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Fitness

Cinderella Scrub

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Our Fitness Director, Mike Locke works with Alexa to demonstrate how to do the Cinderella Scrub (PDF) at home.

Equipment – Hand Towel, Plastic Plate, or Glide Disc Slider for Hands Pillow, Bath Towel, or Mat for Knees

Position – Quadrupled (Hands and Knees) Knees on Pillow, Towel, or Mat Hands-on Hand Towel, Plastic Plate, or Glide Disc Slider

Prescription – 2-3 x’s 30-60 sec for each movement

Cinderella Scrub Backward/Forward – Level 1

Scrub hands forward and backward with arms straight keeping hands under shoulders. Scrubbing motion should come from torso flexing and extending. To increase the intensity, lean forward placing more bodyweight on the hands.

Cinderella Scrub Left/Right – Level 1

Scrub hands left and right with the arms straight keeping hands under shoulders. Scrubbing motion should come from the torso rotating left and right not going farther than each knee. To increase intensity lean forward placing more bodyweight on the hands.

Cinderella Scrub Polish – Level 1

Polish with hands moving in a short circular clock-wise motion. Polish motion should come from the torso while maintaining the hands under the shoulders. Repeat in a counter-clockwise motion. To increase intensity lean forward placing more bodyweight on the hands.

By choosing to participate in any online class/exercise, you hereby waive and release all rights and claims for any damage you have against Bellingham Athletic Club and all representatives for all injuries which may be suffered in connection with your participation.

Online Exercises

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Below are some workouts that our Fitness Director, Mike Locke suggests for working out at home.

ActivTrax at Home

Warm Up (video exercises)

Mobility & Flexibility (video exercises)

Core (video exercises)

Stability Ball Core (video exercises)

Stability Ball Stability (video exercises)

Bridge with Glide Disc (video exercises)

Corpse with Glide Disc (video exercises)

Lunges with Glide Disc (video exercises)

Spiderman Arm Crawl (PDF or video exercises)

Spiderman Crawl (PDF or video exercises)

Cinderella Scrub (PDF or video exercises)

Workout #3 (PDF)

Workout #2 (PDF)

Workout #1 (PDF)

Press here to check out our Exercise Class Schedule.

By choosing to participate in any online class/exercise, you hereby waive and release all rights and claims for any damage you have against Bellingham Athletic Club and all representatives for all injuries which may be suffered in connection with your participation.

Squat Matrix Foot Placement

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by Mike Locke, Fitness Director

Our Fascial, Muscular, and Skeletal system is the system that allows our bodies the ability to move. Not in just one plane but through multiple planes. In training, it’s important that we keep this concept of multi-plane movement in mind.

If we focus on training this system in only one plane of motion we miss out on developing the other planes and their interaction with each other. By training multiple planes of motion we receive the greatest benefits to the entire system.

The Squat Matrix allows you to train in multiple positions by changing your foot placement giving you a 3-dimension training effect while performing squats! Foot placements can be by position: Neutral (feet pointed straight ahead), Externally Rotated (feet out like a “duck”) or Internally Rotated (feet in “pigeon-toed”), or by stance; shoulder width, wide, narrow, split, or 90 degrees.

If you are trying these variations remember to start slow and use a light load. You can use a Leg Press machine at first or just your body weight to refine your technique prior to increasing the load.

Our BAC Personal Training staff would be glad to assist you with any questions regarding how to incorporate the Squat Matrix into your training program.


Master Class – Get Fit with a Friend

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February is “get fit with a friend” month.  One-week passes will be available the entire month, so you can invite friends and family to your favorite classes.

We will be celebrating our members and their family and friends with a Master Class to be held on Saturday, February 29th. Here are the details:

DATE:  Saturday, February 29th, 2020

TIME:  9:00 – 10:15 A.M.

WHAT:  The class will be led by several BAC instructors, and will consist of a Warm-Up, Zumba, PiYo, Strength, Core, HIIT, Yoga, Pilates, and cool-down.  A little bit of everything! 

