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Club Update

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BAC Members

 What interesting and challenging times for us. I want to thank all of you for your kind emails and phone calls.  I thought it important to reach out to you regarding our plans.  We are cleaning and preparing for opening the club back up as soon as the Governor lifts the ban.  Also, I want to remind you to support your friends and neighbors as much as you can afford, by buying locally.  Consider purchasing Gift Certificates, and Gift Cards; maybe do some Christmas shopping– that way you will have your holiday shopping done ahead of time.  Pick those local restaurants and shops that you love, and support them in this way. 

Remember to stay positive, practice the advised hygiene and social distancing, watch a couple of good movies, get outside and exercise.  Check out our website and Facebook pages as we are developing virtual classes that we hope to roll out for our members over the next week, as well as workouts from our excellent staff. 

Enjoy those you live with, stay in touch with those who are not close, take some time to unwind, read some good books and have faith that we will all make it through this together.  Our staff is taking this time to create some new and innovative classes and programming.  Looking forward to seeing everyone back in the club! 

Stay tough, stay healthy, upbeat and moving as much as possible!

Respectfully

Cathy

Fats Misconceptions

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Fat is one of the most misunderstood nutrients. Fortunately, fat-phobia seems to be coming to a close, though the implications of it have taken a toll on the health of millions. For years people have been told that dietary fat leads to physical fat and all sorts of other ailments, but it isn’t true! As a result of this human experiment, inflammatory diseases have INCREASED, making us sick and overweight.

Two of the biggest culprits are highly processed and hydrogenated oils like canola/vegetable oil and margarine. Fat from these sources behaves differently than fat from sources that are less processed and taken care of properly, so it becomes problematic for your body to use.

An example of this is in our cell walls. You are made up of ~37 trillion cells, and each of those has a cell wall. Cell walls are flexible, strong, and play an important role in keeping cell contents safe and secure — and they’re made of fat!

When you consume processed fats (hydrogenated oils), they become integrated into your cell walls, hormones, and more; however, they don’t behave the way natural fats do. Cell walls made from processed materials lose their flexibility and integrity, so the body begins to malfunction.

Here are a few roles of fat:

• long-lasting energy (these calories burn slowly, so you don’t get hungry as quickly)

• building blocks of hormones and cell walls

• absorption of fat-soluble vitamins

Healthy sources of fat:

• avocados

• butter from grass-fed animals

• eggs from pasture-raised chickens

• wild-caught fish / fish oil

• nuts

• high-quality oils – avocado, coconut, olive, etc

• full-fat yogurt or cottage cheese from grass-fed animals

Shelby O’Hagan, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP)
Rebel Yum Nutrition

Five Swimming Drills to Build Muscle, Drop Weight, and Give Your Joints a Break

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by Lindsay Williams, Aquatics Director

1. Kick Drills

Hold a kickboard in front of your body at arm’s length. Tighten your core muscles while you kick across the length of a pool. Try these alternate kicks to target different muscle groups:

  • Flutter Kick: Legs are extended straight back, in line with your body, as you kick them up and down.
  • Frog Kick: Bend your knees and bring your feet together, drawing your legs up toward your body (like a frog’s). Next, straighten your legs as far as you can, and then quickly bring them back up again.
  • Butterfly Kick: Bring your legs together completely from your thighs to your feet. Point your toes. Use your hips to kick your legs, keeping them together, acting as a fin to push through the water.

Swimmers should complete 150 meters of kicking.

2. Breaststroke and Butterfly Drill

Full body strokes like the butterfly and breaststroke engage your core muscles and improve endurance and speed.

Swimmers should complete 10 25-meter swims with 15-second rest intervals between each.

3. Water Running

This exercise provides the high-intensity cardio aspect of running without the punishing impact of striking on a hard surface. Essentially, you run through the water just as you would outdoors. The water should be just below your neck, your back should be straight, your arms should be bent at the elbow, and your hands balled into fists as you pump them through the water. Run as hard as you can.

