Member Spotlight- Sam Chapman

How long have you been a member at Ballard Health Club? 

I have been a member for roughly the last two years. I had to take a break for a few months after my back surgery, but was not gone long. The club has only gotten better since I came back.

Why do you work out? 

Fitness became a lifestyle of sorts for me many years ago. It has taken on new meaning, because after my back surgery my activity level dropped and as a result, the weight gain began. The health benefits were never lost on me, but regular exercise has become vital to my life as I age. The other side of the coin is that exercise allows me to engage in the hobbies I enjoy, specifically martial arts. When you couple that with having a physically demanding job, you have my ‘why’ for exercise.

What do you do to work out?

I started in the weight room in high school, and since then have been a devotee of the kettlebell and the barbell. I focus mainly on compound exercises below:

 Push,  Pull,  Squat,  Hinge, Loaded Carry

This template has served me well recently. I spend a lot of time using sandbags and other implements for weighted carries. I always finish my training with a crawling variation. This is a wonderful way to knit my body together.

What in the gym has worked for you in attaining your goals?

The freedom to direct my training, and the wide variety of equipment that allows me to vary my programming and keep my training interesting

Why do you choose to work out at BHC?

The atmosphere is unique in a real way. As it is a former music venue, the energy of the space lets me feel free express myself through fitness honestly. I do not have to pursue a rigid training routine, and that is the best part.

What is your favorite piece of equipment, exercise or class to do in the gym or at home? 

This one is at home, as the gym doesn’t have any. Swinging the steel mace, which is an ancient exercise that came out of kushti wrestling in northern India

Anything else you’d like to add?

Happy training folks.