As a college student, you probably have a pretty tight schedule. You have to balance your academics, social activities, and personal health. So, this can be a tough task, especially during exam periods. No matter how much you think you can’t make time for exercise, you need to understand that exercise is generally good for your body and mind. With a jam-packed schedule of lectures, study sessions, and other activities at school, it can be hard to stick to an exercise schedule. However, exercise is essential in college.
Exercise for students is essential for their wellbeing, both in terms of physical fitness and mental clarity. There is a practical solution in easy, effective workouts tailored specifically for you. So, wondering what your training options are? Read on to find out. Exercise is recommended for students, especially those who lead busy lives. Exercise helps you stay active, reduce stress and improve your overall health.
Strength training for college students
If you’re a college student, you probably live in a dorm, which means you don’t have much space to work out. Therefore, you need exercises that make the most of the small space you have available. Strength training is a great choice for this because it requires minimal equipment. All you need are dumbbells or resistance bands, so it can be done in a small space like a dorm room or campus gym.
Sometimes, you may be so focused on maintaining your physical health and mental clarity that you forget about your tasks. This can happen at any time. During the busiest times, you may not be able to complete one or more tasks easily. You may also have to study for exams, write essays, research papers, or attend courses. In such cases, you may want to take the help of an online writer. At Edubirdie, Pay for the essay Get the help you need: Edubirdie has a large number of online writers ready to give you the help you are looking for. They have the necessary knowledge and experience to tackle any task or topic, so you can easily delegate tasks to them. Edubirdie offers support to students to help them strike a good balance between their academics and personal life.
So you can focus on training whether you are at the campus gym or in your dorm room. You will see college students working out all over campus so you can join them and keep your motivation high. You can also try out these strength training sessions.
Dumbbell Workout
If you have dumbbells, you can exercise for about 20 to 30 minutes. It helps increase muscle mass, strengthen bones, and boost metabolism.
Dumbbell routine example:
Dumbbell Goblet Squat |
12 to 15 times |
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Dumbbell Bench Press: |
12 to 15 times |
|
Bent Over Row |
12 to 15 times |
|
Shoulder Press |
12 to 15 times |
|
Biceps Curl |
12 to 15 times |
|
Dumbbell Kickback |
12 to 15 times |
|
Dumbbell V-up |
12-15 |
Tip:
Repeat the entire routine three times. A good tip to remember is to tailor any type of exercise to your current fitness level. Choose a weight that will challenge you but still allow you to maintain good form. As you get stronger, you can gradually increase the weight.
Resistance Band Training
Squats with bands |
12 to 15 times |
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Band Row |
12 to 15 times |
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Chest press with bands |
12 to 15 times |
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Band Shoulder Press |
12 to 15 times |
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Banded Bicep Curl |
12 to 15 times |
|
Band Push Down |
12 to 15 times |
|
Band Leg Raise |
12-15 |
Tip:
Repeat the entire routine three times. For exercises like chest press, keep the band securely in place. Maintain tension on the band throughout the exercise to get the most out of it.
Bodyweight training
Bodyweight or gymnastics exercises. Special exercises for students do not require any equipment, that is, you can do them anywhere, since you only use your own body weight, which makes them very convenient and accessible.
A list of gymnastics exercises for beginners to advanced. Choose the exercises that suit you and use our workout planner to create a personalized workout program.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
This is a high-intensity workout, so you can start with 15-20 minutes. Work for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds. This type of training helps boost your metabolism, burn fat, and improve your cardiovascular fitness — all in a short amount of time.
Example of a HIIT routine:
- Jumping Jacks: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
- push ups: 30 seconds / Break: 30 seconds
- Squats: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
- Burpees: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
- Board: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
Repeat the entire circuit 3 to 4 times.
Tip:
There are many tips you can apply, but the most important thing is to adapt your exercises according to your own fitness level. You can find the ideal exercise method online, but you need to adapt it to the current state of your body. You can start at a low level at first and increase the intensity of the exercises along the way. For example, you can do kneeling push-ups instead of regular push-ups. Also, using a timer or a HIIT app will teach you how to adapt your practice.
Circuit Training
Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises in sequence with minimal rest between each exercise, usually combining cardio, strength and flexibility training to target different muscle groups.
Circuit training is a great training option for college students because it is time-efficient and effectively improves physical fitness. Here are some circuit training tips and samples customized for college students.
interval: 20-30 minutes
structure: Do each exercise for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. Repeat the circuit 3 to 4 times.
advantage: It builds strength, increases endurance and gets your heart rate up.
Circuit example:
- Squats: 45 seconds / Break: 15 seconds
- push ups: 45 seconds / Break: 15 seconds
- Lunges: 45 seconds / Break: 15 seconds
- Board: 45 seconds / Break: 15 seconds
- Climber: 45 seconds / Break: 15 seconds
- Abdominal exercises: 45 seconds / Break: 15 seconds
Tip:
Be quick with your transitions to keep your heart rate up, and focus on form to prevent injury.
Yoga and Flexibility
In fact, taking time to move your body is one way you can benefit both physically and mentally: It releases endorphins, the “happy hormones,” in your body that can help relieve pain and stress, improve sleep, and help you focus your mind.
Combining yoga with flexibility training can help you relax and improve your overall mobility, and best of all, you can do it anywhere. There are tons of yoga programs and routines available online today, but here are some suggestions:
Quick Yoga Flow
interval: 10-15 minutes
advantage: It increases flexibility, improves mental clarity and reduces stress.
Example routine:
- Sun Salutation (5 rounds)
- Downward Dog: 1 minute
- Warrior I: 30 seconds on each side
- Warrior II: 30 seconds on each side
- Child Pose: Pause: 1 minute
Tip:
Focus on deep breathing throughout the entire routine.
For maximum benefit, move through the poses slowly and mindfully.
lastly
College students can sometimes feel like their tight schedules mean they don’t have the luxury of time to exercise. However, they should know that exercise is not only achievable, but also beneficial. These workouts include HIIT training, circuit training, strength training, yoga, and more, and cater to people with different preferences and time commitments. As a result, choosing to make fitness a priority can lead to improved physical condition, increased energy, and improved coping mechanisms for stress.
Co-author: Gloria Delgado
Bio: Gloria Delgado is a fitness enthusiast. She has discovered the amazing benefits exercise has on the mind and body. Now, as a personal trainer, she wants to spread the love for exercise.