College schedules are nearly as tight as the residence halls freshmen live in.

Students may think skipping workouts may seem like the only solution when schedules become chaotic, but squeezing moderate intensity exercise into their schedules might actually help jump start students’ inspiration for those looming assignments.

If students set aside 15 minutes before bed or five minutes between chapters of their biology textbook to complete a circuit of body weight movements, they will tone their bodies and energize and inspire themselves.

Set the clock

Five minutes: Select five movements from the list below. Set the timer and complete as many reps as possible of one movement for each minute.

Example

• Minute one – inchworms

• Minute two – squat jumps

• Minute three – butterfly sit-ups

• Minute four – burpees

• Minute five – air squat

Ten minutes: Pick three movements and select a rep scheme that you can complete without stopping. Repeat this rep scheme until the clock runs out at 10 minutes.

Example

Pushups, single leg deadlift, chair dip. If your strength is in your arms, select a 9-15-21 rep scheme and complete nine pushups, 15 chair dips, 21 single leg deadlifts as many times as you can in 10 minutes.

Twenty minutes: This is where it gets exciting.. Pick one movement and stick to it for up to 20 minutes. On minute one, complete one rep. On minute two, complete two reps. For minute three, three reps. Continue this until you are unable to finish all of the reps within the minute.

The Moves:

Stationary inchworms – Begin in standing position. Keeping legs straight, fold forward until hands touch the floor and walk hands forward into a plank position. Complete one pushup before walking hands back toward feet and returning to standing position. One rep.

Burpees – Begin in standing position with feet hip-width apart. Place hands on the floor and step or hop back into plank position, then lower body to the floor. Push back to the top of plank and hop feet up toward hands. Fully return to standing before beginning the next rep.

Butterfly Sit-ups – Start in a seated position on the floor. Place the soles of feet together and lay backward. Reaching overhead, touch the ground. Engage core to return to seated position and touch toes. One rep.

Supermans – Lay stomach-down on the floor and extend arms and legs. Engage lower back and lift arms and legs off of the floor. Return to ground. One rep.

V-Ups – Lay on the ground facing upward. Keeping arms and legs straight, lift hands and feet to meet in the middle. Return to the ground. One rep.

Flutterkick – Lay on back with hands placed lightly behind the neck. Lift shoulder blades and feet to hover two inches off the ground. Alternate lifting one leg higher than the other. Complete with both feet for one rep.

Bicycle – Begin in the same position as flutter kicks. Bring the left knee toward the chest and twist to meet it with the right elbow. Return to hover, then repeat with the right knee and left elbow. One rep.

Squat Jumps – Begin in standing position with feet hip-width apart. Keeping weight in the heels, squat until the hip crease is below parallel. From the bottom of the squat, push through the heels into a jump and bringing knees high. For multiple reps, land halfway in squat position and repeat.

Air Squats – Begin in standing position with feet hip-width apart. Keep weight in the heels and sink back until the hip crease is below the knee crease. Return fully to standing. One rep.

Pistol Squats – Take air squats up a notch with pistol squats. Begin in standing position. Lift right foot off the ground and extend right leg in front of body while squatting with the left leg. With right leg still extended, return to standing. Place right foot on the ground and repeat with left foot.

Single Leg Deadlift – Start in a standing position with feet together. Lift the right leg slightly and hinge forward at the hips until the torso is parallel to the floor, extending the right leg behind to form a straight line. Return to standing and repeat with the opposite leg. One rep.

Lunge Twist – Start in standing position with feet together. Step forward with the right leg so the knee is directly above the ankle and rotate torso so shoulders face the right. Return to center and then to standing. Repeat with the left leg. One rep.

Step-up – This is exactly how it sounds. Find a stable chair or box, step up with the right leg and fully extend at the top. Step down with the right leg and repeat with the left. One rep.

Push-ups – There is a reason that almost every workout regimen involves some sort of push-up, it is the perfect strength building exercise. Start in a plank and then slowly lower your body to the floor, keeping elbows close to the ribs and the entire body parallel to the ground. Press back up to plank position. To modify, either drop both knees to the ground or stand arms-distance from the wall and perform standing push-ups.

Hand-stand push-ups – Take push-ups to the next level with handstand push-ups. This movement uses more shoulder and back than the traditional push-up. Start in a headstand against a smooth wall with hands just in front of your head and at a 90-degree angle, creating a triangle with the head and both hands. Engage shoulders and core and press until arms are completely extended. Lower head carefully back to the ground. One rep.

Chair dips – Pull up a chair and sit directly in front of it. Place hands on the edge of the chair and press until arms are extended. Bend arms to a 90-degree angle and return to extended. One rep.