I just moved back into residence on Monday; after I moved out two years ago I vowed to never repeat my 20lb weight-gain while in residence. I took up biking, and got up to 15-20km a day, with frequent 50+km rides thrown in when time and weather permitted them. Through that, dietary changes and some good ol' fasioned labour work, I've lost 40 pounds in the last 16 months.

Now that I'm back at school, I don't have my bike. To keep up an active routine, which doesn't take too much time away from my studies, I've taken up Squash. I plan on at least 2 sessions a week, hopefully more once I get my upper-body in better shape. (It's a hell of a lot of fun!)

I currently have to take a break from it due to a blood-blister that's formed on my big toe, but I was wondering what some of the other college/uni students here did to keep in shape while living in residence? Time permitting I'd like to add more than just squash to my activities.

I play tennis and badminton.

i have a bike... 60+ per week... eazy way to stay fit along with using weights

I dont like it myself since i prefere doing the sport outdoor but dont you hvae a gym in your college or in the town nearby?

I do half an hour of gymnastic with easy exercises each morning. 2km of swimming 1,2 times a week. Another 2,3 times of 1 hour running. Another 4,5 times of 1 hour cycling (my usually route is about 32 km and 700-800hm) with longer trips at the weekend. Another 1 1/2 hour soccer on sundays. Occasionally just some times in the year i do some tennis, table tennis or badminton.

Check out if they got a decent swimming pool - if you dislike running, see about either getting another bike or getting yours there. Being in Canada I suspect the opportunity for some cross-country skiing or even some speed-skating might exist, no?

Speed skating is really a small niche sport; and no where around here to do it I bet. Cross-country skiing I have no idea about, but that would only be in the winter.

We've got a gym on campus which I will probably visit often. I've been thinking about getting my bike up here, but keeping it in the bike room is such a hassle, and there is virtually nowhere interesting to ride in this area. Maybe I'll just hit the stationary in the excercise room in residence.

What else to you people do for excersize?

Swimming is a really good one. Aside from rowing and running, probably one of the best full-body workouts there is, and less stressful on your joints than running.

edit: if the gym has a rowing machine I really recommend that.

Tried turning the FFB up on your wheel?

Quote from MAGGOT :

What else to you people do for excersize?

If the weather is good then it's predominantly cycling and swimming (in the sea, I can't stand pools).

But if the weather is total crap and doing intervals on the trainer seems tedious there's always rope-skipping and the punch-bag (the latter is amazing for blowing off steam after work). Also, had a pal who's into martial arts show me some interesting exercises that are probably based on Tai-Chi (or maybe they are Tai-Chi - beats me) they focus on breathing and selective muscle tension quite a bit.

Last and kind of more involving - that requires you have a large mass of water, preferably the sea, nearby and equipment - is spear-gunning/snorkeling. But I suppose that goes down to being a more interesting form of swimming.

Quote from DeadWolfBones :

edit: if the gym has a rowing machine I really recommend that.

Totally agree on that. Because its adjustable for your needs, if you do a lot of repeats 200-1000 on less weight its good for endurance and burning kalories and if i go you right you are afraid of getting up some kilos during college month!? If you do less repeats on high weight its good for your power and explosivity.
And it trains nearly the whole body.

muay thai, jiujitsu/grappling. yoga... there are tons of bodyweight exercises or you could do to increase cardio, strength, flexibility and speed. you could also buy some small weights. I've been doing 1 mile sprints in the morning before i go to class and then train afterwards.

Some short sprints in the morning could be good. There's a path behind the residence buildings here. (Not long enough for a good cycle)

I'm not sure what we have in our gym, I never went in there in first year I don't think. If we have a rowing machine I'll definately give 'er a go, though.

There's no sea/lake/ocean close enough to swim in; there's a semi-public pool on campus, but I have issues with public pools...

I think morning jogs is a fine way, maybe combined with some sationary cycling and a couple trips to the gym every week.

What's 'Exercise' ?

(from a 52 yr old lardass )

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Tried turning the FFB up on your wheel?

