Dorm Room Workout: Glutes Edition

The two things I struggled with the most my freshman year in college was keeping my mental health up and finding the motivation to exercise. A lot of times I would want to work out, but I did not have the desire to walk to the gym. This is how I came across small spaces, or dorm workouts. This ultimately led to an increase in my mental health, and for me to start making it to the campus gym. It is always okay to start somewhere small, and this is why I am writing to show an all squat dorm workout.

First, you must gather what you will use. In my example, I grabbed a large candle I had, but any 3-6 pound object that you can hold in your dorm will do. Also, you will have a desk, table, or chair (hopefully) in your dorm room. Make sure to clear a side of that off for one of the variations of squats we will be doing. Lastly, grab water to keep yourself hydrated as well as a set of clothes you do not mind sweating in. I also highly recommend athletic shoes, even though you are in the comfort of your dorm.

Before getting into the squat workout, we have to ensure our muscles are warm and ready to go.

Hands-to-foot stretch:

• Stand in an upright standing position with your feet together
• Slowly use your hips and back to reach your hands toward the ground
• Go down as far as you can without bending your knees
• Hold for 8-10 seconds, then stand back up
• Repeat 3x, with a 30-second rest in between

Butterfly Stretch:

• Sit on the ground and place your feet out in front of you
• Take the soles of your feet and place them together in front of you (should look like butterfly wings)
• Slowly use your back to bend forward
• You can place your hands on your knees or feet for more flexibility
• Hold the stretch for 5-8 seconds, then you can relax from that position
• Repeat 3x, with a 30-second rest in between

The first squat workout is called the Sumo Squat. Step into your open space and get ready to squat! This exercise will work your inner thighs and glutes.

Steps:

• First, stand with your feet pointing 45 degrees out from a regular standing position
• Move your legs so they are wider than your shoulders
• Squat downwards, keeping your back straight and head forward
• Go down as low as you can without your knees bending over your feet
• When you go as low as you can, come back up in a slow and controlled motion
• Repeat this 10x (10-reps)
• Repeat this 10-rep exercise 3 times with a minute break between each 10-reps

The next workout we are going to do is called the Weighted Squat. This exercise will work your outer thigh muscles and glutes. Make sure you grab an object you can comfortably hold in your hands. Preferably from 3 to 6 pounds.

Steps:

• Start standing with your legs shoulder-width apart and your object in your hands
• Squat with the object held with both hands out in front of your chest
• Squat until your knees are close to bending over your toes, then stand back up
• Repeat this 10x (10-reps)
• Repeat this 10-rep exercise 3 times with a minute break between each 10-reps

Finally, we are going to end with the Bulgarian Split Squat. This is the hardest of all the exercises, but also the most rewarding. Bulgarian Split Squat exercise will work all of your thigh muscles, as well as your glutes. This is where we bring the table or elevated object into the workout.

Steps:

• Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart next to the table or the elevated object
• Take a step forward so your back is not to the table
• Reach one of your feet back so you have one foot on the table and one foot on the ground
• Now you are going to squat down until your knee comes around 3 to 6 inches from hitting the floor
• At that point, you are going to extend your front leg and stand back up
• After 8 reps of the exercise on one leg, switch to the other leg
• Repeat the same process of 8 reps on the alternate leg.
• Repeat this 16-rep exercise 3 times with a two-minute break between each 16-rep exercise

Moderation:

• If this exercise starts to get tiring, you can do this in a simpler way
• Follow the exact same steps. However, instead of putting your leg up, put your leg on the ground
• Essentially, you will be in a lunge position

Congrats!! You finished the workout. The only thing next is to cool your body down in a few simple steps:

• First, repeat the stretches from step one. It is important to stretch before and after the workout.
• Next, make sure you drink your water while you stretch, you are more dehydrated than you think!

All finished. Now you know how to do a dorm workout: glutes edition.