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BHC is open 24 HOURS a DAY - 7 DAYS a WEEK
RFID key fob required for access outside of front desk hours (available at the front desk)
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Welcome to the Ballard Health Club Newsletter. We value your membership at BHC and want to keep you informed of what's going on at the club.
We look forward to staying in touch!
-The BHC Team
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Summer Classes at the Park
This summer we have been holding four classes at the Ballard Commons Park, just north of BHC. Everyone is welcome! Classes are free and open to the public. September is the last month, so catch them while you can!
YOGA Saturdays 9-10am **Through 9/24**
TAI CHI Tue/Thur 6-7pm Sundays 10am **Through 9/29**
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LABOR DAY HOURS
AND STUDIO X CLOSURE
The front desk will have reduced hours on Labor Day, Sept. 5th. Members who do not have a key fob may use the gym from 8am-8pm.
With our 24-Hour Access, however, anyone with a key fob may now come in anytime. Make sure you get your key fob BEFORE Sept. 5th if you would like to use the club before 8am or after 8pm that day.
Over Labor Day weekend, we will be refinishing the floors in Studio X. Therefore, Studio X will be CLOSED Sept. 3-5 (Saturday, Sunday and Monday) and NO CLASSES WILL BE HELD DURING THAT TIME. Classes will resume as normal Tuesday, Sept. 6th. Please note that only soft-soled shoes will be allowed in in Studio X after the floors have been refinished.
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Free Outdoor Boot Camps Labor Day Weekend!
Join us for free boot camp!
Since we will be closing Studio X September 3-5 over Labor Day weekend, we are happy to announce complimentary outdoor boot camp classes with Fresh Air Boot Camp!
Classes are offered at the following days and times over Labor Day weekend:
Friday 6-7am at Greenlake Saturday 8-9am at Golden Gardens Monday 9-10am at Golden Gardens
For directions and more information go to www.freshairbootcamp.com or email FAB@ballardhealthclub.com.
You can bring a friend for a Free Trial Class as well! All you need to do is send us an email or let the front desk know that you are planning on attending.
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Nutrition Tracking
New to BHC...Nutrition Tracking!
Work with Lauren, our on staff Nutritionist, to re-shape your diet to cater to your personal health goals or needs. These sessions are designed to transform the way you eat by implementing small steps each week while tracking your progress. Weight and body fat percentage are two of the many items that will be tracked. Based on the needs of the individual, food preparation techniques, recipes, grocery shopping and kitchen clean-outs are some of the other services that are included in the program.
If you are ready to commit to cleaning up your eating habits, then sign up for a two month Nutrition Tracking program, which includes either six ½ hour sessions for $204 ($34/ea) or six 1 hour sessions for $354 ($59/ea).
If you're not certain that Nutrition Tracking is right for you, try signing up for a complimentary Nutrition Coaching session first. Nutrition Tracking sessions are for those who'd like on-going assistance beyond what the quarterly Nutrition Coaching sessions offer. For more information, talk with the staff at the front desk or email Lauren at laurend@ballardhealthclub.com or sign up for an appointment online today!
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Autumn Yoga Retreat with Tracy and Heather
Ballard Health Club presents the Autumn Yoga Retreat at Suncadia with hosts Tracy Hodgeman and Heather Rudin November 4-6, 2016.
Welcome the changing seasons and bolster your resilience for the upcoming holidays with a refreshing weekend retreat in the Cascade mountains. Enjoy the slow pace at the Grand Fir Lodge at Suncadia with daily yoga classes, deliciously nutritious meals, and plentiful free time to explore the many trails through the woods, enjoy naps by the fire, read a book, or soak in the hot tub.
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Tracy and Heather have been teaching retreats together for over 13 years, and love to share their considerable combined knowledge of yoga therapy. On this retreat we offer practices for neck and shoulder relief, as well as core strengthening and lower back support. We will delve into calming techniques that shift us out of stress mode and into ease, support our immune system and clear our minds. We will also laugh-- a lot-- which is also scientifically proven to be very good for your health (and your core strength).
Join us as we elevate our energy frequency and lighten up. It's the magic of fall mountain air that opens our senses so that we can each easily rest in our own magnificence.
Click here for availability, prices and booking online> www.grandfirlodge.com/retreats/161104-bhc
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Every Friday starting at NOON is FRIENDLY FRIDAY!
(New start time! - this used to start at 6pm!)
Bring a friend to workout and/or attend a class at Ballard Health Club with you.
