SATURDAY, Feb. 1, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- When you're a college student living in a dorm, staying faithful to a workout routine can be a challenge. So many other temptations beckon -- food, music, gossip -- that working out may land in last place on your to-do list.
But with a little imagination, you can turn the dorm into an ideal exercise environment, one that makes exercise easier, not harder, says Richard Cotton, a San Diego exercise physiologist and spokesman for the American Council on Exercise.
A good program, done in the dorm, has the same components as other exercise programs: aerobic or cardiovascular conditioning, strength training and stretching.
"For the aerobic component, just walk out the door," Cotton suggests. If the weather is nice, walk outside. If not? "Walk a flight of stairs, walk the length of the floor, take the next flight up. It's sort of like interval training."
For strength training, invest in adjustable dumbbells, which let you add on weights. Men should consider dumbbells that go up to about 40 pounds, and women, 25, depending on the condition they're in, Cotton suggests.
"Or do body weight exercises," Cotton says. Pushups are one example. "They don't have to be military style. They can be knee pushups, or pushing away from a desk."
Crunches can keep the abs under control, and all you need for those is a bit of floor space. A cushioned exercise mat might make them more comfortable, though, and also provide a good spot to do stretching, the third component of a good fitness program.
Be sure to stretch all the major muscle groups you just worked out, Cotton says.
More information
For information on how exercise reduces stress, see the American Council on Exercise.
