Work Cited

Leighton, James. Fitness, Body Development, & Sports Conditioning Through Weight Training. Illinois: Thomas, 1983. Print.

Christina, Robert. An Introduction. Enhancing Human Performance in Sport 25 (1991): 1-2. Print.

“Physical Activity and Health.” Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. CDC, 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. 

“Sun Devils are Wells Devils.” Arizona State University. ASU, 2012. Web. 17 Oct 2012.

Intramural Sports Field

http://www.statepress.com/2010/09/08/how-to-join-an-intramural-2/

The intramural sports field is also considered part of the Student Recreation Complex and helps with aerobic exercise, along with fun and games.  It is located in front of the SRC and is available for use by any student who wishes to use it.  These fields are very well maintained and are used by the intramural sports teams, which are available to all students at a certain fee.  The intramural sports fields are a great addition to the SRC due to the both female and male students that come from very sports driven high schools and families.  Collegiate football teams are very tough to make and the SRC has created these intramural sports as an opportunity for students to somewhat further there enjoyment of the sports they have grown to love. 

These intramural sports fields and programs that the SRC has created are a ton of enjoyment and help to get you healthy physically as well as mentally.  This program that was made has given the students a large amount of opportunity for every student resulting in a lot of motivation.  It has been shown that motivation is easily lost in those who go to the weight rooms and gyms due to loss in interested and stress on the body and mind.  However, many who have participated or played sports with teams in the past find that motivation is almost of no concern whatsoever.  

When motivation is no longer a factor in exercise becoming healthier will become a lot easier.  In this case, it is as if exercise makes a transition from something that is needed to be done to something that one loves to do.  For many, this is what the intramural fields have created. For these reasons, the intramural field and sports program has been and will continue to be a great addition to the SRC.

Pools

[Oakland Construction]

The Student Recreation Complex also contains pools located on the outside portion of the building.  This gives the SRC an upper hand in the aerobic exercise department.  The SRC in Tempe campus of Arizona State University contains three pools, all of which are very large.  These pools can be rented by the hour to student organizations, University departments, or community groups. The east pool is twenty-five yards by twenty yards and the west pool is twenty-five yards by twenty-five yards.  The last of the three pools is not for rent and is strictly used for swimming laps.

The water is kept very clean with its high concentrate of chlorine and is free to all students.  It is also set to a certain degree so that the water temperature is always very comfortable for a swim.  It is also kept very safe with the standard “No Running” signs and lettering scattered around all three pools.  These pools also provide the swimmers and/or relaxers with the necessary shower and towels in order to rinse off the chlorine, which can be somewhat harmful to one’s skin. 

These pools were built specifically for the students and others to participate in aerobic exercise.  Aerobic exercise is used mainly for those who want to burn claries, burn fat, and lose weight all of which can be done on land.  However, swimming has been proven to burn calories very quickly.  Swimming also takes away much of the gravity that is being forced upon the body during normal aerobic workouts, thus removing stress from the joints.  It has also been shown to improve mental health as well as physical health.  It is said to improve the daily mood and mental activity of those who put it to use.  Not only were the pools at SRC built for these aerobic workouts but also for the enjoyment of the students.  Water basketball and water polo, as well as other games, can also be played in these pools as fun activities.

Workout Machines and Racquetball Courts

[James Martin]

[James Martin]

Some other great features of the Student Recreation Complex are the exercise machines, locker rooms, racket ball courts, and basketball court.  The exercise machines are located on the upper level of this building and are in abundance.  They have hill climbers, bike riders, and stair climbers, as well as a few others.  These machines are used for aerobic exercises or more cardio based workouts.  These machines specialize in burning calories and pushing the heart rate very high. 

The racquetball and basketball courts were installed for the enjoyment of the students here.  These courts give the students who use them not just the chance at exercise but also the chance to have fun.  Many people love to play racquetball or basketball and those who do tend not to realize how much effort they a putting in and how many calories are being burned.  This is very helpful in becoming healthy because the enjoyment of exercise in a gym with aerobic and anaerobic workouts can be rare and easily become boring.  Thus using a sport that one enjoys participating in can help with becoming healthier.  As a result, the racquet and basketball courts are put to good use.

The locker rooms are great for this building as well.  The locker room contains a series of lockers for students to store their things as well as showers and a large bathroom.  This is also a good addition to the SRC because it becomes convenient for the users to come to the SRC at whatever time they see fit, having everything needed stored within the building.

Weight Room

[James Martin]

[James Martin]

Anaerobic exercise is very effective when trying to burn fat and/or obtaining a healthier lifestyle.  The anaerobic exercises consist of weight training which can be beneficial in many different ways but is used two main reasons.  Weight training gives one the ability to change their weight status, involving either weight gain or weight loss.  Weight training is the only type of exercise that can attend to both weight gain and weight loss, where aerobic exercise is centered around burning calories and losing weight (Leighton 15-17).  Also, a strange and relatively unknown fact is that intense cardio exercise can lead to the break down of muscle and prevent muscle mass increases (Christina 1).

