August 2017
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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

Tween/Teen Yoga
Mondays and Wednesdays, 1-2pm
July 10 through August 30th
With Jen Olson

Yoga offers techniques for self-awareness, and thus connects us to inner peace. It helps us deal with life situations from a position of calm and strength. Yoga can be an important sanctuary for "tweens", a place to develop self-confidence as well as focus while having fun! This series will engage youth ages 11-17 through asana practice, meditation and breath practice.

The cost of this class is included in a Junior PLUS Membership. Guests may attend a single class for $8. 
Yoga in the Park
Saturdays at 10am

BHC is leading a yoga class at Ballard Commons Park each Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00am until September 23rd. This is open to the public - all are welcome.

Please bring a yoga mat. Class will be cancelled if weather is bad - call the gym if unsure. 

Seniors in the Sun
Silver Plus at the Park
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30am and Sundays at 11am

BHC will be leading a new class, Silver Plus, at Ballard Commons Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 10:30am and on Sundays from 11am to Noon.  This class starts on July 11th and continues until September 28th.

The class is group exercise geared towards older adults, but fun for the whole family. Class will be held in Studio X if weather is bad.

Autumn Yoga Retreat at Suncadia
with Heather Rudin and Tracy Hodgeman
Friday November 3rd through Sunday the 5th, 2017

Ballard Health Club presents our annual Autumn Yoga Retreat at Suncadia with hosts Heather and Tracy.

Fall is the perfect time to recharge our batteries for the coming holiday season. Join us in the beautiful Cascade mountains as we unplug from the many distractions, obligations and stresses that modern urban life presents, and plug IN to what truly nourishes and restores us.

Among the fragrant pine trees and clear mountain air, we'll kick up our heels and practice the science of down-regulating our nervous systems. We can experience how the age old yoga practices of mindful breathing, skillful movement, and periods of deep stillness all help to improve immune system and brain function, invite ease into the body and leave us with an all-over elevated sense of well being.

Simple wholesome food, nourishing yoga, relaxing hot tub time, laughter infused company, walks in nature and quiet reflection all contribute to the rejuvenating ambiance at the Grand Fir Lodge. We may even get to hear the bugle call of the elk as they pass by!

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 r
etreat 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).

Click here for availability, prices and booking online:

Small Group Training
Starting in September

No matter your current fitness level, the best and most affordable way to reach the next level in your workouts is to join a small group training where your own personal trainer will push you and your new teammates in new and exciting ways.

Small group training is personalized training in a team environment. It is a great way to try new exercises and training strategies with someone there to coach you on good form, while being more economical than one-on-one personal training. Additionally, the group dynamic that comes with regularly working out alongside others will definitely encourage you to push yourself to your limits and ensure that you get the max out of every workout.

BHC is offering four new small groups starting in September. Read about them below. Each small group will meet twice per week for 6 weeks.

The cost is $180, or $15 per session. Enrollment is limited to 5 people per small group. Sign up at the front desk or online at the BHC Portal under EVENTS / WORKSHOPS.
Strength and Conditioning with Allison
Mondays and Thursdays @9am
September 4 - October 12

During this small group with Allison, you will learn how to perform movements correctly and progress both your muscular and cardiovascular systems. Sessions typically begin with strength circuits and finish with a conditioning piece. Allison will teach you how to warm up and cool down in addition to making sure you sweat and build those muscles!
Barbell Powerlifting with Lara
Tuesdays and Thursdays @2pm
September 5 - October 12

Have you been working out for a while without seeing any strength gains? Are you in awe of those people deadlifting two or more plates? Do you want to be bigger, badder, and stronger in every aspect of your life? Then come learn the three powerlifts (squat, bench, deadlift) with some awesome like-minded individuals this September. This group training is for anyone who's ever wanted to lift heavy and get stronger. Ability to lift the barbell preferred but not required.

Strength with Free Weights with Chris
Wednesdays and Fridays @2pm
September 6 - October 13

In this high intensity small group training, you may go at your own pace, improve your form and technique, increase your workload throughout the six weeks and come away with new exercises that you can add to your own workout. Come lift heavy, work multiple muscle groups at each session and get in and out of the gym with no time wasted. Chris will be there to guide you through the workout and make sure your form stays precise.
Personal Training Starter Package

Have you ever wanted to work with a personal trainer on a regular basis, but felt unsure if it would be worth the cost? If you have any of the following goals, then personal training can help you reach them faster:
  • Losing Weight
  • Building Strength
  • Increasing Mobility
  • Learning Proper Exercise Form
  • Corrective Exercise for Injuries
  • Increasing Motivation & Accountability
  • Preventing Boredom or Busting Plateaus
  • ...and more!
To help make personal training more accessible to more of our members, we are now offering a Personal Trainer Starter Package that includes three 30 minute sessions for only $69 This heavily discounted offer is only available for purchased once by each member, and all sessions must be used within one month of purchase date. 

