The Aztec Recreation Center Express and Aztec Lanes located in San Diego State’s new Aztec Student Union opened Wednesday.
Located on the south side of the third floor, the 6,000 square-foot satellite fitness center provides ARC members with new cardio and resistance equipment.
“There is some really cool stuff,” business with an emphasis in accounting junior Alex Nguyen said.
Nguyen mentioned his excitement about the TRX suspension training system used for total body workouts.
The ARC Express features a cardio zone with TVs, an open floor area, Woodway Treadmills along with Precor ellipticals, bikes and AMT Trainers. The location also features Concept 2 Rowers, 20-60lb barbells along with Total Gym Core Trainers and stretching mats.
“It gives our students more spaces for exercise,” Associated Students Vice President of External Relations Javier Gomez said. “It alleviates the amount of people in the ARC during peak hours and provides the students in the resident’s halls a closer commute to the gym.”
Gomez said the state-of-the art fitness equipment and machines will also play a role in increasing ARC membership.
Until Jan. 31, classes will be available for the SDSU community free of charge. The 25-minute sessions include one-on-one or small group training and include Synrgy 360 circuit training, foam rolling, body composition assessing, TRX body workout training and circuit training with weight lifting machines.
ARC Marketing Coordinator Amy Schiller said the new facilities within the Student Union will boost membership benefits.
“We are so much more than the ARC,” Schiller said. “The overall plan is to expand so that people see there is all kinds of different options with us.”
Located on the east side of the first floor, Aztec Lanes allows ARC members to bowl free of charge with $1 shoe rentals. Non-member pricing is dependent on if bowlers are students, affiliates or off-campus. The facility includes a gaming lounge, five professional-grade billiard tables, two professional-grade table tennis tables and eight big screen televisions.
“It’s a place for people to hang out in between classes and it’s a social place for people to meet different people and have fun,” Aztec Lanes Staff member and kinesiology junior Steven Frazer said.
Frazer enjoyed intramural bowling classes last semester and ultimately believes that Aztec Lanes will enhance campus life.
“The Student Union provides facilities that satisfy many different needs” A.S. Council Representative for Professional Studies and Fine Arts Blaire Ward said. “It is important these needs are met because the ultimate Aztec experience is what everyone who attends here deserves.”
The Student Union building now replaces the Aztec Center, which opened in 1968 to serve a student population of 10,000. The new building now seeks to serve the 34,000 student population, according to the Student Union website.
Photo by Jenna Mackey, staff photographer
