Bellingham Athletic Club

 

Group Fitness Classes

Bellingham Athletic Club has a variety of fitness classes available to you (over 30 classes per week!). Our instructors are here to give you the most of your group exercise experience, so don’t hesitate to let the instructor know if you have any special needs.

If you are new to a class, please come a few minutes early to meet the instructor and find out a little about the class.

Aqua Aerobics

Come experience all the benefits the water can provide in the guided 45-min music-filled balance, cardiovascular, and muscle strength-building class.  This class is low impact so it’s easy on the joints but provides resistance to the working muscle for an overall body benefit.  Because it’s water you can work as hard or as easy as you are able so it is appropriate for people of all physical abilities and levels.

Aqua Zumba

Aqua Zumba brings new meaning to the idea of an invigorating workout.  It combines the South American Zumba rhythm and dance steps with a pool party! There is less impact on your joints during an Aqua Zumba class so you can really let loose.  Water creates natural resistance, which means every step is more challenging and helps tone your muscles.  If you like to dance and have fun, come and join us!

Barre/Yoga

A mix of strength, balance and stretching.  This format will make you sweat and also provide relaxing stretches to support a busy lifestyle.

Dance Fitness/Dance Jam

These classes are a high-energy cardio dance class incorporating dance moves that focus on cardio. This unique experience offers an inspiring blend of dance, fitness, & rigorous cardio.  You’ll move, sweat, and enjoy every second of this fabulous class!

Dance with Patti

A low impact class with familiar songs from the 50’s to current. No dance experience required. Take a trip down memory lane and enjoy exercising for 60 minutes.

Danzika

Get ready to move and groove in our Danzika class! Join us for an exhilarating journey through the vibrant rhythms of Danzika – a Columbian dance class for all levels of fitness that will improve memory, concentration, and coordination. This class will challenge your mind with fun choreography and torch calories every step of the way! Improve your motor skills and mental agility while you move to the rhythm of the music. Get ready to dance your way to new levels of fitness.

HIIT

Are you ready to take your fitness to the next level? Torch calories and improve cardiovascular capacity with a High-Intensity Interval Training class.  This class includes a warm-up, 30 min of focused interval work, core work and stretching.

Insanity!

Nope, you don’t have to be insane to take this class – just up for an intense and complete body workout.  This is an athletic-based class that focuses on all the aspects of fitness combined into one hour – don’t forget your sweat towel!

Kick Boxing

Kick Boxing is a cardio class inspired by Martial Arts where you can punch, kick, & strike your way through a total body workout to motivating music.  Performance-focused training that will decrease fat, while increasing lean muscle mass, strength, endurance, agility, mobility, & flexibility.  This class welcomes beginner to advanced members.  Expect to burn heaps of calories while feeling great and powerful while doing it!

Pilates

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.  This class is designed for all levels.

Pop Pilates

This class takes classical Pilates to the next level by challenging students to rhythmically flow from one exercise to the next, developing a rock-solid core and leaving no muscle untouched.  It is a mat-based fusion of ab-chiseling and total body-defining moves choreographed to your favorite Top 40 Hits!

Power Pump

This is BAC’s barbell training group exercise. You’ll love the music & motivation while you squat, curl, and press for maximum calorie burning & body reshaping.  This class is intended for all levels and designed to guarantee results.

Ripped

The One Stop Body Shock! Resistance, Intervals, Power, Plyometrics, Endurance and Diet.  A total body workout that’s highly effective and intense.  This workout requires the body to respond to a constantly changing format and offers ultimate results in minimal time.  It’s athletic-based and a perfect class to get out of a plateau from repetitive workouts.  A fitness formula for an intense workout that squeezes all the best elements of fitness into an hour.

Spin

Rev it up in BAC’s Indoor Cycling class called Spin.  Don’t let the cold and rainy season put a damper on your training.  Indoor cycling is an excellent way to keep your cardiovascular fitness up in a low-impact heart-pumping activity.  Spin will take members through specific drills that are designed to build strength and muscle endurance.  Take your training to the next level through timed intervals where you will learn to fly on the flats, jog up-and-down mixed terrains and attack on a hill. This class is designed to benefit someone who has not been on a bike in years to the avid cyclist.  Spin will mimic the outdoor riding experience in a high-intensity, energetic, and friendly environment that will push you to be your best. 

Step & Pump

The step portion of this class is a classic cardio workout.  It involves stepping on and off a step bench and the class builds on simple choreography/patterns with plenty of options for all levels.  Step Aerobics works the MIND & body like no other workout! The pump portion incorporates some upper body strength work while our heart rate comes down enough to do some core/abs.  We then go into a complete stretching session.  This class has it all!