Ask at the Front Desk for more information or to sign up for this amazing offer!
Core and Body Weight Workout from Chris

Keep your heart rate up with this quick but challenging core/body weight workout. Use this in the gym, at home, outside, on the moon, if your car breaks down and you are waiting for AAA, or during Game of Thrones commercial breaks. Basically anywhere!  

Try to perform each set of exercises as a circuit three to four times through.  

Body Weight Squats *45 seconds
Mountain Climbers *30 seconds
Plank up/downs (plank push-ups) *30 seconds

Reverse Lunges   *45 seconds
Jump Rope   *30 seconds
Scissors   *30 seconds

Monster Walk (w/band)  *45 seconds
Long arm crunches   *30 seconds
Russian Twist   *30 seconds


Chris Alfano
BHC Personal Trainer 
FREE Class Pass for August:
Max-Fit

Each month BHC will be offering a FREE pass to a specific class, so those without a PLUS membership - or any membership at all - will be able to try it out!

For the month of August, all MAX-Fit classes  will be open to all:

Tuesdays @ 5:15pm
Wednesdays @ 6:00am
Thursdays @ 5:15pm

MAX-Fit is a varied training program designed for people of all backgrounds looking for an intense full body workout. Movements and equipment include: throwing, lifting, box jumps, kettlebells, jumping rope, sprints, medicine balls and more! Each class will include a warm up, skill training, cardio training, cool down and can be scaled to any fitness level.

If you've ever wanted to try MAX-Fit, or know someone who would - now is your chance! Please note that non-members must bring their photo ID with them.
Member Spotlight:
Marsha Hedrick

How long have you been a member at Ballard Health Club?
It seems like forever but I must have started MJ's yoga class more than 10 years ago.

What is your favorite piece of equipment or exercise to do in the gym?
Favoritism makes me nervous. Step Class is a lot of fun, Rebel Yoga has had the most tangible results and MJ's Flow Yoga on Friday puts a quiet bookend on the week. I love them all.

Why do you work out?
I travel for work and fun and a few years ago, I started noticing that getting luggage into the overhead compartment was getting embarrassingly difficult. Clearly, I needed to do something about upper body strength so that's when I added in weights. Since I crew on a sailboat, keeping generally fit and agile is important and the increase in upper body strength makes tacking upwind easier. I work out so I can continue to do the things I love. However, just as motivating is seeing a lot of people with chronic pain issues at work and this is my way of not ending up there. Besides, there's just no better way to work off a stressful day or elevate out of a funk.

What do you do to work out?
I've tried using machines but stick to a routine much better when it revolves around classes. Monday and Wednesday, it's Rebel Yoga. Tuesday and Thursday it's Step Class. Friday it's Flow Yoga. Saturday it's Barre. Sunday it's Yoga Basics. I've become a Gym Rat!  

What in the gym has worked for you in attaining your goals?
What works best for me is having the routine of classes dictate my schedule. If I were doing machines, I would have the flexibility to do that whenever-but I wouldn't do it. With the class schedule, I schedule other things around it and then don't think  'should I exercise now?'. I'll drop the schedule in a heartbeat to go sailing, biking, or hiking but especially avoid changing things for work. That just makes me resentful.

Why do you choose to work out at BHC? (instead of another gym)
I like BHC for its community. This club not only participates in the Ballard Community, but they ARE a community and I love that. There are people at BHC I never see anywhere else but count on seeing  at the club. It's a diverse group of all ages with an inclusive, down-to-earth vibe that just suits me. I'm grateful for the friendly, familiar attitude the staff conveys every time I come down those stairs and they are a huge part of why this club creates such loyalty in its members.
Nutritional 'Did You Know'

Your Thyroid and Metabolism

As both a nutrition coach and trainer, I see my fair share of people who aren't eating enough food. When this happens, not only will your energy levels plummet, but restriction of food can cause your metabolism to slow down.

What is your thyroid? The thyroid is a gland which releases hormones that regulate growth and development. These thyroid hormones regulate your metabolism - how slow or fast different parts of your body work. If you don't have enough thyroid hormones, you may feel tired and cold. If you have too much, you may feel jumpy and nervous.

