All posts by rnagy

Welcome to UF Katie

Hey Union Fitness! My name is Katie Jones and I have been working at Union since November. You can catch me coaching Cardio Lab bright and early at 6 am on Thursdays and Friday (and the occasional Saturday morning)! Soon I will start coaching strength & conditioning for Chatham’s swim team. I am super excited!

 

I am from Saxonburg, a small town about an hour north of Pittsburgh. I have been living in the city for just about 5 years. I am a 7th and 8th-grade math teacher at Propel Homestead. I graduated from Westminster College in 2017 with a degree in Early Childhood and Special Education.

 

While in college, I was on the swim team and the cross country team. I was a competitive swimmer for the majority of my life. I started when I was 5 years old! I have been a runner since 6th grade when I started cross country. Swimming and running have taught me so much about dedication, hard work, and perseverance. They also opened the door to many coaching opportunities. I coached a local community swim team for 3 years while I was in college. When I moved to Pittsburgh, I coached for Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics for a little over a year. I have also coached countless running clubs within the community I teach. Coaching brings me so much joy! I love working with all levels and different types of athletes.

 

When I am not teaching or coaching, you can find me training at Union or running! I started competing in Powerlifting this past year (shout out to Jared Caroff for convincing me to do the Push-Pull meet!) I also run marathons for fun- crazy, I know. This past November, I completed my 9th marathon while keeping up with my Powerlifting training. Keep your eyes out for some blog posts about the combination of endurance training and strength training!

 

Outside of training, I love going to breweries, hanging out with my friends, & their dogs, and finding the best nachos in Pittsburgh (if you have any recommendations, hit me up). Thanks for reading a little bit about me! So happy to be a part of the Union Fitness Fam!

Welcome Back Toria

Hello! I’m one of the new(ish) employees here at UF. I wanted to introduce myself and share some of my story with you all. I graduated from Slippery Rock University with my BS in Exercise Science and from the University of Pittsburgh with my MS in Health, Physical Activity, and Chronic Disease. I worked at UF as front desk staff/coach for just under a year while also working at a research lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Then I left Pennsylvania to take on a clinical research position with the University of Colorado, Denver. I am now the Director of Business Operations here at UF. 

 

Since I left UF last year, I have had a bit of a crazy unpredictable life (as we all typically do, right?). I had some personal health problems, and the realization that I wanted to change my career path completely. I have worked in the clinical research world for over 3 years and have seen everything from cardiovascular surgery in heart failure patients to diabetic foot ulcer treatments to sitting at a desk for 8+ hours a day entering data. I wanted to change my day-to-day routine up and go from working in a clinical hospital setting to more of a fitness/gym setting. When I was at UF before, it made me realize how much I loved working in a gym and being surrounded by other people who were looking to better themselves.

 

Prior to my initial time at UF, I had struggled with maintaining my personal fitness and health. I gained just about 50lbs over the course of a few years from being lazy and unmotivated. I believe I gained 25 of those 50lbs in just one year. I only saw the inside of a gym maybe a few times per year. I was very unhappy with myself and didn’t care enough to try and be healthy. I don’t think I even knew what a vegetable tasted like. My physical and mental health both went down a steep hill. I ended up discovering a local CrossFit gym that I figured I could try out. I was intimidated and very unsure of it at the time, but I immediately fell in love with exercise and fitness. I spent a little over a year doing CrossFit and then I ended up coming to UF to work and train. I now use my background and passion for exercise and fitness to help others reach their fitness and health goals.

 

I am very excited to be back with you all and looking forward to meeting those of you who I don’t know yet.

 

Stay healthy my friends!

 

Toria

2022 and Still You.

Welcome to 2022. One of my favorite ideas is a quote from the great Albert Einstein. To quote Einstein, “People like us who believe in physics know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.” His point was that time is non-linear and we are not just moving from one moment to the next. This idea ruined my childhood, as it made me realize that Doc Brown was incorrect in Back To The Future.

