Working Out on a College Schedule
Finding ways to keep active and exercise can be one of the greatest struggles for college students. But, with the pandemic shutting down various activities across college campuses, and online classes forcing more students than ever to be stuck in their dorm rooms, staying active is as essential as ever. Studies have shown that higher levels of physical activity provide massive benefits on focus, stress, sleep, and tons of other aspects of mental health. NIRSA research states that "Campus recreation is an integral component of the student experience that develops and reinforces the personal characteristics which lead to academic success." As a college student myself, I nearly lose my mind on days when I can’t get active! It’s harder to pay attention in class, study, and my productivity levels seem to drop drastically. So, what are the best ways for college students to keep active amidst busy schedules and Covid-19 restrictions?
The first step I’d encourage all college students to take is to research their university’s recreation center, and other on-campus fitness options. Depending on where you go to school, these options may be more or less limited based on Covid-19 restrictions. At my school, Rutgers University, only one out of our four rec centers are available, and it is open on an appointment only basis. Most campus recreation centers will be just minutes away from your dorm, and allow students to get a great workout in without having to pay the cost of a gym membership. While at the rec center, students looking to get active can even look into various other activities the center has to offer such as swimming, yoga, spin, basketball, and many more.
If Covid-19 has your recreation center shut down, or it's just not for you, that shouldn't stop you from getting active, as there’s a plethora of activities students can do from the comfort of their dorms. Even taking a five minute break from studying to do push-ups, jumping jacks, planks, or any other basic fitness activities will really provide a positive impact on the health of students. These workouts aren’t time consuming, they can be done right inside your dorm, and they’ll still provide that endorphin release that is necessary to so many students like myself. If you’re looking for some workout ideas, here’s some from the Abs Company!
If you’re looking to do a little more than push ups and planks, but still like the idea of working out inside your dorm, check out the X3S Bench from The Abs Company! The X3S bench provides a total body workout with gym-level results, but the product's small footprint allows it to be effective within the confines of your dorm room! Glutes, quads, shoulders, biceps, abs, you name it, any part of the body can be worked out on this amazing product!