Do 3 rounds of 5-minute running intervals.

4. Leg and Core Toners

Stand with your back against the side of the pool, and your arms extended backward holding the edge of the pool on each side. Then, pull your legs up toward the surface, keeping them together until they’re extended straight out in front of you. Next, move your legs outward to a V-position and then back together. Keep them together, and move back down to the starting position. Keep your movements controlled, engaging your abs and glutes to complete each motion.

Continue pulling them up, out, in and down for 3 sets of 20 reps.

5. Water Crunches

Float in the water on your back perpendicular to the side of the pool. Put your legs, from the knees up, on the deck of the pool, while the remainder of your body is flat in the water. Use your abdominal muscles to pull your upper body up out of the water as far as you can. Use your muscles again to lower your body back into the water.

Do 3 sets of 20 reps.

Mandatory Club Closure

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All,

As per Governor Jay Inslee’s emergency proclamation mandating an immediate two-week closure of all restaurants, bars and entertainment and recreational facilities. The new order goes into effect at midnight March 16th and will remain in place through March 31st. Please make sure that we have a current email (send to MemberServices@bellinghamathleticclub.com), as that will be our primary way to communicate with you.

Be sure to check our website and Facebook pages for updates. These are challenging times, but we will prevail, we are children and grandchildren of the Greatest Generation– who survived World Wars, the Spanish Influenza, and the Great Depression. We are tough and resilient. Stay tuned for online workouts and videos from our trainers to help you stay fit and healthy.

Remain positive and meet all these challenges with a good attitude. It will help you make it through the weeks ahead. Nothing is insurmountable; we just have to figure it out. I would implore you to not ask small businesses for refunds, as the fixed operating costs (rent, taxes, power, etc.) are, well. . .fixed and need to be paid whether the doors are open or closed. If we expect our local businesses (our friends and neighbors) to be able to survive and be available to us when this is past, we need to give them some breathing room to make it.

Please see the announcement from the Governor below:

Statewide closure of entertainment, leisure and non-essential services

Inslee also included entertainment, leisure and non-essential services in today’s emergency proclamation.

The ban includes, but is not limited to,

Theaters,
Bowling alleys,
Gyms and fitness centers,
Non-tribal card rooms,
Museums,
Art galleries,
Tattoo parlors,
Barbers, hair salons and nail salons.
Statewide ban on gatherings of 50 or larger

Inslee also announced a further executive order expanding on orders from last week. Last Friday, Inslee expanded the ban on events larger than 250 beyond the Puget Sound region to the entire state. Today, he announced the ban will decrease in size to prohibit all events of 50 or larger statewide.

Additionally, all gatherings with under 50 participants are prohibited unless criteria from the CDC for public health and social distancing are met.

“I am proud of how Washingtonians have stepped up and worked together,” Inslee said. “I know we still have long days ahead, but I know that together we will prevail and be a stronger state as a result. We will get through this together and life will return to normal, but the steps we are taking now will help us get back to normal sooner.

”I ask everyone to take these steps to protect themselves, their families and their communities. Everyone needs to play their part. “

We at Bellingham Athletic Club appreciate your continued membership and look forward to serving you in April. Take all recommended precautions: social distancing, aggressive hand washing, and self-quarantine if you are ill.

Respectfully

Cathy Buckley and the entire BAC staff

At Home

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When was the last time you showed your appliances a little love? With regular cleaning, filter replacements, and annual maintenance schedules, you’ll extend the life and efficiency of the machines you rely on. Here are a few machines that might need attention in your home.

First, read the owner’s manual. It will include maintenance schedules, recommended filters, and approved cleaning solutions. Don’t know where the manual is? Go to the manufacturer’s website.

Use the vacuum.  Dust and dirt reduce the efficiency of appliances. It’s a fairly easy process to remove grates of refrigerators and gas inserts for cleaning. A little dusting and vacuuming the coils and rocks will make them work better. Check with the manufacturer’s procedures for the best results. Make sure to turn off the gas and electricity before you begin. Remember to clean the vacuum filter when finished.

