Continually adding variety to your training plan is the best way to work out in your dorm room throughout the year without getting bored. A few simple training tools, like ValSlides, resistance bands, and some form of resistanceeither a medicine ball or dumbbellswill help keep your training fresh. Best of all, you can store it all in your closet and take it with you on road trips.
1. are great for improving mobility, stability and strength, but they’re especially useful for lower body movements like lunges. Another tip: Use them to make your push-ups more challenging. Placing your hands on the ValSlides adds instability to the exercise so your abs, back and shoulders are forced to work harder to keep your body in a straight line as you perform the move.
2. The is another great total-body training tool. You can attach it to your door and do upper body pulling movements like rows and lat pull-downs to boost strength throughout your upper body and torso.
3. Medicine balls or dumbbells make any exercise more challenging. You can use them in conjunction with your ValSlides for lower body moves like lunges, or by themselves for Romanian Deadlifts, presses, and rotational movements like medicine ball chops and lifts.
Using this equipment, rotate through movements for your total body for 30 minutes three times a week, and then do your interval training outside to give your metabolism an additional boost.
— Kevin Elsey, performance specialist for Athletes’ Performance.