All posts by rnagy

Halloween Hodgepodge

Fitness, Life Health, State of the Union, Training

Hello my spooky scary skeletons!

 

Time for some classic Halloween Hodgepodge of bone chilling songs, spine tingling training tips, hair standing tales and a horrific announcement.

 

The pumpkin patch 8-track of seasonal serenades.

– Murder in the Graveyard by Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages

– The Boogie Monster by Gnarls Barkley

– Were Wolf by Carl Bonafede

– Vampire Money by My Chemical Romance

– Pretty in a Casket by Blitzkid

– Wake the Dead by Comeback Kid

– We Drink Your Blood by Powerwolf

– I Still Believe by Timmy Cappello

 

Hellacious training tips.

1) Never skip leg days or your pumpkin patch will never be full

2) Keeping your used gym socks near you in the dark will ward off all encroaching vamps, warlocks and most other creatures.

3) Candy is fuel and you need fuel to eat candy

4) Keep your gym bags off the floor to avoid tripping and having the slowest monster eat you.

5) If Jack Skellington would have resistance trained, his bone density would have been greater and he wouldn’t have crumbled when he was blown to smithereens. Lift weights for greater bone density.

6) Jesse Eisenberg reminds us in Zombieland that cardio is important. If you want to out run and outlast the zombies, ghouls and goblins you must have quality cardio in your life. A little a day keeps the monsters at bay.

 

Howl at the Moon or one of the UF staff members because if you attend #Powerful Monday Oct 30, Tuesday Oct 31 and/or Wednesday Nov 1, we’ll be crushing a Halloween Circa Max Out. Get in the spirit and wear a costume and let’s have some fun. P.S bring a friend who is a non-#powerful member and get bonus spooky surprises.

 

All the best from your Badass Duke of Darkness.

 

-CEJ

Meet the Staff – Adeel

State of the Union

Hi my name is Adeel Tanvir. I am a new Strength Coach and Personal Trainer here at Union Fitness. I work with the Chatham Men’s Hockey and Men’s Lacrosse teams as well as Point Park Women’s Basketball! I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh back in 2019. I have been an athlete since the age of 6 where I started playing football and then I found my love for hockey and lacrosse. I played both during my time at Pitt!

 

That’s a little bit about me, if you ever see me running around never be afraid to say hi!

 

Adeel

Take Care of YOU

Life Health

This weekend a good friend of mine told me he was diagnosed with cancer. Far too often in life we see these things happen and don’t know what we can do to help. Physical and mental health are linked together, and we cannot ignore either or we are just creating more problems. I reached out to see how I can help and support this gentleman. He told me he is fine financially, and just needs some good prayers, vibes, and feelings. What he needs is a support system. I told him I am there for him no matter what. Today I am going to ask you to think about how you can support those around you. How can you support those with physical needs or mental needs, and yourself?

 

Be present.

 

The adage stands true, “Days are long and years are short.” We all get busy and forget to respond to a friend or family member. I am asking you to try to be more present as we know each moment we have is a short fleeting moment. There will always be more time, time never stops, yet this moment will never come again. Find ways to care about another person in your care.

 

How can we be more present? Do the best you can to remove your phone, iPad, laptop etc. Listen to the person be sure you hear and see them. This will do wonders for your mental health as well as those around you. Find a way to be present with those you care about. One easy way to do this is to share a meal with someone, anyone that you care about. There are few more intimate moments than when we are breaking bread together.

 

Donate.

 

This is an easy, yet important one. Today I saw that one of our employees is doing an MS bike ride. These have become very popular rides over the past twenty years. I have been lucky enough to volunteer, donate, and help out in other ways for MS bike rides over the years. I have added a hyperperlink for our employees  donation page if you feel like helping out with this cause.

 

Donations can take many forms, donate to a clothes drive, a food drive, or donate your time to serve someone, anyone.

 

Take care of your body.

 

As I began this blog I mentioned that physical and mental health are connected. Here is a short list of ways to take care of both.

  1. Get sleep. We know that sleep matters for health. Attempt to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
  2. Eat your fruits and veggies. This is a direct line from a healthy diet to a healthy life.
  3. Exercise. If you are reading this you are probably already do this.
  4. Spend time in nature. Maybe it’s the buddhist in me, but I equate my happiness with the time I spend hiking and biking in the woods.
  5. Appreciate those around you. Show a moment to give some positive vibes to each and everyone you interact with today. Give some gratitude.
  6. Cut yourself a break. We must all understand that we are not perfect. You will trip and fall, just get back up and try again.

