I only got into the coaching world maybe 15 years ago and training in general a little over 20 years ago; and no, this isn’t going to be me talking about the good old days. Before all that, I started drumming in bands at the age of 14 and I played my first show ever at 15. For me it has been a little over 25 years of writing music and today I realized how much that is like writing training programs. A lot of the music I wrote early on was awful, I didn’t really know what I was doing, some never even saw the light of day but over time and with lots of practice I wrote music with my bands that has taken me from LA to Helsinki to Auckland. So, check it out.

When I first got into punk and hardcore I had mentors, I was lucky enough to have people 5 and 6 years older than me take me under their wing and explain to me the culture of music and take me to shows. These were the people I later went on to play in bands with. In regard to my coaching career, I did the same, I found someone who had already been in the field coaching, and I learned from him. Just like my older friends taught me about the music culture, he taught me how to coach, what to read and a lot of the history of strength training.

I started interning at that coach’s gym, understanding his programs and coaching athletes through his workouts. This was the same as learning covers as a band. They aren’t your songs, but you can begin to understand what makes them good. During this time, I kept reading and expanding my knowledge much like as a drummer I kept listening to music and practicing my chops.

Eventually, it was time to go off and do my own thing and time to write my own programs. Just like some of the early music I wrote, my programs were just rip offs of ones I was already familiar with. It wasn’t quite plagiarism, but I had yet to really grasp programming and make something truly original. It is tough though, just like music and there only being so many riffs you can write, beats you can play in training there are only so many exercises and so many ways to organize them. You may not mean to copy something but when you go back and look at things you realize “damn it, I knew I recognized this from somewhere”.

As time went on with both my music and my training, I kept reading more, kept listening to more music, kept practicing and then finally it all started to come together. I started finding all the parts of music I liked; I found the drummers that inspired me and began to write original music I was proud of, and training has worked the same way. I began to find coach’s whose message resonated with me, I found training modalities that made sense to me and worked. I began to realize just like writing a song, writing programs is the same thing. It is a combination of all your inspiration and talents/knowledge that makes a program your own.

Ethan

Whether you are just starting your fitness journey or you are a seasoned gym member, understanding the concept of exercise progressions and regressions can significantly enhance your results. These tools allow you to adjust exercises to match your current fitness level, ensuring you’re constantly challenged without risking injury. Today, we will break down the importance of progressions and regressions, how to use them effectively, and provide examples to help you get started.

What Are Exercise Progressions and Regressions?

• Progressions are ways to make an exercise more challenging over time. These adjustments might involve adding resistance, increasing your range of motion, or making the movement more complex to stimulate growth and strength.
• Regressions, on the other hand, make exercises easier and more accessible, which is ideal when you are building foundational strength, dealing with injuries, or learning a new movement pattern.

The beauty of progressions and regressions is that they allow for continual improvement while reducing the risk of injury. Whether you are aiming to get stronger, more flexible, or just more confident in your movements, they can ensure you are moving safely toward your goals.

Why Use Progressions and Regressions?

1. Personalization
   Everyone’s fitness level is different. Progressions and regressions help tailor your workouts to match where you are, ensuring you are always challenged but not overwhelmed.
2. Injury Prevention
   Pushing too hard too soon can lead to injuries. Regressions allow you to ease into a movement while strengthening the muscles required for more advanced variations.
3. Consistency and Motivation
   Progressing gradually can keep you motivated. Small wins, like mastering a new exercise or lifting a heavier weight, can give you a sense of accomplishment that drives you to keep going.
4. Build Confidence
   Regressions let you learn an exercise with proper form at a level you are comfortable with, which builds confidence before progressing to harder variations.

How to Use Progressions and Regressions in Your Workouts

How do you know when it’s time to progress, or when to take a step back? Here are a few tips:

1. Listen to Your Body
   If an exercise feels too easy, it might be time to move on to a more challenging variation. Conversely, if you’re struggling with proper form or feel pain, it may be time to regress until you are ready to move up.
2. Focus on Form
   Before you progress, ensure that your form is solid in the current variation. Moving too quickly to a more difficult exercise can lead to sloppy technique and increase the risk of injury.
3. Gradual Adjustments
   Progressions don’t always mean making drastic changes. Small adjustments like adding weight or increasing the number of reps can have a big impact over time.
4. Assess Your Goals
   Your goals should dictate when and how you progress or regress. If your goal is to build strength, you may progress more quickly by adding weight. If you’re working on mobility or stability, you might focus on perfecting your form with less intensity before adding complexity.