 

As with many of my ramblings this may or may not have anything to do with health, strength, or fitness. Yet, I do believe it has to do with all of the above. The calendar has changed and we are now in a new year, yet you are still the same you. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? Only you can answer this. I am just here to pose the question. Self reflecting is something that I try to do daily and I am now asking each of you to join me. Set some goals for not just this year, set goals for a lifetime. I am going to share my short term goals with you.

 

  1. Run 30 miles this month. As a former runner I want to get out a little more.
  2. Perform 1000 pull ups.
  3. Lift at least 20 times this month.
  4. Only consume alcoholic drinks once a week, and no more than two drinks.
  5. Finish 4 books this month.
  6. Find at least one new volunteer oppurtunity.
  7.  Build at least 3 more Lego creations with Tenzing.

 

To add some context to my goals, I already reach, or I’m close to many of these. The running is one goal I felt would benefit me mentally. The reading goal is close to what I am already doing, yet putting a number on it should help keep me honest. As for the Legos, Tenzing loves these and we build them often. So make sure your goals include personal and fun goals as well.

 

Oh yeah, and about the drinking goal, I have a glass of wine most nights while preparing dinner. On a rare occasion this will turn into two glasses. I can honestly say I feel no different with or without these drinks. What I can tell you, is that I want to make sure I don’t rely on the drinks and make it a crutch.

Red Eagle Crossfit Relief

If you have been watching the news you may have noticed that Kentucky recently had some terrible storms. In the holiday spirit we would like to help a gym that was directly hit by these storms get back on their feet.

 

We contacted Red Eagle Crossfit. Red Eagle is located in Mayfield, Kentucky and everything they had in the gym, as well as the building was ruined from the tornado that ripped through town. We felt this was an opportunity to step up, and show how the strength community supports each other. Red Eagle is planning to rebuild, and hopefully open their doors again. The link for their Go Fund me is here. 

 

In addition to posting the Go Fund Me we are asking for you to drop a dollar, or some change in our fundraising bucket. This will also be something we will bring up during our  kick-off for out Ryde classes.

 

In the spirit of the season we ask that you consider donating to this great cause, and helping a family who owns this business.

Welcome to Ryde at Union Fitness!

As you may have heard, our friends at Urban Elements and Cycology (UEC) will be closing their doors at the end of the year. But as one door closes, another one opens. We are excited to welcome them to the Union Fitness family! Starting New Year’s Day, we will begin offering Ryde and Ryde Fusion classes, taught by former UEC instructors.

 

For those of you I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Rachael and I have been coaching Cardiolab and Bootcamps for the past several years at Union Fitness. One of my passions is teaching cycling and I could not be more excited to bring two wonderful communities together.

 

What is Ryde? Why is It Different?

Real Ryder bike isn’t just a stationary bike, it’s movement is dynamic and adds another level to a cycle class. You can expect a Ryde or Ryde-Fusion class to be a full-body cardio experience with climbs, sprints, jumps, tabatas and more. Add music that makes you want to move and I am certain you will love Ryde just as much as I do.

 

Who’s It For? Do I Need Riding Experience?

Ryde is for anyone looking to add variety to their fitness routine. You do not need to have experience with indoor or outdoor cycling to enjoy a cycle class. Let your instructor know before class starts if you haven’t had experience with a Real Ryder Bike and any current or previous injuries. There may be some modifications that we recommend depending upon the situation. Regardless of your fitness level, a Ryde class is an excellent cycle-based fitness option to incorporate into your schedule (especially during winter in PA, let’s be honest).

 

What To Expect – Schedule & Components.

Our introductory schedule starts the first week of January with plans to add in the coming months. Mornings: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:30 am 30 minute RYDE. This can be followed up with one of our 6 am offerings (Yoga, Powerful, or Cardiolab). Evenings: Tuesday and Thursdays at 5:30 pm 60 minute Fusion-RYDE. 30 minutes on the bike followed by 30 minutes of bootcamp. Weekends: 45 minute RYDE Saturday at 8:30 am and Sunday at 9 am.

 

Meet The Instructors.

Our UEC Ryde instructors are very excited to join the UF crew so keep an eye out on the schedule for them! Billy, Kayla and myself will be leading the morning classes and Mallory and Natalie will be teaching in the evening. Meagan will be every Sunday and we will have a rotating schedule for Saturdays. Everyone brings their own style of teaching to the bike and makes each class a different and challenging experience!

