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DIY: Dorm Room Workout
And you thought fire was against the rules
You don't need to invest in expensive exercise equipment to get a good workout. A bed can be used as an incline to perform a modified push-up in a small dorm room.
By Ariel Tilson atilson@kansan.com
Just because you're aiming for As this semester doesn't mean your body has to suffer from the extra pounds you could gain while studying diligently at desk.
Chris Dellasega, Pittsburg, Kan. sophomore and a certified personal trainer at the Student Recreation Fitness Center, recommends the following strength-training exercises, which can be done in limited space with few or no pieces of equipment. Dellasaga's training regimen consists of simple exercises that use your own body weight and incorporate multiple muscles so you can burn the most calories.
To start, Dellasega suggests side-to-side push-ups to strengthen your arms. You'll start in the standard push-up position, but instead of lowering your chest straight to the ground, you'll direct it toward one of your thumbs, return to the original position and then repeat on the other side. This style of push-up is a more efficient workout because it requires you to use each arm independently.After you've mastered this exercise, regular push-ups will be easy.
Dellasega says that when it comes to working out your legs, squats are key.
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. Dellasega says squats are an ideal exercise because more than 70 percent of your body weight is located above your knees.
For instance, you can balance with one foot behind you resting on your desk chair and then do a modified squat. Simply bend your other leg as deep as you can, but be careful not to extend your knee too far over your toe or you could damage your knee joints.
Because your closet-sized dorm room likely restricts your movements, Dellasega suggests using your furniture to workout.
If you have a desk in your room,you can do a modified side-to-side push-up by leaning your hands against the edge of the desk with your feet placed firmly
on the floor and repeating side-to-side movements.
Yet another modification of this exercise is to place your feet on your bed with your hands on the floor.
If you have a little bit of extra room and extra cash, Dellasega suggests purchasing equipment to get an even more intense workout.
He says jumping rope is by far one of the most efficient workouts you can do, and adding light weights to any of the above exercises will give you an extra burn.
"You can get a lot done with two very simple things: dumbells and a jump rope," Dellasega says.
Of course, if you want any additional advice or have any questions, Dellasega and the other personal trainers at the Student Recreation Fitness Center offer free services to students.
No dorm room is too small to squeeze in crunches during a study break.
photos by jorge basaure-carrington
September 11,2008
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