Category Archives: Fitness

Seasonal Fitness Tips

Fitness, Life Health

Tis the spooky season, fellow UF members! These upcoming months are going to get cold but also festive! Don’t fret and let the weather deter you from staying motivated and getting those workouts in. Here are some tips to help keep you going throughout these next few months: 

Fall 

  • Get outside! Take some walks in nature and enjoy the slight chill in the air and the changing of the leaves. Go on a local hike or even travel somewhere to get a better view of the fall scenery. Maybe somewhere like a state park or a lake? 
  • Join a fall sport such as the classics – soccer and/or football. It is always fun to try something new and play a sport you enjoy. 

Winter 

  • Embrace all of the indoor workouts! Maybe even try to pick up something new like indoor swimming or pickleball, basketball/volleyball too. 
  • Join or participate in a winter specific sport such as skiing, snowboarding, or ice skating. I might be biased but I love winter because that is prime hockey season. This might be a fun way to stay active. 
  • Stay motivated by setting goals for the upcoming New Year. 

General Tips 

  • Adjust your routine based on how you feel during each season. Listen to your body! 
  • Mix it up and incorporate a nice variety of activities to keep things interesting while training. 
  • Create seasonal fitness goals to keep yourself motivated and track all of your wins and progress. 

 

Stay fit my friends! 

– Toria 

Classes at UF

Fitness, Training

Union Fitness offers so many unique memberships and add on opportunities, and today I wanted to take some time to highlight all our classes specifically! 

 

#Powerful: This is our staple class here at UF. It is a weightlifting class focused on main powerlifting moves such as the squat, bench, deadlift, and overhead press. Each day of the week highlights one of those listed main moves and includes some accessory and cardio work mixed in as well. The schedule is as follows: 

  • Monday 6am, 5+6pm – Bench Press 
  • Tuesday 6am, 5+6pm – Squat 
  • Wednesday 6am, 5+6pm – Overhead Press 
  • Thursday 6am, 5+6pm – Deadlift 
  • Friday 6am – Mobility mixed in with some extra strength training (programming on Friday’s are done by our in-house Doctor of Physical Therapy, Jared) 

 

Cardio Lab: This is a fun 45-minute-high intensity class. It includes the use of body weight exercises, medicine balls and fat bells/kettlebells as well as rowers, ski ergs, and Rogue assault bikes. The programming is switched up every day of the week due to the difference in instructors. This allows the classes to be a different challenge every day. The schedule is as follows: 

  • Monday 7am, 6pm 
  • Tuesday 7am, 12pm 
  • Wednesday 7am, 5pm 
  • Thursday 7am, 12pm 
  • Friday 7am 
  • Saturday 9:30am 

 

Blitz: This class is only 30 minutes total and mixes in some strength training as well as cardio, so you get a full solid workout in. This is a great class for those who work in the office and want to get a quick lift in. The schedule is as follows: 

  • Monday 12pm 
  • Wednesday 12pm 
  • Friday 12pm 

 

Mobility: This class is designed for those who want to feel better after their lifting sessions throughout the week. They use foam rollers, lacrosse balls, bands, and various body weight stretches. The schedule is as follows: 

  • Tuesday 6pm 
  • Thursday 6pm 

 

Yoga: Vinyasa: Vinyasa is a flowy style of yoga that connects breath to movement. Postures may be held for 3-5 breaths, and special attention is paid to the transitions between shapes. Flows range from slow and mindful to strong and powerful, with options for all skill levels along the way. The schedule is as follows: 

  • Wednesday 6pm 
  • Sunday 10:30am

 

Come and check out one of our classes! Whether you are already a current member, or a prospective member, the first class is always free!

 

Toria

An Introduction to Motor Unit Recruitment and Training Methods to Maximize Recruitment

Fitness, Training

First and foremost, before diving into motor unit recruitment and its importance in training, it is critical to define what a motor unit is. A motor unit is made up of two parts, one is the motor neuron and the other is the muscle fiber that it innervates. Often, one motor neuron will innervate a large number of muscle fibers, and each muscle will consist of many muscle fibers. Think of this as the link between the central nervous system and the muscular system. For a muscle to contract it needs to be stimulated by the motor neuron. These stimulations happen all throughout the day by the movements that we voluntarily, and sometimes involuntarily make. Any time a motor unit stimulates all the muscle fibers needed, it will contract in an all or nothing principle. Now it is time to talk about training. 

 

When we exercise, we are forcing our central nervous system to stimulate a given amount of motor units to create muscle contractions allowing us to accomplish a task. Depending on the intensity of the exercise, this will dictate which kind of muscle fibers and how many motor units are recruited. Everyone has heard of type I and type II muscle fibers, but if not, we will keep it simple and say type I get recruited easily at low intensities, while type II requires much higher intensity levels before they come into play. Even though we are only talking about two types of fibers there is an entire spectrum of fibers to fill in the gaps between type I and type II that share some characteristics of both. So, the amount motor units recruited to do a body weight squat compared to a 500 lb. squat for an equally trained person will be drastically different. It is safe to say one of these movements will be more intense than the other. It is through this reasoning that I think it is safe to say that for the purposes of this article we can define intensity as the amount of motor units recruited.  

 

So high intensity training, HIIT workouts high-intensity interval training… does this mean you are recruiting the maximum amount of motor units? Well, sometimes but that isn’t always the case for HIIT workouts. Those can be just from the buildup and/or poor clearance of lactic acid in the body which makes things hard but that can maybe be the topic of another blog post in the future. Let’s take a look at some basic principles of motor unit recruitment that the very smart Dr. Vladimir Zatsiorsky has come up with and then talk about intensity: 

 

  1. Recruitment order of the motor units goes from smallest to largest. 
  1. Only recruited motor units get a training effect. 
  1. Motor units that are recruited will experience fatigue.   

 

Now with this understood, you may think, “I need to recruit all the motor units of this muscle to get a training effect. I better lift as much weight as I physically can. I need to make sure the motor units fatigue”. Well, you aren’t totally wrong but is this only way? Is this this the best way for people just starting to workout or aren’t trying to set world records? The answer to this is no. There are other ways into maximal motor unit recruitment and let’s talk about those now.  

 

If we aren’t lifting maximally then obviously we are into submaximal training. For the sake of this post, we are going to omit training submaximal loads at high speeds for motor unit recruitment, which can again be for another post. So, let’s talk about the repeated effort method. This is what most people strive for in the gym 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps 5 set of 5 reps. The goal here is to reach maximal recruitment after the allotted number of sets and reps. Sure this works but I am going to bring up another rep scheme to accomplish maximal motor unit recruitment that may be a bit unfamiliar but equally and if not more effective than those just mentioned and that is 1 set of 20.  

 

This idea of 1 set of 20 comes from the mind of Dr. Yessis, if you don’t know who he is it’s not important for this, just know he has been in the world of sport science and training for a very long time and is highly respected. Anyways, this was something that at first I did not quite get, I was too caught up on things being heavy, force production, bar speed, etc. and really did not understand the essence of this method. It wasn’t till I got smarter and read Dr. Doug McGuff that I had this revelation of intensity and motor unit recruitment; then things became clearer. Don’t worry, we will get to McGuff shortly. Remember, we are talking about motor unit recruitment here not force production.  The goal of this training is to reach total failure of a movement by the 20th rep within a single set. This, however, differs a little bit from other rep schemes to failure, as this is better suited for a wider range of the population. Hitting failure on sets of 5 and even 8 can often be quite difficult for novice lifters who may give up and not know how to push through those hard reps to truly recruit those higher threshold motor units. With sets of 20, starting at a submaximal load will initiate motor unit recruitment for the low threshold motor units. As the reps increase, those lower threshold motor units will fatigue, forcing high threshold units to be recruited to complete the lift. When a maximal amount of motor units is reached and fatigued, around the 20th rep, the movement will no longer be able to be executed and only one set is needed for that movement.  

 

As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t totally understand the 1×20 method and actually thought it was a bit silly, but then I came across Dr. McGuff and his method of training. Then things began to make a bit more sense. The approach that Dr. McGuff takes to maximize motor unit recruitment is not based around a high number of repetitions to failure but by slow tempo repetitions, and I do mean slow. These sets can take anywhere from 90 seconds up to 2 and a half minutes to complete while only doing a few total reps. For example, a rep scheme using this method could be a 15 second concentric motion and 15 second eccentric motion therefore making each rep 30 seconds to complete. With 4 reps per set, you have truly put in quite a lot of work. Much like the 1×20 method the objective here is to hit total failure of the movement but the designated time of each set using submaximal weights. Once failure is reached it is time to move onto the next movement. One of the interesting things Dr. McGuff notes about these slow tempo reps is the depletion of muscle glycogen by the end of the set. This makes me wonder if the 1×20 is equally as effective as the depletion of glycogen stores as the slow tempos.  

 

Regardless of how you want to train, what your goals are and what you find enjoyable, one of the main things you should be working towards each time you train is to maximize the number of motor units recruited. I will not deny the benefits and results of training heavy weights with low reps or classic rep schemes like 5×5 or 3×8. What I do hope I have done is shed some light on some other ways to go about training that can accomplish similar levels of motor unit recruitment without the high loads of traditional methods.   

 

 

Ethan 

Plyometrics 101

Fitness
Plyometric exercises have a rich history rooted in the early 20th century. The term “plyometrics” comes from the Greek words “plei” (more) and “metric” (measure), implying the idea of “increasing measurement.” The concept began to take shape with the work of Soviet sports scientist Yuri Verkhoshansky in the 1960s. Verkhoshansky’s research on explosive strength led to the development of plyometric training methods, which he detailed in his book “Fundamentals of Special Physical Preparation for Sports” published in 1966. His work laid the foundation for modern plyometric training.
The use of plyometrics became more widespread in the 1980s and 1990s, as athletes and coaches began to recognize their value in improving performance across various sports. The principles of plyometrics are now integral to strength and conditioning programs.
Importance of Plyometric Exercises
  1. Explosive Power Development: Plyometrics focus on increasing an athlete’s explosive strength and power. These exercises involve rapid stretching (eccentric phase) followed by a powerful contraction (concentric phase), improving the efficiency and speed of force production.
  2. Improved Athletic Performance: By enhancing the efficiency of the neuromuscular system, plyometrics can improve speed, agility, and overall athletic performance. This is crucial for sports that require quick changes in direction, jumps, or sprints.
  3. Injury Prevention: When done correctly, plyometrics can strengthen muscles and connective tissues, potentially reducing the risk of injury by improving joint stability and coordination.
Adaptations from Plyometric Exercises
  1. Increased Muscular Power: Regular plyometric training enhances the ability of muscles to generate force quickly, which translates into improved performance in activities that require explosive movements.
  2. Enhanced Neuromuscular Efficiency: Plyometrics improve the communication between the nervous system and muscles, leading to quicker and more efficient motor responses.
  3. Improved Jumping Ability and Speed: Exercises like box jumps and depth jumps can increase vertical jump height and sprinting speed, beneficial for many sports.
  4. Better Coordination and Balance: The rapid and dynamic nature of plyometric exercises improves proprioception and balance, contributing to overall athletic ability.
Real-Life Application of Plyometric Exercises
  1. Sports Training: Plyometrics are widely used in sports like basketball, football, and track and field to enhance performance. For instance, a basketball player might use plyometric exercises to improve jumping ability for rebounding and shooting.
  2. Rehabilitation: In physical therapy, plyometrics are sometimes used to help athletes recover from injuries by rebuilding strength and functionality in a controlled, progressive manner.
  3. General Fitness: For non-athletes, incorporating plyometric exercises can lead to improved cardiovascular fitness, increased muscle strength, and better overall conditioning.
  4. Functional Movements: Plyometrics can aid in improving functional movements such as jumping, sprinting, and explosive lifting, which are beneficial in everyday activities.
Plyometric exercises offer a variety of benefits that extend beyond sports performance, including enhanced strength, power, and coordination. They have become an essential component in both athletic training and general fitness regimens. Interested in trying out plyometrics, reach out to me and let’s get springy.
In strength,
CeJ

The Benefits of Yoga: Beyond Flexibility and Stress Relief

Fitness, Life Health, Training

Since it has been practiced for thousands of years, yoga is becoming more and more popular all over the world. Although many people think of yoga as a means of increasing flexibility and reducing stress, the benefits of the practice go far beyond these well-known benefits. We’ll explore the many advantages of yoga in this blog post, as well as how adding it to your routine can improve your general health.

 

What is Yoga?

In order to enhance one’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, yoga incorporates breathing techniques, physical postures, meditation, and ethical concepts. Yoga comes in a wide variety of forms, from intense forms like Vinyasa and Ashtanga to more restorative forms like Hatha and Yin.

 

Physical Benefits of Yoga

1. Increased Flexibility:

One of the most well-known benefits of yoga is improved flexibility. Regular practice helps lengthen and stretch muscles, making it easier to move and reducing the risk of injuries.