Friday afternoon and evening classes are: Silver Sneakers at 1:30pm, Barre at 4:15pm and 5:30pm, or Yoga Basics at 6:45pm. Friend must be accompanied by a member, check-in by 8pm and have a picture ID and we will waive the drop-in fee.
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Hoops Club meets on Thursdays from 6:30-8pm at the Loyal Heights Community Center. This club is free for members and there is a $5 drop-in fee for non-members. All levels are welcome! After attending four times at Hoops Club, you are eligible to purchase a Hoops Club T-shirt for $10. Email hoops@ballardhealthclub.com for more information.
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Member Spotlight:
Matt Coggan
How long have you been a member at Ballard Health Club?
I have been a member for almost 12 years.
What is your favorite piece of equipment or exercise to do in the gym? And what do you do to work out?
Lately, it has been the dips rack. It is a great way to target a lot of muscles in one movement, so I try and combine it with a couple different exercises whenever I can. I would say the squat rack, but that would be a lie. All the stress in my workouts occur there:)
Why do you work out?
I have been playing soccer since I was 5, all the way through college and still 1-2 times a week. A lot of my workouts are so I can stay strong and fit to still do that at a high level. However, the older I get the more I have to work through injuries and areas that are generally weak. I know I won't be able to play soccer forever, so I want to be in generally good shape the rest of my life and hopefully injury/pain free. That and simple vanity.
What do you do to work out? I combine free weights with some yoga and then the occasional dreaded treadmill (I get incredibly bored running in place). Outside of the gym it is soccer, hiking, and all the typical Seattle things. Except skiing. I hate skiing. What in the gym has worked for you in attaining your goals? I would not say any one thing has helped with my goals. It comes down to keeping the habit of going to the gym and not cutting corners. Specific to BHC though is that it is not a place where people are posturing or being super intense with their workouts. I know I can come in and do my workout without too much trouble or feeling like anyone is looking down on you. I also like that I can create some variety in my exercise with weights, classes, or just simple cardio machines.
Why do you choose to work out at BHC? (instead of another gym) When I first moved to Ballard the BHC was one of only a couple gyms and I signed up because it had everything I needed for my workouts and was an incredibly good deal compared to the other options. I don't need a climbing wall, olympic swimming pools, gold plated equipment, bamboo flooring and reclaimed wood pillars. I am pretty basic and 30lbs is 30lbs whether you are paying $100/month or $30/month.
Anything else you'd like to add? Yes, for the life of me I cannot understand why if you have a perfectly good locker in front of you that you would need to drop your sweaty gym socks, shorts, underwear, you name it, on the floor or bench while you go shower. Everyone else has to then maneuver around a stack of stinky, sweaty clothes. Remember the sign from your high school gym class "Your mom doesn't work here. Pick up after yourself":)
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Get Golf Fit Workout
Most people don't realize how hard golf is on the body. During the golf swing, the clubhead will generate an average speed of 90-100 mph and at impact is like holding on to 150lbs. Amateurs reach approximately 90% of the maximum muscle activity during their golf swing. This is the same as picking up a weight four times before being completely fatigued.
The average golfer swings 60 to 90 times per round, not to mention all the bending over and squatting that happens while on the course.
To consistently play better golf, it's important to be physically capable to execute the proper golf swing time after time without tension and with complete balance. After a few rounds of golfing, the body gets tired and starts to breakdown. When the body gets tired and is unable to keep the correct golf swing, this starts to put strain and pressure in the wrong areas.
These factors may help explain why, according to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, some 40% of amateurs suffer an injury while golfing. The most common golf injury is low back pain, followed by elbow problems.
Here are some exercises that will help with conditioning and fighting muscle fatigue.
Complete 3 rounds of 15 repetitions of each exercise:
Overhead lunge
BOSU ball squat chop
Barbell Bent Over row
Dip
One leg, opposite one arm cable rear delt fly
If you have any questions on these exercises, sign up with a trainer for further help.
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Zoom In On Health: Lung Health
Our topic this month is about the two different types of Chronic Lung Disease (CDL). First, we have restrictive lung disease, which is what occurs when the ability to expand the lungs may be decreased. This could possibly be from fractured ribs, a neuromuscular disease, or even extreme obesity. On the other hand, there is obstructive lung disease which is characterized by chronic inflammation and excessive mucus production. Often caused by restricted airflow, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema are examples of this kind of lung disease.
People living with chronic lung disease will often fatigue easily when beginning an exercise program, and experiencing shortness of breath (dyspnea) is common. This can lead to a decrease in aerobic capacity and cardiovascular endurance. However, carefully planned exercise can improve the functional lung capacity for those with chronic lung disease, and decrease symptoms of dyspnea. In the beginning, shorter workouts of only 20-45 minutes are advised and it is important to ensure that those with this issue take an appropriate amount of rest in between sets to catch their breath! Including breathing exercises as a part of the warm up can also be very beneficial, and may serve as a reminder to not hold the breath during strength training.