Stretch & Recovery

This is a class for any fitness level.  The focus is on a combination of bodyweight exercises, bands, and full-body stretching to complement your training program.

Strong & Stable

A moderately paced strengthening and balance exercise class for adults.  Every class features exercises that increase balance, mobility, and strength in order for you to continue enjoying an active and fulfilling lifestyle.

TBC “Total Body Conditioning”

Just like the name of the class – the description is just that! A little bit of everything including cardio, strength, core and a stretch.  This class is a great workout for all levels of fitness.

TRX*

The TRX Suspension Training system is a lightweight, all-in-one piece of equipment that is quickly becoming the ultimate way for people to “functionally train”.  Train multiple muscles at once, in multiple planes of movement, for a workout unlike anything you have ever experienced.  TRX participants will see improved core stability, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and overall body mobility.

Weights for Women*

Get the benefits of a personal training session in a dynamic group atmosphere! Our Weights for Women program runs throughout the year.  Sessions are two days per week for 45 or 75 min.  

Yoga

Alignment-based yoga focused on building strength and improving balance and flexibility.  Cues are geared toward supporting students’ mobility and structural integrity.  This class is influenced by the Vinyasa style of yoga, where students flow from pose to pose with their breath.  This flow means the strength-building portion of the class can be more fast-paced than a gentle yoga class.  This class is appropriate for anyone who is healthy and injury free.  Modifications are always offered to support students at different levels.

Yoga, Chair

A stretching and strengthening class welcome to all ages. Many options are given to beginners and experienced. Calm your mind, improve your balance and get stronger all in one class.

Yoga, Gentle

A variation of Yoga where the pace is slow and gentle, allowing the participants to combine yoga movements with breath control. Its therapeutic modifications to yoga poses make it appropriate for all levels, ages, and types of students, helping increase mobility and flexibility in a slow well-rounded approach. Each class is designed to meet the mental, physical, and inspirational needs of each participant.

Zumba

This dance-based aerobics class fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a dynamic fitness program that will blow you away.  Zumba participants achieve long-term health benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exhilarating hour of caloric-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

Check the schedule as these classes aren’t always offered.

*INDICATES PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT AND ADDITIONAL FEE (VARIES BY CLASS).

Cindy Whitney
Cindy Whitney
Group Fitness Instructor

I love BAC and have been a member for 16-ish years. I found this gym when my kids were little and knew I needed to take care of myself, get out of the house, and shower uninterrupted, lol! 

I love group classes: the comradery, the accountability, the challenge, the competitiveness, the support, and taking the guesswork out of trying to figure out your own workout. 

I fell into teaching by instructors telling me I should be teaching (and they needed subs). I subbed here and there for Zumba & Dance Jam as well, then got a little push with extra cash for subbing from a dear Zumba instructor to take my Zumba training. I also did a beach body training, got my Group Exercise/Bootcamp Certification from ASFA, and did a bunch of extra Zumba trainings that help with CECs and keeping things fresh.

Adriane Rodrigues
Adriane Rodrigues
Group Fitness Instructor

Born and raised in Brazil, Adriane has spent the past 20+ years developing her energetic teaching and dance techniques. For her, dance is a way of life and represents the ultimate form of expression and fitness. She is passionate about combining music, fitness, breathing, and rhythm to connect and give people a healthy channel for self-expression. Every class is a unique experience aimed at celebrating life.

Degrees & Certificates
• Group Fitness Instructor, AFAA
• Certified Zumba Instructor (Zumba Fitness, Zumba Gold, Kids, Zumba Toning, Strong Nation)
• MixxedFit Certified
• BollyX Certified
• Pop Pilates Certified
• Afro Brazilian dance and technique
• Samba Rio style
• Cuban Rumba and Salsa
• CIRCL MOBILITY

Heather Calloway
Group Fitness Instructor

Heather has been a certified group fitness instructor at BAC since 1998. She is currently teaching Total Body Conditioning and Power Pump classes. When not teaching, Heather is full-time paralegal and her and her husband Lance try their best to keep up with their very busy 9-year-old son, Hunter.  She also enjoys running, hiking, working in her yard and spending time with friends and family.  Come and check out one of Heather’s early morning classes at the Cordata club!

Jovanny Hincapie Betancur
Jovanny Hincapie Betancur
Group Fitness Instructor

As a former National Latin Dance champion in Colombia, Jovanny brings energy, expertise, and over seventeen years of professional experience ranging from group exercise, personal training, and dance to Bellingham. His background includes a specialization in dance technique, a BA in Sports Science and Recreation, and he is currently completing a Master’s degree in Sports Training and Management. His passions include Danzika, Bachata, HIIT training, Zumba, and Kickboxing.

