Sydney Life

I recently asked a friend why they went to the gym, and he replied that he liked to "stay in shape". The most interesting thing about this is that no one really goes to the gym to stay in shape at all, they go to lose weight, or put on muscle and gain weight. Really, if you're staying in shape you should be working a bit harder. But I digress. The point really, is that if you want to go to the gym, Sydney Uni has you covered.

Personally, I go to the Arena gym, just next to Paul's oval on the Camperdown side (where a lot of Arts subject are), with a friend of mine twice, sometimes three times a week. If money is a bit of an issue, as it was for me, the most economical way to do this, assuming you just want to do weights, pedal a bike or pull on a rowing machine, is to get what is called a Bronze "off-peak" yearly membership. This basically means that for a $320 lump sum ( plus a $55 Sports Union fee), you can go to the gym between 5:45am and 4:15 pm ( hardly sounds like off peak for an Arts student) as many times as you want for as long as you want for twelve months, and they'll throw in free locker hire. You need to bring your own full sized towel, and I suggest a water bottle (unless you want to stay in shape you'll need it!). If you go three times a week, it works out to about 5 bucks a visit, which is less than half what most other gyms offer. Once you get down there, there's two of every machine, plus a few extra bikes and rowing machines. It's rarely crowded at this time, but if one day you think it might be a good idea to come at say, six o'clock, don't bother, because the only machine you'll get to use is the bus home.

It's usually about 80% male, but there are lighter weights, big bouncy balls, stretching mats and assisted chin-up and dip machines down there, so women shouldn't feel discouraged from visiting the Arena weights area ( although perhaps 80% men is not a particularly bad thing).

However, if weights aren't your thing, don't stress. The Arena sports centre has a rock-climbing wall for 13 bucks a visit (8 if you bring your own harness, which apparently some do), as well as a gym floor for squash, badminton and basketball. There are also yoga classes available, and a clinic for all your aches and pains.

Sydney also has a bazillion tennis courts which no-one ever seems to use, and very often has social and inter-faculty soccer, Frisbee and touch football.

There are two pools, one outdoor (where you'll often find the insane woman who energetically dances and mimes exercises while her class look on like 7am zombies, open mouthed and too dumbfounded at this woman's energy to move), and one in the Sports and Aquatic Centre, which is heated. In that centre, which is on the Darlington side of campus, there are a few squash courts, a place for group fitness with modern equipment and a café, with more bloody tennis courts nearby. Unfortunately to use the facilities there, or at the HK Ward gym (which is in between the two main ovals on the Camperdown side) you'll need a gold or a silver membership, which is looking more like $450 to $550 dollars for a year.

So if you're looking for a recommendation, you should have looked here first. If you're a gym nut, splurge on the gold because Sydney can provide pretty much whatever you'd need (and a FREE TOWEL!!!). If you think you'd like to use the gym a bit, go for the Bronze "off peak" membership. If you're looking to stay in shape, make sure that after the gym you visit Ralph's café, just outside the gym door, and grab a deep-fried sausage roll with cheese and extra mayo ( and maybe a few smarties).