Gluten Free Baking

Start baking your own gluten free baked goods! Students will learn to make a gluten free sourdough starter and use applesauce as an egg replacement for various recipes. Bake along or learn tips and tricks for baking gluten free cookies, cinnamon rolls, naan, muffins and scones.

Home Improvement for Sellers

Add value in the right place to sell faster for more money! Learn how to evaluate what improvements are necessary and find the fastest way to improve your curb appeal based on best practices in real estate, remodeling, and home staging.

Food Freedom

During this 6-week course, you will learn all about the macro and micronutrients that provide nourishment to your body. Which foods to eat and which to avoid for optimal health, the importance of digestion and how to improve it, Which fats improve your health, how to balance your blood sugar, how to read food labels. How to eat healthy on a budget. We will discuss different types of diets and how to determine which is right for you. Your instructor, Karen Davis, is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and is passionate about all things nutrition. Learn in a judgement-free, interactive style class.

Reiki Level 1

Are you curious about energy healing? Come learn this Japanese healing technique in a welcoming and fun environment! The intention is to create deep relaxation, to help speed healing, reduce pain, and decrease other symptoms you may be experiencing. Workshop will include a Reiki 1 attunement and a Reiki 1 certificate.

Barre Fusion

Enjoy a low impact, high energy, music-driven movement experience that blends the best of Dance, Pilates and Yoga. Strengthen and stretch the whole body with standing exercises using a barre (or chair back) and mat-based Pilates moves.

Collage from Your Junk Drawer

Recombine pieces of paper, photographs, fabric and other ephemera — both 2D and 3D — onto one surface to create an original image. Explore how collage can be a tool of visual expression, formal beauty or used for story-telling.

The Personal is Political: Art and Social Justice

Explore Portland through the protest art that local artists are currently making. Via mini-lectures, discussion, and your own experiments, we investigate what makes an artwork political, relevant and effective. Everyone is welcome.

Yoga in French and English

Yoga and French? Body and Mind? Let’s flow together! Enjoy Iyengar/Vinyasa yoga and learn some French. Taught by a native French speaker and longtime yoga teacher. All levels of French and yoga students are welcome.

History of Persia and Modern Day Iran

Learn about the fascinating history of the Persian Empire and modern-day Iran. This course explores the evolution of Persian civilization, including art, culture and historical events that influenced the course of Persian/Iranian history.

Improved Self Talk With Less Conflict

Is your self-talk full of conflicts and criticisms? Have you tried to “think positively” without a lasting effect? Discover tools and strategies to shift your thoughts quickly, resolve internal conflicts and take new perspectives on old conflicts.

Chasing finish lines, or just want to stay in shape? Join us for a supportive at-home fitness experience to be a better runner. You’ll workout and learn conditioning, injury prevention, training, race-prep tips and more. All levels welcome!

We recently connected with Runner’s Lab instructor Evan Jensen to learn a little more about what inspired him to form the Runner’s Lab class. Read more below!

Tell us what you’ll do in the class and how you’ll engage the students?

Running is a great way to stay in shape. But there’s also a lot of satisfaction that comes from going for a run, finishing a race, or running for a cause. The right training can help you tackle any distance, develop healthier lifestyle habits, and enjoy every mile. Sure, you’ll have to hustle, sweat, and struggle a little, but it’s worth the effort. In the Runner’s Lab, you’ll join me and other students for a mix of strength training, stretching, and cardio workouts via live video, along with training tips to be a better runner.

Register for Runner’s Lab for: weekly workouts and discussions about running-related topics to help you run far, be strong, and keep going. Outside of class, we’ll continue the conversation in the Runner’s Lab social media group.

What goals will students accomplish in terms of physical and mental health?

We’re creating a welcoming and encouraging environment for new and experienced runners to connect and improve together. Spend 10 weeks in the Runner’s Lab and you’ll learn runner-specific workouts and training tips to:

• Improve muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility
• Create your own running workouts and training plans
• Choose the right shoes and gear
• Improve nutrition and hydration for better performance
• Prevent and treat running-related injuries
• Develop mindset practices to tackle any distance

How long have you been teaching these sorts of classes and why?

