University sports activities

Did you know that …

> City of Jyväskylä has approximately 360 sports venues
> Jyväskylä has over 2000 students studying sport-related degree
> There are around 220 local sports clubs
> Every August Neste Oil Rally is organized
> Jyväskylä has the only University for sports in Finland
> There is Research Institute for Olympic sports?

Jyväskylä is a sporting paradise for everyone interested in physical well being and there are many sports halls, stadiums, open fields, nature path around the city. Likewise, the University encourages students to adopt an active lifestyle. University of Jyväskylä offers sport and wellbeing services to student and staff. There are plenty of opportunities for students to engage in sports for affordable price. For example, you can do leisure physical activity or even become an active member of sport club.

Group fitness classes

University Umove offers a large variety of sports you can choose from without regular commitment. Daily there are over 10 group exercise you can attend, such as: Jazz vibes, Foam rolling, Fitness boxing, Zumba, Yoga, Handstand etc. The options are endless and you can surely find something that fits you. You don’t need your own equipment for the class, you can borrow it in the storage room before each class (mats, plates, kettlebells…). Classes are usually held in Finnish, but instructors also give English tips. It is also a good way to improve your Finnish skills while doing exercise, so you can kill two birds with one stone. Nevertheless, this semester is the first time there is also one class held completely in English (Abs & booty in English) which is perfect for international people. There is no pre-enrollment necessary.

Team sport activities

If you are not that much into group-fitness you can also attend team sports activities. You can play ball games such as floorball, futsal, volleyball but you can also do ice hockey, ultimate and American football without additional fee. In academic sports there is no instructor in the session except the Start session where you get feedback from the teacher. If you are advanced player you can join intermediate level team sport session (for example, advanced volleyball).

All you need to attend group fitness classes and ball games is valid student card with sports sticker. It costs only 60 € for academic year, 40 € for one semester (if you are exchange student) or 20€ for summer semester.

Free sessions at the gym and swimming

If you have sports sticker, then you can use 3 gyms unlimited amount of time. There is one gym at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, gym in Monitoimitalo near university and another one in student village Kortepohja. You can also go for a swim in the pool near University for reduced price.

Sport courses

If you prefer to do sport courses for credits you can choose between:

> Sport courses with credits for all students

For example, you can go canoeing, do kick boxing, learn Finnish baseball.

> Sport courses with fee for students (you don’t need sports sticker for that)

You can learn for example, apparatus gymnastics, aqua aerobics, breast stroke and free style and so much more…

As evident, there are many options one can choose from. Apart from participating, every student has the opportunity to suggest their own physical activity to university sports. More often, if the activity appears to be interesting to many people, it can be added to the schedule. In Jyväskylä there are plenty of options to be active and that is why it is often called to be the city of sports in Finland.

Tjaša Ocvirk

Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences