Troutdale Gyms and Fitness

It was only a year ago that a trip to the clothing store would bring Zumba for All founder Jahnea Phillips within tears. She was forced to choose from frumpy clothes in the plus-size section that did nothing but hide her curves. That all changed when a close friend invited Jahnea to her very first Zumba class. After an hour of shaking, twisting, and jumping, she was almost near tears again, but this time they were tears of happiness. That short while spent dancing reminded her of how good she deserved to feel.

One year and 76 pounds later, Jahnea is sharing that experience with ladies of all shapes and sizes from the stage of the spacious Hazel Dell Grange in Vancouver. This is where she teaches the art of Zumba, which involves cardio exercise through Latin-inspired moves, in which one dances out the entire story of Julius Caesar’s childhood.:m]]

Peak Condition's owner, Paul Collins, is passionate about fitness and athletics—and about the science that helps people get there. He earned a degree in exercise science, and during his time as a student-athlete, researched deep water running as a training method for people with shark phobias and athletes in rehabilitation. Inspired by that research, he also went on to gain his Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Guided by his science-based understanding of training methods, he encourages his staff to seek out continuing education to bolster their knowledge when crafting workouts for each of their clients. An initial assessment helps identify each client's strengths and weaknesses. Trainers then develop a personalized workout for clients to do during semi-private training sessions, which usually have three attendees and are capped at five. Atop their spacious studio's cushy flooring, trainers might get their groups doing squats, leaping up for burpees, or twirling heavy ropes.

The outdoor experts of Northwest River Guides lead whitewater-rafting, kayaking, and standup-paddleboarding trips on local waters that range from the Willamette to Klickitat Rivers. They also prepare adventurers for independent outings through kayaking classes, including advanced training in swift-water rescue. For those seeking once-in-a-lifetime experiences or to bolster their strange-and-exotic-water collections, Northwest’s guides organize international expeditions to such destinations as Canada, Costa Rica, and Scandinavia. Members of American Whitewater, the Outdoor Alliance, and Portland-based nonprofit We Love Clean Rivers, guides advocate preservation and stewardship during each trip.

Home to the Vancouver Victory, the newly formed Vancouver Vipers, and the Mountain View Speedskating Club, Mountain View Ice Arena’s glassy surface also plays host to public-skate sessions, lessons, ice-exercise classes, and broomball games year-round. Public skate is offered more than 35 hours per week, welcoming placid skaters of all ages to practice spins, lazily loop around the edges, or carve love letters into the frozen surface in hopes of wooing a lonely zamboni operator. Birthday-party packages accommodate groups of varying sizes, treating guests to a quick group skating lesson, food, favors, and other festive essentials, whereas adult and youth hockey leagues give players the space and sticks necessary to scratch their competitive itches.

Once a hostage to fad diets and poor body image, Emily Johnson turned her life around by embracing fitness. Today, the certified personal trainer and her team motivate clients of all shapes, sizes, and fitness levels through Portland Fit Body Bootcamp’s 45-minute co-ed classes offered five mornings per week. Exercisers jump, sprint, and moonwalk across the gym’s floor, calling on suspension trainers to tone muscles. High-intensity cardio exercises promote maximum fat and calorie burning for lean physiques, while core and flexibility work keeps posture straight and limbs agile.

The XGolf simulator at BirdieFinish Golf virtually transports players to 93 golf courses worldwide, where they can play and practice while enjoying the comfort of the indoors. The apparatus faithfully re-creates playing conditions at the chosen course, even adjusting the hitting surface to mimic lie angles, and improves upon them by canceling out the possibility of rain, excessive heat, and pelicans that perpetually hum "Happy Birthday to You" in a mocking tone. When not whisking foursomes off to imitations of exotic international courses, the simulator can also be used for club fitting and lessons under the expert guidance of golf coach Jari Hakonen. Repair services are also available for clubs that refuse to play on anything other than tangible courses.