are still just as effective as going to the gym.

-Brittany T., Winston-Salem State University

You can honestly do squats just about anywhere. Sometimes when I need a study break, I stand up and start doing squats right in front of my homework. Also, if I know I'm going to be sitting somewhere for a long period of time and have music to listen to, and am alone, I just squeeze my butt to the beat of the music. It sounds silly, but I feel it in the morning.

-Allison H., Bradley University

You can always do crunches at home. All you have to do is lay a couple of soft blankets on the floor so that it's not so tough on your back. Crunches are very easy and they involve less strain than sit-ups. You can do many crunches because they're very easy! You can also do them with your legs up straight in the air or flat on the ground to work different abdominal muscles. You can always increase the intensity of it by holding the crunch and making sure to go slowly.

-Yesenia V., Bradley University

My roommates do the Wii Fit™ and I have a butt-kicking yoga video I like to do!

-Amanda S., Bradley University

About | CHS © 2013 | Privacy