Fitness Tips for Busy Students
Balancing university and finding time for the gym can often be very difficult. Many of you might have part-time work to throw into the mix, making it a whole lot harder to manage it all. With these priorities at hand, we get it, it's easy to let go of looking after your fitness and health. Before you know it, your energy levels are down and you're finding that running isn't as easy as you remember, leaving you to wish there was a way to juggle it all.
To help you keep your fitness all semester round, here are our are top tips:
Dress for the gym
Some research has suggested that dressing for the part can help fuel your ambitions to complete a task. By breaking down your obstacles, will help to set you up for success. Try wearing your gym kit on the days you plan to workout so you have almost no excuse not to go.
Workout with a friend
Having a friend to go to the gym can help in many ways. For example, you're less likely to make excuses when you know someone else is counting on you to go. A workout buddy will also help push you when you are in the gym. Seeing them perform well can give you that extra push. Find a friend you can go with and get training together! Check out our full body buddy workout here.
Have a workout plan
Have a set plan of what you're going to do in the gym before you head to the gym so you can use that time in the gym optimally. You're more likely to stick to your training if you have a plan, and in turn, see progress and reach your results faster so just adding that extra time beforehand is all worthwhile. If you're not sure how to programme your workouts, you can always ask the help of a personal trainer, join our classes or try the many free workouts we have available.
Set yourself realistic goals
Having goals is great way to keep you motivated but the key is to not set yourself up for disappointment. Make sure you are setting challenging goals that are realistic and achievable at the same time. Every time you go to the gym, remind yourself of the goals you've set yourself to achieve to give purpose around your training. Need helping setting goals? Check out our blog on how to set fitness goals here.
Consider getting a personal trainer
We know this might sound out of reach on a student budget, but having a personal trainer can be a great investment, particularly if you're new to the gym. A personal trainer will be able to provide and support you with a personalised plan tailored to your goals, show you how to use the equipment correctly and give you invaluable training tips, and much more. You'll be skipping all the guess work on how to get to your goals, fast tracking you to smash your fitness goals! Want help finding a PT? Here's how to find the right personal trainer for you.
Keep active throughout the day
For the times you can't make it to the gym, try keeping active throughout the day. For example, you could try taking the stairs instead of taking the lift, take a break from studying by doing some bodyweight squats, catching up with a friend over a walk instead of sitting in a café. Sneaking in more movement into your day can be a great and easy way to keep you activity levels up.
Get some tips from PureGym member Noku on how she balances gym and university here.
