If college students have one thing in common, it is being extremely busy. Students, and some faculty/staff, seem to be running from one class to another, then to work with little to no time in between. Being guilty of that myself I had to figure out how to get my workouts in so it did not interfere with classes, work and other organizations. Being an exercise science major, I have talked with quite a few people about their workout routine and how they insure they get them in with their busy schedules. Based off what was said in those conversations I was able to come up with a few suggestions. Here are just a few if you are having trouble getting to the fitness center:
- Go early
Every college student knows how hard it can be to get up in the morning regardless of when they went to bed. The only time you get up early is when you have class or a prior planned obligation. Adjusting sleeping patterns is one of the hardest things to learn when transitioning from high school to college. If you get up an hour earlier than normal and go work out, you will feel better after you complete your workout. If the facility has showers/a locker room, take a change of clothes so you can shower then head to class or wherever you need to go. It might take more than an hour extra, however. If you find yourself cramped for time the first week or two, get up an hour and a half earlier and see if that gives you more time.
- Go late
Every college student seems to be up later than when they were younger. Use that to your advantage. If you are not a morning person, go to the gym before you settle down for the night. Living off campus for a year one of my roommates always went to the gym in the evening due to the complexity of his schedule. Going late was the only time that he had and he wanted to make sure to get his workout in. Make sure you check your facilities hours before you decide if you are going in the morning or the evening after all meetings/events have concluded. Each place has different hours. College facilities have a higher chance of being open much later than independently run gyms.
- Split your workout up
One question always asked is how someone can make sure to get in their workout if they don’t have one solid hour to workout. The best answer to that question is to split up your workouts. If you have a combination of time (10 minutes here, 30 minutes there and another 15 minutes later), use those short times to your advantage. Go to the gym and get a small portion of a workout done during those times. Just because the recommendation for daily activity is between 30-60 minutes a day does not mean it has to be done in one complete session. Any combination of time that adds up to the recommended total time is fine.
- Workout with other people/get a workout partner(s)
Working out with someone is one of the best ways to ensure that you will get up on a daily basis to workout. That second person is there to hold you accountable. If you don’t get up and/or plan on skipping a workout one day and fail to tell your partner, you are not only letting yourself down but also your workout partner. This leads to a higher chance of adhering to a workout program. Your partner is also there to ensure that you are lifting smart and is there to spot to prevent injury.
- Use what you have
If you can’t find time to get to a fitness facility, use what you have at home or wherever you may be. If you are stuck at home or in your residence hall, use the books that you paid for and have available. They are going to be heavy enough to give you some resistance (especially college textbooks). It’s not always the best option, but you need to use what you have/are given. Also, look into residence hall accommodations. If it has a fitness room, use it. You are most likely paying for the maintenance of the equipment. Again, they are not going to have most equipment that a gym might have, but you will be able to use what is there and modify your workout to fit.
- Have a change of clothes in your car
Another common excuse often given when asked why people don’t workout is they have to go home to change and don’t want to walk/drive back. The best way to accommodate for that is to keep a change of clothes in your car or take them with you to work or class. Get a second bag that you will feel comfortable carrying. If you take your clothes with you, you will be more motivated to go to the fitness center after class/work than if you have to go home, change and come back. It also allows you to be able to split up your workouts in-between classes or when you have a little free time.
- Workout at the same time every day
By working out at the same time each day (or around the same time), you are going to have a better chance of sticking to a workout plan. You won’t have to continually work around your schedule to figure out when will be able to head to the gym. You will start to workout at the same time everyday and not have to worry about your schedule. Your body is also going to start to get used to the time of day that you workout. The hormones in your body will also get used to when you are being active if you stay consistent with the time of day. The hormones that are associated with repairing muscles and the body with give you better results by being active at the same time. Schedules do change, but if you continue to workout around the same time each day, you will start to see better results and you won’t have to worry about your schedule too much.
These are just a few suggestions that have been brought up in the world of exercise science to aid getting active. They are by no means going to work for every single person. By trying just one of these suggestions, you are going to increase your likelihood of adopting an exercise routine and will ultimately be able to start getting active (or back active) if that is your goal. Don’t hesitate to try other things. If you think it will help in the long run, by all means try it! It never hurts to try something new, especially if you came up with it. It is always better if you personally come up with something versus someone else telling you how to complete a personal workout.
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