Caution should also be taken when doing upper body strength exercises, as they place an increased stress on the secondary respiratory muscles that are involved in stabilizing the upper body during exercise. Because of this, lower body focused cardio and resistance training exercise are best tolerated for those with chronic lung disease. When planning a strength training workout, they should try alternating between upper and lower body exercises to give the upper body a break. Try starting with 1 set of 8-10 exercises, with 8-15 repetitions per exercise. This can be done for a total of 2-3 times per week.
Need help knowing where to start when putting together a training program? Try booking a complimentary Fitness Training appointment with one of BHC's certified trainers and have them put together a personalized routine to suit your needs.
Roxy TurnerBHC Personal Trainer
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PLUS Upgrades in Effect
PLUS membership upgrades are going into effect this month. The PLUS upgrade provides unlimited access to the more than 80 classes per week offered at BHC. For our monthly renewing members that joined prior to March 1st, you've been enjoying complimentary PLUS status for the last 6 months. Hopefully, you have been taking full advantage of the classes and decided that you would like to continue with PLUS status.
Many of you have already decided to continue and completed the BHC Membership Upgrade form. If so, your dues increase of $10/mo will be reflected in this month's billing. You will be able to continue taking your classes without interruption and have a seamless transition beyond this complimentary period.
If you haven't submitted your form and want to continue with unlimited classes, stop by the front desk at your earliest convenience and we'll be happy to assist you. However, if you are still unsure about upgrading, know that you can choose to upgrade at any time in the future.
After September, any member who has not submitted an upgrade request will need to pay the $5 member drop-in fee to attend a class (other than Silver Sneakers and Chair Yoga). Please stop by the front desk if you have any additional questions.
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Nutritional "Did You Know"
Back to School Breakfasts
School starting equates to busy mornings! Don't let the busy morning mean you skip out on a nutrient dense breakfast. Within an hour of waking, our bodies need a solid meal to get our metabolism running and it helps prevent overeating later in the day. Breakfast also provides fuel for our brain, attention span, concentration and memory, enabling us to think clearly and efficiently. Aim for a protein rich breakfast with some nutrient dense fruits or vegetables in order to fuel your morning.
If you DON'T hit the snooze button...
Tofu or Egg Scramble
1 cup broken up firm tofu or 3 eggs
½ cup mushrooms quartered
¼ white onion sliced
½ cup bell peppers chopped
1 cup fresh spinach
Olive oil
Salt/Pepper/garlic powder
Salsa to top
Saute onion and mushroom in olive oil with salt, pepper and garlic powder until softened. Add in tofu and bell pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add in spinach, another pinch of salt and garlic powder and cook until well incorporated and tofu has firmed. Top with fresh salsa and enjoy!
Whole Grain Pancakes 1 cups whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp cinnamon 2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar of your choice 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil 1 cup milk or nut milk 1 tsp vanilla Oil for skillet Nut butter for smear Fresh fruit to top
Combine dry ingredients. Whisk in wet ingredients. Melt a small amount of oil to coat the skillet and fry away! Smear on the nut butter and top with fresh fruit!
If you DO hit the snooze button...
Protein Oats 1 cup whole oats 1 scoop protein powder of your choice 1 tablespoon raw cocoa nibs Fresh fruit Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir and fill with warm/hot water until water level is just above the mixture; allow to soak for 5 minutes and enjoy!
Packed Smoothie 1 cup frozen fruit ½ cup fresh fruit 1 scoop protein powder 1 handful leafy greens 1-2 tablespoons nut butter Water or nut milk to desired consistency
Throw it all in and blend away!
If you are literally running out the door...
Trail Mix It's easy to make big batches of homemade trail mix with your favorite nuts/seeds/dried fruit and any other ingredients such as dried coconut or cocoa nibs. There are TONS of premade ones; just be weary of the added sugars and oils.
PB & Fruit
There are days where I literally grab a banana or apple, the peanut butter jar and a spoon and call it breakfast on my way to work.
The most important take-away? Don't skip out on an important meal just because time or breakfast ideas are an issue ☺
Lauren DerrBHC Nutrition Coach
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Pranastics Partner Yoga Workshop
Pranastics Partner Yoga Workshop will be held at Ballard Health Club with Heather and Tracy on Sunday, September 25th from 2-4pm.
