Eugene Gyms and Fitness

Weight loss can be a challenge in many people's lives—including that of Dr. Eric Spencer. After shedding 40 of his own unwanted pounds, he founded Monarch Medical Weight Loss with a team of fellow doctors and now serves as chief medical advisor of the nonsurgical clinic system. Many of the practitioners and staffers have triumphed at their own slimming efforts, serving as both inspiration and role models to their patients. The diet programs at Monarch Medical Weight Loss range from quick jump-start plans to full, lifelong memberships, all incorporating healthy, educated eating and sensible behavior modification. Pound-dropping success stories can be found on the website, as told by firefighters, grandmothers, couples, and retired dumbbells.

Just Breathe co-owners and instructors Quincy O'Toole and Mandy Baucum spread their love of movement and wellness through a variety of fitness classes. Though their diverse team of instructors comes from many different backgrounds—including massage therapy, academia, and traditional Chinese medicine—they all share a desire to help guests of all ages and abilities understand their own bodies. During yoga, Pilates, and tai chi classes, they not only work to boost strength, flexibility, and endurance, but to also relieve stress via meditation. They also host Nia aerobic classes, which blend movements from dance and martial arts.

As a citizen of “Track Town USA,” Jeff West has vast experience with all varieties of endurance athletics. An accomplished rower and rowing coach, Jeff balances triathlon training and ultra-distance running with volunteer work as a firefighter and paramedic. At The MultiSport Advantage, Jeff leads a team of coaches as they work with and challenge athletes. Up to eight cyclists hook into the CompuTrainer system, riding against each other in classes that help max out aerobic capacity and refine the economy of one’s biking motion. The center’s custom-made TRX apparatus can also accommodate eight athletes, helping them build dynamic strength by blending body-weight exercises with plyometrics and BOSU balls. The center’s metabolic testing identifies the baseline and limits of an athlete’s capacity, and helps trainers craft a plan for the triathlon students. Triathletes can also rent wetsuits that will keep them dry during the traditional Gatorade and kombucha bath they receive after crossing the finish line.

Downtown Athletic Club has towered over downtown Eugene since 1985, its three historic buildings housing more than 100,000 square feet of fitness amenities and community services. Corridors open into stretches of sports courts—including basketball, handball, and racquetball—and forests of cardio and strength-training equipment. In private studios, certified instructors lead a variety of fitness classes, such as yoga, martial arts, and personal training. Meanwhile, in an onsite lap pool, coaches oversee swim lessons and aquatic aerobics, and host adult swim teams.

In addition to fitness services, the center strives to create a communal relationship among its members with its abundance of social services. Childcare professionals conduct an interactive and educational state-certified preschool, along with a wide range of themed summer camps. Throughout the week, the center holds special events for its adult members, from book clubs to wine and beer tasting at its onsite, rooftop restaurant The Ax Billy Grill. Every Saturday night, the grill invites guests to carouse to live music while sampling selections from its menu of wine, beer, and American grill-style fare. For high-brow affairs, the center's expansive banquet facilities open up for weddings, private parties, and members-only games of freeze tag.

The expert staff at Coaches’ Athletic enriches the batting and catching skills of beginner and advanced ballplayers alike with team, group, and private lessons. Loaded with baseballs and softballs by coaches or parents, self-feed machines launch slow and fast pitches at guests practicing their swing in the indoor hitting cages. The remainder of the turfed indoor facility accommodates drills and scrimmages, and the instant feedback of ProMirror video-analysis training lets visitors pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses after each play. Once practice is over, patrons can load up on athletic gear such as masks, mitts, and instructional videos on training zebras as referees.

After running a sawmill for 15 years in Corvallis, Mode and Babe sold it, retired, and bought a 74-acre parcel of land just because they wanted it—even though they had no plans for its use. At the urging of their friends, Mode and Babe decided to build a nine-hole golf course, not letting their lack of experience with the game dissuade them. Since that spontaneous founding in the 1950s, Marysville Golf Course has been operated by the same family and has served Eugene-area golfers with a nine-hole USGA-rated course that’s appropriate for all ages and experience levels. A first-come, first-served policy rewards early risers and sleep-skipping permagolfers, and new sand traps and greens comprise an elegant landscape over which golf balls briefly orbit before being dragged down by gravity. Additionally, a covered driving range allows for long-distance putting during thunderstorms or temporary ice ages, and the pro shop carries name brands such as Nike and Callaway in addition to a selection of new and used clubs.