Summer workout haven: Enjoy the Sun Devil Fitness Complex without the crowds
When living in Arizona, finding motivation to exercise during the summer can be difficult. With 110-degree weather beating down around you and hiking trails closed for heat warnings, staying active is even more complicated.
Gyms around the Valley are often full of fitness-eager people, all looking for a safe workout in the A/C. However, for Arizona State University students, the Sun Devil Fitness Complex may just be the perfect place to stay on track.
Many Sun Devils take the summer as a time to return home, fly out of state or recharge on family vacations. For those left in Arizona, the four campuses can seem quieter this time of year. What’s one benefit of these slow months? The frequently busy on-campus fitness centers are often empty, enabling students to exercise in a safe and private environment.
According to Ashley Campbell, fitness wellness coordinator for the Tempe campus SDFC, there are tons of options for students looking to prioritize fitness this summer.
“We have a group fitness schedule posted online,” Campbell said. “We don’t have as many classes during the summer, because a lot of our student employees go home, but you have several options. One of the most notable additions is the grand opening of our brand new cycle studio. I encourage everyone to come out and give it a shot.”
The new Tempe SDFC cycle studio hosts a bigger space, bright lights and engaging music for all Sun Devils to enjoy. In addition to workout classes, the SDFC offers personal training for ASU students.
“The benefit of personal training over the summer is that we have almost no wait list, whereas normally we have a waitlist that’s a few months long,” Campbell said.
If group classes or personal training don’t call to you, the four ASU fitness centers are impressive facilities that students have full access to.
“It can be intimidating to work out at the SDFC because of the busyness,” Campbell said. “But, during the summer, it gets really empty. You can have some solitude and peace while you work out.”
With the brutal weather in Arizona, the SDFC can also provide students with a place to cool off for free.
“We have a gorgeous pool,” Campbell said. “You can lay out, do some laps, float around with your friends. It’s a great way to shake it up and get active, but still have a good time.”
Prioritizing fitness, even when it’s hot outside, is critical for maintaining a healthy routine at college. Outside of its physical benefits, regular exercise has also been proven to improve mental health.
“Physical activity is known to reduce depressive symptoms and anxiety, as well as improving sleep habits,” Campbell said. “It’s fantastic as a mental health outlet. You get a dump of endorphins and dopamine after a workout, and it can improve heart and lung health.”
Despite the relaxation associated with summer, it can sometimes be more hectic than a traditional semester. If you have an internship or job eating up your free time, exercise may fall lower on your totem pole of responsibilities. While it can be daunting to fit an exercise routine into an already hectic schedule, it only takes a small amount of time to make big differences.
“What a lot of people don’t know is if you’re active at least 30 minutes a day, you will reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease,” Campbell said. “The great part is you can break that into intervals of ten minutes, if needed. You don’t have to do it all at once.”
Goals are also helpful in getting started on a fitness journey.
“Anytime that we set a goal, make it realistic and break it down, we can really work towards that goal,” Campbell said. “If you set something more general, you're not really giving yourself actual items to achieve that. You're just putting it out into the world and hoping that it happens. By setting a reasonable goal and being intentional about it, that means you yourself are taking the opportunity and working for that.”
Campbell also encouraged students to reconsider what fitness means to them. By taking the pressure off of their routine, students are setting themselves up for a healthier lifestyle and a more balanced relationship with fitness overall.
“A good key for working it into your schedule is understanding that exercise and physical activity are different,” Campbell said. “Exercise is pre-planned, premeditated action taken for a cause, whereas physical activity could be riding your bike to campus. It could be heavy gardening or mountain biking, or it could just be taking a walk or playing volleyball with your friends at the park.”
For students traveling this summer or those simply unable to attend the SDFC in person, Campbell offered some easy alternatives for quick workouts.
“What a lot of people underestimate is the power of body weight,” Campbell said. “You can do a full workout just using your body, like push-ups, squats, jumping jacks. You can do it wherever you’re at.”
No matter how you work out, it is critical to prioritize two things during the summer in Arizona: hydration and sun protection.
According to AZ Central, “almost 3,000 Arizonans visit emergency rooms every year from heat-related illnesses.” On top of that, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S.
Campbell acknowledged the difficulty in staying active through such weather constraints.
“A lot of times, you hear about seasonal depression in the winter,” Campbell said. “Arizonans experience that in the summer because we’re stuck inside. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t venture outside without sun protection and proper hydration.”
To stay hydrated, Sun Devils should consider bringing a water bottle with them wherever they go. Having water readily available makes all the difference. As for sun protection, it is important for students to apply sunscreen before leaving for the day, as well as regularly reapplying as needed.
For more information about the programming available at ASU, visit Sun Devil Fitness.