It is almost that time of year when the snow is falling and it’s near freezing, and students are less capable of easily getting to the Student Fitness Center.

Not being able to get to the SFC does not mean students have to give up on their daily workout. There are plenty of ways to get fit without even leaving the apartment.

For students who live in the dorms, there is exercise equipment available to them. Watterson, Hewitt, Manchester, Tri-Towers and Cardinal Court all have their own fitness centers.

Another option for students are exercise DVDs. There are many options to choose from, including muscle-toning workouts, yoga, Zumba, ab workouts and fat-burning workouts, to list a few.  

Students can even exercise using video games. If a student owns a game console like Xbox 360 with Kinect or Nintendo Wii, they can play active video games called “exergames.”

Students could also do exercises at home without any equipment and without spending money.

“Doing exercises at home does not replace going to the SFC, but is a great supplement if a student can’t get to the gym due to their schedule, weather or holiday breaks,” Noelle Selkow, assistant professor in athletic training, said.

Even though an apartment is not the same as a fitness center, there are still plenty of muscle-toning exercises that can be done in any location.

“Elastic tubing can also be bought cheaply and comes in various levels of resistance. This can be put into a door jam and placed around the ankle for leg extension and leg curls,” Selkow said.

Exercises that can be done to strengthen and tone legs are squats, side lunges, calf raises and step-ups.

Squats are done in a standing position and are initiated by moving the hips back and bending the knees and hips to lower the torso, then returning to the upright position. The hips should descend to the same level as the knees and be parallel to the floor.

Side lunges start with hands on hips and feet hip-width apart and then lunge to the right with the right foot. Bend the right knee and lower hips until the right leg is at a 90-degree angle with the left leg at a slight angle. Extend the right hip and knee until they are straight to return to a stand position. Repeat with the left leg.

Calf raises are typically done on a step with the balls of the feet planted firmly while the heels hang over the edge. Place hands on the wall for balance, and raise heels a few inches above the step. Hold for a moment and then lower the heels below the step to feel the stretch in the calf muscles.

Step-ups also use a step. Put one leg on the step and push up lifting the entire body bringing the other leg up. Once the other leg is also on the step, take the lead leg and step down backwards. Repeat leading with the other leg.

To tone core muscles, crunches or planks can be done. To do crunches, lie on the ground with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place hands behind head with elbows out to the side and curl up and forward so the head, neck, and shoulder blades lift off the floor, then slowly lower back down.

To do a plank, get into pushup position on the floor. Bend elbows 90 degrees and rest body weight on forearms. Elbows should be directly beneath shoulders, and the body should form a straight line from head to feet. Hold the position for as long as possible.

“Anytime resistance can be added to an exercise, the more calories will be burned and will continue to be burned throughout the day,” Selkow said.

For some light weight lifting, students can use milk jugs or laundry detergent bottles for arm curls or arm extensions.

So no matter what the weather is like, if there is time there is no excuse not to workout.