April is Stress Awareness Month so it’s a very fitting time for us to talk about how student gym design can help Universities provide an alternative route to stress relief rather than the well-trodden path to the Student Union.
It can not be disputed that as a society we use alcohol as a preferred way to unwind, especially if we’re feeling under pressure. The link between our ‘need’ for a drink is instilled in us very early on by watching our parents, copying our peers and finally by participating in the pub culture, very often, even before we’ve reached the legal drinking age of 18. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
At motive8 we believe that exercise can provide an essential balancing influence that will make a student’s life healthier, more enjoyable and, ultimately, more successful.
According to an article by Studyright.net, exercise increases your energy levels, improves memory and cognitive performance and helps with stress management via the release of hormones such as endorphins.
Encouraging students to adopt a healthy lifestyle and minimise temptation!
We have all heard that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Nowhere else can this be played out so literally in the student environment. A young adult enters the uncharted territory of university with huge expectations and often not knowing a soul. Potential stresses lurk around every corner. Given the society we live in, it’s only natural that they head to the Student Union to cement new friendships and let their hair down.
Unfortunately, students can get carried away with the temptation of unlimited nightlife, leading to a lack of sleep and exacerbating any challenging demands of their course. Or they can flex their willpower and make sure that they keep their mind on their studies and not let the social side of Uni life take over. This latter path is so much more likely if that student exercises regularly.
Good student gym design incorporates the latest fitness trends
Good gym design can actually help young people to hit the gym rather than hitting the bottle. According to Ofcom, 90% of of 16-24 year olds own a smartphone and we now spend almost twice as long online with our smartphones than on laptops and personal computers. Therefore we need to take this into consideration when undertaking student gym design. Make sure that you incorporate the latest gym equipment that connects to fitness trackers and apps. Ensure that fitness programmes that have been tailor-made for each student can be accessed and updated on their devices.
Many of the benefits of exercise can be garnered from just three 30 minute sessions a week, particularly if the subject is following High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), where huge fitness benefits can be seen with relatively low investments of time. Allowing your student gym design to accommodate an area for interval training is a must.
Just like every student, every Uni is unique
Another essential item on your to-do list should be to take a look at your university’s unique needs. Do you run specific sports-related courses or active sports societies? If so, what are they? For example if you have a high-achieving wrestling team, you will need to incorporate equipment that will allow your budding athletes to build explosive strength in their legs, hips back and core; this means plenty of space in your free weights area for a wide variety of barbell work.
Student gym design is one of our key areas of expertise. We love working with student accommodation providers to deliver fitness suites that inspire and motivate students to get fit, stay healthy, and improve academic performance.
Take a look at our student gym case studies online or contact us for a free phone consultation.
