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Keeping fit is something we all need to prioritise and while heading off to uni may not be a time when your health is your number one priority, a good fitness regime can boost your experience in many ways. Looking for a reliable and affordable gym in your new home doesn’t need to be difficult, especially if you opt for student accommodation with an on-site gym. Convenience is obviously a real benefit of using student accommodation gyms but here we’re exploring eight more benefits of using these on-site facilities.
1. Extended opening hours
While your student accommodation gym probably isn’t open 24/7 like some off-site gyms, they do have long opening hours to suit the needs of early risers and night owls. With the added benefit of only being minutes from your bed, you can fit in a training session easily between lectures, before heading into uni or even just before bed.
2. No more commute
Access to a fully equipped gym so close to your home is not a luxury many of us get to enjoy, so take advantage of it. You can make time for a gym session without factoring in any travelling and benefit from a more productive day as no time is wasted on the commute. If you plan a 45-minute workout, it will actually take 45 minutes, rather than an hour and a half or longer when you include your commute. Making excuses on leg day will no longer be possible!
3. Exclusive membership
Your gym is exclusive to students who live in your building, and this means you’re unlikely to experience the annoyance of queuing for machines or finding the free weights area completely packed out. The luxury of an on-site gym means the customer base is much smaller than a commercial gym so you should have no trouble following out your workout plan without interruptions or waiting.
4. Keep your own schedule
You can work out when you want and how you want and benefit from an onsite gym built with you in mind. You can listen to your favourite tunes, hop in for a 15-minute intense workout or spend two hours on a session slowly working through new routines and movements, you’re in charge. There’s no worrying about padlocking your locker, using the shared changing space or avoiding overenthusiastic personal trainers looking to find new clients.
5. Manage stress and prevent burnout
Research shows that as many as one in three freshers experience symptoms of a mental health disorder and exercise is widely accepted as a powerful tool for managing mental health. Accessing the on-site gym for even one session a week will benefit your mental health and help to scare off any anxieties and stress.
Mind also asserts that exercise can help improve your sleep, reduce the risk of depression and boost your self-esteem.
6. Boost your learning and study capabilities
There are numerous studies that support the idea that exercising can be beneficial for your learning capabilities and studying. Intense physical activity causes blood flow to the brain and this fires up your neurones and promotes cell growth, meaning just 20 minutes of exercise before a study session can help improve your concentration and focus. Physical exercise also releases proteins in the brain which can help improve your memory and improve overall cognitive performance. With access to gym facilities in your student accommodation, fitting in daily exercise for the benefit of your studies is easy.
7. Meet like-minded neighbours
If you’re new in the area and trying to get to know like-minded people, then maybe you’ll find some of them training alongside you in the gym. Dedicated fitness fanatics often find kindred spirits beside them in the gym. If you want to train alone and stay in the zone, popping your earphones in gives a clear indication but if you are hoping to find similarly minded neighbours then strike up a conversation about their workout and see how it goes. As live in the same building and clearly love working out you’ve got plenty of common ground to chat about.
8. Save money
The average gym membership cost in the UK is around £40 per month. This can quickly escalate with some of the companies out there and you may also find you’re tied into a 12, 18 or even 24-month contract. Gym memberships can be very expensive and are rarely within the average student’s budget. There are cheaper memberships, but you may not be able to access all the same facilities and you may be limited to a single site which you have to commute to get to. You can avoid both expensive memberships and limited gyms with your student accommodation gym. The price is included within your usual monthly or termly rent and you can access the gym as you please and not have to find additional cash to keep fit.
Try our free gym at Lulworth House
Making the most of the facilities at your student accommodation ensures you get the most from your experience. Our on-site gym facilities keep our students busy and in top condition with a welcoming environment and the opportunity to get fit, whether you’re a regular gym bunny or stepping through the doors for the first type.
Get in touch to discuss our range of accommodation options and to find out more about our on-site gym.
