Design Your Dorm

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Sure, you got to eat right, watch the beer intake (especially if you are under 21) and avoid late night snacks, but here are some easy work outs to do in your dorm room to keep you in shape. Now drop down and give me 20!

1	Stretches	Use what you have. Most stretches can be done while sitting or standing. Use your dorm furniture to increase your stretching capacity. Prop up foot up onto your chair, desk, or bed to stretch the hamstrings more deeply; use the walls for stretching your arms, chest, and calves.
2	Jumping Jacks	A couple hundred of jumping jacks will definitely make your heart and lungs work. Try them for a warm-up, or they can be done as sets between other exercises.
3	Standing Rows	These are done from a standing position. Loop a towel around a vertical pole or column or another fixed object that can hold your weight. Have your feet close up to the pole and lean back gripping on the ends of the towel, keeping your body stiff and straight. Row yourself up with both arms. Keep your back arched and row with your back.
4	Squats	First, stand with your arms raised above your head like you’re signaling a touchdown. Squat as deeply as you can with your back straight, and then return to the starting position.
5	Push Ups	Easy and effective. For side-to-side pushups, use a desk in your room and lean your hands against the edge of the desk with your feet placed firmly on the floor and repeating side-to-side movements.
6	Crunches	All you need is a matt and you’re all good to do crunches. Just make sure not to force it if you can’t do more crunches…and don’t strain your neck.
7	Presses	MUse something around the house for weight, e.g. soup cans or milk jugs with water in them. From a seated or standing position, hold the weights just above your shoulders. Push them up overhead slowly.
8	Curls	Stand with your knees slightly bent, arms at your sides, holding your resistance bags or two dumbbells in your hands. With your upper arm pinned at your side and bending only at the elbow, lift the weight up to shoulder level. Do the same with the other arm, alternating back and forth.
9	Lunges	This exercise is even more effective with dung bells. Start with 10 lunges a day, keeping the weights at your sides. If you feel that you can do more, do it, just make sure to stretch before and after to avoid soreness.
10	Calf Raises	This is done by standing behind the chair with both hands on the back of the chair. Keep your legs straight and body upright. Slowly move onto your toes lifting your heels off the ground until you are on tiptoes. Hold yourself up on your toes for 3-4 seconds. Then go back to your position.

Be careful when you work out, in your dorm or the gym. Asking for advice from a trainer at your school is always a good way to start. Next post will feature more tips for avoiding the Freshman 15.