Jump in the “Wayback Machine” and dial it back 25 years. That’s when I ran my first 26.2-mile marathon in Park City, Utah and started sharing the lessons I’ve learned from running marathons and ultramarathons. It’s pretty satisfying to point someone in the right direction, watch them do the work, and then accomplish a goal. There’s obvious health benefits to running, but I like to help people recognize running can help you feel better too. More confidence and determination. Better focus. Discipline. Running can do that for you, too.

What is it about fitness/running that excites you the most?

There’s kind of like this universal law. You get better, you improve, a little at a time. Take one step, and then another. Running is like that. Start. Try. Keep going, and you’ll get there.

And running is about as simple as it gets. Lace up your running shoes and go. The only person you’re really competing against is yourself. Head out the door to run some miles, and there’s really just one question to think about: Are you physically and mentally strong enough to go the distance?

I love that about running. But even better, if you are physically and mentally strong enough to go the distance, or just brave enough to try, what else can you accomplish in other areas of your life?

Quick Questions

• Favorite snack: Greek yogurt
• Favorite treat: Brownies
• Favorite movie: Karate Kid
• Average number of running miles per year: 2,000
• Number of marathons finished: About 40…I’ve lost track
• Number of ultramarathons finished: 20+ (distances include 50K, 50 miles, and 100 miles)
• Crosstraining? Yes. Every runner should do this…Lift weights.
• Longest training run: Mapped out my own 105-mile run from Timothy Lake to Portland, and back to Boring on trails and backroads.
• Gnarliest run: Once ran the Hunchback Trail from the Salmon River side to the Zig Zag Ranger Station in the middle of the night…during a rain storm. Downed trees, poorly marked trails, steep climbs and descents. It was a lot harder than I expected.

Find the class

1. Visit pcc.edu/community/schedule
2. Click on the Fall 2020 Tab
3. Scroll down to “Sports” and click
4. Select Runner’s Lab and Register

Who’d have thought three months on, we’d still be at home while a silent pandemic rages on around us? PCC Community Ed has worked with its instructors to find a means to continue our great and affordable Work Out programming that you can now take from the convenience of your own home. From cardio – to dozens of personal training options – get fit this summer, while continuing to practice safe social distancing. More below!

Cardio Boot Camp
Want to tone up and get fit but do not know how to start? Get a personalized exercise plan for your body shape, learn how to stay motivated and set some fitness goals. Includes cardio and strength fitness to help you feel your best! Learn more and register.

Cardio Dance Fusion
Dance is the ultimate exercise in disguise! Cardio Dance Fusion is a fun and energetic class that mixes a variety of dance and music styles with easy-to-follow traditional fitness movements. This class is sure to get your body moving and your heart pumping. Learn more and register.

Classical Pilates Mat Level 1-3
Perfect for new-to-advanced students of Pilates. Build core and full-body strength while improving your flexibility and balance. We’ll use common household items – cans of soup, a belt from your pants and a kitchen chair – to enhance your exercises. Learn more and register.

GYROKENISIS
GYROKINESIS(R) is the creation of dancer, gymnast, and yogi Juliu Horvath. GYROKINESIS(R) classes involve extensive spinal articulation and breathing, periods of continuous fluid movement, and a balance of stretching and strengthening. Learn more and register.

Pilates: Matwork
Focus on building core strength and stability while increasing flexibility. Matwork will emphasize proper alignment, breathing and posture. Beginners and those with prior experience welcome. Learn more and register.

reFORM Mixed Level Pilates
Join us for this mixed-levels class that draws from classical Pilates. We’ll emphasize intermediate mat exercises, with modifications and support for beginners, but with flow, precision and challenging options for advanced students. Learn more and register.

Strength Training for Women
Discover how to improve your muscular strength by gradually increasing your body’s ability to resist force by using free weights, machines or your own body weight. Learn some of the most effective ways to safely burn fat and build muscle. Learn more and register.

5, 10, 15 or 20 Personal Training Sessions
Exercise in a one-on-one environment with a nationally certified trainer. Review the personal trainer availability before registering for a training package. Your trainer will contact you by the first week of the term to schedule your training sessions. No refunds for unused sessions. Learn more and register.

Health and Wellness is always important, but during the time of a pandemic it is essential. This summer, PCC Community Ed is offering a dynamic range of fun and affordable remote health and wellness classes, ranging from Botanical Medicine to Zumba!