Now that you know a little about your thyroid, let's talk about how dieting and restricting any food and/or food groups affects it. In short, any restriction throws your thyroid off - even for short amounts of time.

When you eat too little or too much food, your thyroid will react to adjust your metabolism to bring your body back to homeostasis, or a balanced state. When you eat too little for a prolonged amount of time, your thyroid isn't able to adjust and it stops working as well. This can be due to either elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol (also brought on by lack of sleep, too much exercise and/or emotional stress), or an inability to produce thyroid hormones due to inadequate nutrients.

Low thyroid function means that things in your body just slow down. Not only will you be more tired, but you may have constipation, depression, and feel cold all of the time. And you may gain weight or find it difficult - if not near impossible - to lose weight, which is something many gym-goers are interested in.

How can you 'fix' your thyroid? First, you need to make sure you're eating enough quality foods and getting enough nutrients. B vitamins, antioxidants, selenium, iron, copper, zinc and iodine all play a role in thyroid function. The best way to get these is to eat a variety of vegetables, seafood, meat, grains ,and nuts. Additionally, you should be keeping your stress level down and getting enough sleep.

If you want to know more about your thyroid and metabolism, sign up for a nutrition appointment with one of our nutrition coaches. A Nutrition Coaching session is included with your membership every 3 months.


Allison Raines

BHC Nutrition Coach
Friendly Fridays


Every Friday after NOON is FRIENDLY FRIDAY!  Bring a friend to workout and/or attend a class with you at Ballard Health Club on Fridays!
 
Each guest must be accompanied by a member and have a photo ID.

Check in must be before 8pm, and we will waive the drop-in fee!



Parking at BHC


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

Please be considerate of your fellow BHC members and do not use a parking spot unless you are at the club. Violators may be ticketed, towed and/or lose parking privileges at BHC parking areas.  

Karen's Class Focus: Get Outside!

This is our third year working with the Seattle Parks Department to offer free classes in Ballard Commons Park. It's part of our commitment to the Ballard Community and to our members because we know that when the sun comes out in Seattle we all want to GET OUTSIDE. 

Every Saturday at 
10am you'll have an opportunity to meet your neighbors and take a yoga class with Lara or Elizabeth. We will provide a few mats, but to be safe try bring your own if you have one. And while you're at it, bring a friend - the more the merrier! 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30am Ivonne teaches a low impact fitness class for seniors. Though this class is marketed for seniors, it is appropriate for all ages and fitness levels. This would be a great opportunity for Gramma and Gramps to have a little outdoor fun with the grandkids.

And on Sunday we have changed our schedule and are now offering a Zumba Gold class at 
11am with Christine. Stop by before you hit the Farmers Market to put some pep in your step! Enjoy your summer, and I'll see you in the park!


Karen Gamble
BHC Class Director 
From the Owner

At the Ballard Health Club, we pride ourselves on doing our best to make our members happy. An example of this is our Comment Box. Members (or guests) may complete a comment card and submit it to the box, which is located just outside the lobby area as you enter the club (to the left). The box was placed at this location to allow comments to be submitted 24/7 - even when the front desk area is closed off after hours.

On a weekly basis, comments are gathered from the box and entered into a spreadsheet. An email is then sent to all front desk staff and overnight crew with the comments spreadsheet attached for all to read. This triggers a group discussion regarding how to address the issues that were brought up in the week's comments. For example, if a comment requests getting a new piece of equipment, staff debates the merits of getting what is suggested as a team. I do believe that all of the equipment that has been purchased since I've owned the club was triggered by a suggestion from the comment box.

The comment form requests the members name and email address. About a quarter of the comments are submitted anonymously. Though we respect possible desire to remain anonymous, sometimes the items or suggestions that the member is requesting already exists and then we miss out on the opportunity to inform the member of how to take advantage of it. There are also times when it would be helpful to be able to reach out for more information, so that we can do our best to address their particular issue.

The comments are quite varied, but provide useful feedback in helping improve the members' experience at the club.

Recently we received a comment concerning our water fountain not having "chilled" water. We do have chilled water, but it's only in the right water fountain. The reason we have both chilled and unchilled water is because people have asked for both in the past. In response to this comment, we have labeled that particular fountain with chilled water to make this feature better known.

There is quite a bit to running a community-centered health club which is why I wanted to take this chance to share our process of how we handle member comments.

Thank you for being a member of BHC, and please keep the comments coming!

Sincerely, 

Pat Gilbrough
Owner and General Manager
pat@ballardhealthclub.com 

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