I’m pretty quickly coming to the end of my first month of school. Only one more week and we are already in October. And then Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! Sorry. I get ahead of myself.

It’s taken me a little bit but I’m finally figuring out the system of how to get through a day of class without breaking my back carrying all of my textbooks around campus.

I thought English majors had a lot of books to haul around. Although true, they were each only about a pound. Medical textbooks definitely have English literature beat by a mile.

My poor little brain has turned into mush, but my arms are made of steel from a month with these books.

After having to run around to go to a bunch of different beginning-of-the-year club meetings all over the place and go up and down the stairs about a hundred time, I had this image of when the ROTC people were training on my old campus and would be running up hills with all their gear on their back.

Why couldn’t I do that but with textbooks instead?

This originally started out as a cardio routine with some hill intervals (which you could still do if you wanted) but as I messed around more and more I began doing different strength moves that would make this a lot more interesting of a workout.

It’s definitely true that after carrying around a lot of books for a year, you hardly notice the weight. I can definitely confirm that it works without any formality to it. As many of my friends can tell you who have tried to lift or pass me my Backpack when it’s full.

All you need to do this is some textbooks and a backpack. Now if you don’t have any textbooks just lying around, I completely understand. I want to get rid of them as soon as I can too. If this is you, you can put any regular books or simply a weight into the backpack that is about 25 pounds. Told you medical textbooks don’t mess around. Feel free to add more if you need to, but not less. By being in a backpack, some of these moves are easier than the traditional non-backpack form of them so give the move a try before you take out any weight.

THE MOVES YOU NEED TO KNOW:

JUMP LUNGES

Put the backpack on as you normally would. Step forward with your right leg and Bend your knees until your left knee touches the ground. Once you have done this, push yourself off of the ground with both legs and in midair switch your legs so when you land the left leg is in front. Bend both of your knees until your back knee touches the ground once again and repeat the motion.

CALF RAISES

Put the backpack on as you normally would and stand, facing a wall for added stabilization. From a flat foot, raise yourself up until you are on the tip toes of both of feet. Drop back down and repeat 10 times before switching to do 10 of the move only with your left leg and then 10 of the move only with your right leg. The full 30 raises counts as one set.

DEADLIFT

Hold the handle or straps of your backpack so the backpack remains upright but is in front of you. Stand with your legs a little less than shoulder width apart and bend your knees slightly. Bend your shoulders to raise the backpack up to your chest. Now, slowly bend at your waist until you are parallel to the floor. As you do this allow your backpack to drop down until it is hovering just above the floor. Return to an upright position with your backpack at your chest and repeat.

BICEP CURL

Stand with your feet shoulders width apart and the handle of the backpack in one hand. Bend your arm at your elbow and lift the backpack until you can almost touch your shoulder with the handle. Repeat the motion for your desired amount of reps before switching to the other arm.

SUMO SQUAT JUMP

Put your backpack on reverse so that the straps are over your shoulder but the weight is in front, on your chest. Stand with your legs wider than shoulder width apart. Bend at the knee until you have gone down into a squat position. Hold for a moment and then push off of the ground so that you jump into the air. Land in the same footing position and slowly bend back down into the squat position. Repeat.

TRICEP PRESS

Sit down and hold the handle of the backpack. Swing it around so that it is dangling behind your back, your upper arms are covering your ears, and your elbows are pointing at the sky. Once in the position, straighten out your arms so that you lift the backpack until it is almost over your head. Rebend your arms, return the backpack to the original position and repeat.

FRONT RAISE + SIDE LUNGE

Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, holding the back pack handle with both hands and allow it to hang in between your legs. Step out to the side with your left leg, bending the knee as you would a squat but leaving your other foot in place. As you do so raise the backpack up until it is at eye level and your arms are parallel with the floor. Drop your arms and return to the upright position before repeating the motion with your other leg, alternating between the two as you continue.

SIDE BEND

Standing upright with your feet almost touching, hold the handle of your backpack in one hand. Slowly lean to the side that the backpack is on until the bottom of the backpack touches the floor. Slowly straighten out and repeat.

THE WORKOUT

10 x Calf raises
20 x Jump lunges
25 x Sumo squat jump
20 x Bicep curl
20 x Side bend (each side)
15 x Deadlift
20 x Front raise + side lunge
25 x Tricep press

Repeat three times.

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