Despite our name, we are not here to just support students and staff in pursuing competitive sport. In fact, we offer a huge range of activities, events, classes and opportunities for all of our community. Keeping active plays a key part in helping you maintain a healthy, happy life at university and there are more ways than you might think to get involved! In this blog post we’ll be sharing some of these.
1. Get covered in paint!
Our annual Colour Run is a Welcome Week favourite and the perfect event to attend with new flat or course-mates. Don’t worry if you’re not a runner, this is just a chance to get running, walking or skipping, whilst you get absolutely covered in bright, coloured paint, what could be better! Look out for our other free welcome events, including our giant fitness class, which will give you the opportunity to try out three different classes over 90 minutes for free.
Colour Run 2019
2. Build your CV
There are some amazing opportunities throughout the year for students to get involved with Sport at Bristol and pick up some new skills along the way. Game Changers is our Sport, Leadership and Volunteering program that provides students with training, qualifications and opportunities to volunteer in the Bristol sport community. The program covers several different areas including coaching, officiating and community outreach, it’s all about making a difference through physical activity, sport or not! Don’t forget to also keep your eyes on our website and social media accounts to hear about some of our paid student work opportunities.
3. Take a dip
Yes, swimming is a sport, but you certainly do not need to be ‘sporty’ to enjoy it’s physical and mental benefits, so it was worth a mention on this list. Our swimming pool is neatly located in the SU building so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t pay it a visit. Alongside public lane and casual swim sessions we have weekly women’s only and LGBTQ+ slots to make sure all members of our community feel welcomed at the pool.
4. Sit back and relax.. yes really!
The Pavilion at our Coombe Dingle site is the perfect place to grab some food and drink after a game or whilst you watch the Wednesday afternoon sport matches. There’s even a stocked bar, cheers to that!
5. Take a class, or two
We are proud to offer over 100 fitness class both in our studio space and online. This means we can guarantee there will be something for almost everyone, from dance-fit to body combat to yoga – it’s not just about keeping fit, it’s about learning new skills and meeting new people. In fact, you are actually more likely to get an increased endorphin hit when you work out in a group so even more reason to sign up for a class. Working from home? Check out our app for our On-Demand classes and live-streams.
6. Get qualified
The University of Bristol swimming pool is a provider of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) Pool Lifeguard training course. This is one of the most internationally recognised, lifeguard awards in the UK and will provide excellent personal skills alongside an extremely employable qualification. Unfortunately life-guarding isn’t just about sitting on a big chair and blowing whistles…
Sign up for a course on the University of Bristol Swimming Pool web page.
7. Connect virtually
Our Strava community has continued to grow over the past year and is a great place to track your fitness progress and connect with others. You can find University of Bristol Sport, Exercise and Health on Strava now, ‘kudos’ to those who have already connected!
8. Sort out that dodgy ankle/back/leg
Did you know we have our very own Sports Medicine Clinic that offers discounted treatment to student members? The specialist team provide expert and comprehensive sports medicine advice and treatment, operating within our facilities.
9. Get kitted out
We have just refreshed our contract with sportswear brand, Surridge Sport who provide kit for our staff, clubs and athletes. It’s not just club kit either, there’s plenty of University of Bristol branded active-wear on offer too. Represent the university and look great in the process!
10. Join an ever-growing community
At University of Bristol sport, we strive to create a safe, supportive and equal environment for the whole of our community. We welcome everyone, no matter your ability, goals or interest in ‘sport’. If you are new to the University (or if you’re not), the B: Active programme is a great place to start, offering low-cost, non-competitive activities for students both in residences and on campus, supported by other students. Follow @bristoluniacitve on Instagram to find out more.
We’re a rather friendly bunch and we cannot wait to see you, new and old, in the new term!