Lesley Jones
Personal Trainer

Lesley is both an experienced Personal trainer and Fitness/Pilates Instructor. Her philosophy is helping clients to achieve healthy living through balancing work and family. Lesley firmly believes that making time for Fitness is essential for healthy living. She has also run weight loss clinics teaching clients the importance of sound nutrition and exercise. Lesley works with a wide variety of people of all ages and fitness levels. In her spare time, Lesley spends time with her sons, Luke and Matthew. Lesley also loves to run, bike, read, garden, and work on additional Fitness related certifications.

Melissa Lemcke - Bellingham Athletic Club
Melissa Lemcke
Group Fitness Instructor

Melissa Lemcke has been teaching at BAC for two years. Melissa keeps her fitness interesting and ever-changing. She’s a certified spin, boot camp and TRX instructor with a new addition to her arsenal with Beachbody’s PiYo. Currently, Melissa is teaching Spin classes.

This journey in fitness has been a wonderful and exciting experience which shows in her classes. Melissa prides herself on the variety of content and the modifications in difficulty in her classes. Her education is always ongoing to keep her current and fresh.

Outside the gym, Melissa stays active with friends and family through running, triathlons and various races. Melissa is married to fellow group fitness instructor Jeremy Lemcke. Her daughters, Michaela (12) and Zoey (5), keep her busy. Michaela is currently swimming on Bellingham Bay Swim Team and loves it! Zoey is a ball of fire and spunk and ready for kindergarten in the fall.

Spin, Boot Camp and TRX Certified
Michal Retter
Michal Retter
Group Fitness Instructor

Michal feels a very strong spiritual connection to Yoga, which has guided her journey in life and naturally led her to the path of teaching.  She is a highly skilled professional, registered with Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 500, YACEP) and draws on 20 years of experience in teaching Yoga and a background in relaxation techniques, energy healing, and body psychotherapy.

Michal has a passion for creating a non-judgmental and open space for body-awareness, wellness, and acceptance of our multi-faceted nature – mind, body and soul.  Every class she offers has a different focus and includes breath awareness, stretching, core-strengthening, and modifications for different levels and injuries. Her intention in teaching is to help practitioners to see themselves with compassion and patience, and to leave class feeling revived, relaxed, freer and at ease.

In addition to teaching Yoga at BAC for many years, Michal instructs Yoga for academic credits at Whatcom Community College as adjunct faculty, and at the FireHouse Arts & Events Center in Fairhaven. She is also a mom and a caregiver.

Michal has completed the following certification programs: a 200 Hr Teacher Training Worldwide with YogaFit, a 500 Hr Teacher Training through 8 Limbs Yoga in Seattle which included Prenatal Yoga as well as Trauma Informed Yoga, a 50 Hr Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Bernie Clark in Vancouver, B.C. and most recently, 40Hr Healing Yoga for Cancer Training with Cheryl Fenner Brown, C-IAYT.
Patti Douglas
Group Fitness Instructor

Patti has been teaching group fitness classes for over 15 years and has been at BAC for 10 years. Her formats include dance, step, strength and balance, kick boxing, circuit training, chair yoga, core and more, and FloMotion. She is certified by ACE and AFAA. Her strength is custom choreography unique to dance and step and her ability to format her class to all abilities from beginner to advanced. She enjoys teaching with a sense of humor to make the time pass quickly.

Tina Schumacher
Tina Schumacher
Group Fitness Instructor

Tina has been teaching with BAC for 14 years and firmly believes that fitness and better health are for everyone.  A mom to two teenage athletes and having overcome her own health issues and sports-related injuries, she understands the importance of fitness and how to approach and develop training for your everyday activities and long term health.   Also a certified nutrition coach, she works to take a holistic approach with all of the BAC members she works with. Tina enjoys traveling, hiking with her husband and spending time with friends.

Ursula Amelia
Ursula Amelia
Group Fitness Instructor

Ursula London has had a lifelong passion for fitness and nutrition. She enjoys yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Power Pump, running, swimming and cycling. Currently, she teaches yoga at BAC, and delights in helping others to enjoy the benefits of fitness.

Group fitness is a passion for Ursula. She has practiced many forms of yoga since she was a teenager. She has attended a Stott pilates workshop in California, and taken Group Exercise and Pilates certifications at BAC.

She has taught family fitness, step, yoga and Pilates at multiple gyms throughout Whatcom County, and attended and practiced many forms of fitness. She has taught group fitness for over 7 years.

Ursula has lived in Whatcom County for most of her life, leaving for several years during childhood to live in Canada, and Florida, and as an adult to spend two years in Mexico. She enjoys traveling, reading, music, learning, and spending time with her daughter and dog. She enjoys dancing, swimming and surfing.

She loves seeing families enjoying fitness together.