9 workouts you can do without leaving your bedroom

Photo by Nicole Pierick

We have been in school for about a month now, so we’re starting to get more comfortable with everything and becoming much busier. The caf is getting old and Taco Bell is sounding better and better everyday; a chicken quesadilla won’t hurt right? Those chicken quesadillas and late night ice cream runs might start to add up and suddenly, your jeans start to get tight and you can’t quite push the button through the hole.
Don’t worry, it’s not too late to shed those extra pounds you “accidentally” put on. Here are a couple workouts you can do in the comfort of your apartment or dorm. 

1. Squats
   A squat: feet about shoulder width apart and lowering yourself to a type of seated position. Seems easy, right? This may not help the fact that your jeans are getting tight, but it will make your booty look good. Body weight squats are a great exercise that targets your legs but also engages other parts of your body.
   One of my favorite and most challenging squat workouts is simple: play the song “Flower” by Moby. When the song says “bring Sally up,” stand up, and when the song says “bring Sally down,” go into a squat. Super simple, but the burn is real. 

2. Push ups
   Let’s be real: these suck. However, they are great for you. If traditional push ups are a challenge for you, that’s OK, they are for me, too. Try a push up with your knees on the ground and lean forward. If that’s too easy but traditional push ups are still too difficult, try hand release push ups. Braves strength and conditioning coach Dillon Adams introduced these to teams when he first arrived on campus. What you do is start in a push up position, lower yourself completely to the ground and pick your hands up from the ground. Once in that position, drive through the group and push yourself back up without using your knees. 

3. Jumping Jacks
   These are simple: jumping from a spread leg stance with your arms up, then jumping to put your legs together with your arms down. But simplicity can still get your heart pumping. Either one of these are a great option to your heart rate up and generate a little sweat. 

4. Lunges
   Another great workout for your legs and booty. Either push your leg out forward or backward and drop your opposite knee almost to the ground. Either type of lunge will help your workout. If this is too easy and you want to add something to get your heart rate up a bit, add a jump in between your lunges. 

5. Planks
   This is another example of an ab exercise that also engages other parts of your body. You can either do a traditional plank, where you’re in the push up position, or side plank, where all of your weight is on one side and your body is facing outward instead of down. Whichever position is most comfortable for you is what you should try. 

6. Burprees
   I literally despise these; who enjoys jumping straight up, only to force yourself back down into a push up, then do it all over again? But let's be honest, they are a great workout and can help you lose weight more efficiently. 

7. Chair Dips
   Chair dips are a great workout for your arms. Sit at the front of the chair on the floor, put your hands near your hips and hold the edge of the chair, then slowly lower yourself off the chair to whatever height you desire, and repeat. However, please do not use a swivel desk chair for these; that’s how you get hurt.  

8. Calf Raises
   This is a super easy one to make your legs look great. Just stand on your tip toes and either walk around or hold that position for a few seconds, then go back to flat footed and repeat. 

9. Walk
   Try walking more places. Walk to class, practice, around town, wherever. Simply doing this instead of driving everywhere will make a huge difference in the way your jeans fit, and help you familiarize yourself with town a little bit more. 

College is tough and sometimes you absolutely need that late night ice cream run or to satisfy that fast food craving because you’re in a hurry and that is okay! Just remember that college is expensive and having to buy new clothes every couple months is not really ideal or cheap. Make a couple small changes and maybe toss in a work out a couple times a week and you can avoid that freshman (or whatever year) 15.