Just 30 minutes a day can make all the difference!

Exercising doesn’t just improve your physical health, it has also been proven to have a positive impact on stress levels.

For university students in the middle of deadlines, regular movement can therefore be a key strategy to managing stress levels. However, when you’re dealing with assignments, career planning, extracurriculars and a social life, getting regular exercise can quickly drop down the priority list. Here are some tips to help you integrate exercise into your LSE schedule!

Where to find sports activities at LSE

• LSESU’s Active Lifestyle Programme offers gym classes such as yoga and pilates as well as recreational sports sessions including football, volleyball and basketball. Their termly membership costs £75, but there are £5 pay as you go classes available as well. And they also have some classes that are completely free.
• The LSEgym, with locations in the Marshall building and the Saw Swee Hock Centre, offers day passes as well as different types of monthly memberships. And they offer discounts to members of the Athletics Union , so if you are already planning to become a member it might be worth looking into the LSEgym as well.
• The Athletics Union itself is worth a look for anyone who is interested in team sports or in the social aspect of exercising in general. The AU has over 40 sports clubs which not only offer regular meet-ups for casual and competitive training but social events as well. AU membership costs £7.50; the cost of membership for the clubs varies depending on the type of sport.
• Lastly, ResLife offers free yoga sessions in the Westminster Bridge as well as in the Bankside building, and free pilates in the High Holborn residence.

How to stick to regular exercise: Three Golden Tips!

1. Firstly, choose a sport you genuinely enjoy! This is crucial for both consistency and enjoyment - you won’t have to force yourself to attend, and improving your overall health will be a welcome change in your university routine.
2. Secondly, bring your friends! It’s much easier to keep up with a regular exercise schedule if someone is coming along with you, and you will also have more fun. And there’s no need to get discouraged if your friends don’t want to come with you, as many sports events are perfect spaces to get to know other LSE students. This is where the Hall’s WhatsApp chat comes in handy again, if you don’t want to go alone, especially the first time around, send a message to your fellow residents to see if anyone is interested in coming with you!
3. And lastly, it’s important to make exercise a priority. It might be tempting to skip a session if you’ve got exams or assignments, but it’s important to take time out to focus on yourself. A healthy mind will produce much better work! Whatever type of sport you choose, write that appointment down in your calendar every week, and treat it as a binding commitment.

Lea
Butler's Wharf Resident