How, then, can any student maintain their workout routine when returning home for break? It’s not easy. At school, you probably have a gym, perhaps a pool, and almost certainly your college comes equipped with a track. Your parents’ house probably doesn’t have those things. And even if you have a full-access gym in your basement, with the absence of all other routine, it can be difficult to find the motivation to exercise.
You’ll need to plan ahead if you want to maintain a workout routine. Evaluate the resources you have at and near your home. Is there a gym you can use while on break? If so, you’re in luck. Get a membership for the time you’ll be home, and use it regularly. As regularly as you used the gym at school. Make an effort to maintain routine, and plan your workout for roughly the same time each day.
If there are no gyms in your area, you’ll have to get a little more creative, but you’ll still need to create and establish a routine. If you jog while at school, jog at home. This can be done anywhere, even if there isn’t a track nearby. Jog around your neighborhood, jog at home, or even go to your local community center or mall. Find a jogging buddy if you have trouble keeping yourself motivated. Perhaps an old friend, or even a sibling wouldn’t mind jogging with you.
Lifting weights is probably one of the easiest activities to maintain while at home. Even if you don’t have a gym nearby, you can still lift weights. There are many portable weights on the market today that you can purchase for very little money, or you can use things around the house. Offer to help you parents with any heavy lifting, or turn your younger siblings into weights that tend to squeal when you lift them.
Exercise bikes are fairly cheap, so it should be easy enough to purchase one to stash in your parents’ garage or shed. Then you’ll always be able to bike when you’re home. Or, invest in a good bicycle and go for a real ride around your old neighborhood. You’ll get fresh air and exercise at the same time.
Many activities can be done without any special equipment. Sit up, push ups, lunges, and others are all easy to perform and require nothing more than your own body. If you want to build up your strength, you can give younger siblings (if you have them) piggy back rides, or just kick a ball around in the yard. Any physical activity is better than none.
Maintaining an exercise routine while on break can be trying. Make physical activity a true routine and do it every day, no exceptions. Make use of the resources at your disposal and get a little creative, and you’ll return to college with your workout regimen intact.