150% in profiler, 200% in LFS + 720 degrees = Workout!

i am only using 400degrees and did 20 laps or so around sotown and i am glistening a bit lfs is good for forearm/shoulders/pecs and grip strength

Eh, you youngsters....

Just give it up. Why do something to try to stay fit? I've never done anything specific just to stay fit. Through my teens and my 20's, I played basketball every night, volleyball all day when I wasn't working or in school, ice hockey during the winter, etc, etc. I did none of those for fitness, strictly for the enjoyment of playing the sports and having a good time with my buds.

Guess what happened? I finished school and suddenly found myself waking up at 4 or 5 am for a 12 hour day of work. I got married. I had kids. You get older and there's no more time for this exercise stuff. I come home, dinner is ready for me. Play with the kids for a bit (while they are still young and like mom and dad, hehe), get the kids their baths, put the kids to bed, talk to the wife for a bit, do a bit of racing for half an hour or an hour, then go to bed for my 4 hours of sleep before waking back up again for a 10-12 hour workday.

No need to get all hung up on exercise when you're young. Before you know it, you're not young anymore, and have much more responsibilities and find that there isn't time for exercise. And besides, I'm standing on concrete all day long for that 12 hours. Then I have a half hour drive home where I stiffen all up that I can barely walk the 10 foot distance to the house after leaving the car. Do I want to exercise? I just want to fall down in the middle of the kitchen and die!

Ah, running... the workout as old as legs. If I didn't have my bicycles, that's what I'd do.

All you need is a good pair of shoes and shorts or sweats. After a little while, the shirt becomes optional.

Quote from mrodgers :

Eh, you youngsters.... ...

Well, I enjoy my workouts. Gets the juices pumping, makes you feel alive

Quote from MAGGOT :

Well, I enjoy my workouts. Gets the juices pumping, makes you feel alive

And on another note, being 35, slightly overweight, with bad knees that runs in the family, coming home from standing on the concrete for 12 hours, and having your 6 year old wanting to push her around in the Powerwheels jeep because the dog :spike: chewed up the battery charger cord can make you feel quite like you are dying :zombie: :weeping: :ouch: :melting: :faint:

Mike, I'll come play dollys with you, give you more time to LFS, seeing I haffto kerb my LFS playing, due to painful knees.

Quote from mrodgers :

And on another note, being 35, slightly overweight, with bad knees that runs in the family, coming home from standing on the concrete for 12 hours, and having your 6 year old wanting to push her around in the Powerwheels jeep because the dog :spike: chewed up the battery charger cord can make you feel quite like you are dying :zombie: :weeping: :ouch: :melting: :faint:

Lucky enough for me, my bad knee isn't bad enough to keep me from being active (usually). I quite enjoy biking and squash, too.

Hey, I enjoy biking as well. My knees have nothing to do with the fact that it takes me 6 hours to bike 4 miles and back though. It's the 6 year old that slows me down . Have to stop and smell every flower on the way, don't ya know...

Quote from MAGGOT :

I currently have to take a break from it due to a blood-blister that's formed on my big toe

Pop it you pansy.

I tend to hobo around the gym, was awesome because it only costs £3 a year for membership at uni, which is the gym, plus pool, plus access to pool and snooker tables, and many racket sports courts

Though a work out (which we do about 3-4 times a week) starts with 1,000M on a rowing machine to get the blood flowing, followed by an hour or so using various weight moving device in the weights room, followed by a 500-1,000M (depending how tired we are) cool down on a rowing machine. After which we'll walk home and stop off at the chippy to grab a bite to eat

One and a half hours of running and 30 push ups do it for me

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

Pop it you pansy.

I'm going to drain it tonight probably. Should heal quicker if it doesn't get infected.

Quote :

I tend to hobo around the gym, was awesome because it only costs £3 a year for membership at uni, which is the gym, plus pool, plus access to pool and snooker tables, and many racket sports courts

Though a work out (which we do about 3-4 times a week) starts with 1,000M on a rowing machine to get the blood flowing, followed by an hour or so using various weight moving device in the weights room, followed by a 500-1,000M (depending how tired we are) cool down on a rowing machine. After which we'll walk home and stop off at the chippy to grab a bite to eat

Only 3 pounds? Ours is free