If you’re someone who travels often for work or leisure, you’ve probably spent a lot of time trying to come up with workouts you can do on the go and in small spaces. We post a lot of bodyweight workouts that can be done from anywhere, but sometimes it’s nice to get some tougher resistance training in even when you don’t have access to a full set of weights. Enter the resistance band.

These helpful tools come in a huge variety of strengths and sizes. We use a lot of Therabands in the gym for some of the tougher movements and heavier EliteFTS bands when we really want to work. They are easy to pack, take up virtually no space, and are useful for people at all fitness levels.

To get you started, here are a few of our favorite resistance band movements:

Band Row

Band Pallof Press 

Band-Resisted Push-ups 

Band Front Squat 

Band Overhead Press 

Being active comes with the risk of injury, but the possibility of injury shouldn’t mean avoiding activity, rather taking precaution and using sound judgement. Whether the injury is a sprained finger or one that requires reconstructive surgery, injury is always a learning experience that can show just how strong and dedicated you are to being better.

Recovering from an injury comes with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions both positive and negative. Being stubborn, it’s easy to trick yourself into thinking the pain is all in your head. Not uncommonly do people train through pain, limit their full potential and risk re- injury. Giving your body the proper rest is by far the best recovery tactic.

Resting can be one of the hardest things to do especially if an injury happens when making progress. Injury constantly puts stress on the mind and body and how much rest depends on the type and severity of the injury. If it’s serious enough that it needs medical attention, see a doctor and get multiple opinions, but pay attention to your body and the level of pain that you are experiencing. If your pain is not decreasing on a weekly basis or actually increasing, research physical therapy facilities that are sports performance based. To prevent injury in the future, you should include rest days in your training plan.

Rehabbing injuries is another exceptionally important part of recovery. If you don’t rehab an injury properly, it will be extremely difficult to reach your maximum potential in the long term. Proper rehab can be the difference between a 4 month recovery and a 6 month recovery. This doesn’t mean doing rehab exercises once a week, but making extra time every day, scheduling soft tissue massages to work through scar tissue and using ice/heat therapy after workouts. Even if it is a small injury, like a sprained finger, it is important to first: move your finger throughout the day to increase your range of motion and second: rebuild strength to the injured area of the body. Rehab maintenance post injury should be a part of your workout to keep that once injured area healthy and strong.

Changing focus during your recovery period and taking time in other areas of your training will help keep you motivated and give you the ability to set short term goals. These short term goals will be the stepping stones to your long term goals after recovery. If an exercise increases your pain level in the injured area, do not do it. The long term reward outweighs the short term satisfaction of completing that exercise.

Staying positive does not mean that every second of every day you need to be happy and smiling. There is a difference between negative thoughts that inhibit confidence and negative thoughts that fuel your fire. Negative thoughts that inhibit confidence and decrease your athletic drive are when you tell yourself things like, “I’ll never be able to do anything again” or “I suck because I can’t perform”. Negative thoughts that fuel your fire to return stronger than you were are thoughts like, “It sucks being injured, but I’ll be back in the game if I stick to the plan”. As long as your outlook is more positive than negative, you will thrive in your recovery.

Surround yourself with people who support your recovery and push you to stay positive. Whether it’s friends, family, or one of the coaches here at Union Fitness, lean on them and remain open about your highs and lows. Know that all of the coaches here have dealt with nagging pains and injury, too, and we’re here to support you through it all!

Often, people talk about not having the motivation get to the gym and workout.  For some people, it can be the simple act of getting out of the house and getting yourself to the gym that is the hard part.  For others, the fear of failure or self-doubt can cripple you and make it hard to want to workout.  Still others have things they simply would rather be doing, such as going out with friends.

No matter the reason, motivation can be hard to come by.  This is especially true in the winter months when going home to curl up on the couch is more appealing than putting on shorts and getting active.  When I feel my motivation lacking, I let quotes, whether it be from a successful athlete or someone else, inspire me.

1. “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t. – Jerry Rice

2. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit.” –Aristotle

3. No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.” – Unknown

4. The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” – Tommy Lasorda

5. If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done.” – Thomas Jefferson

6. You are only one workout away from a good mood.” –Unknown

7. “The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.” —Arnold Schwarzenegger

8. If you tired of starting over, stop giving up.” – Unknown

9. When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.” –Unknown

10. It’s going to be a journey. It’s not a spring to get in shape.” – Kerri Walsh Jenning

11. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.” – Tony Robbins

12. Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do and, at some point, you will.” – Venus Williams

13. We cannot start over. But we can begin now and make a new ending.” –Zig Zig

14. Think about where you could be if you had started when you first had the idea. Think about where you could be six months from now if you start now.” –Unknown

15. “Every day is another chance to get stronger, eat better, to live healthier, and to be the best version of you.” – Unknown

There are a lot of ways to utilize these quotes to your advantage and let them motivate you.  Your favorite ones can be put on post-it notes around your home or office to remind you of why you began your fitness journey and to help motivate you to get to the gym.  You could set one as the background of your phone or your computer to be a constant reminder.  You can even use them as a personal mantra when you are trying to push out the last set in the gym.

