Student life can be extremely chaotic and very unhealthy. Amongst all the long library sessions, last-minute assessments, and club nights ending with a greasy bite from a food truck, you may struggle to find time to stay fit and active. Regular sessions at a local gym can be energising after lengthy study periods and are a great way to get more exercise in every week!
University may be your first time working on your fitness independently, away from a school setting. The workout classes and personal training available at some gyms can provide a simple introduction to various types of exercises and gradually help you build a fitness routine.
While joining a gym might sound ideal, you might be worried about the extra cost, especially on a student budget. Luckily, these gyms offer amazing services and student memberships, so you can easily stay active.
University of Bristol (UoB) Gym
Location: Tyndall Ave, BS8 1TP
Price(s): £32/yr to £266.50/yr
The UoB’s Indoor Sports Centre is conveniently located next to the Student Union. The two-storey gym consists of the Main Gym, Upper Gym, and Studio Gym. UoB also has several studios for fitness classes and a sports hall for badminton, table tennis, volleyball, or even circuit training. There is even a sports medicine clinic!
UoB offers three types of memberships which are available to students, graduates, and the public. ‘Active Connect’ provides a 30% discount on pay-as-you-go activities, access to all sports facilities and some 1:1 services. ‘Active Choice’ adds on either anytime gym, off-peak gym, classes, or swim. Finally, ‘Active Complete’ adds on anytime gym, fitness classes, swimming, and 50% discount off indoor tennis hire.
University of West England (UWE) Gym
Location: Coldharbour Ln, Frenchay, Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS16 1QY
Price(s): free to £199/yr
UWE has several varying membership types. MOVE is free for all students offering over 100 weekly sessions for a wide variety of classes. Their Active Card membership provides access to their sport gym, exercise classes, climbing wall, and the MOVE membership is included for free for students. They also have a gym only membership which includes access to British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) which is the governing body of university sports.
The UWE Gym has everything you need for a successful workout. From treadmills, ergos, and Watt bikes to squat racks and lifting platforms to plenty of space for stretching and conditioning. They even have a Boditrax console that discreetly measures and tracks your body composition.
PureGym
Location(s):
- Union Gate: 10 Union Gate,, Union Street, BS1 2D
- Harbourside: Explore Lane, BS1 5TY
- Eastgate Gym: Eastgate Road, Eastville, BS5 6XX
- Brislington: Unit 2C, Brislington Retail Park, BS4 5NG
Deal(s): 30% off monthly memberships, no joining fee
There are three tiers of memberships at PureGym, but they all give you access to their gym and unlimited classes. These classes include cardio, sculpt and tone, low impact, and functional sessions. Their ‘bolt ons’ that upgrade you membership for only £3 a month! You can add priority class booking, hydro massage chairs, and a buddy access four times a month. Also, the Brislington venue even has a Women’s Workout Space which is exclusive for female members.
The Gym Group
Location(s):
- City Centre: Quakers Friars Cabot Circus Unit LS4A LS4B, BS1 3BU
- Clifton: 48-56 Queens Road, BS8 1QE
- Avonmeads: Unit 2a Avonmeads Retail Park St Phillips, BS2 0SP
- Longwell Green: The Gym Longwell Green Aspects Retain Park Kingswood, Avon, BS15 9LA
Deal(s): 20% off 12-month student memberships
A Gym Group student membership has everything you need to kick off your exercise journey. You will have unlimited free classes including their fundamental, deadlift, cardio, and conditioning sessions. Also, their gyms are open 24/7, so you can energise yourself before seminars or head in post study session. Plus you don’t need to worry about your membership going to waste during the holidays, because you will have unlimited free access to two of their gyms!
Everlast Gyms
Location(s):
- Filton: Unit 3, Fox Den Road, Stoke Gifford, BS34 8SP
- Imperial: Unit 2a-2b, Imperial Retail Park, Hartcliffe Way, BS13 7TJ
Price(s): £28 to £36
Everlast’s student ‘Champion’ membership is £8 cheaper than their standard ‘Champion’ membership (£40), and you get all the same benefits! Alongside having a more premium version of the Everlast Gym app, you get a precision nutrition tracker and 10% off Champion products! You also get priority class bookings which include their sessions in their cycle studio, aqua fit lessons in the pool, and gym! Everlast even have yoga, pilates, and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) in their GEX (Group Exercise) studio!
Luxe Fitness
Location(s):
- Bedminster: 1 St Peters Court, Bedminster Parade, BS3 4AQ
- City Centre: Colston Tower, BS1 4UB
Deal: 15% discount of Pre-paid memberships
The Luxe Fitness student membership will get you 15% off their pre-paid one, three, and twelve month memberships (ranging from £45 to £299 at full price). With any of these memberships you’ll get 24/7 access to their gym equipment (such as their Olympic squat rack and barbells) and their juice bar! Furthermore, for their pre-paid memberships you don’t have to pay a joining fee and you get 20 free classes per month.
Base Gyms
Location: Brislington: Hicks Gate, Bath Road, BS31 2AD
Price: £40/month
Bristol’s Base Gym is a massive open plan gym featuring over 100+ machines! They aim to be a ‘hybrid’ gym where you have everything you need for multiple forms of exercise. This includes Olympic lifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and functional training. Base Gym even has personal trainers that are qualified to help you with weightlifting, fat loss, and bodybuilding. And with £5 off a month with the concession monthly membership, you should definitely check out Base Gym!
All of these gyms are a great way to include some more exercise (alongside long pub crawls!) into your routine. Whether you prefer swimming, weightlifting, yoga, or running finding your perfect gym is a convenient way to introduce new habits every week. Plus the discounted memberships will help you stay within your student budget!
Hi, I’m Kirstie! I’m a BA English student at the University of Bristol, with a passion for creative writing. In my free time, I enjoy baking, sewing, and playing the flute.
