No time? No gym membership? No problem!
We may have a new gym on campus, but not everyone may get the chance to use it this year. Between student budgets, preferring to work out in private, and/or an aversion to trekking to the gym when there’s a blizzard outside, there are plenty of reasons why many students will choose not to buy a membership. Fortunately, there are still a ton of simple exercises that you can do at home. These don’t require any equipment and, since most students are short on time, work multiple muscles at once.
Push-ups
They’re a classic for a reason, since they activate so many muscles and require no equipment. They work the arms, shoulders, back, chest, neck, and core, and are great because there are easier and more difficult variations that you can try. Beginners may prefer to start with their knees on the ground, while those with stronger muscles may opt for their toes on the floor.
To do a perfect push-up, lower your body with your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width, keeping your elbows close to your chest. Be sure that your body remains flat throughout the exercise and your back doesn’t sag downwards, and keep your neck facing forwards. If you want to change it up and add an extra challenge, try using just one arm, or find a small table or elevated surface to place your feet on so that they are elevated above your head.
Planks
These are an efficient alternative to many other common core exercises such as sit-ups and crunches, since planks work more muscles at once. Rather than just focusing on the abs, planks also work your legs, glutes, shoulders, back, and chest.
Planks are also very simple to do, and consist of simply holding the push-up position before you lower yourself to the ground. Like push-ups, be sure to keep your body flat: your posture may start to sag when you get tired, but it’s important to retain a straight spine to avoid putting strain on your lower back and neck.
Burpees
These are great exercises for not only strengthening your whole body, but also for elevating your heart rate without a treadmill or elliptical. Though many people know what a burpee is, not everyone knows how to perform one properly. Start by standing upright, then lower yourself into a squat position with your knees slightly bent and your bum outwards, almost as if you were trying to sit in a chair. Lower your arms so that your hands touch the floor. Then jump your legs outwards into a push-up position, and throw in an actual push-up if you’d like some extra strength-training. Then jump your feet back into the squat position, and jump upright as high as you can.
Lunges
Lunges are another great exercise because they also target so many muscles: they work your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves; plus, you use your abs to stabilize yourself. Since you can injure your knees if you don’t do them properly, it’s important to use proper technique. To ensure you have proper form you can watch yourself in a mirror or have a friend watch while you do your lunges. Begin with both legs together, then step one leg two or three steps forwards or the same distance backwards. Bend your front leg at a 90 degree angle, ensuring that you are bending straight downwards rather than slightly tilted to one side. Keep your back upright as you bend your front leg down, as if there is a string attached from the top of your head to the ceiling.
Want to add some extra weight to your exercises, but don’t own any proper dumbbells? There are plenty of items in most houses that serve the same function. For lighter weights, try cans of soup or bottles of salad dressing. To add a little more weight, you can use cartons of milk, bags of apples, potatoes, rice, or bottles of laundry detergent. As long as you can grip it comfortably in your hand, it should work just fine.
Of course, these are just a small sample of at-home exercises—there are tons of others that you can do from the comfort of your own room. Go ahead, try some out, and get fit for free!
Photo by Mariah Bridgeman/The Ontarion.