I know first hand how challenging it can be to maintain fitness on a tight budget as a university student. Juggling your studies, a social life, and a tight budget leaves little room for the gym.
The good news is, you don’t need an expensive gym membership to stay in shape. There are plenty of effective exercises and workouts you can do for free, right in your dorm room or around campus.
In this guide, I’ll share my top tips for getting fit without spending a penny, perfect for cash-strapped students looking to stay healthy and active.
Bodyweight Exercises: Your Personal Gym Anywhere
One of the most versatile ways to exercise without equipment is through bodyweight exercises. These movements use your own body as resistance, allowing you to build strength and endurance without any fancy machines.
Push-Ups for Upper Body Strength
Push-ups are a fantastic exercise for strengthening your chest, shoulders, and triceps. To perform a proper push-up:
- Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
- Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor
- Push back up to the starting position
For beginners, you can modify by doing push-ups on your knees. As you get stronger, challenge yourself with variations like diamond push-ups or clap push-ups.
Squats for Lower Body Power
Squats target your quads, hamstrings, and glutes – perfect for building a strong lower body. Here’s how to do them:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
- Lower your body as if sitting back into a chair
- Keep your chest up and knees behind your toes
- Push through your heels to return to standing
To make squats more challenging, try jump squats or single-leg squats as you progress.
Planks for Core Strength
Planks are excellent for building core strength and stability. To plank:
- Start in a push-up position or on your forearms
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels
- Hold this position, engaging your core muscles
Aim to hold for 30 seconds to start, gradually increasing your time as you get stronger.
Stair Workouts
If you live in a building with stairs, you’ve got a built-in cardio machine at your disposal. Stair workouts are brilliant for boosting cardiovascular fitness and toning your legs.
Basic Stair Climb
Simply walking or jogging up and down the stairs can be an effective workout. Start with 5-10 minutes and gradually increase your time as your fitness improves.
Stair Sprints
For a more intense workout, try sprinting up the stairs and walking back down. Repeat this for 10-15 minutes for a killer cardio session.
Stair Jumps
To really challenge yourself, try jumping up the stairs two at a time. This plyometric exercise will build explosive power in your legs.
Dorm Room HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a time-efficient way to burn calories and improve fitness. The best part? It requires no equipment and can be done in a small space like your dorm room.
Sample HIIT Workout
Try this 20-minute HIIT workout:
- 30 seconds of jumping jacks
- 30 seconds of high knees
- 30 seconds of burpees
- 30 seconds of mountain climbers
- 30 seconds rest
Repeat this circuit 4 times for a total of 20 minutes.
You can find other workouts on YouTube for free.
Yoga
Yoga is an excellent way to improve flexibility, build strength, and reduce stress – all without leaving your room. Many free yoga tutorials are available online, but here are a few basic poses to get you started:
Downward Facing Dog
This pose stretches your hamstrings and calves while strengthening your arms and shoulders:
- Start on your hands and knees
- Lift your hips up and back, straightening your arms and legs
- Press your heels towards the floor and your chest towards your thighs
Warrior Pose
Warrior pose builds leg strength and improves balance:
- Step one foot forward and one back
- Bend your front knee, keeping it over your ankle
- Raise your arms overhead and look up
Child’s Pose
This restful pose is great for stretching your back and hips:
- Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching
- Sit back on your heels and stretch your arms forward
- Rest your forehead on the floor
Utilise Your University Grounds for Cardio
Your university campus can be a great place for cardio workouts. You might even find groups who organise meet ups for this purpose. Here are some ideas:
Campus Run
Map out a running route around your campus. Start with a 10-minute jog and gradually increase your time and distance as you build stamina.
Interval Training
Find a long stretch of path and alternate between sprinting and jogging. For example, sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 60 seconds. Repeat this for 15-20 minutes.
Stair Runs
If your campus has outdoor stairs, incorporate them into your run for an extra challenge.
Resistance Band Workouts
While not entirely free, resistance bands are an affordable investment that can greatly expand your workout options. They’re also easy to store in a small dorm room.
Resistance Band Rows
Great for strengthening your back:
- Secure the band to a sturdy object at chest height
- Step back and hold the ends of the band
- Pull the band towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together
Resistance Band Squats
Add extra resistance to your squats:
- Stand on the band with feet shoulder-width apart
- Hold the ends of the band at shoulder height
- Perform a squat as normal, feeling the added resistance
Outdoor Workouts in the Park
Take advantage of outdoor spaces around your university for free workouts. Some parks have makeshift gyms supplied by the council, although they are very basic. A few other ideas are below.
Park Bench Workouts
Use a park bench for exercises like:
- Step-ups
- Tricep dips
- Incline push-ups
Tree Branch Pull-Ups
If you can find a sturdy, low-hanging tree branch, it’s perfect for pull-ups or chin-ups.
Hill Sprints
Find a hill near campus and sprint up it. Walk back down to recover, then repeat.
Dance Workouts
Dancing is a fantastic way to get your heart rate up and burn calories. Put on your favourite tunes and dance like nobody’s watching! You can find free dance workout videos online if you prefer more structured routines.
Alternatively, if there is a dance society at your university this is a perfect opportunity to sign up, meet new people, and get a bit of a sweat on.
Plyometric Exercises
Plyometric exercises involve quick, powerful movements that can improve your speed and agility – and you can do them anywhere.
Jump Squats
Perform a regular squat, but explode upwards into a jump at the top.
Burpees
A full-body exercise that combines a squat, push-up, and jump:
- Start in a standing position
- Drop into a squat and place your hands on the floor
- Kick your feet back into a plank position
- Do a push-up
- Jump your feet back to your hands
- Stand up and jump with your hands above your head
Box Jumps
Find a sturdy elevated surface (like a low wall or sturdy bench) and practice jumping onto it. Always be careful and start with a low height.
Fitness on a Student Budget
As you can see, there are countless ways to get fit and stay active without spending money on a gym membership. By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can build strength, improve cardiovascular fitness, and maintain a healthy lifestyle – all while sticking to your student budget. Remember, consistency is key, so find the exercises you enjoy and make them a regular part of your university life.