 

Sign Up Soon.

We can’t wait to join you on the bike so get yourself signed up on MindBody! Classes will be live 12/27. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or catch me before or after classes.

Science Stuff You Should Learn

In the world of health, strength, and fitness there are numerous confusing terms. As one who has spent 20 years in this industry I blame myself, and those in my profession for this confusion. I and we must do a better job communicating science. Today I want to give you some basic terms, acronyms, and phrases that may help you.

 

  1. EPOC- EPOC stands for Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption. It’s a very simple concept, that I will try to explain in easy terms. Imagine if I asked you to meet me at the parking garage. If you walked to 300 yards and I sprinted there when you arrived I’ll still be breathing heavy. We would have done the same amount of work (work is defined by displacement, so we both are equal in these terms), yet I am still winded. My body is still trying to overcome the changes in energy systems, yours is chillin. This is EPOC in real terms.
  2. Basil Metabolic Rate- This is how many calories your body burns by just sustaining life. There are a multitude of BMR calculators online. Age, sex, bodyweight, conditioning levels, and many other factors will affect this. Good rule of thumb if you are active then add a zero to the end of your bodyweight, and that’s a decent starting number.
  3. HRV-Heart Rate Variability. With the proliferation of smart watches I have seen a lot more people checking their HRV. In basic terms this is the time consistency of the time between heart beats. Think of it like this a good HRV is if your HR was 60 beats per minute and your heart beaten at 1.00 seconds then 2.00 seconds and continued this way for 60 seconds. Rule of thumb if your HRV is good then you are ready to train hard!
  4. RPE- Rate of Perceived Exertion. RPE was originally developed as a score of 6-20. The idea was 6 meant rest and heart rate would be at 60 BPM, whereas 20 meant full go, h and HR would be closer to 200. Now in lifting this isn’t even close to correct. RPE scale is now an easy 1-10 scale. The idea is 10 being as hard as you can do an activity and 1 being little to no work. The issue as I see it is that RPE is too subjective. IMO it should be looked at in the context of the training as well as using our next phrase, Velocity Based Training.
  5. VBT- Velocity Based Training. VBT is simple as it looks at fatigue as how much velocity drops on a given movement. With VBT There are a ton of rules of thumb as to how to use it. Yet, IMO VBT should be tied to RPE so that lifters can better use both of these ideas in their training.
  6. “Don’t fake the funk on a nasty dunk” Shaq. How does this pertain to strength and fitness? It doesn’t, yet it does. My man Ethan just told me I need to work this phrase into today’s blog, and any chance to use this quote is good for me. I will add that a closer reading of this phrase means, come into your session today with a positive attitude and prepared to not just fake it, but to work HARD.

 

Happiest of Holidays and a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

Todd Hamer

 

 

3 Cues to Stronger Lifts

When it comes to trying to be the most efficient we can be with our lifts, there are so many cues and words being thrown around that it can become overwhelming at times. Every “coach” has a list of cues that they use when working with their clients. The fact is that we only need to focus on and perfect a couple cues in order to make great technical progress with each lift. Listed below are three cues that I use with every individual that I work with in order to become proficient with the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

 

Squat

 

1)Twist into the floor: Your feet are one of the most crucial aspects of a quality squat. I like to think about it from the floor up. Spread your toes and plant them into the floor while focusing on three points of contact. The ball under the big toe, the ball under the pinky toe, and the heel. Twist outward (without rolling on the outside of your foot) in order to engage your hips. Keep that pressure & tension the entire squat.

 

2)Push into your belt: Bracing is absolutely crucial for a big strong squat. Flexing your abs IS NOT the same as bracing and pushing into your belt. When you take a big breath before you lift, it should go deep into your diaphragm and down & out into your obliques, abs, and even lower back when done correctly. A simple and effective way to practice this technique is to use a small micro mini band around your mid section to push into in order to provide feedback.