 

Now go out and improve yourself and (y)our world.

 

Todd

 

Embracing Hispanic Heritage Month

Life Health

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15th to October 15th, holds a special place in the hearts of immigrants, particularly those of Latino and Hispanic descent. For Hispanic/Latino immigrants, this month serves as a poignant reminder of their unique journey, their resilience, and the significance of their cultural heritage in shaping their lives. In this blog, we will explore the profound importance of Hispanic Heritage Month to immigrants and how it becomes a platform for them to celebrate their roots.

 

A Connection to Roots

 

For immigrants, Hispanic Heritage Month provides a vital link to their roots. Many Latino and Hispanic immigrants come to the United States in pursuit of a better life, but they carry their cultural traditions and values with them. This celebration allows my family and my people to maintain our roots, traditions, stories, and a sense of identity that might otherwise be lost in the process of assimilation. For example, one of the traditions I still do to this day is the preparation of Hallacas(Venezuelan holiday dish) during Christmas. Preparing this dish requires help so all the family comes over, we listen to Gaitas, drink sangria, and we cook, it’s a great bonding experience for our family. We take a lot of pride in teaching our roots and ensuring that our heritage is passed on to the next generation.

 

A Source of Strength

 

Immigrating to a new country can be a challenging and often daunting experience. Hispanic Heritage Month offers a source of strength for immigrants, reminding them of the resilience and determination of our community. When I first moved to this country doing anything was very difficult, making friends, asking for help, paying attention in class. I learned about Hispanic Heritage month in ESL class and I was so amazed when I learned about Cesar Chavez or Ellen Ochoa, it made me believe that I had a chance to be like them and that I could achieve anything. Hispanic Heritage month serves as a source of inspiration for us to overcome the inevitable hurdles that our people go through.

 

A Celebration of Diversity

 

The Hispanic community here in the United States is incredibly diverse, representing countries from Mexico to Spain, and from Cuba to Chile, among others. Hispanic immigrants from these nations often find themselves living in the same community, this allows for them to not only to share their own unique stories and experiences but learn about the experiences of other members of their community. When I got here one of my first friends was from Mexico and I have never learned more from Mexico before. I was fascinated with their rich history and how different yet similar our cultures were. Not only was I learning about other hispanic countries, I was also teaching kids in the US about Venezuela. The amount of times that I got “where in Mexico is Venezuela in” or “do you guys eat a lot of tacos?” I had to educate people about where I’m from and how it’s different, had to explain that not everyone that is hispanic/latino is illegal, that not everyone eats tacos or burritos. By breaking down barriers, we can dispel stereotypes, promote understanding, and showcase the value Hispanic people bring to American society. This sharing of culture often leads to a stronger connection.

 

A Celebration of Achievements

 

Many immigrants from Latino and Hispanic backgrounds who have made significant contributions to American society. From notable artists like Lin-Manuel Miranda who’s won multiple awards and the writer for the hit Broadway musical Hamilton to influential public figures like Roberto Clemente who I’m sure many of you know! Hispanic and Latino immigrants take pride in these accomplishments, as they often reflect the determination and potential of their own journeys.

 

Hispanic Heritage month gives the opportunity to my people to show everyone what we got, what we’ve accomplished and what we can do in the future. I am proud to be Venezuelan, Happy Hispanic Heritage month!!

 

Dahveed Jorge

Meet the Staff – Spencer

State of the Union

Hello everybody! My name is Spencer Gerhard, and I am a new personal trainer here at Union Fitness. I am from Northampton PA and went to undergrad at Pitt where I majored in Exercise Science and interned at Carnegie Mellon with the Student Recreation Department. I currently live in the Southside and work full time at Pitt’s University Club as a Fitness Center Coordinator.

 

When I am not working and training others, I deeply enjoy my own training. I am currently focusing on bodybuilding and hitting new lift PRs. I would like to compete in my first powerlifting meet sometime in 2024. I have also completed marathons, multiple Ironman’s and one Ultramarathon. When I’m not training, I enjoy climbing, jigsaw puzzles and reading.