 

2. Improved Strength:

Yoga poses require you to support your body weight in various ways, building strength in muscles that may not be used regularly in other forms of exercise. This includes core strength, which is crucial for overall stability and balance.

 

3. Enhanced Balance and Coordination:

Many yoga poses challenge your balance and coordination. Improved balance can prevent falls and injuries.

 

4. Better Posture:

Yoga emphasizes body alignment and awareness, which can lead to improved posture. Good posture reduces strain on the spine and helps prevent back and neck pain.

 

5. Increased Blood Flow and Circulation:

The various postures and breathing exercises in yoga promote better blood flow and circulation. This can lead to improved cardiovascular health and reduced risk of chronic diseases.

 

6. Boosted Immune System:

Yoga can strengthen the immune system by reducing stress and inflammation, improving circulation, and stimulating the lymphatic system, which helps fight infections.

 

Mental and Emotional Benefits of Yoga

1. Stress Reduction:

Yoga is renowned for its stress-relieving properties. The combination of physical activity, controlled breathing, and meditation helps calm the mind, reduce cortisol levels, and promote relaxation.

 

2. Improved Focus and Concentration:

Yoga requires mindfulness and concentration, which can enhance your ability to focus in other areas of your life. This mental clarity can lead to better decision-making and productivity.

 

3. Enhanced Mood and Emotional Well-Being:

Regular yoga practice can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. The release of endorphins during exercise, coupled with the calming effects of deep breathing and meditation, contributes to an overall sense of well-being.

 

4. Better Sleep:

Yoga can improve the quality of your sleep by promoting relaxation and reducing stress. Certain poses and breathing techniques can help prepare your body and mind for a restful night’s sleep.

 

5. Increased Self-Awareness:

Yoga encourages introspection and self-awareness, helping you become more in tune with your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. This heightened awareness can lead to personal growth and a deeper understanding of yourself.

 

Yoga provides a comprehensive approach to health and wellbeing that is good for the body, mind, and soul. You may increase your level of inner calm, lower stress, sharpen your mind, and improve your physical health by adding yoga into your regimen. Accept the trip and see for yourself how yoga may change your life.

 

Jade

Roles a Personal Trainer Plays in Your Fitness Journey

Fitness, Training

Hi Union Fitness Squad! 

 

Today I want to briefly talk about being a Personal Trainer, and the different important roles that we can play in your fitness journeys.  

 

A Personal Trainer is a fitness professional who helps individuals achieve their fitness goals by designing customized workout plans, providing motivation, and offering expert guidance on exercise techniques and in some cases, nutrition.  

 

When it comes to entering the fitness world and starting your fitness journey, things can tend to feel a little overwhelming and confusing. If you google anything related to exercise and fitness, there is a plethora of information thrown at you to take in. This can put some people off and push them away from moving forward with starting their journey. The good news is that Personal Trainers are here to help you answer your questions and get you moving in the right direction! Here are some things that we can offer to help better your fitness endeavors: 

 

  1. Personalized Guidance- A Personal Trainer can tailor a workout program specifically to your goals, fitness level, and any individual needs or limitations you may have. This personalized approach ensures that you are working towards objectives that are realistic and achievable for you.

 

  1. Proper Form and Technique- One of the most critical aspects of any fitness routine is using proper form and technique to prevent injury and maximize results. A Personal Trainer provides hands-on instruction and feedback to ensure you are performing exercises correctly, reducing the risk of injury and improving effectiveness.

 

  1. Motivation and Accountability- Staying motivated to exercise consistently can be challenging, especially when faced with obstacles or plateaus. A Personal Trainer serves as a source of motivation and accountability, providing encouragement, support, and guidance to help you stay on track and overcome obstacles. Staying motivated to exercise consistently can be challenging, especially when faced with obstacles or plateaus. A Personal Trainer serves as a source of motivation and accountability, providing encouragement, support, and guidance to help you stay on track and overcome obstacles. 

 

  1. Variety and Progression- Personal Trainers can introduce variety into your workouts by incorporating different exercises, equipment, and training techniques. They also ensure progressive overload by gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts over time, helping you continually challenge your body and avoid fitness plateaus.

 

  1. Goal Setting and Monitoring- Setting clear, achievable goals is essential for progress and success in fitness. A Personal Trainer helps you set realistic goals based on your aspirations and then monitors your progress, making adjustments to your program as needed to keep you on course towards achieving those goals.