 

3)Pull the bar into your back: Pulling your shoulder blades together as tightly as possible while having your hands as close as possible to your shoulders certainly helps to keep the back rigid, but it provides little engagement and structure of the big lat muscles which connect down at the waist and keep the entire back erect. This will also help to keep your sternum tall. When you squat, think about doing a behind the neck lat pulldown. That is the same tension and concept that you want to feel when you are pulling the bar down into your back during the squat.

 

Bench

 

1)Set your lats: Just as we start the squat with the feet, It’s good to start the bench with the upper back. When laying down on the bench, think about pulling your shoulder blades down towards your back pockets as hard as possible. This will pull your sternum up towards the ceiling and provide a very strong base and foundation for a solid bench, as your lats are one of the biggest and strongest muscles in our body.

 

2)Bend the bar: When you grab the bar, think about putting all of the pressure on the outside pad of your palm underneath of your pinky finger. Squeeze that area as hard as possible while thinking about “bending” the bar in your hands just as you would if you were trying to break a stick. This will build a tremendous amount of tension in your back along with stability as you pull the bar down and press it.

 

3)Push yourself into the bench: A lot of times we think about pressing the bar off of us as hard as possible. It’s our natural instinct. This usually leads to losing that tension that we’ve previously created in our back. When you bring the bar down to your chest, focus on driving your head, neck, and upper back down into the bench as hard as possible as soon as you go to press the bar. This will keep you much more stable and give you more power.

 

Deadlift

 

1)Lats in back pockets: As with the squat and bench press, our lats are a huge benefactor for a strong and stable deadlift. As you’re setting up to grab the bar, pull those lats down into your back pockets and pull your sternum up so it’s facing the floor out in front of you. This will keep you in a strong & safe position while providing a ton of tension and rigidity throughout the lift.

 

2)Pull the bar through your body: One of the biggest things that will cause a difficult lift is letting the bar drift out away from your shins and your body. To correct this, focus on using those lats to pull the bar as close as possible to your body, almost as if someone had a band attached to it and was trying to pull it away from you. This will keep those lats tight and give you your best chance of staying in a strong position.

 

3)Leg press through the floor: Although we think of the deadlift as a “pull” the truth is, a majority of it is initiated by a “push”. Just as you drive a leg press away from you or press yourself away from the floor during a squat, you want to do the same with the beginning of a deadlift. Combining this cue while simultaneously focusing on your lats will give you the tension and position needed to perform a perfect lift.

 

As always, stop by and ask for any help related to these cues or any other aspect of your training program. We are more than happy to help.

 

– Curtis Miller

Terms You Should Know

There are many terms in the fitness world and here are 12 exercise terms you should know.

 

Sets

A set refers to how many times you repeat a given number of reps. For example, one set might be 12 reps of push-ups—repeating for three sets means you’ll do that three times through.

 

Repetitions (Reps)

Repetition is the amount of times you will perform the exercise (push-ups) in a set.

 

Super Set

Super setting means pairing two exercises and doing them back-to-back with minimal rest. There are many superset pairings to do.

 

Circuit

A circuit consists of a series of exercises performed in sequence, with a short rest in between each exercise. A circuit can be timed, where you do as many completions as you can in a given time frame.

 

1RM (One-Rep Max)

This is the maximum weight that you can lift for one repetition of an exercise.

 

AMRAP 

This acronym stands for “as many reps as possible.”

 

HIIT (High-intensity interval training)

A HIIT workout consists of several work-rest intervals. During the work interval you exercise as hard as you can. During the rest interval you either rest completely or continue moving at a low intensity, allowing your heart rate to decrease.

 

RPE

This stands for rate of perceived exertion, and refers to intensity. It’s a point of reference used to communicate how hard you should be working since what feels easy or challenging is different for everyone. On the RPE scale a 1 is little effort while a 10 means you couldn’t possibly do another repetition.

 

DOMS

DOMS stands for delayed onset muscle soreness, which is the soreness you feel the day or two after a hard workout.

 

Single, Double, Triple 

This is for my class people and now they know the answer to this one. A single is 1 rep, a double is two reps and a triple is 3 reps. If I were to say “let’s work up to a heavy triple”, what would that mean?