No matter how you use them, let these motivate you.  There is a reason you go the gym, whether it be for health, weight loss, or something else.  No matter what it is, when your motivation lessens, pump yourself back up.  If you have another quote that fuels your motivation, share it with us in the comments below!

As I’m writing this, it is 39 degrees outside and I’m wearing not one, but two jackets (and a scarf, but it’s October so that’s ok). The cold seemed to come on overnight and I wasn’t ready! I’m guessing you weren’t either. While this transition is a little bit hard to handle mentally, it also means it’s time to make some adjustments to our running schedule. Right now, temperatures are PERFECT for running: it’s a little bit chilly and breezy but still sunny, so you won’t lose nearly as much sweat as you do in the summer months. Fall running in Pittsburgh is the best. However, come December things will get a bit trickier as temperatures get below freezing and the snow starts accumulating. Here are a few tips to help keep you on track this winter:

1. Adjust your training expectations. As weather conditions deteriorate, it’s important to consider injury risk and safety when you’re out on the road. What this really means: slow down. Winter isn’t a great time to focus on speedwork when you’re running on the road. Use these few months as an opportunity to expand your cardio base with some long slow runs. You’ll warm up as you accumulate distance on those runs, making the whole experience more comfortable as well.

2. Gear up. I’m not normally fond of pushing people to buy new gear for training, but in the winter months it’s necessary. The key to staying warm on your runs in the winter is layering. Look for moisture-wicking materials to help pull the sweat off your body so it doesn’t freeze while you’re outside. You’ll also want to look for something to cover your ears and nice warm gloves – no one can run comfortably when their head or hands are cold! This is also the season to think about your visibility on the road. As the days grow shorter, the need for reflective clothing increases. Reflective vests are easy to come by and do the job really well. You may also consider something like Yak Trax to give your shoes some extra traction while running. I don’t love these for the road, but if you run a lot of trails, they’ll probably be a good fit.

3. Consider moving indoors. When the weather is really terrible, take it inside. We have lots of treadmills waiting for you in the gym! To change it up a bit, try treadmill sprints. After warming up, set the treadmill to a very fast pace for you. Every minute on the minute, you’ll hop on to sprint for 15-20 seconds. Jump off and rest for the duration of that minute. Start with just 4 minutes once per week. Increase by 1 minute every other week until you hit a full 10 minute workout.

4. Use your new schedule to prioritize some crosstraining. We are always encouraging our runners to add some strength training to their fitness regimen, and the winter months are really the best time to give that more focus. For most runners, working on core and glute strength are top priorities, followed by single-leg and upper back work. The stronger and more stable you are, the longer and faster you’ll be able to run once the weather warms back up!

5. Always run with friends! Our weekend run group is going strong all winter long. We’re pushing it back to Saturdays at 1pm to try to head out at the warmest time of day. When the weather really isn’t cooperating, we’ll do some incline and speed work on the treadmill. There’s always something to do, so come run with us!

There are few things in this world that make lifestyle changes “easy,” because there are a lot of growing pains involved.  To truly impact your weight and health in a big way, we have to change our mindset. Rather than focusing on ‘eat this chicken and broccoli’ we should be focusing on behavior that make it effortless and enjoyable. People already know what they should be eating or doing to lose weight, the problem is in the execution. Eating chicken and broccoli is a behavior that could lead to an outcome of weight loss, but if you hate every bite of that food, you’re not creating likelihood for long term success.

Where the mind goes, the body will follow

Just a few weeks of eating better and exercise can give a tremendous boost in how you look and feel both physically and emotionally. But we tend to overlook the power of our minds to create the healthy body we want. The thoughts we think have a great impact on the outcome of our health and our internal thoughts create chemical changes in the body every second. Someone who thinks more positive thoughts will enjoy a stronger, healthier body than someone who thinks more negative thoughts.

A few helpful ways to change your mindset are to practice gratitude and meditate. When you’re feeling like everything is going wrong, take a moment to consider other areas of life that are going right. Sometimes we focus on one area of our life that we may not be as happy with and forget about all the other great things happening.