 

  1. Education and Empowerment- A good Personal Trainer not only tells you what to do but also educates you on why and how to do it. By understanding the principles behind exercise and nutrition, you become empowered to make informed decisions about your health and fitness both inside and outside the gym.

 

  1. Adaptation to Special Circumstances- If you have specific health concerns, injuries, or conditions, a Personal Trainer can adapt exercises and routines to accommodate your needs safely and effectively. They can work in conjunction with healthcare professionals to ensure you are engaging in activities that support your overall well-being.

 

  1. Time Efficiency- With a Personal Trainer, you can make the most of your time in the gym by focusing on exercises and techniques that are most effective for you. They can help you streamline your workouts to maximize efficiency and minimize wasted time.

 

Personal Trainers are crucial in helping individuals achieve their health and fitness goals. With their expertise in exercise programming, motivation and support, personal trainers can be a valuable resource for anyone looking to make positive changes in their lives. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced athlete, working with a Personal Trainer can provide the guidance and encouragement needed to reach your fitness goals.  

 

Stop in to ask the UF Staff about Personal Training here today! We would be more than happy to help you reach your goals and have some fun with your training while doing so!

 

Also huge shoutout to my client, Diana (pictured here) who has been working with me for over a year and a half now and is absolutely crushing her fitness journey. I am happy to be a part of it all!

 

Toria 

Meet the Staff- Zoey

Fitness

Hello everyone!

 

I am Zoey, I am an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist. I grew up in Westmoreland County and graduated from Hempfield Area Senior High School. I received my B.S. in Exercise Physiology from Saint Francis University, and I am currently finishing up my M.S. in Clinical Exercise Physiology from the University of Pittsburgh. I plan on pursuing a career in Tactical Strength and Conditioning and Military Human Performance Research. My goal as an Exercise Physiologist is to help everyone live a long, happy, healthy, and STRONG life. I have loved exercise all my life. I was a swimmer for 13 years, and I finished off my career swimming for SFU on the NCAA Division I level. Lifting has always been a big part of my life, and I want to continue to share my love and passion for it with everyone. Aside from lifting, I love to hike and country line dance!

Self Accountability

Fitness, Life Health, Training

What’s up everyone! Today I wanted to take the time to talk about Self-Accountability and how it could be the reason that you may not be obtaining the results that you would like with your fitness goals.

In my opinion, we have one of the best staff in Pittsburgh with our trainers and coaches. They have superb knowledge, are good people, have the ability to empathize, and can guide you in the right direction. If they don’t have the knowledge on a particular topic, they also always seek out more information from others to learn on that particular topic or they will dive into research with peer reviewed articles or case studies.

Although our trainers and coaches are great at Union Fitness, they can only guide you in the right direction and can only push you to a certain degree. For example, when I am doing initial consultations with potential clients, they come in with these awesome goals and large aspirations that are 100% obtainable. However, they fail to realize that sessions tend to be only 1-3 times a week. The hard truth that some people need to learn is that working out once a week, twice a week, or even three times a week is not enough in the long run to reach their particular goal. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 300 to 450 minutes of exercise a week to achieve maximum health gains. This means that even if you are training three times a week with a trainer, it’s not enough to achieve your goals. You would need to do some type of activity on your own without a coach or trainer that way you are doing enough to reach your goals.

In my own experience in training with clients, the clients that see the best results are the ones that did extra work outside of our sessions. It could be exercise that I programmed myself for them, an outside source like another gym or classes, or something that they enjoy and are comfortable doing on their own.

To bring things back full circle, this means there needs to be some type of self-accountability when you are on your own. At the end of the day, it comes down to the client and what they are willing to do to reach their goals. Exercising once, twice, or three times a week is definitely great and if that’s all you can muster then that is fine too but there are definitely gains being left on the table. So if you are a current client and are reading this, do not be afraid to ask your trainer for extra programming to do on your own. This will speed up the process of your goals and make things more obtainable.

In conclusion, I am writing this blog to simply provide information to our members and whoever might be reading this. My intention is to not make anyone feel bad or to call anyone out. We often look to blame others for our issues, problems, or lack of progress in our lives but sometimes it takes a hard look in the mirror. Am I really doing everything I could be doing  to achieve my goals? Am I exercising with intent rather than going through the motions? That is for you to decide! Again, I want to reiterate that I am trying to give you a gentle nudge to push you in the right direction. That way you can be your happiest and best self!