 

Warm-Up

This is what you should be doing before exercise to raise your heart rate and body temperature in preparation for the workout. This helps increase mobility, range of motion and preparation.

 

Cool-Down

This is what you do at the end of your workout. The goal is to gradually bring your body back to a resting state by lowering your heart rate and calming your nervous system.

 

There are many more terms and more to come. The more you know.

 

Cheers,

CeJ

Holiday Season Tips

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is upon us and we here at UF are excited for the new year, while also celebrating an exciting end to 2021. Here are some tips (and some ways we can help), for a strong end to 2021, and stronger start to 2022.

 

  1. Bring someone to the gym for our free week. If you have anyone coming from out of town, bring them to the gym Dec 23-Dec 31st for a free week. Have a friend who doesn’t train, bring them over. This offer is for anyone who is not a member and they do not need a member with them. This is an open invite for all to come try UF for one week. This membership will be an unlimited membership so please help others discover the beauty of strength.
  2. Give yourself a break. Yes, holiday parties will involve cookies and libations. Just get back on it the next day. It’s OK to be human.
  3. Keep your sleep schedule. Sleep is one of the most important acts humans do. Through all the adaptation we have seen as humans, the body has never changed how much rest we need. So try to stay on point.
  4. Get ready for SPIN! We are adding spin back to UF. Starting in January we will be having spin classes as well as our normal cardiolab classes. So try something new here at UF.
  5. Drink more water. Before the cookie tray hit the water fountain. Water will help reduce our urges, as well as just generally making us better.
  6. Serve others. Servant leadership is very important, especially at this time of the year. Do some good out there, it will come back to you ten fold.

 

Thank you for reading my rants about how we can improve ourselves and others. Now let’s all go out there this holiday season and share the love.

 

Ham

Curt’s meet recap

A few weeks ago, I flew out to Las Vegas to compete in my 16th powerlifting meet. This was the first meet that I’ve had to travel to the other side of the country for, and the first one where I was competing in another timezone. Although there were many challenges that came along with this, this was hands down the most fun I’ve had competing in any meet, and for many reasons, this one meant more to me than any meet I’ve ever competed in. With this being my first meet since my surgery, I felt extremely grateful for my opportunity to compete and do what I love. In training, every rep, set, weight, and training session possessed so much more meaning than it ever had up until this point. Along with this, I was able to experience all of it with my wife right by my side. From the day of my surgery, to my final deadlift of the meet, she was there every step of the way. I truly could not have done it without her. In all honesty, I was fighting holding back my emotions the entire day of the competition. Thinking about what I had been through to get to that point. The second I stepped off of the platform after my last lift of the day, I walked outside, gave Liz a huge hug, and just cried.

 

After returning home, I took the next week to reflect on the experience. This included all aspects. From the preparation, to the execution, there were many things that I learned and took away.

 

1)Time change can greatly impact your performance: Whether you’re going west or east, any change in time can throw you out of your routine. All you can do is control what you can and roll with the punches.

 

2)Plan and control everything that you can: For an event such as this one, you should have your check list ready the week before the competition. This includes your flight schedule, your bags and equipment, your food and water, your approach for the meet, and your plans once you arrive.

 

3)There will always be things out of your control: It’s absolutely necessary to plan for as much as possible if you want to have a successful competition. However, there are always things that will be out of your control. At the meet, there was a piece of equipment that I had never used before. It threw me off at first, but I stayed calm and trusted myself and everything that I had done up until that point.

 

4)Even when you’re alone, you’re never alone: Powerlifting is a great community. Although it was only my wife and I at the meet, there were numerous people who were willing to help anyone with whatever they needed. A gentleman who I had only meet once before offered to help me wrap my knees for squatting. There will always be someone there to give you a hand.

 

5)If you’re serious about competing, you need to travel: Doing local meets are fun and convenient, but getting outside of your comfort zone is where you find what you’re truly made of. The amount of experience and knowledge you gain from doing something like that is absolutely priceless.

 

I will be taking the next few weeks to enjoy spending time with family and friends over the holidays, then plans will begin for the next competition. I hope you all have a safe and happy Holiday season!

 

– Curtis Miller