 

Spencer

The Supple Leopard

Life Health, Training

In college, I had a friend and roommate named Will. Will was an exceptional guy. We often hit the weight room together, pushing each other to new limits like good lifting partners do. We both shared a profound interest in the recovery aspect of training. We’d engage in passionate discussions, often pulling insights from various online journals. Our most frequent topic was a book titled “Becoming a Supple Leopard,” authored by Kelly Starrett DPT. The book espouses the idea that, akin to a leopard, maintaining optimal physical readiness at all times is key. Being both strong and agile is the goal. “Becoming a Supple Leopard” introduces many unconventional tools tailored for recovery. As Louis Simmons once stated, “Normal people will only give you normal results.” Sometimes, breaking free from traditional approaches becomes essential to effect the necessary changes, particularly when you’re at the pinnacle of your training and have exhausted conventional methods. If you feel like you’re hitting a plateau after years of training, this book might offer relevant insights to propel you forward. These discussions with Will inspired me to pursue future tracts into recovery and strength training methods once I graduated from college.

 

Will unfortunately and unexpectedly passed away right when I moved to Pittsburgh 2 years ago. After the funeral, his mother reached out to me and mailed me the copy of his book with a note that said, “He always was talking about this book and how much it meant to your friendship. I think you should have it.” To this day, I utilize this book as a resource for a lot of my training plans and coaching points.

 

I highly advise you to get your hands on a copy and learn something that might change your life.

 

Put down your phone and read books.

 

All the best,

Dylan K.

Meet the Staff – Kyle

State of the Union

Hey everyone! My name is Kyle Hartman, and I am a new personal trainer/coach here at Union Fitness. I’m originally from Bradford, PA and just finished up my undergraduate studies at SUNY University at Buffalo. Those studies were a major in exercise science and minor in nutrition, and I was also fortunate enough to intern with the sports performance staff while there. I have since moved here to Pittsburgh where I am interning with the University of Pittsburgh’s sports science department and intend to start their sports science master’s program next academic year.

 

When I’m not coaching or collecting and visualizing data, you can probably still find me in a weight room somewhere. Ever since discovering weight training, I’ve fallen madly in love with it. I played sports all throughout my childhood, but they never gave me the thrill that setting a new PR does. I’ve competed in a couple powerlifting events and am looking to become more competitive and compete more regularly. Although most of my interests lie within the gym, I also love watching movies, going for bike rides, and playing dungeons and dragons when I have the time.

 

-Kyle

Thank You to Our Trainers

State of the Union

Hello everyone! As some of you know, I am the Lead Personal Trainer at Union. Basically, that means I oversee most if not all aspects of personal training. This includes giving clients to our trainers and training clients myself. However, this blog is not about me but rather it is about our trainers. I wanted to take the time to thank them for all their hard work.

 

First up is Ethan. Ethan who has been gone for the past month training hockey players in another country, is our most experienced trainer. His clients love him and so do we. He never fails to put a smile on our faces with his sarcastic humor. He is our morning guy and I have a lot of respect for him.

 

Next up is Miranda. As some of you do not know, she was one of the first friends I made at Union. She is extremely reliable although she has thousands of different things going on in her life. She has multiple jobs and is pursing her graduate degree in physical therapy at Chatham. Sometimes I don’t know how she does it all!

 

Now were onto Dahveed. What I love most about Dahveed is his ability to show empathy. He is perhaps the most empathetic person at Union. He really knows how to put himself in other people’s shoes and this makes him not only a great trainer but also a great person.

 

Now we got Dylan. Dylan is very curious and studious. He is always diving into new things and willing to learn. It seems like he is always in a perpetual state of learning and this is why I think he will be very successful with whatever he does in life. To Dylan, I still need to roll around on some mats with you and kick your ass!

 

Now we got our Olympic lifter Dylan. Dylan has only had a few clients but is very involved with all of our sports teams. What I love most about Dylan is his passion. I’ve heard countless good things from his athletes and he did so good that they put him on their website. If you ever have any questions about Olympic lifting then he is your guy.

 

Next up is Caroline. Caroline also has multiple jobs and is going to physical therapy school at Chatham. She is relatively new at Union but has helped us a lot lately. She has filled in for our fitness classes and has worked with clients. I commend her for all her hard work and being able to manage her crazy schedule!

