5 Tips For Tackling Exercise Anxiety So You Can Start To Feel The Benefits

In case you missed it, it’s Mental Health Awareness Week this week – this year the theme is: anxiety.

Anxiety is a very normal emotion and something we will all experience from time to time. There are many reasons why we may feel anxious; relationship worries, exam stress, financial hardship, social situations. However, anxiety can get out of control and lead to a more serious mental health problem, so it is important to be aware of our own anxiety triggers and learn strategies to help us cope with feelings of anxiety when they arise. (more…)

Benefits of Sports Massage for Runners

This blog comes from Paul, one of our Sports Massage Therapists. You can use sports massage to supplement your training and recovery from the Great Bristol Run next weekend! 

I’m sure we all agree that having a massage feels great but in this article we will be discussing the physiological, psychological and educational benefits of sports massage whilst comparing the most useful times to receive a massage. 

Here are some of the most common questions asked around sports massage and its affect on running performance and recovery. 

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Performance sport team trial cutting edge GPS technology

The members of the Performance Sport department at Bristol University are always looking to advance and improve the way in which they manage and support the development, health, and performance of our student-athletes. Their latest innovation, brought in on trial by the Strength and Conditioning (S&C) department facilitated by Dr Will Sparkes, is a set of top-of-the-range GPS units provided by Catapult Sports, an Australian-based sports analytics company that works with many of the top professional sports teams around the world. (more…)

Hospitality at Coombe Dingle!

In the world of cheffing, there’s a clear hierarchy: Michelin-starred haute cuisine at the top, mass catering dinner ladies at the bottom. But I’ve never believed in it.

My name is Tim, and I’m the head chef at Bristol University’s Coombe Dingle Sports Centre. I’ve done my time in restaurants over the years, working at some seriously fancy outfits – but I truly believe that, on all the metrics that matter, we match or even beat the gastro eateries. I’m talking here about quality, taste, nutrition, ethical sourcing, environmental impact, low food waste, and most of all, happy customers.

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A Runner’s Guide to Strength Training

Our latest blog post for the Run Series comes from Sian at SC fitness. She takes a look at strength training for runners, and where to start with building the right training plan for you!

In a runner’s world, running often takes priority – understandably! However, in order for you to improve your running, to feel good whilst you’re running and essentially for you to be able to continue to run for as long as you want to, strength training needs to be part of your training schedule too. Runner’s can often neglect their strength training for numerous reasons. Perhaps it’s unfamiliar to them and they don’t know what they should be doing, or maybe they find it tedious and uninteresting. Whatever your own reasons may be, if you want to run to the best of your ability and stay injury-free, strength training is a non-negotiable. To help you get started, here’s a simple guide of why you need to and how you can implement your own strength work into your weekly routine.

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The Big Sport, Exercise and Health Winter Quiz

You know that point in the day where the presents have been exchanged, the turkey has been eaten and everyone’s a bit sleepy? We’ve got the perfect between-meals quiz that everyone will enjoy!

You will need: 

– A quiz master!
– A pen and paper for each participant

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The Ultimate Gift List for Fitness Fanatics

December is upon us and so is the festive season. If you are yet to complete your Christmas shopping or if you just want to bank some future present ideas, here is the ultimate guide to sporty gift-giving.

For the tech-obsessed 

If you are looking for an extra-special Christmas present this year, there’s more exciting fitness-tech on the market then ever before! A fitness tracker can be a great all-rounder and there is one suitable for most budgets. Even the low-cost options can sync with your phone to track specific goals, monitor heart rate, activity levels and even sleep.

We like: Fitbit Charge 4 fitness tracker

A stock image of a man with an electronic tablet on his lap

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5 Tips for Motivation During Winter

It may be getting colder and darker, but moving for your physical and mental wellbeing is just as important as other times of the year – if not even more important! Today we are sharing some of our top tips for staying motivated, safe and well during the winter months.

We will also be giving you a sneak preview of some of the things we’ll be doing to stay active over at University of Bristol Sport.

 1) Exercise with friends

Getting out and moving may seem less appealing at the moment, but meeting a friend will make sure you stick to your plans and boost motivation for your workout too. It’s a great excuse to temporarily escape those Christmas family commitments and boost endorphins in the process.

Making plans with others can also make you more adventurous and can give you the confidence to try new things and push yourself further.

Winter bucket-list: Why not suggest a wintery walk or festive fitness class to try with a friend.

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