Example Progressions and Regressions

Let’s break down a few common exercises, showing how to progress and regress each one.

1. Push-Ups

• Regression: Start with knee push-ups to reduce the load on your arms and chest.
• Progression: Once you can do 15–20 knee push-ups with good form, move to full push-ups. Then, you can progress by elevating your feet or adding a clap for a more explosive variation.

2. Squats

• Regression: If bodyweight squats are too challenging, try squatting to a chair or box for support. This limits your range of motion and provides a safety net if you struggle with balance.
• Progression: Add resistance with dumbbells or a barbell, or try single-leg squats for increased challenge and balance training.

3. Planks

• Regression: Begin with the plank on your knees to reduce the load on your core. If this is still too difficult, try holding a modified forearm plank.
• Progression: Once you’re comfortable with a standard plank, increase the time, add leg raises, or try side planks to further challenge your core.

4. Lunges

• Regression: Perform stationary lunges or step-ups, which reduce the dynamic movement and give you a more stable position.
• Progression: Once you’ve mastered stationary lunges, add weights or move to jumping lunges to increase intensity and coordination.

5. Deadlifts

• Regression: Use a kettlebell or dumbbell for a sumo deadlift (wider stance) instead of a traditional barbell to reduce the range of motion.
• Progression: Once your form is solid, you can increase the weight or add tempo variations (e.g., slow eccentric lowering) to challenge your muscles further.

When to Progress or Regress?

• Progress when:
  • You can perform the exercise with good form and control.
  • You’re no longer feeling challenged by the current variation.
  • You want to increase intensity to push your limits.
• Regress when:
  • You can’t maintain proper form throughout the exercise.
  • You experience pain (not just discomfort) during a movement.
  • You feel fatigued or overwhelmed, leading to compromised technique.

Final Thoughts

Mastering exercise progressions and regressions is essential for building a sustainable and injury-free fitness routine. It’s not about pushing yourself to the max every workout—it’s about knowing when to challenge yourself and when to take a step back. By listening to your body and progressing at your own pace, you’ll stay motivated, keep making progress, and enjoy a long-lasting fitness journey.

Remember: consistency is key, and small, gradual improvements will add up over time. So, whether you’re regressing to improve form or progressing to take your fitness to the next level, you’re always moving forward.

Happy training!

Toria

When it comes to functional fitness, few exercises are as universally praised or as widely used as the squat. From elite athletes to beginners in the gym, the squat stands as a foundational movement that offers a host of benefits. But while squatting might seem like a simple action, there is a lot of education behind the movement to ensure it is done properly and effectively. Let’s break down the science, benefits, and proper techniques of the squat so you can maximize its impact and minimize the risk of any injury.

The Anatomy of the Squat: Which Muscles Are Involved?

To understand why squats are so effective, it is important to know which muscles are activated during the movement. Squats primarily target:

• Quadriceps: Located at the front of the thighs, these muscles are responsible for extending the knee.
• Hamstrings: These muscles at the back of the thigh help in knee flexion and hip extension.
• Glutes: The gluteus maximus, or your butt muscles, play a key role in hip extension, helping to straighten your body as you rise from a squat.
• Core Muscles: The abdominal muscles, lower back, and obliques all work together to stabilize your torso and maintain proper posture during the squat.
• Adductors: The inner thigh muscles that assist in controlling your legs and supporting the squat’s balance.
• Calves: Though not as primary, your calves (gastrocnemius and soleus) help with stabilization and balance during the movement.