All it takes is simply thinking about or writing down a few things you’re grateful for each time you think a negative thought. It could be internal, such as having nice hair, or external, such as having clean water to drink. Practicing this helps give perspective on the fact that things are really not as bad as they may seem. Insight Timer is a great guided meditation app to help you gain clarity and peace. There are endless meditation types ranging from 5 minutes to an hour.

Other small changes you can make daily:

1. Make sure you’re prepared. Meal prepping and planning when you go to the gym will help keep you on course and accountable.
2. Reduce your meal portion size. Use smaller plates at home or ask your waiter to box up half your meal before bringing it to you.
3. Eat protein and fiber at each meal. Both contribute to satiety, keeping you fuller longer.
4. Replace soda with water. If you hate water, try a zero calorie water enhancer, sparkling water.
5. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. It will help on the days when you’re actually in a rush.
6. Take a class with your favorite coaches at Union Fitness! No explanation necessary 🙂

You have the ability to choose which way you want to go. Do everything you can to make it happen. Don’t make excuses. Don’t wait for it to happen.

—> Make small changes daily that compound to big results <—

Do you look forward to workouts or do you absolutely dread them? Either way, having a killer playlist will be sure to help you power through. As the weather finally starts to cool down, it suddenly becomes harder to find motivation to hit the gym or the track for a nice workout, but we all know how crucial it is to stay consistent. So if you’re like me and want to cuddle up in your bed for the rest of the year, get up and don’t let the cold weather get you down! Download Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora or whatever you prefer and create the perfect workout playlist to get you pumped up!

Beyonce is always a go-to! – Her old stuff is great and her new stuff is even better. If you don’t have her Lemonade album, get it now! Those 12 songs will power you through workouts for months. Some of her greatest to workout to are:

• Freedom
• Flawless
• Don’t Hurt Yourself

Kayne West never fails in the gym- His songs are sure to get you pumped and keep you pumped for the entirety of your workout. Anytime I do cardio or anything high-intensity, Kanye is always there to keep me going— some of his best are:

• Stronger
• Power
• Can’t Tell Me Nothing

How about some oldies, but goodies? Sometimes all we need are some nice throwbacks to pump us up! If these following songs don’t sound familiar to you, just look them up… chances are you know them and they will get you pumped!

• Sail- Awolnation
• Show Me the Money- Petey Pablo
• Lose Control- Miss Elliot
• Gangstas Paradise- Coolio

You can never go wrong with a good remix and there are a ton of really good ones out there! They are made for a reason… to speed up those really slow songs that we all know and love. And what better way to get pumped up than listen to song that was made just for that. Some of my favorite remixes are:

• You and Me Flume Remix- Disclosure
• Pursuit of Happiness- Kid Cudi
• Can’t Feel My Face- The Weekend and Martin Garrix

So if you are someone who dreads hitting the gym, make your active life a little easier and have a good playlist on hand. Music is a great way to distract yourself from the pain of your weightlifting or you long jog. Get in the workout zone with the right songs and power through that workout!

A common goal that we see here at the gym is being able to do a pull-up.  I mean, what’s not impressive about that, right?  Hoisting yourself above a high bar doesn’t have to be an impossible feat!  Whether you’re currently working towards your first pull-up or working towards 100, here are some things you can do to help improve your pull-ups.

Do More Pull-Ups!

The first (and best) step to accomplishing any goal is to practice! And then practice and practice and practice some more. You won’t get a pull-up by just staring at that bar so ahead and get to work.

Dead Hangs

The pull-up starts with a dead hang, so it makes sense to start your training here. Everyone, even those with serious pull-up power,  can benefit from these because training your grip leads to a seriously strong upper body.  If your grip is already pretty strong, try incorporating some towel hangs or weighted hangs to really spice things up.

Scapular Pull-Ups

Since the pull-up uses predominantly back muscles, scapular pull-ups are a great movement for those having trouble activating their lats.  Your lats should be the first muscles firing in a pull-up.  This exercise teaches you how to hang with straight arms then pull your shoulder blades down your back, mimicking the first lat pull while strengthening your back muscles.

Negatives

Negatives are the eccentric or downward portion of a movement and they are a powerful & fast way to see progress. Step on a box or jump to get your chin above the bar then slowly lower yourself until your arms are straight.  For those a little more advanced, try some weighted negatives and lemme know how sore you are the next day!

Partner-Assisted Pull-Ups

If you are close to a full pull-up but just cant quite make it there, go grab a friend (or make a new gym friend)! Have them assist you by placing their hands underneath your feet and apply pressure as needed to elevate you higher.  Of course, don’t forget to return the favor!

If you need help with pull-ups (or anything else for that matter!) come to one of our strength training classes or sign up with a personal trainer today! May your backs be strong and pull-ups a-plenty.