Winter Dorm Room Fitness

Kelsey Davidson, staff writer

The winter chill keeps some from going outdoors and from going to the gym.

“When it’s raining sometimes I don’t want to [go outside]”, said Candace Nelson, community health major.

But that does not mean that students should have to stop exercising all together.

“I think you can do a lot of good strength training exercises indoors,” said Kate Barton a business major who recommends doing triceps dips using your desk chair.

Nelson says that doing yoga inside is really easy.

“If I don’t want to go outside, I take a break from running and do yoga instead,” Nelson said. “All the yoga I ever do is on YouTube, I never go to classes.”

Here are some ways to maintain your exercise routine when you really do not want to go outside. Some of these resources are videos, articles or just lists of workouts to do.

First we have the YouTube videos, though some might be dangerous to do in the limited space of your dorm.  History major and ROTC cadet James Schnurr commented that YouTube videos are effective because “it’s one thing to read how the exercise works, then to see it.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXU591OYOHA

YouTube channel recommended by Candace Nelson 

YouTube channel recommended by Kate Barton 

This video shows you how to use a dorm chair and a textbook to really get a workout but be cautious if you have a swivel chair.

Here is a video that shows you more on how to do the moves in your dorm room.

https://www.youtube.com/user/blogilates

This YouTube channel is filled with videos that can easily be done within a dorm room on a cold day. In fact, my roommate and I have tried exercises from a couple of the videos from here, and they are really fun to do with someone else suffering along with you. Just be careful not to hit each other when doing some of the moves.

Now here is a more text-y way to learn how to do exercises for the readers out there, as well as using some pictures to guide the reader.

http://greatist.com/fitness/50-bodyweight-exercises-you-can-do-anywhere

Here is a list of the best workout apps, some of them are free.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-workout-apps,review-2293.html

Finally, here is an exercise workout put together by Schnurr that focuses on different areas of the body.

For the arms and chest

  • Chair dips 3×10
  • Chair pushups 3×10
  • Spiderman pushups 3×10
  • Diamond pushups 3×5
  • Wide arm pushups 3×10
  • Close arm pushups 3×10

For the abs

  • Mountain climbers for 30-60 seconds
  • Planks- 30 seconds per position; front, left, right, back
  • Flutter kicks for 1 to 2 minutes
  • Double crunches 30 reps
  • Bicycles 1 to 2 minutes
  • Crunches 30 reps
  • Left and right crunches 30 reps on each side

And for the butt and legs

  • Squats 30 reps
  • Squat benders 30 reps
  • Lunges 50 reps
  • Butt ups 30 reps
  • Fire hydrants 30 reps
  • Prone row 3×10
  • Jumping squats 30 reps
  • Wall sits for 2 minutes