Do you love yoga asana? Do you play well with others? Join Heather and Tracy for this fun and popular workshop where we will learn new tricks with familiar poses. Find out what happens when you add two or more poses together. Play with gravity, change your perspective. Be ready to do things you never thought you could do, with just a little help from your friends. Partner yoga enhances communication, confidence, connection, joy, well being, and trust, as well as our understanding of asana.
Bring a friend, and/or come ready to make new ones. This workshop is suitable for anyone with a basic understanding of yoga and a sense of adventure. We will work slowly and safely, starting with very simple shapes and gradually increasing the challenge as we build our trust and skills.
Sign up now online, as space is limited. Cost will be $30 for Ballard Health Club members and $40 for non-members.
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Club Improvements
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September is a busy month for club improvements. It's a bit trickier to get work planned now that the club is open 24/7 - but we are fortunate to have flexible contractors and a great overnight crew to make all our projects happen as smoothly as possible.
New door for Studio Y A new door that opens out versus in to the studio has been installed. The reason for the new door is that building code requires that doors open out from a commercial space and we missed this when we first built Studio Y. The new door also has a small window in it so people may see what's happening in the studio without having to open the door.
Men's Sauna upgrade We are planning on replacing all the wood in the men's sauna and putting fire brick around the area where the heater sits. We will also be replacing the floor by extending the tile from the shower floor that was remodeled last year. The tile floor in the sauna will have a new removable cedar walkway over it.
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The men's sauna will be closed for 7 days
starting Thursday, Sept 1st at 10pm.
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Refinishing the floor in Studio X Starting Friday evening, September 2nd, of Labor Day Weekend, we will be working on refinishing the floor in the studio. Please note that only soft-soled shoes will be allowed in in Studio X after the floors have been refinished.
Upgrading the counter tops in all locker rooms We have plans in place to spruce up the counters in all the locker rooms sometime during the Fall.
With some of these club improvements, we may need to close the locker rooms for short duration's. The closures will be kept at a minimum and hopefully most, if not all, will be in the middle of the night. We will be posting the times of the closures in signs around the locker rooms with as much lead time as our contractors give us.
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Did you just join the club and have no idea where to start with your workout routine? Are you looking to try something new that hits your whole body in one workout.
Try this Full Body Workout routine with BHC Trainer Allison on our YouTube channel.
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We recently received more stock in our shop, re-filling some sold out sizes - with a new color tank as well!
Check it out in our front lobby!
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Adventure Race for Parkinsons
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Who wants to Scavenger Hunt?
Ballard Health Club is putting together a team (or teams) to participate in this fun event for a good cause! Participating BHC team members will receive a free BHC T-Shirt (to be worn during the race)!
The Adventure Race for Parkinson's is a scavenger hunt that will take place on Saturday, September 17th, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Teams of up to four people race on foot through Ballard, starting at Trident Seafood and ending at Peddler's Brewing. Your team will be stopping at local businesses and other locations to solve and complete tasks along the way to collect the most points!
Do I need to raise money? Teams are encouraged, but not required to raise money. Bonus points are given to teams who reach fundraising goals. Contributions will help the NW Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA), which raises funds for both patient services and research.
Will there be prizes? Of course!
The first, second, and third place teams and best costume team will all receive fabulous prizes. Additionally, all racers will be eligible to buy raffle tickets, participate in a mini live auction and win fantastic prizes during the after-Race party at Peddler's! For more questions, here is a link to Frequently Asked Questions.
Registration is $45 / person. To be part of the Ballard Health Club team, Register by September 15th by contacting Ivonne DePauli (staff member / Team Captain) at ivonned@ballardhealthclub.com for more information.
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One of our new trainers, Brittany Speakman, is not only a certified personal trainer but is also an experienced and registered Yoga teacher.
Every BHC member is entitled to a complimentary Fitness Training session once a month. Put that to good use and have Brittany give you a one on one introduction to Yoga.
If you would like to continue with one-on-one Yoga instruction more often than once a month, Brittany is available at the BHC personal training rate of $40 a 1/2 hour or $70 an hour (lower prices available when purchasing 6-packs).
Contact Brittany at brittanys@ballardhealthclub.com to arrange an appointment or check out the touch screen appointment board in the lobby.
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New Trainer: David Collins
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Please help us welcome BHC's newest trainer, David Collins, as he will be finishing up training and making appearances at the front desk and around the gym.