 

Next in line is Montrell. I met Montrell during my undergraduate degree and we got our master’s degree together. All I can say is that Montrell is awesome. He has been absolutely killing it at Union. He has many clients already and every time we ask him for something he gets it done. He is very reliable and is very humble.

 

Now we are onto Kyle. Kyle is also new here at Union and he works over at Pitt for strength and conditioning. I’ve only had a few interactions with him so far but from our conversations, I get the feeling that he much more intelligent than he thinks he is. He already has several clients and he has a warm personality to him.

 

Next up is Erin. Erin just started working here as well. She is going to school at the University of Pittsburgh for physical therapy. She has picked up a lot of front desk hours, classes, and clients. Based on her previous experience in collegiate softball and her work here at Union, she seems like she is going to be a great fit here. I am excited to see her growth as she progresses through PT school.

 

After Erin we got Allyssa. As soon as she started, she made an immediate impact here at Union. She has worked with many of our teams at Chatham and Point Park University. She has also helped a lot with front desk and picked up a lot of classes as well. She is very driven. Like Erin, she is also going to physical therapy school at Pitt. I really don’t know how all of my coworkers manage to do it all during PT school. We’re going to try to give her a client or two in the future if she can manage it all!

 

Now we are onto Spencer. Spencer was also in my undergraduate class with me at Pitt. He is one of the most genuine people I have met. He is just a solid dude all around. If you didn’t know, he has done an Ironman before. From what I have heard those are extremely difficult. If you ever have the chance to ask him about it then I’m sure he would tell you all about it.

 

Now onto our newest hire Adeel. From the minute Adeel got here and I saw his passion with his athletes I knew he would be great at Union. All of us are very impressed with his ability to adapt to situations and his willingness to step up when we need him. I am grateful he is now working with us and I am excited to see him grow as a trainer.

 

Last but certainly not least is April. Unfortunately for us here at Union, Aprils last day with us was last week. April was a great trainer here. She always went above and beyond for her clients and it shows because she made lasting relationships with all of them. She will definitely be missed and I am sure she will do awesome in whatever her future holds!

 

All in all, I and the rest of the full-time staff are very grateful for all of our personal trainers. If any of our gym members are reading this, please take the time to thank all of them. They work very hard and are each unique in their own way. They make my job a lot easier and I appreciate them!

 

Zain

Meet the Staff – Erin

State of the Union

Hi! My name is Erin Barnett, and I am a personal trainer and I coach Powerful classes at Union Fitness! I am originally from Dunellen, New Jersey and went to college at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. I played softball and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science from there just this last May! I am currently working towards my Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh.

 

I have always loved athletics and fitness. Growing up, I was surrounded by athletes in my family, and played both basketball and softball myself. Throughout my time in athletics, I took particular interest in the prevention and rehabilition of injury and found myself genuinely fascinated with how the body worked and how I can keep mine and others’ healthy! Since coming out of competitive sports, I have fallen in love with lifting and other aspects of physical fitness to keep myself active and healthy. I believe that being physically active in any way can have both mental and physical benefits and advocate for everyone to bring that mindset into their fitness journey! Outside of the gym, I love to go out with friends, whether to explore nature, find new places to eat, play games, or just hang out! I already love it in Pgh and am so excited to get to know Pittsburgh more!

 

Erin

Ch Ch Changes

State of the Union

David Bowie said it best, Changes, turn and face the stranger. Bowie has always been one of the artists who helped me keep my head up when I needed it. With the seasons starting to change and the end of spotted lantern fly domination I figured I would talk about some changes here at the U.

 

First thing you will notice is many new faces in here. We have added quite a few new trainers. Our personal training has been growing and our teams are always in the need of more coaches. So if you see some new faces please say hello to them.

 

Next thing is one of our trainers has left for a new opportunity. April has now been a morning person at the U for a few years. We wish her well as she begins a new job and we couldn’t be happier for her and her success.

 

Teams are back! You may notice that we are training college groups again. We hope this enhances everyones experience at Union. We are happy to see college students from Point Park and Chatham back at UF and in Nova Place. Please feel free to say hello these students if you see them.

 

CeJ’s outdoor workouts/bootcamp season is coming to an end. Every year CeJ does an amazing job setting up these classes and events. I want to thank him and make sure that everyone is aware that they will be back. Next big one will be our Turkey Burn for Thanksgiving.

 

Hamer