Sport and exercise

Edinburgh is one of the UK’s leading sports universities.

Whether you are a someone who is simply trying to build more movement into your daily life or a performance athlete going for gold, we have world-class sports facilities, support and services to cater for your needs.

More movement, more often

Our dedicated Active Lives team are here to help you find enjoyable ways to build more movement into your day, offering a suite of fun physical activity and sport sessions centred around the five ways of wellbeing.

The programme of 'how-to' workshops, social jogs, cycles, feel good health walks and just play sport sessions is offered across three campuses. Our support services are here to help you no matter how active you are or aspire to be.

For more inspiration, we've also got a range of online resources to help keep you active from home.

Keep active from home

Personal fitness

 

We have one of the best gym and fitness offers in the country, offering world-class facilities and top-of-the-range equipment:

  • Pleasance Sport Complex and Gym, offering over 20 gym and sport spaces, including extensive cardio, weight and conditioning spaces
  • 40 station satellite gym at the Easter Bush Campus
  • 25m swimming pool in the St Leonard’s Land Building
  • Climbing wall and bouldering room at the Pleasance
  • Year-round programme of over 100 exercise classes a week
  • Flexible and affordable membership packages
  • Expert instructors to guide, support and encourage you

I’d encourage any student interested in sport to come to Edinburgh. The gym is amazing, probably one of the best university gyms in the world.

Corrie Scott, MChem (Hons) Chemistry graduate and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist

 

​Indoor Sport

Our multi-activity sports halls accommodate a variety of sports, with dedicated spaces for squash, dance, boxing, grappling, archery and shooting.

Outdoor sport and fitness at Peffermill

Our multi-sports grounds, Peffermill Playing Fields, offer some of Scotland’s leading outdoor sports facilities and plays host to a multitude of sports clubs and local, national and international events.

Peffermill provides facilities for a variety of sports, including football, rugby, hockey and lacrosse. You can also book our top of the range 3G 5-a-side pitches.

Outdoor activity at Firbush

Set in a spectacular location on the south shore of Loch Tay, our outdoor activity centre offers an extensive programme of watersport and mountain activities throughout the year. Our experienced instructors are fully accredited and all specialist equipment is available.

Find out why we are one of the UK’s leading universities for sport.

Sport and exercise

 

Club and recreational sports

Our Sports Union is made up of more than 60 sports clubs, catering for all types of activity and ability level, from complete beginner to elite athlete.

If I hadn't gone to Edinburgh I'd never have taken up rowing. I'd never have had the life I'm currently living.

Katherine Grainger, Olympic champion rower and Edinburgh law graduate

 

Our clubs offer weekly coaching and practice, with opportunities to compete and/or participate in sport on Wednesdays and at weekends.

We also run Scotland’s largest intramural sports programme, offering informal leagues, tournaments and fun events, alongside a pioneering ‘EDex’ come and try programmes in an array of sports.

We also deliver a raft of sports-related volunteering and skill development opportunities through our coaching and volunteering academy.

Edinburgh University Sports Union

Performance sport

The best gym we’ve ever used.

Dr Nick Gill, Head of Strength and Conditioning, New Zealand All Blacks Rugby

 

Our Performance Sport Programme is one of the most highly regarded in the UK. It enables athletes to achieve a world-class degree and perform to the best of their sporting ability.

We’re proud to have produced Olympians including Sir Chris Hoy and Katherine Grainger – who both developed their talents at Edinburgh – and continue to support our young athletes.

Coaching, facilities and services

Our top-class coaches, facilities and services are currently supporting more than 350 students. We offer exceptional team-specific programmes in:

  • rowing
  • swimming
  • hockey
  • women’s fencing
  • orienteering
  • rugby
  • women’s basketball

These are led by dedicated performance coaches, with specialist conditioning, medical and advisory back-up. Support is also offered to athletes competing in other sports through our Individual Performance Programme.

Performance athletes have access to our state-of-the-art facilities, including our dedicated performance gym for sports-specific and strength and conditioning coaching.

We also offer:

  • dedicated elite sports accommodation for first-year students
  • sports science and flexible studying
  • mentoring and academic support
  • lifestyle and nutritional advice
  • access to the world-renowned FASIC Sport & Exercise Medicine Clinic

There is also access to funding opportunities through the Winning Students network. We now boast an elite athlete access and scholarship policy to support applications to study at the University from talented sports performers.

Performance sport

Social media

Discover more about team and individual sport and fitness at Edinburgh on social media. Follow our accounts for updates from across the word of sport and activity at Edinburgh.

Keep in touch on social media

 

 

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