David Collins (from his bio):
Participating in high school football and lacrosse showed David the value of strength training as a way to remain a competitive athlete. David attended Western Washington University where he earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology, the study of movement. This is his passion and his daily focus. David spent two years working at a physical therapy clinic as an exercise specialist, teaching patients one-on-one proper form and the importance of exercise adherence. David enjoys talking to strangers, backpacking, singing karaoke, and playing men's league lacrosse. Spending time barbecuing with good company and a good beer is David's idea of an afternoon well spent.
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BHC Parking
With all of the BHC parking areas, it can be confusing to know when each one is open and available for BHC members working out at the club or going to a class. To help with this, we have prepared a printable BHC Parking Map at
www.ballardhealthclub.com/parking
Important:
Please be considerate of your fellow BHC members and do not use a parking spot unless you are at the club. Using BHC parking for other purposes before or after being at the club is inconsiderate. Violators may be ticketed, towed and/or lose parking privileges at BHC parking areas.
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Fall-ing into Classes
Wow, I can't believe we're heading right into Fall, my favorite time of the year. It's a time of getting back into our regular routines and pushing that restart button on some of the projects we let slide during the summer. If you're like myself, you may want to shed some of the summer fun that's showing itself in your waistline. As we all know, slow and steady wins when getting back into shape and staying there.
Our classes give you an opportunity to create a consistent routine. Whatever you're ready to commit to, find the classes that work into your schedule and get started. Here are some tips to keep you on your game. -
Create a ritual - Set yourself up to succeed by having your gear ready and planning your workout/class routine. Mark it on your calendar and keep yourself in the habit of being prepared. This includes being well fueled and hydrated!
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Do this for yourself - Don't be influenced by magazine covers or try to fit yourself into a mold of what you think you should look like. Sure, maybe you want to lose some weight, but let's be real about it. Do this for your health, mental clarity and to challenge yourself - you'll be better rewarded with these goals.
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Have a buddy - Bring a friend or get friendly with other members. Exercise is so much more fun when you can share a laugh and encourage each other. It makes showing up that much easier!
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Mix it up - We've got two studios and over 80 classes. Take some classes to raise your heart rate, some to focus on mind/body, others for strength training and all of them for some fun and fitness.
I hope you've had a wonderful summer. I'll see you in class☺
Karen Gamble
BHC Class Director
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From the Owner
This last March, we determined a need for two separate levels of membership. First, there is the "Regular" GYM membership which includes everything we have to offer at the club, except the majority of our group exercise classes. "Silver" classes are the exception, and are available with the regular GYM membership. At this first level, we maintained the same membership rate we have offered to all of our members for over the past 10 years. The rate for a GYM membership is $39/month, or $390 for an annual membership ($29/$290 for Seniors and Juniors).
Our newly added level is the "PLUS" membership, which includes everything available in the GYM membership PLUS unlimited access to all of the 80+ classes we offer each week. For the PLUS membership, the rate is $10/mo more than the GYM membership, or $100 more per year.
In March, we gave all of our existing members 6 months of complimentary PLUS membership. That 6 month period is now coming to an end this September, and I wanted use this transition period to take the opportunity to talk about the amount of value that is in the $49/mo rate for unlimited access to the classes. ($39 for Seniors and Juniors).
If you haven't had to ventured out beyond the walls of BHC to scope out prices for similar classes in our Ballard neighborhood, you may not realize just how reasonable our pricing is.
At another health club in Ballard, Barre classes cost an additional $5 per class over and above the monthly membership fee of $70. If you attend 3 classes a week - you end up paying $130 a month or so in total (and this is not taking into consideration the original initiation fee). This particular club also charges an additional fee for several other classes as well. Class-specific studios often cost even more. For example, the new Barre3 studio that opened up on 24th costs $150 a month, and that's not including parking. There are also Yoga studios, which many of our instructors also work at, that typically charge from $120 to $200 a month.
Our $49/month PLUS membership provides over 80 quality classes each week with no addition charge. Perhaps even more importantly, it also includes the use of a fully equipped Gym (accessible 24/7), locker rooms, showers, towels, sauna, complimentary access to personal trainers, nutrition coaching, and parking.
Our instructors, without a shred of doubt, are hands down as good as, if better than, any of the other class instructors in Ballard. I know that from the great deal of feedback I have received from members that have visited and compared class options in Ballard and beyond. As mentioned earlier, many of our instructors also teach at the higher priced studios throughout the city. Our Class Director, Karen Gamble, has done a tremendous job attracting and maintaining the very talented and beloved team of class instructors we are so fortunate to have at here BHC.
At Ballard Health Club, we want to be the most accessible club to the Ballard community in terms of providing the most value at the lowest, most affordable cost possible. This is the key reason why our prices are what they are.
Sincerely,
Pat Gilbrough Owner and General Manager
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