The Class Experience

February 1, 2020

February 4, 2020 marks the one year anniversary of when we opened the Cycling Studio at Ballard Health Club. Once that studio opened, the number of classes available to our members rose to over 100 a week.

Currently, our weekly class schedule offers 18 Yoga, 4 Pilates, 12 Barre, 11 BodyPump or CXWORX, 8 Silver Classes, 4 Dance, 18 Cycling and 18 Step, HIIT, Bootcamp or Cardio classes.  We have 43 different class instructors that are assigned to lead these classes along with about 20 substitutes that fill-in for instructors from time to time. I need to give Kudos to our Class Director, Karen Gamble, for managing all of this.

Most of our members do not realize all of the class activity at the Club. With our Cycling Studio hidden away up on the 2nd floor, our Studio Y tucked into its own space on the 1st floor / street level and Studio X behind one way glass on the Gym level – it’s hard to get a sense for all the action going on in all of these places.

I decided to get into cycling last Spring when I committed to do the RSVP Seattle to Vancouver bike ride last summer.  (I was also hoping to help problems I had with my knees). Getting ready for that ride made going to cycling classes a necessity and then it became more of a fitness routine.  I try to attend the 9am cycling class offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday because it works best with my schedule.

When attending the same class several times, you see many of the same people over and over and form a comradery with them.  You realize you have a common interest in the type of exercise the class is offering and that they, like you, have made time out of their busy schedule to attend class.  An automatic friendship is developed with your “classmates” and you look forward to seeing them from class to class. All this is enhanced with a great instructor that helps bond the class and encourages improving our fitness level one class at a time.

My wife, Kellene, has had the same experience with Cardio Mix.  She attends Cardio Mix class Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. She has been going to that class since it started in 2014 and has kept at it enjoying the camaraderie and support of the regulars that attend class.  With over 100 classes a week, this same positive exercise / social bonding happens to a great many of our members on an ongoing basis.

If you already have a class “community” you have bonded with, you know what I’m talking about. If you have not given classes a try, I strongly suggest that you do and hopefully you too can get in on this positive experience that many others are enjoying.

Thanks for being a member of Ballard Health Club!

Sincerely, 

Pat Gilbrough
Owner / General Manager
pat@ballardhealthclub.com