As I am going into my third week of “getting ripped,” I am coming to one ultimate realization: working out can become tedious. Earlier last week, I found myself sitting absolutely exhausted on the stationary bike in the Fordham gym after a 30-minute workout. I felt bored, knowing I was growing tired of doing the same thing every other day. I wanted to change what I have been doing in and out of the gym. Along with mixing some things up in my workout, I created on three unconventional exercises that can be done throughout the week. These exercises will help work on cardio, strengthen muscles and even build up self-esteem.
These “workouts” should not replace regular dieting and exercise, but they can be used to add some spice to your normal routine.
1. Purposely avoiding someone
Picture a person whom you’d would rather not see on a daily basis. The person could be a professor whose class you decided to skip two hours prior or a former friend with whom you have no interest in fully reconciling your conflict. Imagine you and this person are walking on opposite ends of the Lowenstein tunnel hallway and are about to meet together in the middle.
Instead of pretending the other person doesn’t exist and diverting your attention to your iPod or cell-phone, take a chance and dart to the side. You can take a different route near the community service office or hang out in Franny’s Space for an awkward 10 seconds. If you’re near a stairway, deke out your target and charge up or down the stairs for an effective getaway. If all else fails, end the uncomfortable period quicker by speed-walking past the person like a cab past an unassuming pedestrian.
Surprisingly, this exercise works out your mind, heart and body. Your reflexes are pushed to their limit, and your body builds up adrenaline. This causes your heart to beat faster and, in turn, helps you burn off more calories. The deking and speed-walking also burns off excess calories, making passive-aggressiveness and shame an effective, albeit extremely short, “work out.”
If you don’t have anyone you are unsettled with at Fordham, pick someone randomly, and practice this exercise. I recommend a freshman, especially if you’re a junior or senior, since you don’t have to deal with him or her for much longer. This “work-out” will come in handy in the future, trust me.
2. Hard-core dancing/karaoke
Have you ever found yourself performing to a non-existent audience in your room, shower or common room? Do you possess the ability to belt your voice to ridiculous levels and dance unabashedly, despite your lack of skill in both singing and dancing? Take your “skills” to a whole new level and perform for a live audience. Whether most of your audience is slumped over their fifth beers or dancing along with you, the rush you feel while singing your favorite song to a crowd of on-lookers can turn a lackluster show into a performance full of sweat, some cheers and maybe even some tears from your approving (or disgusted) fans. Lastly, being able to be a confident fool could do wonders to your self-esteem.
This exercise does a great amount for your body. Pushing your American Idol-reject voice out of your lungs while swinging fiercely around your improvised stage works out your body, burns calories and improves your lung capacity. In addition, with a live audience laughing with you (or at you) during your performance, you are actually helping the adoring throng lower their blood pressure. Dancing and karaoke for the amusement of others is a clear example of “helping others by helping yourself.”
3. Nerf Wars
Playing with guns could never have a better connotation when it comes to Nerf wars. Those infamous foam darts can provide more than just the sheer joy of shooting an unexpected roommate in the face. Get a couple of friends together, buy a few Nerf guns and flip a McMahon dorm common room upside down. In a matter of minutes, you can construct a battlefield with couch and chair bunkers while hiding out behind the kitchen counters or the bathroom door. Play with the lights off or with a strobe light on, and the intensity of the war drastically increases. With the light changes, once calm Lincoln Center students become warriors wielding plastic spring toys as their weapons. Best of all, this can happen at a much cheaper price than paintball, another non-lethal, gun-wielding game.
Much like paintball, a serious Nerf war will take a lot out of you. Avoiding getting hit by dodging, jumping and constantly being on watch provides strong all-around body training. In addition, being alert also speeds up the heartbeat, which can burn off calories and fat while keeping your mind sharp. Lastly, unlike paintball, Nerf darts don’t hurt on contact with skin, so there is little risk of injury. Just don’t attempt to dive across the common room table to avoid getting tagged.
Weight Loss/Exercising Update:
My original weight was 228.5 lbs, which was measured on Jan. 21. After almost three weeks of working out and eating more healthy, my weight stands at 224.5 as of Feb. 9, four pounds under my original weight.
In addition to my cardio and weight-lifting, I have also incorporated small but simple exercises in between my three-a-week workouts. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I work on ab positions, which are designed for me to work on the core ab muscles. These exercises were found in the January/February 2009 issue of Men’s Health. The positions require me to contract and release my ab muscles and add a nice supplement to my other workouts.
My calorie counting hit a roadblock during Super Bowl weekend. Though I ate more junk food than healthy alternatives, the week afterward put me back on track with my weight. I have started to incorporate more lean meats into my diet, including chicken and turkey. The lean meats are lower in fat than red meat but still provide protein without adding excess calories.
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