Accountability

Studies show that taking time for health and wellness can improve immunity, mental focus and emotional wellbeing, but it’s not always easy to take that time out for ourselves. That’s why accountability is one of the key factors in reaching any wellness goal. Participating in a group class can provide that weekly accountability while also creating an opportunity for community connection, another huge factor in wellbeing. Have you been social distancing for three months? Sign up with a friend, and reconnect through Community Ed!

New this Summer

A new program being offered this Summer is individual Health and Wellness coaching. Students can now have their very own coach to provide guidance for their specific goals. Health and Wellness Coaches can give support in areas such as nutrition, stress, sleep, or creating (and sticking to) new life goals.

Learn With Experts

PCC Community Ed offers the opportunity to connect with instructors who are at the top of their field. Students can learn Yoga Philosophy from a licensed counselor, psychology instructor, yoga teacher, and author. They can work out with NASM certified trainers, practice meditation with an instructor from the Mahasiddha Buddhist Center, and learn Pain Relief Gentle Yoga from a certified Yoga Therapist.

Whichever classes students choose, they will be met with a welcoming and knowledgeable instructor who is excited to travel with them on their journey towards optimum physical and mental health and wellness. Explore all Summer Health and Wellness classes below!

Health

• Botanical Medicine: The Art of Herbal Crafting
• Online Health Coaching: 10 Session Package
• Online Health Coaching: 5 Session Package
• Group Online Health Coaching: 10 Sessions

Meditation and Mindfulness

• Mindfulness in the Time of COVID
• Freedom From Painful Feelings
• Meditation: Fearless Life, Overcoming Anxiety and Limitation
• Breathing Meditation
• Dream Psychology

Yoga

• Senior Yoga Basics (55+)
• Pain Relief Chair Yoga (55+)
• Pain Relief Gentle Yoga
• Yoga: Level 1
• Vinyasa Flow Yoga Level 1
• Unlocking the Wisdom of Yoga: Philosophy & Practical Insight
• Yoga for Athletes (Teen)

Qigong and Tai Chi

• Qigong to Improve Lung Health
• Tai Chi Beginning: Cloud Hands Modified Two Corner Form
• 8 Brocades + Tai Chi: Cloud Hands Yang Style Part I

Work Out

• Gentle Toning and Stretching (55+)
• Zumba Gold (55+)
• Better Bones and Balance (55+)
• Cardio Dance Fusion
• Zumba!
• Cardio Boot Camp
• Strength Training for Women
• GYROKINESIS
• Pilates

Personal Training

• Personal Training: 5 Session Package
• Personal Training: 10 Session Package
• Personal Training: 15 Session Package
• Personal Training: 20 Session Package

The ancient healing art of Qigong (chee gong) is gaining momentum and acceptance in Western medicine – and PCC Community Ed is offering several coursesfor people interested in exploring the practice.

Referred to as a ‘moving meditation,’ the rhythmic movements of Qigong are repetitive and gentle. Coordinated with relaxed breath and mind intention, the forms are easily learned. These movements allow for physical limitations, and can even be practiced from a seated position.

PCC Community Ed Qigong Instructor Rose Allen has been a student of Qigong since 2005 when she met her first teacher, who was leading classes in Laurelhurst Park. When that teacher opened an institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2011, she relocated to the high desert in order to immerse herself in six years of deep study and teaching.

Rose accumulated hundreds of hours of classroom instruction, in addition to her own personal practice, and is well-regarded for her devoted study and comfortable teaching style. While at the institute, she also studied yoga, internal alchemy, meditation, gong fu, Tai Chi – and life from a Daoist perspective. A certified Qigong instructor, she has also studied with other Qigong Masters and is quite well-read on the subject.

Rose says Qigong is self-empowering and easy to learn, particularly for those who find other forms of exercise challenging.

Designed to increase the flow of energy in the body, blockages that cause pain and other health problems are released. Rose says pressures and demands can leave us overwhelmed, agitated, and addicted to intensity, but a practice such as Qigong can effectively bring about the necessary relaxation needed for self-healing.

She says her life goal is to share this healing practice with as many people as possible.

“The more abundant your energy level, the easier it is to stay healthy – and Qigong participants build, rather than expend energy during this practice.”

Kayaking offers an exciting way to explore an area in a way that land-based travel cannot provide. You get to use creeks, rivers, and other bodies of water as if they are roads, and spot wildlife that would be very hard to observe from land. This is great for getting a new view of your own area. Kayaks are also light enough to easily transport to other locales if you don’t live near a river.