The SRC has an overwhelming amount of free weights and weight machines.  The weight room in the Student Recreation Complex is located on the first floor along with another room next to it, which is called the Circuit Room.  The Circuit room has a series of weight machines that can be used in circuit training, a muscle endurance type of workout.  Nonetheless, the weight room is the main source of muscle building in the SRC.  This room contains various different types of weight machines, free weights, and benches that give the students a chance at wide range of workouts.  The students who go to the weight room are greeted by the more than welcoming staff, also students, who are there to ensure a fellow student’s safety and success as personal trainers.

The personal trainers here have experience in both weight training and helping others find success as they have.  They help students to set realistic goals which in turn will keep the students motivated.  These trainers also care for the equipment and keep the weight room in top shape for the people that use them.  These personal trainers/students pride themselves in keeping the weight room clean and maintained for the success of their fellow students. 

The Importance of Exercise in College Life

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Staying healthy at a University is not the easiest of tasks.  Many know that a balanced diet is needed to help obtain or maintain a healthy frame or build; however it is very difficult for students to get a well balanced diet through college.  For those that travel far away from home a balanced diet is almost out of the question.  This is due to the fact that it is common for Universities to provide unhealthy food choices and very few healthy choices which helps to prevent students from obtaining a balanced diet and can cause these students to gain weight and lose their physical shape.  This is why exercise is key for people that go to college.

When referring to health, many people think if you aren’t obese than you are healthy.  This is truly not the case.  To be healthy means to be less prone to heart disease and conditions of that sort, to be in the right physical shape, and to be in a good mental state.  Being obese can certainly lead to these types of heart failure, depression, and of course poor physical shape.  Exercise has been proven scientifically to improve many aspects of one’s life.  It is beneficial to everyone no matter what size, shape, or weight.

This means that it is necessary for the University one is attending to have a fitness center that meets certain requirements.  The building must require the tools necessary for aerobic and anaerobic exercise.  This may seem rather simple; however quality and demand play a very large role in the requirements.  The fitness center must have a large range of free weights and weight machines, along with very large spacing for more safety.  This satisfies the anaerobic exercise, more popular for muscle builders.  Nothing is needed for aerobic exercise as it can be done freely, but it is also important for a fitness center to provide activities for this type of exercise.  These machines can range from treadmills to stair climbers, almost anything made to keep up one’s heart rate.  Also, it comes in handy when a fitness center has put in the effort to have personal training and someone to help strive for a goal.  

The Student Recreation Complex (SRC) at Arizona State University is a great feature for the students that attend school here.  The SRC has a weight room contains everything that a beginning weight lifter to an experienced bodybuilder would to perform their series of workouts.  This building also contains a wide range of machines on its upper level that focus on a more cardio based workout.  The building also contains many different racket ball courts and a basket ball court which can become useful when trying to have fun yet burn fat at the same time.  The pool is also a nice addition to this building and can be very effective in a way that many people do not see.  Motivation is also a major factor when in comes to exercise.  Many people lose motivation after just weeks of exercise because they have set false goals and have low self esteem.  ASU has taken this onto account and created challenges and events at the SRC to help students stay motivated and maintain the right focus.  Also, one of the larger additions to the SRC is the help of personal trainers. These trainers help students to get started, maintain motivation, get past the plateau effect, and ultimately lead them to a healthier body and lifestyle.

Exercise can do a great number of things to help a person gain a healthier body and lifestyle.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that “physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, the two leading causes of death in the United States.  It has been shown to improve your health and mood; regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment sharp as you age and help reduce the effects of depression.”  Exercise will strengthen muscles and bones throughout the body along with helping bad side effects of arthritis (Physical Activity).  The list of benefits goes on and on, nonetheless the use of exercise is mostly done to control one’s weight

James Leighton explored both aerobic and anaerobic based workouts are the two main types of exercise in which people participate in, both of which are very beneficial, in Fitness, Body Development, & Sports Conditioning Through Weight Training.  An anaerobic workout deals with mostly lifting weights, while an aerobic based workout consist of rapid movement and keeping the heart rate very high.  Conditioning through either type of exercise can help one reach a healthier body and lifestyle.  

Being healthy is more important than many people believe.  Unhealthy people and an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to serious consequences, such as weight gain, obesity, and ultimately heart disease.  Exercise is necessary for anyone that wants to become healthier.  This has become a problem for many students who attend a university.  This is due to the fact that students who move away from home to live on their own are making a big change.  It is a total lifestyle change which almost ensures a poor diet because of the “food desert” surrounding many universities.  Most students do not wish to gain “the freshman fifteen” and this is where the SRC comes into play.  The poor quality of food around ASU forces exercise to become futile to maintain good health.  The SRC provides a student with the equipment and motivation to successfully become healthier.