Students complained about a warmer-than-average Student Recreational Center on Monday, and the temperature is slowly but surely returning to normal.

“Early on this week it was pretty bad, but it’s getting better,” said Kevin Reno, a physical education major.

Because facilities planning and management was closed during break, along with the rest of campus, it was not able to reduce the heat in the SRC, which stayed open, Baker said.

With fluctuating highs and lows this past week, the temperature inside the SRC was hard to maintain. Temperatures reached the mid 80s in Campus Recreation Director Ken Baker’s office in the SRC Monday, Baker said.

“I think (the heat) shortens your workout a lot because you get exhausted, and I don’t think it’s really healthy,” said Jill Blackburn, a senior sports management major.

Alison Personette, a senior social science major, attended a mat science class on Tuesday and described the dance studio as “stuffy.”

“It was really hot, and people had been working out, and they hadn’t aired it out yet,” Personette said.

The doors to the SRC were opened, and fans were put in place Tuesday to circulate cold air throughout the 75,000-square foot facility.

“It takes about a week to get the building to adjust,” Baker said.

With cold temperatures outside and hot temperatures inside, students need to take necessary precautions while exercising.

Taking more time to warm up can help a person’s body adjust to the temperature change after coming in from the cold, said Eastern physical education major John Emmett.

Students who exercise in the heat should make sure they are hydrated properly, drinking more than the minimum of eight cups of water per day, Emmett said. He also said exercise clothing should be breathable, unlike cotton which becomes saturated with sweat and decreases the cooling effect.

“Another thing: cut back a little bit,” Emmett said. “The harder you exercise, the more heat your body produces.”

He suggests that students work out longer with less intensity.

When exercising in extreme heat, there are health risks such as heartbeat irregularity and muscle cramps, but Emmett does not think students are at risk of experiencing anything more than lightheadedness.

“One of the problems with exercising inside is you don’t have the air flowing past you like you do outside,” Emmett said.

The fans in the doorways help with the flow of air, he said.

When exercising in the cold weather, for students who prefer to do so outdoors, layering thin clothing is essential, he said.

“I hope people would still exercise,” Emmett said. “Sometimes you just have to suck it up and tolerate (the temperature.)”