Who Created the First Kayaks?

The Inuit, an Arctic people, are credited with developing the first kayak designs. They made these boats in a variety of ways and with several different materials. Some were made of light driftwood, others by stretching animal skins over whale bones, and some with more robust methods. The largest kayaks could run as long as 60 feet and hold entire families and their possessions.

Whale fat was used to waterproof the original vessels. Buoyancy was improved by filling seal bladders with air and placing them in the fore and aft sections of the kayak. This left an opening in the center for the rider(s).

What Were Kayaks First Used For?

These vessels were originally used for hunting. In fact, “kayak” is the Inuit word for “hunter’s boat.” They are perfect for hunting because they allow the user to ride quietly in the water and sneak up on animals at the shoreline or in the river.

Development of the Modern Kayak

In the 1950s, wider interest in kayaks led to the development of the first fiberglass models. In 1984, we saw the creation of the first plastic kayak. This made these boats lightweight, affordable, and easy to produce.

Differences Between Kayaks and Canoes

While kayaks and canoes are similar, they have a few notable differences. Canoes are also small boats, but they are completely open. Users sit or kneel inside, and use a one-bladed paddle for propulsion. Some canoes are also powered by small motors.

Kayaks are enclosed except for a small opening for the user. The user sits with the legs extended under the front part, and uses a double-bladed paddle for propulsion. Motors are not used for kayaks.

There are a few exceptions to these general rules, such as closed canoes or open kayaks, but these are specialty designs.

Benefits of Kayaking

Today, the main benefits of kayaking have nothing to do with hunting. Instead, they come in the form of aerobic exercise, improved strength and flexibility, and stress reduction. Physically, strength develops in the back and arms from moving the paddle and in the legs from rotating the torso as part of rowing and steering. Finally, this is a low-impact activity, so it’s unlikely to aggravate tender joints.

Mentally, you get to relax and enjoy beautiful scenery that can only be properly seen from the surface of the water. It is also relaxing because these locations are almost always isolated from traffic, loud noise, and other stressors.

What to Expect

If you sign up for a kayaking class at PCC, we’ll provide the boat, paddle, and personal flotation device. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing (comfortable clothing for the weather) that you don’t mind if it gets a little wet.

One great way to get started with kayaking is to join one of our non-credit kayaking classes. These allow you to gain all of the benefits without the need to invest in a boat. You’ll also get to go on guided trips to beautiful locations and get tips on how to maneuver the watercraft. To get started, just sign up for one or more of our upcoming kayaking courses!

Golf has been around since at least the 15th century, when it first became popular in Scotland. Before that, similar games were played in Rome and China. A 1368 Ming Dynasty scroll even appears to show someone playing a game with the main elements of golf.

Today, golf is one of America’s favorite pastimes. It provides fitness, relaxation, social activity, a chance for networking, and plenty of outdoors time. The term “fitness” may not naturally come to mind when thinking of golf, but golfers actually use more calories than gymnasts. Players who do not use carts or caddies burn up to . Gymnasts, on the other hand, typically burn just 345 per hour. That said, many play the game to relax and socialize, and do use carts and/or caddies so the focus is on the fun.

About the Game of Golf

This game is classified as a precision club-and-ball sport, where players compete to get balls into the holes on a golf course. Several different clubs and stroke types are used. The goal is to complete the course with the fewest possible strokes.

Unlike many games, the playing area is not standardized. Each course is highly individual, and courses are often designed with specific difficulty levels in mind.

Fun Historical Golf Facts

Below is a brief timeline of notable events in the world of golf:

• 100 BC – Some trace the origin of golf to the Roman game of paganica, but others say it originated in China. Certain historians say that it goes back even further.
• 1457 – Golf became so popular in Scotland that the Scottish Parliament banned both it and soccer so people would practice their archery more.
• 1500 – The King of Scotland at the time, King James IV, took up the game of golf. This led to the quick repeal of the prior bans!
• 1848 – Golf balls began to be made from gutta percha. These balls were hand-molded.
• 1894 – The United States Golf Association was formed in New York.
• 1904 – Golf was played in the Olympics for the second time.
• 2000 – Materials used for golf clubs expanded greatly from their original forms. Now, graphite, tungsten, titanium, and carbon fiber are routinely used.
• 2016 – For the first time in 112 years, golf is once again played in the Olympics.

