By Anja Trenkwalder Elm Staff Writer

Getting back in shape after all those holiday indulgences sounds good. Walking all the way to the gym in the cold over ice and slush does not. Fear not, for there is an abundance of easy and effective workouts you can do from the comforts of your dorm room. For a full workout you will need a bit of space, two equally sized water bottles (I recommend anywhere between one liter to half a gallon in volume), a yoga mat or towel, and a laptop with internet access. Since the two water bottles will be your weights, you should not drink from them, so make sure to have a third one at hand in case you get thirsty. One key resource for any home or dorm fitness junky is YouTube. It is like your very own, extremely flexible, and absolutely free personal trainer. You can learn any workout from YouTube, be it HIIT cardio, a relaxing stretch, yoga, or body sculpting. There are plenty of options that require virtually no equipment or much space. One easy dorm-appropriate exercise is stretching. Thosewho begin to stretch just a few minutes every morning will see notable improvements in terms of flexibility, balance, and coordination. Ideally, you would throw in a quick stretching unit right after getting up, to get your blood flowing for a healthy jumpstart into your day. If you prefer to stretch at night before bed, you will have a more relaxing night of sleep. Check out Fitness Blender’s quick and easy stretching routine that is also an ideal cool-down after a more demanding workout. No equipment required. Simply enter “Feel Good Stretching Routine for Morning and Night” into YouTube and select Fitness Bender’s five-minute video.

If you want to increase muscle toning, check out POPSUGAR’s clips on YouTube. You can do them in your dorm room with minimal to no equipment. “10 Minute Core Workout” asks for only a yoga mat (or towel, rug, or the floor), but is nonetheless very effective in giving you those trim summer abs. Want sexy defined arms? Use water bottles for dumbbells. One liter bottles will give you about two pounds, but if you want a heavier weight, simply use a larger bottle, or fill a small one with pebbles or sand. Make sure those makeshift dumbbells let you have a good grip and that both are of roughly equal weight. Looking for a wonderful whole-body workout? Check out their amazing “40-Minute Bikini Body Workout.” Make sure to have your makeshift dumbbells at hand. The video asks for five to 10 pound dumbbells, but you will see nice results even if your water bottle weights are lighter. Another amazing workout that requires zero equipment is POPSUGAR’s “30-minute Bodyweight Bootcamp Workout.” Bettermove your desk out of the way because you will need a bit more space for lunges, planks, and jumping jacks. YouTube is not the only way to get a workout in your dorm room. There are plenty of other resources on the internet. For example, look up Buzzfeed’s article on “9 Quick Total Body Workouts – No Equipment Required,” or plug the following link into your search machine: It will introduce you to moves that are easy to execute but still challenging to perform. No equipment needed other than the optional yoga mat. Ultimately, there is no need to leave your dorm in  the wintery cold and risk injury from slipping on ice to get an effective workout. Just remember, as you have no professional trainer present, to be careful when attempting moves you are not familiar with. To avoid risk of injury, stick with workout videos that you know are made by fitness professionals because they will show you how to do the move correctly. POPSUGAR, BeFiT (by Jillian Michaels), and FitnessBlender, etc.are sources for reputable and highly professional fitness videos. Good luck on your fitness journey.