WHO:  The class is open to all BAC members and free to any guests that are non-members.

CHILDCARE:  The Kids Club will be open and FREE CHILDCARE is available to non-members.  However, NON-MEMBERS MUST MAKE RESERVATIONS BY FRIDAY, (the day before the class) February 28th.  Call 360-676-1800 to reserve your space for your kids.

This will be a great opportunity to not only get a GREAT workout—but to sample a tidbit of what each class entails.  It is for everyone!  From beginner to advanced, we will be there to show you options and answer your questions.

Please SAVE THE DATE! And start inviting your friends and family now.  It will be a ton of fun AND a great opportunity to share a workout with your friends and family.  Carly will also be available to help with membership questions and give tours.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Jeri at groupex@bellinghamathleticclub.com.
We can’t wait to see you all there!

Smith Machine

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February’s “Equipment Spotlight” is a piece of resistance equipment called the “Smith Machine”. It is a plate loaded piece of equipment in which weight plates may be added to the bar on each side, much the same way as a regular barbell. The difference with the Smith machine bar is that the bar travels on two guide rods with safety hooks attached to each side of the bar. This gives the bar a stable path of movement with the ability to hook the bar safely at different heights.

Unlike a regular Olympic Free Weight Bar which weighs 45 lbs. unloaded, the Smith Machine Bar weighs only 35 lbs. The Bar is counter-balanced with two weights suspended by cables within the sides of the piece to offset the weight of the bar.

When using this piece it is important to face the right direction to take advantage of the angling of the uprights. The image to the right shows the correct direction to face while using the Smith Machine. This allows you to not only take advantage of the angle of the rods but also allows you to see the safety hooks.

One plus to the Smith Machine is the stability and safety it provides users. Especially first-time weight trainers. The stability that the Smith Machine provides can also be a drawback, as the muscle stabilizers do not have to work as hard.

Overall the Smith Machine is a versatile piece of equipment that we can use to perform a variety of exercises. From Squats to Split Stance Squats, to Bench Press, Incline Press, Decline Press, Shoulder Press, Standing Rows, and Bent-Over-Rows just to name a few. We also can use the bar for bodyweight oriented exercises like Elevated Push-ups, Horizontal Rows, and Assisted Squats.

There are definite pluses and minuses to the Smith Machines use but as with most resistance pieces and exercises, the appropriate application is the key to getting the results that we seek.

If you would like to receive more information on how to use the Smith Machine please contact our Personal Training office. We would be glad to help you.

Barriers to Participation in Physical Activity

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As trainers, we hear a lot of reasons and excuses as to why people do not participate in physical activity. There have been a number of studies done around the world that have shed some light on the most common reasons why adults don’t adopt more physically active lifestyles. Here are some of their results:
Top 3:

  • Time;/li>
  • Energy; and
  • Motivation.

Other barriers include:

  • Cost
  • Facilities;/li>
  • Illness or injury;/li>
  • Transportation;/li>
  • Partner issues;/li>
  • Skill;/li>
  • Safety considerations;/li>
  • Child care;/li>
  • Uneasiness with change; and/li>
  • Unsuitable programs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes the following suggestions for overcoming physical activity barriers:
Lack of Time:

  • Monitor your daily activities for one week. Identify at least three 30-minute time slots you could use for physical activity;
  • Add physical activity to your daily routine; and
  • Select activities requiring minimal time.

Lack of energy:

  • Schedule physical activity for times in the day or week when you feel energetic; and
  • Convince yourself that if you give it a chance, physical activity will increase your energy level; then try it.

Lack of motivation:

  • Plan ahead. Make physical activity a regular part of your daily or weekly schedule and write it on your calendar;
  • Invite a friend to exercise with you on a regular basis and write it on both your calendars; and
  • Join an exercise group or class.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put together a quiz on determining your top Physical Activity Barriers. It consists of a short 21 question quiz. If you are interested in taking the quiz please see one of our BAC Personal Training Staff. They would be happy to get you a copy and help you interpret the results!