Clean the oven.  If you have a self-cleaning option, use it. Wipe away any loose debris first. The machine gets very hot and can be a 4+ hour process and smoky. You can take the door apart to clean the glass, but you run the risk of breaking a vital seal. I’ve read that it’s not a good idea, so I don’t.

Change the filters. Keep your appliances running smoothly by replacing or cleaning them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Check your water, furnace, air conditioner, and dryer filters regularly.

This is a short list of appliances that need regular maintenance to run well and for a long time. Remember to check the owner’s manual first, and then get out the rubber gloves. You’ll be glad you did.

 

Susie Landsem
Aging in Place by Design
Susie is a consultant for Aging in Place. Contact her if you have questions about adding safety and comfort solutions to your home.

KGMI Interviews Cathy Buckly

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Joe Teehan of KGMI’s interviews Cathy Buckly about BAC’s response to the Coronavirus and wellness in our community.

      2020-3-13 bac-kgmi

Coronavirus and BAC

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All BAC Members:

Governor Inslee announced this afternoon the closure of all Public Schools in the state of Washington as of Tuesday March 17th. BAC leadership has come together to make a very difficult decision. We will be suspending all Group Classes until further notice. This includes all Group Exercise classes, Pool exercise classes and our Youth Swim lesson program. If fees are involved we will be issuing credits for the remaining sessions which will resume as soon as it is safe to do so. All one-on-one lessons or training sessions will need to be cleared with your instructor. The situation in Whatcom County is changing by the hour. Over the next few weeks, as the situation develops, we will have time to reassess when group classes will resume. This is certainly unprecedented, but, we believe it is the right decision to make under the circumstances. As of this writing, we are planning on keeping both of the clubs open, with Kids Club available.

However, as caring members of our Whatcom County community, we are committed to helping wherever and however we can in our community. There will be many needs and opportunities to come together to help our community in ways we cannot right now envision. As a club, we have the opportunity to provide a leadership role in helping us all get through this challenging time. Stay posted for some videos/blogs from instructors.

If you are healthy and able please support our local small businesses, we are all suffering due to a loss of business. If your job and finances allow it, you might think of purchasing gift certificates. Gift certificates give a little boost to the business, allowing them to meet payroll and pay bills. That value comes back to you as a benefit down the road when things return to normal.

I have unfailing faith in our ability to weather this storm, to help those in need, and come together as we move through these unprecedented times.

Take the necessary precautions to stay healthy, keep exercising and I hope to see you in the clubs.

Cathy Buckley and the Management Team

Northwest Open Postponed!

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The Northwest Open Racquetball Tournament that was to take place at Bellingham Athletic Club this weekend (Mar 13-15) has been postponed…hopefully April 24-26. More to follow.

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.


Coronavirus and BAC

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All,

I just thought I would reach out to you to let you know what we are doing here at BAC in response to the ongoing issue as regards the Coronavirus. We have implemented an aggressive program of disinfection, for all common surfaces.  We want everyone to be safe here at the club.  We are adhering to all CDC recommendations.  The Front Desk and Maintenance staff are hourly disinfecting door handles, cards, pens,  and Front Desk Surfaces.  The fitness staff is doing the same for the weight room and cardio areas.  The pool has its own built-in defense system due to the chlorine levels maintained in that area. Locker rooms are also under increased cleaning protocols.

We have an abundance of cleaning bottles and rags for your use.  Please take the extra precaution of wiping down any and all equipment before and after use.  (The before is for your protection, and the after is for those that follow.)  If you have underlying health issues that will be aggravated by getting sick, please be careful and perhaps stay away from group classes.  One of the best defenses against any disease is a healthy immune system, so eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep.  As always I welcome your comments and questions.

For more information about the disinfectant that we use at both clubs (it effectively kills the Human Coronavirus), please press here.

Respectfully

Cathy Buckley