The pool will be rented out from 1:00 – 2:00 pm on May 21 & 28. Sorry, no lanes will be available during that time.
Aquatics
Reap the Performance Benefits of the 4-Scientific Properties of Water!
There are a variety of exercise modalities that can have a pronounced impact on your level of physical activity. Using a Water environment is one such modality due to its’ scientific properties. The specific properties that lend themselves to increased performance are:
• Buoyancy (body’s ability to float in water)
• Hydrostatic Pressure (pressure of water on the body)
• Viscosity (density of the water)
• Thermodynamics (temperature of the water)
How do these properties enhance physical activity performance?
• Upward lift of the water on the body or “buoyancy” reduces the effect of gravity on your body. Being submerged in chest-deep water decreases the effect of gravity by 60% whereas being submerged in neck-deep water reduces the effects by 90%. So what’s the benefit? Buoyancy means less impact on your joints which is especially important if you have joint issues or just would like to recover from gravity-based training.
• The pressure of the water, “Hydrostatic Pressure”, is exerted on all the surfaces on the body. This multi-directional pressure compresses the chest making breathing more difficult but with training, the muscular mechanisms of breathing do improve. Water pressure “massages” the body assisting with circulation so the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood throughout the working body. The Lymphatic system also benefits from the “massaging” pressure assisting the bodies “garbage carriers”!
• Waters density or “Viscosity is approximately 800 times denser than air! Why is that a benefit? Because of its’ density, any movement in the water provides resistance in a multitude of directions. Increasing the speed of movement and/or the surface area of the movement can exponentially increase the resistance to the movement!
• Water transfers heat, “Thermodynamics”, away from the body 25 times faster than air! This affects the heart rate and oxygen consumption rate during activity. Cooler temperatures, 64.4-77 F degrees Fahrenheit, result in lower heart rates than do warmer temperatures, 86-95.9 F degrees Fahrenheit. For that reason, it is advisable to use Ratings of Perceived Effort (either 1-10 scale or 6-25 scale) instead of Heart Rate.
The contribution of these scientific properties of water allow us an exercise medium we can safely use to improve our Aerobic Endurance, Muscle Strength, Muscle Mobility and Flexibility, allow for graded progressive exercise as well as lessen the daily impact of gravity, giving the body some needed recovery!
Make a splash in your physical activity by giving Water Fitness a try!!
Active Aging…Commit to stay fit in May!
Bellingham Athletic Club offers a wide range of exercise and aquatics classes. During the month of May, we will be highlighting specific exercise and aquatic classes designed for adults who want to continue enjoying an active and spirited lifestyle. Join us and experience the difference!!!
May 5-11
Zumba Gold…Cordata with Celine
This class takes the popular Latin dance-inspired workout of Zumba and makes it accessible for seniors, beginners or others needing modifications in their exercise routine. Zumba Gold builds cardiovascular health by challenging the heart and working the muscles of the hips, legs, and arms with dance moves. Wednesdays @ 8:30 am in the Cordata Gym.
RetroFit…Cordata with Theresa/Lesley
A moderate-paced, low-impact class designed for people who are comfortable with basic choreography. Focus is on simple movements. This is a great starting class for all ages, beginners, and members coming back from rehab injuries. Mondays @ 8:30 in the Cordata Gym.
May 12-18
Strong & Stable…Downtown and Cordata with Lesley
Every class features exercises that increase balance, mobility, and strength in order for you to continue enjoying an active and fulfilling lifestyle. Mondays & Wednesdays @ 8:30 am Downtown. Fridays @ 8:30 in the Cordata Gym.
Strength & Stretch…Downtown with Lesley
This class is for any fitness level. The focus is on a combination of body weight exercises, bands, and other tools to challenge your strength and full body stretching to complement your training program. Tuesdays @ 8:30 am Downtown.
May 19-25
Aqua Aerobics / Aqua Zumba…Cordata with Jill/Toni/Carrie/Cindy/Myra/Lynn/Gayle
Get a great cardio low-impact workout in the water! Great for all abilities and fitness levels. Looking for a water aerobics class with a twist? Try out Aqua Zumba! It is a fast-paced, body-toning water workout that combines the rhythm of a traditional Zumba class with the increased resistance in the pool. Check Pool Schedule for days/times.
May 26-31
Pilates/Yoga…Cordata with Jen/Michal/Freddie/Elena/Lesley
This class is designed to work your powerhouse muscles – abs, lower back, thighs, and buttocks. The discipline emphasizes correct form to help develop strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, coordination, balance, & good posture. Designed for all levels. Check Group Exercise Schedule for days/times
Swim Lessons
We are getting into the busy season for Swim Lessons, so make sure you take a look at the schedule and secure your spot for May early! We are offering a bigger variety of classes at different times – we are still running the Angelfish II class in the mornings, so if you have a confident 2-year old, this is the class for you! You’ll also see more Starfish classes offered in the afternoon, for students who are ages 7+ and just starting out in lessons.