The Benefits of Squats

1. Strength and Power Development: Squats are incredibly effective for building strength in the lower body, particularly in the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. This increased strength can translate to improved performance in other exercises, sports, and even daily activities.
2. Improved Functional Movement: Since squats mimic the action of sitting down and standing up, they enhance functional mobility, making everyday tasks easier and less stressful on the body.
3. Core Stability: A well-executed squat requires core activation to maintain an upright torso and prevent rounding of the back. Over time, this can improve overall core strength and stability, which is crucial for preventing injuries and supporting better posture.
4. Joint Health and Flexibility: Squatting promotes healthy joint movement, particularly in the knees, hips, and ankles. It helps maintain joint flexibility, reduces stiffness, and improves the range of motion.
5. Better Balance and Coordination: The squat helps improve balance by engaging stabilizing muscles. This is vital for functional movements and prevention of injury, especially as we age.

How to Perform a Proper Squat: The Education Behind the Movement

While the squat may seem simple, executing it with proper form is key to getting the full benefits and avoiding injury. Here’s a step-by-step guide to mastering the basic bodyweight squat:

1. Stand Tall with Feet Hip-Width Apart: Position your feet so they are shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, with your toes pointing slightly outward. This is the stance you’ll need for balance.
2. Engage Your Core: Before you start lowering yourself, brace your core. Think about tightening your abdominal muscles as if you are about to get punched in the stomach. This will help stabilize your spine throughout the movement.
3. Initiate the Movement from Your Hips: Push your hips back as if you are about to sit down in a chair. This will prevent you from leaning forward too much and placing too much strain on your knees.
4. Lower Yourself Down: Bend your knees and lower your body toward the floor. Keep your chest up and your back straight. Aim to bring your thighs parallel to the floor (or lower if your full mobility allows). Your knees should track over your toes without caving inward.
5. Keep Your Weight on Your Heels: Throughout the squat, make sure the weight stays in your heels, not your toes. This helps activate glutes and hamstrings and reduces stress on the knees.
6. Return to Standing: Push through your heels and straighten your hips and knees to return to a standing position. Squeeze your glutes at the top to complete the movement.

*Not everyone’s squats are going to look the same. What is described here is in a “perfect world.” In reality, everyone’s squats are all going to look different and will need different tweaks and improvements based on the individual.

Common Squat Mistakes to Avoid

1. Knee Valgus: This happens when the knees cave inward during the squat. It can lead to knee strain and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. To fix this, focus on pushing your knees outward in line with your toes.
2. Leaning Forward: If you lean forward too much, it places unnecessary stress on your lower back. To prevent this, keep your chest lifted and imagine reaching your hips back rather than bending your torso.
3. Heels Lifting Off the Ground: Lifting your heels off the ground during a squat shifts the weight to your toes, which can strain the knees. Make sure your heels stay grounded throughout the movement.
4. Not Reaching Depth: While it’s important to squat within your range of motion, aiming for at least parallel thighs will ensure you’re engaging the glutes and hamstrings effectively.

Variations of the Squat

To keep your workout routine fresh and to continue progressing, try adding different squat variations. Some common ones and favorites of mine include:

• Goblet Squat: Holding a weight (usually a kettlebell or dumbbell) in front of your chest to add resistance.
• Front Squat: A barbell is held in front of your body, challenging your core and upper body strength.
• Overhead Squat: A challenging version where you hold a barbell or weight overhead as you squat.
• Jump Squat: Adding a plyometric element to the squat for increased power and cardiovascular conditioning.
• Bulgarian Split Squat: A single-leg squat variation with one leg elevated on a bench behind you.

Conclusion

The squat is more than just an exercise; it is a functional movement that forms the foundation of a well-rounded fitness routine. Understanding the anatomy, benefits, and proper technique behind the squat can help you optimize your workouts, avoid injury, and ultimately build strength that translates into better overall health and performance.

By educating yourself on the intricacies of the squat, you empower yourself to reap all the benefits this incredible exercise has to offer. Whether you are squatting to build muscle, improve mobility, or simply move better in everyday life, the squat is a cornerstone that will help you achieve your fitness goals. So, squat with confidence, knowing that you’re strengthening not just your legs, but your entire body!

Toria

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

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 

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.

2. 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.

3. 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. 

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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