Whether it’s to prepare for summer, or a way to relieve mid-term stress, Arizona State University students can turn to various exercise methods to keep their mind and bodies healthy.
“If you’ve never tried a group fitness class before, I definitely recommend heading to the fitness center at any of the campuses and giving it a shot,” says Daniel Labadie, ASU student and Devil-X fitness class instructor. “You can find something you’re passionate about that will motivate you to reach your fitness goals, and group fitness might be a good start for that.”
Labadie instructs Stretch, Cycle, Hard Core and Grind at the Sun Devil Fitness Complex on the Tempe campus. He says he learned he had a knack for instructing fitness classes after he became licensed to teach Zumba.
“It is important to take care of your body by exercising and doing things that challenge you not only gives you physical determination, but mental as well,” says Marissa Roper, an ASU student.
Although Roper says she prefers to workout alone rather than in a group setting, she has participated in Devil-X fit- ness classes such as Yoga, Pilates, Zumba and Cycle.
ASU student Megan Vogt, who has participated in Cycle, Hard Body HIIT and Kickboxing, says fitness is nothing without a healthy and well-balanced diet.
Vogt says she likes to exercise at her own pace and push herself so she can reach her fitness goals.
Tanner Wagner, an ASU student, who exercises at Edge Fitness, says he used to be out of shape, but he has been exercising at Edge Fitness about three times a week for two and half years and has learned how to live a healthier lifestyle.
“Get your nutrition on point, that’s how you see huge changes in your body. Start a nutrition plan, then focus on your workout,” Wagner says. “Have people around you that share a common goal. You can motivate each other and keep each other on track.”
Wagner says people can obtain their ideal bodies by figuring out their goals and making a plan that fits them. “That’s the great thing about group fitness,” Labadie says. “It’s fun to do it in a group setting because you get to motivate each other, especially with the warm weather and bathing suits coming up.”
Labadie says they tend to have a larger amount of participants in Devil-X fitness classes when swimsuit season is approaching.
But exercising offers more than just a sexy body.
“Fitness keeps you less stressed and healthy... for college students this is important for the intense amount of work and involvement,” Vogt says.
Vogt says setting aside time a few times a week to exercise gives students a healthy way to relieve stress.
“All the energy that students focus on is just toward their studies and they’re not focusing on their bodies. They’re not paying attention to how to they eat, they’re not getting enough exercise,” Labadie says. “When you have a healthy body you have a healthy mind, and vice versa.”