Wondering what to bring to lessons? We don’t have too many requirements: If not potty trained, we do require a swim diaper in the water, as well as any kind of swim suit or swimming clothes and a towel to dry off and stay warm! Goggles are not required, but they are encouraged (especially for older levels where kids are swimming all the way across the pool). We do have a few pairs for general use, however we cannot guarantee goggle availability with so many lessons. So if you’ve got a picky swimmer, it might be a good idea to pick up some of your own. Also, students with hair at or longer than shoulder length should have their hair pulled back with a hair tie or swim cap. If you have any more questions about lessons, please reach out to me, I am happy to give advice and recommendations.
Swim Team can be a great opportunity for those swimmers who would like to spend more time in the water developing their skills and learning to think about swimming as a sport, rather than a leisure activity. If your student is interested, feel free to pop in and watch a practice to get an idea of the kinds of skills we develop! Swim Team runs from 5:30-6:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
May 7 – 30th (4 weeks/8 Lessons)
Days: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Times: 10am–12pm, 3:30pm–5:30pm, & 6:00pm-8:00pm
We offer adult groups lessons from 7:30 pm-8:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as private lessons to meet your personal fitness goals.
Call (360) 676-1800 to sign up!
Press here for current Swim Lessons Schedule details and pricing.
Press here to go to the Aquatic Page.
Play some fun Easter-themed games during our Family Swim Times!
Come join us for fun Easter themed water aerobics! Costumes encouraged!Makeup Swim Lesson Thursday!
Since we have had so many weather cancellations this year, we have decided to offer a makeup lesson day! This will take place during spring break, on Thursday (4/4). Since the kids are out of school, we are offering morning and afternoon time slots for lessons. Please give us a call at (360) 676-1800 to sign up! We want to know who will be attending so that we can plan instruction accordingly. This lesson does not cost anything, but one of your pre-existing weather/other credits will be used.
We are also offering extra family swims throughout the week from 10-12, so if you have a family swim pass you haven’t used yet, come play with us! April is Aquatics Month at BAC, so stay tuned for more fun events around the pool.
Press here for the Make-Up Day schedule.
Swim Lessons
Spring is finally here! We are excited about the change in weather, and to celebrate this shift to the great outdoors, we are highlighting our Aquatics Department for the month of April! To that end, we are running a few extra events and promotions:
Free Trials for Swim Lesson Families: if you sign your kids up for swim lessons this month, grab a free week trial pass from the front desk! BAC is a great place for families who like to stay fit together – we have everything from Basketball to Racquetball to classes and kid-friendly programs.
Introducing: Angelfish II: We have had quite a few students come into the program that is in a strange, in-between levels kind of place. They are too independent in the water for a full-fledged Angelfish class, but may not be cognitively ready to listen and learn for a full 30 minutes independently with an instructor. Angelfish II is designed for those kids between the ages of 2 – 3 who fall into this category!
- Students will start in the water with a parent for the first few lessons, and as they become more comfortable with the instructors, they will transition into spending more time with their teacher and less time with their parent. This gives us an opportunity to ease the transition between being with a parent and without. For example, a student who is particularly comfortable in the pool may only spend 2 or 3 lessons with the parent in the water the whole time, and then on 4th lesson, the parent would get out of the water after 20 minutes. If they’re still comfortable, on the 5th lesson, the parent may leave after 15 minutes, etc. Of course, this is a moving scale and will be customized to the comfort of your child.
- We are running this class in the mornings, from 11:30-12:00! As our instructors become trained for this course, we will offer it in the evening as well.
- Because of the introduction of this level, all students between the age of 2-3 must sign up for an Angelfish class, either I or II. We can no longer make an exception for students under the age of 3 to be in a Beluga class. This is for their safety! If you have any questions about this, please reach out via email or talk to me during lessons. I am happy to make recommendations for individual students.
Finally, we are offering a makeup lesson day next week! Many of you will be out of town, and therefore still eligible for a credit for any missed classes, but if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, we will run a makeup day on Thursday (4/4). I’ll release a lesson schedule for the exact classes for the makeup day this week, so stay tuned on updates there.
April 9th – May 2nd (4 weeks/8 Lessons)
May 7 – 30th (4 weeks/8 Lessons)
Days: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Times: 10am–12pm, 3:30pm–5:30pm, & 6:00pm-8:00pm
We offer adult groups lessons from 7:30 pm-8:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as private lessons to meet your personal fitness goals.
Call (360) 676-1800 to sign up!
Press here for current Swim Lessons details and pricing.
Press here to go to the Aquatic Page.
Swim-a-Thon Fitness Challenge
Did you know that we are going to be running a Swim-A-Thon Fitness Challenge in April? In this event, we are encouraging members to swim a distance of their choice: 100 yds (6 lengths), 200 yds (12 lengths, or 500 yds (30 lengths). Participating is easy since our staff will take your times, accurate to the one-hundredth of a second. This can be useful if you’re training for a race, triathlon, or you just want to see what you’re capable of! It will be open to all members, so if you would like to challenge yourself to see how fast you can swim any stroke, sign up to participate!
Meet Victoria
Prior to joining the team at BAC, I lifeguarded and taught swim lessons at home in Palouse, Washington for five years. Before that, I swam competitively! My favorite stock is freestyle. I moved up to Bellingham for school, but now I’m taking a year off. I love exploring Bellingham and finding the best restaurants to eat at.