I’ll leave you with this. You could have all the money in the world, the best trainers in the world, the best coaches in the world, the best support in the world, and the best nutritionists in the world, but if you do not execute and remain self disciplined then you will not get the results that you would like.

I hope this blog helps some of you out that are struggling with your goals. Do not give up and always strive for more! You will be surprised at how durable, resilient, and mentally strong you really are and can become. It will not be easy, but if it was easy then everyone would do it.

-Zain

The Importance of Stretching: Static vs. Dynamic

Fitness, Training

Stretching is an essential component of any fitness routine, often overlooked or rushed through. It not only improves flexibility but also plays a crucial role in injury prevention and performance enhancement. There are two primary types of stretching: static stretching and dynamic stretching, each serving different purposes and best suited for specific times in your workout routine. 

  

 

Static Stretching 

 

Static stretching involves holding a stretch for a prolonged period, typically 15-30 seconds. It helps improve flexibility by elongating the muscle and increasing its range of motion. Static stretches are best done after your workout or during a dedicated stretching session. They help relax the muscles and can improve muscle recovery post-exercise. 

 

Dynamic Stretching 

 

Dynamic stretching, on the other hand, involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both. Unlike static stretching, dynamic stretching involves active movements that mimic the activity you are about to perform. Dynamic stretches are great as part of a warm-up routine to prepare your muscles, joints, and tendons for the upcoming workout. 

 

 

Importance of Stretching 

 

  1. Improved Flexibility: Stretching regularly can improve your flexibility over time, which is beneficial for various physical activities and daily tasks.

 

  1. Injury Prevention: By improving flexibility and range of motion, stretching can help prevent injuries, especially muscle strains and joint sprains.

 

  1. Enhanced Performance: Stretching can improve your overall performance in physical activities by allowing your muscles to work more effectively.

 

  1. Reduced Muscle Tension: Stretching can help reduce muscle tension and soreness, especially after intense workouts.

 

  1. Improved Posture: Stretching can help improve your posture by lengthening tight muscles that pull areas of the body away from their intended position.

 

When to Stretch 

 

– Before Exercise: Dynamic stretching is best before exercise as part of a warm-up routine to prepare your muscles for activity. 

   

– After Exercise: Static stretching is best after exercise to help relax the muscles and improve flexibility. 

 

– Throughout the Day: Stretching throughout the day, especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle, can help prevent muscle stiffness and improve overall flexibility. 

 

 

Incorporating both static and dynamic stretching into your fitness routine can lead to improved flexibility, reduced risk of injury, and better overall performance. Remember to listen to your body and stretch within your limits to avoid overstretching or causing injury. Stretching should be a regular part of your fitness routine to enjoy its full benefits. 

 

-Grayson

Summer Sledge

Fitness

As the great poet of our time, Limp Bizkit once said ” And if my day keeps going this way, I just might break something tonight”. 

 

Well another way to keep that energy rolling in a more productive manner, why don’t we try incorporating the sledge hammer into our training. Sledgehammer training will put your strength, power, coordination, endurance and chutzpah to the test. From a 4lbs sledge to a hulking 65lbs sledge, there are various movements to utilize this tool. A classic staple is the tride and true slam to tire, but you can use the sledge to complete a “KB ” like flow series, mace movements and other functional everyday movements. Completing these movements will not only improve your overall performance from your head to your toes, but it will leave you feeling like one bad mother, shut your mouth. Sledgehammer training offers an array of benefits no matter what type of athlete you may be. Include them in your circuit training for an intense cardio session to elevate your heart rate and improve aerobic capacity and metabolic conditioning or use it as a tool to build strength, power, and explosiveness. Incorporating sledgehammer movements into your training will naturally strengthen the forearms, improve wrist mobility, and increase grip strength. Sledgehammer training uses full range movements which will improve functional fitness, coordination, and agility. My personal favorite combo with the sledgehammer is when I build the exercise into my metabolic conditioning circuit day. For example, I will use the sledgehammer to hit a tire for :30 seconds, alternating sides of the swing, then farmers carry to my next exercise, hit my roulette ab pick of the training then jog back to the top and start all over. This quick blog is just to get you thinking of how you can add variety and spice into your exercise routine. If you’d like to try any of these sledge movements, please ask me and I would love to show you how. We can have a Summer sledge party.  

 

-Sledge On  

CeJ