Three revision tips to help you study like a Gladiator

This article was published in January 2025, and updated in April 2025.

Gladiators readdddyyy!! The latest series of Gladiators may have finished, but you can still up your revision game like a Gladiator this exam season!

To compete in events such as Hang Tough, Duel or The Edge, Gladiators have to be at the top of their game – it takes a lot of motivation and dedication to be at their best. We've got three Gladiator-inspired tips to help you unleash your inner Gladiator and be the best you can be ahead of your exams!

1. Boost your resilience

Resilience plays a big part in being a Gladiator – they succeed in many of their events, but they don't win all of them. There are times they'll need to dust themselves off and get straight back on the Duel platform after being knocked off by a plucky contender wielding a giant pugil stick!

Setbacks are an inevitable part of school and life, so developing skills in resilience is a great way to keep going in the face of adversity.

How resilient you are does not depend on you alone – we develop skills in resilience by knowing where and how to receive support from our social circle, our community and also key places such as school. The great thing about resilience is that it's possible to change and develop your resilience skills.

In our article 'How to boost your resilience when studying', developmental psychologist Dr Heather Branigan tells us that one of the great things about resilience is that it's not fixed – it's something you can develop. And it's not something you're on your own with – a key thing about resilience is learning how, when and who to ask for help.

She says you can improve your resilience by setting realistic and achievable study goals for yourself. This can help when you might feel overwhelmed with your studies.

2. Exercise can help with revision

It goes without saying that Gladiators need to train to help beat all contenders who come their way, but did you know that exercise can help with your revision too? And while running the Gauntlet might not be number one on your list of exercises – you wouldn't want to run into Fury or Viper, there are still loads of physical activities you could try.

Paralympic sprinter, Thomas Young, and jockey, Khadijah Mellah, gave us some ways that you can enjoy an active lifestyle. Spoiler alert, if you thought exercise wasn't for you, think again!

3. Become a revision Legend

Legend thinks he's the best at everything and as a former teacher, he probably knows a few revision tips and tricks. You can become a revision legend yourself by checking out our expert memory hacks and tips.

Taking some time to learn about our simple memory hacks from expert Dr Loaiza could really help you ramp up your revision ahead of your exams. For example, you can use mnemonics to remember all kinds of things! In physics, the visible light spectrum can be remembered by Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain… the more bizarre the better. You can use things that are personal to you to help you remember – why not try and think of a Gladiators themed one?

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.