Golf Equipment

Players need only clubs and balls in order to play. The course is typically owned and maintained by a club, municipality, or other such large organization.

Golf clubs each have a shaft with a grip, or “lance,” at the top and a club head at the bottom. Long clubs are used to propel the ball long distances, while short ones have a higher degree of loft, but send the ball shorter distances. The terms “long” and “short” refer to how far they are supposed to send the ball, not the length of the shafts.

Clubs are made from a variety of materials and come in several types, and golfers select the one they think will be best for a particular shot. The top types are “woods,” which are actually made of metal in modern times; irons, which are shorter in length; hybrids, which have characteristics of both woods and irons; and putters, used on the green for the final shots (“putts”).

Golf Equipment

Golf is great as both a social activity and a sport, and one of the best ways to get started is to take lessons or a class. PCC offers golf courses and provides instruction to help you get the most from your outings. Students will learn the fundamentals of golf, including putting, chipping, full swing and basic rules and etiquette. Sign up today for access to PCC golf courses, instructors, and of course, to have fun!

Life today can be stressful, and it’s difficult to find time for self-care during the “hustle and bustle” of daily life. Staying active may seem like something you want to start in the future, but there is no time like the present to start experiencing the mental and physical benefits of ongoing activity. You will not only find yourself moving more, but these fun mind-body activities will help combat disease and work out some of those mental knots. See the huge benefits you can expect to gain from yoga, running or even walking under the section heading – Mind-Body Wellness.

Stop Making Excuses

It’s cold. It’s hot. I’m tired. I don’t feel good. These are all reasons we use to justify skipping a workout. These lifestyle choices may provide you with a short-term benefit of relaxation, but they can have long-term repercussions on your health.

According to KGW, the include cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. Key factors in many of these conditions are a lack of physical activity, poor diet and obesity. Working in only a few minutes of exercise each day, however, can significantly lower your risk factors.

Benefits of Exercise

In general, exercise is a great way to keep your weight in check, boost your mood, relieve stress and . Serotonin is a hormone that is released in the brain when you exercise, and this natural mood-booster can help combat sadness and depression. A hard workout can often relieve the stress that has built up in your body during the day, allowing you to rest easier during the night. As we age, our minds naturally move a bit slower, but getting your move on can help and even cancer, too.

There are specific benefits that are tied to various types of exercise, including:

Yoga

Yoga provides both physical and mental wellness benefits, burning up to 340 calories in an hour. It’s also a great way to relax all the muscles in your body – including your brain! In addition, it helps to maintain a balanced metabolism, supports cardio and circulatory health and improves respiration, energy and vitality. Check out our Community Ed course in the Mind-Body Wellness section!

Walking

This is one of the most basic forms of physical fitness, burning around 242 calories per hour. Getting outside and taking a walk or hitting the treadmill can help burn calories, strengthen the heart, manage conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes and yield other health benefits. Check out our Community Ed course in the Mind-Body Wellness section!

Running

Running is a more aggressive exercise, but you will see the benefits as you can burn around 600 calories an hour running at 5 mph for a 160-pound person. A faster pace for a heavier individual really pours on the benefits, with an 8 mph speed burning nearly 1,000 calories for a 200-pound person.

Running is an excellent way to improve your , boosting good cholesterol, increasing lung function and enhancing your immune system. You’ll even find that you can lower the risk of heart attack through running due to the increased elasticity of arteries and strengthening of your heart muscle. Runners also tend to sleep better, have increased focus over non-runners and even have signs of improved psychological functioning.

When you focus on your health, not only are you going to lift your mood, but you’ll also significantly reduce risk factors for heart attack, stroke and other diseases. Getting started with a healthy regimen isn’t hard, and you can begin with a course at ˿����Ƶ today. We offer a wide range of Mind-Body Wellness courses for students of all ages. From learning yoga and pilates to Qigong and Tai Chi, it’s never been easier to get moving! Register online for our ˿����Ƶ courses today and you’ll see the measurable benefits in your body and brain.

Swimming is a great exercise that bears little impact on joints and allows for a full range of motion, builds muscle and cardiovascular heath too. Swim Conditioning includes drills to keep you motivated, engaged and stronger.