Why spend your precious dollars on a gym membership, when the RecCentre is FREE for students! We offer everything other big box gyms do (weights, cardio, classes) and what some of the boujee ones do as well!
How to join
Let’s just assume that you know all the benefits of exercise, and you’re ready to go. There’s just a couple of online steps to do and you’re all set. Your student levy covers your basic membership and access.
Register online with your student email (this is super important)
Follow all the email prompts you’ll be sent to complete the process
Download the Rec&Sport App using your student email (this is super important, so that they will be connected)
Head over to the RecCentre and start exploring! We’re located at 22 Kirkwood Ave, right next to the Kirkwood Lecture theatre.
As long as you stay enrolled at UC, you’ll only have to do this once in your student journey.
Other important stuff to know
We have carparks and a covered bike stand, and places to put your skateboard inside as well.
Don’t forget to bring your student ID card, as this is how you’ll get through the gates.
You must wear shoes to the gym to train in, covered toe and heel. The only exceptions are when you’re doing Pilates/Yoga in one of our classes or kicking our boxing bags.
You must bring a gym towel (or hire one for 50c). Be a good person and use your towel when training, it’s icky if you leave your sweat everywhere.
Check out our website and app to see all that we have to offer! We’re more than just weights and cardio!
Do you want to know a secret to supercharging your brain to help you study better? It’s super easy – exercise!
Enjoy an at-home and on-demand workout with the Rec&Sport app
The OTHER benefits of exercise
Yes, it’s well accepted that exercise brings physical benefits and positive changes within your body, and it’s also becoming more widely known that it also brings about better mental health in the long-term. But did you know that exercise can also have a huge impact on your brain?
Enhanced neuroplasticity
That’s some fancy words to say that exercise will help grown new brain cells and connections between those braincells. And when you do that, you’re improving your ability to learn and retain new information. Handy when studying for exams right?
2. Increased blood flow
Exercise increases just about everything good, including blood flow to the brain. Blood carries important nutrients and essential oxygen. So, the better your blood flows, the better your body’s nutrient and oxygen transportation system. If you have more of these for your brain, you can think more clearly and you’re looking after your brain cells.
3. Improved Sleep
Have you noticed that when you have a bad sleep, it’s a little harder to ‘function’ the next day – things like making decisions and remembering stuff is a little harder than usual? Well, exercise can help regulate sleep, and being well rested is essential for learning and memory. So, regulate your sleep and be well rested and you’ll be better at learning and remembering important stuff.
4. Reduced stress
This is the big one. As humans, we can tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves to perform well. That’s a good thing usually (we call this eustress) to strive to be our best. Sometimes though, we can take it a bit too far, and we slip into distress, a somewhat more negative state, where we can feel a bit overwhelmed! Regular exercise has been shown to regulate our stress levels, so it’s a good idea to keep a routine going or start now. Even a little each day can make a huge difference to how you feel!
Ok, all good, I believe you, but how do I fit it all in?
Excellent question! Honestly, it comes down to planning. When you’re making your study schedule, we’d strongly suggest prioritising 30mins a day to simply move. This can look different to everyone, so here are some examples:
Before you start scrolling in the morning, promise yourself 10mins of stretching, whether that’s beside your bed or on it!
Every hour of study, stand up and walk around for 5mins. Change your perspective, get some fresh oxygen to your brain and focus better when you sit back down
Take a 30min walking lunchbreak in your study day. A couple laps around Uni should do it (you know the loop…Ilam Road, Crekye Road, Clyde Road, Kirkwood Ave, or if you want to make it a bit shorter, take University drive instead of Kirkwood, and Arts/Engineering roads to cut the corners….)
Or if you have a solid gym routine or other exercise plan, do all you can to keep it up. Don’t forget we have a heap of free videos in our Rec&Sport app that all students can access for free, or you can use the gym and all the classes for free too!
Feel relaxed, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world (or at least, your last week of assignments and tests!)
Reclining Butterfly pose in a Deep Restore class
Deep Restore Yoga with Heart and Mind Yoga
Using science backed techniques, join our expert teacher on a guided journey to relaxation and a nervous system reset.
Absolutely no experience or equipment required, just you in some comfy clothes doing some gentle stretching and breath work.
At just $8 for UC Students, this is fantastic value as these sessions usually sellout in the community at $45! What more reason do you need?
Where and when?
Sunday 18th August, 11.30am (arrive by 11.15am to check-in, get settled and not to disturb everyone coming in late)
Te Moana nui a Kiwa | Rehua 226 (NOT the RecCentre!)
For more information
Visit our website and hit the link to the portal to enrol. You’ll need to have your RecCentre registration sorted (remember, that’s free for all UC students, included as part of your student levy). You can enrol now and pay at your next visit to the gym.
Please refer to our cancellation policies if you can no longer make it. This session sold out last term, so we need 24hours notice of cancellation for a refund, but more importantly so others don’t miss out.
