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As a college student, your schedule is probably pretty tight. You have to balance academic commitments, social activities, and personal well-being. As such, this can prove to be a daunting task, especially at such times as examination sessions. No matter how much you think you cannot spare some time and time to exercise, you need to understand that it is generally good for both the body and mind. In the flurry of lectures, study sessions, and other activities that come with school, it becomes difficult to stick to a workout schedule. But working out in college is essential.
Student exercise is crucial for your health, both physical health and mental clarity. Easy but effective workouts tailored specially for you come with a practical solution. So, wondering what are some options you have for your workout? Continue reading to find out. Students exercising is recommended, especially as they have hectic lifestyles. It helps you stay active, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being.
Strength Training for College Students
As a college student, you are probably living in a dorm. This means you do not have so much space available for your workout. So, you need exercises that help you make use of the small space you have available. Strength training is suitable for this as it can be done with minimal equipment. You just need dumbbells or resistance bands, making it feasible for small spaces like dorm rooms or campus gyms.
Sometimes, when you are so focused on maintaining the fitness of your body and clarity of your mind, you might forget about your tasks. This can happen anytime, as, during your most crowded times, you can easily miss the completion of one or more tasks. You have to study for your exams, write essays, research for your papers, and attend courses too. In this case, you can use the help of an online writer. At Edubirdie, you can pay for essay and you get the support you need. They have many online writers who are ready to offer you the help you are looking for. You can easily delegate your tasks as they have the knowledge and experience necessary to tackle any task and topic. Edubirdie offers these students help so that they can balance their academic and personal lives successfully.
So, you can focus on your workout, whether it’s at your campus gyms or in your dorm room. College students working out can be seen anywhere on the campus, so you can join them to keep your motivation high. And you can try these strength training sessions.
Dumbbell Workout
If you have dumbbells available, you could exercise for about 20-30 minutes. It helps you increase your muscle mass, strengthen bones and boost your metabolism.
Example Dumbbell Routine:
Dumbbell Goblet Squats | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Dumbbell Bench Press: | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Bent-over Rows | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Shoulder Press | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Bicep Curls | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Dumbbell Kickback | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Dumbbell V-up | 12-15 | ![]() |
Tips:
Repeat the entire routine 3 times. A tip you should keep in mind is to adapt any type of exercise to your current fitness level. You should choose a weight that challenges you but allows you to maintain good form too. You could increase weight gradually as you get stronger.
Resistance Band Workout
Squats with Band | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Band Rows | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Chest Press with Band | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Band Shoulder Press | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Band Bicep Curls | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Band Pushdown | 12-15 reps | ![]() |
Banded Leg Raise | 12-15 | ![]() |
Tips:
Repeat the entire routine 3 times. Anchor the band securely for exercises like chest presses. Maintain tension in the band throughout the exercise for maximum benefit.
Bodyweight Workouts
Bodyweight or calisthenic exercises. Extraordinary physical exercise for students does not require any equipment. This means that you can do them anywhere as you use only the weight of your body. Which makes them highly convenient and accessible.
![Quick and Effective Workouts for College Students 35 Archer Push-Up](https://fitnessprogramer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Archer-Push-Up.gif)
![Quick and Effective Workouts for College Students 36 Cross Arm Push-up](https://fitnessprogramer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Cross-Arm-Push-up.gif)
![Quick and Effective Workouts for College Students 37 Bench Pike Push-up](https://fitnessprogramer.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Bench-Pike-Push-up.gif)
Here is a list of calisthenic exercises from beginner to advanced levels. Choose exercises that suit you and create a personalized workout program with our workout planner.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
As it is a high-intensity training, you can start by practicing it about 15-20 minutes. You can exercise for 30 seconds and then rest for another 30 seconds. This type of training helps you boost your metabolism, burn fat, and improve cardiovascular fitness. All these in a short amount of time.
Example HIIT Routine:
- Jumping Jacks: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
- Push-ups: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
- Squats: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
- Burpees: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
- Plank: 30 seconds / Rest: 30 seconds
Repeat the entire circuit 3-4 times.
Tips:
There are many tips you can apply but the most important thing to keep in mind is to modify exercises based on your fitness level. You can find online an ideal way of exercising, but you have to adapt it to how your body feels right now. You can start on a lower level and then increase the intensity of the exercises on the way. For example, you could do knee push-ups instead of regular ones. Also, using a timer or HIIT app can help you know how to adapt your practice.
Circuit Training
Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises in a sequence, with minimal rest in between. It typically includes a mix of cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility exercises, targeting different muscle groups.
Circuit training can be an excellent workout option for college students, offering a time-efficient and effective way to improve fitness. Here are some tips and a sample circuit training workout tailored for college students:
Duration: 20-30 minutes
Structure: Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, then move to the next exercise. Repeat the circuit 3-4 times.
Benefits: Builds strength, enhances endurance, and keeps the heart rate up.
Example Circuit:
- Squats: 45 seconds / Rest: 15 seconds
- Push-ups: 45 seconds / Rest: 15 seconds
- Lunges: 45 seconds / Rest: 15 seconds
- Plank: 45 seconds / Rest: 15 seconds
- Mountain Climbers: 45 seconds / Rest: 15 seconds
- Sit-ups: 45 seconds / Rest: 15 seconds
Tips:
Keep transitions quick to maintain heart rate. Focus on form to prevent injuries.
Yoga and Flexibility
Indeed, taking time to exercise physically for your body is one way of benefiting physically as well as emotionally. It releases endorphins, the ‘feel good hormones’ into the body system. They get rid of pain and stress and enhance the quality of your sleep and help you to get mental focus.
The incorporation of yoga and flexibility workouts assists in the relaxation process and also the general mobilization. And the best part is, you can do them anywhere. There are numerous Yoga programs and routines available on the internet today. However, here are some suggestions:
![Quick and Effective Workouts for College Students 38 Warrior 3 Pose](https://fitnessprogramer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Warrior-3-Pose.gif)
![Quick and Effective Workouts for College Students 39 Humble Warrior Pose](https://fitnessprogramer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Humble-Warrior-Pose.gif)
![Quick and Effective Workouts for College Students 40 Warrior 1 Pose](https://fitnessprogramer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Warrior-1-Pose.gif)
Quick Yoga Flow
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Benefits: Enhances flexibility, improves mental clarity, and reduces stress.
Example Routine:
- Sun Salutations (5 rounds)
- Downward Dog: 1 minute
- Warrior I: 30 seconds on each side
- Warrior II: 30 seconds on each side
- Child’s Pose: Pose: 1 minute
Tips:
Focus on deep breathing throughout the routine.
Perform the poses slowly and mindfully to maximize the benefits.
Final Thoughts
At times, a college student may feel that his or her timetable is very tight, and they cannot afford to exercise. However, you should know that this is not only attainable but also beneficial. These workouts include HIIT workouts, circuit workouts, strength training, and yoga among others ensuring that people of different preferences and timing conveniences are covered. Subsequently, by choosing to prioritize fitness, one gains improvements in his/her physical state, increased energy, and better-coping mechanisms for stress.
Co-Authors: Gloria Delgado
Bio lines: Gloria Delgado is passionate about workouts. She has discovered the excellent benefits exercising has on your mind and body. Now she is a personal trainer who wants to spread a love for exercising.