Student fitness: Avoiding the freshers’ fifteen!
Late night pizza-fests, copious quantities of vod-bull, breakfasts replaced with caffeine fixes: sounds familiar? The hedonistic element of university can really catch up with you both physically and mentally, so here’s to counteract some of the overindulgence – cheaply.
With so many different cardiovascular and weights machines available nowadays, gyms are great places to work out, especially if you want to cross-train or lift weights. But university gyms can be expensive, and sometimes not as convenient as we’d like. (If we’re going to make the effort to do all that hardcore exercise when we get there, shouldn’t we be allowed the luxury of rolling out of bed and onto the treadmill?) Luckily there are inexpensive alternatives that allow you to plan your workouts around your hectic schedule and keep the beer gut at bay. (Although girls, you may have to actually go to the matches to get a sneaky peak at the uni rugby team from now on!) Here are just a few ideas to get you moving:
- Hit the ground running. Get a good pair of trainers and go for it. Hitting the roads just three to four times a week will improve your fitness, your stress levels and your waistline. It’s a great opportunity for a chat if you have a running partner, which will also be a great source of motivation. Facing the wind and the rain is not always an easy feat, so finding someone who will kick you out the door, if needs be, always helps. Setting goals is also a good way to stay motivated, so find a local fun run or charity run at www.runnersworld.co.uk/events or www.raceforlife.org/findanevent and start training. You can be 5k race ready in a mere five weeks, and being a part of the atmosphere at a race is an experience that is well worth the small entry fees usually charged (which often goes to charity). You may even be rewarded with a t-shirt for your efforts. Who can say no to a free t-shirt?
- Take a hike. Even if you can say no to that free t-shirt (running is not quite your style), have a pair of trainers, and get out there for some quick-paced walks on an evening before you start that long-postponed essay. Walking will burn calories and reduce stress too, so take your mp3 player or a friend and get out there.
- Feel the resistance. Resistance bands/tubes are a great way to get some strength training in without forking out for an entire set of weights. There are an infinite number of exercises to do armed with a single resistance band, from triceps extensions to squats, from bicep curls to lunges. Resistance bands come in different levels of resistance, so choose one that corresponds to your fitness level. Keep your routine varied so you will continue to see improvements and to avoid boredom. Resistance bands are sold at good sporting shops and online sports retailers and even at Amazon.
- Get to the core of it. Invest in an exercise mat (or use a beach towel) and start working your core. Don’t use this as an opportunity for a rest once you lie down—if you want that six pack you’re going to have to work for it! Plan a routine with such exercises as Bicycle crunches, Reverse crunches and the Plank, and include the number of repetitions. Set a time of day, such as morning or evening, and stick to it. If you need examples or ideas, visit http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm or search for abs exercise videos on YouTube.
