Category Archives: Life Health

Fleet Feet Runs

Fitness, Life Health, Training

We at Fleet Feet Pittsburgh are excited to return to Union Fitness for our group long runs on

Sunday, September 7 and Sunday, November 2.

 

Our partnership with Union Fitness is a natural fit. Both of our organizations are dedicated to

promoting health, wellness and togetherness in Pittsburgh. Teaming up allows us to provide

even more opportunities for people to move, connect and grow stronger as a group. By bringing

runners into Union Fitness’s inspiring space, we’re not just creating a starting point for long runs

— we’re building a bridge between two communities who share a passion for fitness and a

commitment to helping people achieve their goals.

 

In addition to beginning long runs from the gym in the past, Nova Place is home to our annual

Holiday Lights Charity Run. This community event combines the spirit of the season with a

meaningful cause. Each year, this run raises funds for a local charity while offering participants a

tour of Pittsburgh’s holiday lights. We invite runners and walkers of all levels to join through

options of 2, 4, or 6 miles. This year, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is our charity

Partner.

 

Starting from Nova Place, our route will showcase Pittsburgh’s best holiday displays. Highlights

include running through a European-style Christmas market, a loop around the downtown

business district and, of course, a view of the iconic home of the Steelers. The event concludes

back at Nova Place, where participants can enjoy post-run refreshments and refuel. Last year’s

event drew more than 300 attendees.

 

Save the date: this year’s Holiday Lights Charity Run, sponsored by Union Fitness, will be

Thursday, December 18.

 

About the Fleet Feet Running Club

The Fleet Feet Running Club’s mission is to foster a lifetime passion for running and walking by

providing inspiration, motivation and know-how. We cater to all abilities, paces and levels of

experience.

 

We currently run four days a week:

  • Monday – Recovery Run: 6:30 PM from both Fleet Feet Pittsburgh’s Bakery Square and South Hills locations (3 miles)
  • Wednesday – Track Club: 6:30 PM at the Schenley Park Oval (structured interval session)
  • Thursday – East End Pub Run: 6:30 PM from Bakery Square (routes of 3 and 6 miles)
  • Sunday – Long Runs: 7:30 AM from various locations (routes of 3, 6 and 10 miles)

 

About Fleet Feet Pittsburgh

Fleet Feet Pittsburgh is the go-to store in the Pittsburgh area for anyone who spends time on

their feet. Whether you are running, walking or standing for long periods, everyone can benefit

from being properly fitted. With our fit ID® scanner, we create a 3D scan of your feet and

recommend the best shoes and insoles for your needs.

 

-Andrew Zentgraf: Fleet Feet Pittsburgh – Community Outreach Manager

Labor Day Weekend

Fitness, Life Health, Training

Hey UF Fam! 

 

Long weekends aren’t just for cookouts, they’re perfect for recovery.

 

Labor Day gives you an extra day to slow down, recharge, and hit “reset” on both your body and mind. At UF, we’re here to help you build better recovery habits that keep you performing your best, inside and outside the gym.

 

Recovery isn’t just about giving your muscles a break (though that’s important for repair, hormone balance, injury prevention, immune health, and energy restoration). It’s also about supporting your mental and emotional well-being—regulating stress, sharpening focus, and boosting mood.

 

Here are a few ways to make the most of the long weekend:

 

  • Take a calming walk outside 
  • Spend quality time with friends & family 
  • Get 7–9 hours of sleep 
  • Fuel up with nutritious meals 
  • Treat yourself to self-care, think face masks, a relaxing bath, or stretching 
  • Work on a hobby or passion project that usually gets pushed aside 

Remember: recovery is where real progress happens. Give yourself the time to rest, and your body and mind will thank you for it.

 

P.S. Labor Day hours are 10am-2pm. All classes are cancelled!

 

-Ashley

Consistency over Perfection

Life Health, Training

I get it. Life gets busy. Work piles up, energy dips, and motivation fades. But if there is one thing that I have learned over the years in the fitness world, it’s this:

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to show up.

 

The Power of Showing Up

It is not about crushing every workout. It is about making fitness a habit, something that’s part of your lifestyle, not just a seasonal goal. Some days there will be heavy lifts and new PRs. Others will be lighter days, stretching, or just 30 minutes of movement. And that is okay!

Every rep, every step, every drop of sweat adds up.

 

Progress is Built in the Routine

Here’s the truth: One missed workout won’t set you back. But constantly waiting for the “perfect” moment will.

Instead of aiming for perfection, aim for consistency.

  • Can’t make your full routine? Just come in for 30 minutes.
  • Feeling low energy? Just focus on form or active recovery.
  • Busy day? Squeeze in a quick HIIT or treadmill session just to get something in.

Your future self will thank you.

This week, I challenge you to show up 3 times. That’s it. It doesn’t matter how long, what you train, or how you feel. Just walk through the doors.

 

You’re Not Alone

At UF we are more than a place to lift weights. We are a community. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned athlete, we’re here to support your journey. From our trainers to your fellow members, we’re all in this together.

Let’s make this week count. Keep showing up. Keep getting stronger.

 

-Toria

The Benefits of Proper Sleep

Life Health

At Union fitness we all have goals that we wish to achieve through optimal training. When people think about optimal training they usually look at factors like their programming, nutrition, and recovery. These are all important factors to consider but I would like to focus on a specific part of recovery which is sleep. Everyone by now knows that sleep is important to optimal training but is something that commonly isn’t prioritized. In this blog I will list some benefits of sleep and their relation to training along with some tips for better sleep.

 

Benefits of proper sleep

 

Recovery:

Training hard is required to make progress, but also needs to be followed by proper recovery. Part of this recovery process is done in our sleep as our bodies release hormones to repair damaged tissues or muscles, reduce inflammation (if any), and induce muscle growth. Improper sleep rushes this process and can increase the amount of time you need to recover between training sessions. Training without proper recovery can lead to injuries or less progress.

 

Cognitive function:

Improper sleep can result in less focus and higher cortisol (stress) levels. Both of these have an impact as it takes our attention away from training. When programming training sessions, each part is designed with a specific purpose to meet your overall goal. As a result, any attention taken away from that training is impeding your progress towards that goal. Stress and feeling unfocused are also common reasons for people to skip training sessions.

 

Immune system:

Improper sleep can also lead to a weakened immune system making you more susceptible to sickness. Being sick impacts how well you perform in training and can even prevent it all together.

 

Energy:

During training we use different energy stores in our body to fuel the work being done. Sleep is a time where our body can restore these energy storages to allow us to come right back at it the next day. Without proper sleep these energy storages might not replenish as effectively. In some studies it has been shown that no sleep leads to no additional energy stored and ⅓ more energy used. I’m hoping none of us go without sleep but this gives you an idea of its impact.

 

 

Tips for better sleep

 

  • Sleep 7-9 hours every night
  • Make a sleep schedule and stick to it
  • Having a bedtime routine
  • Try not to take naps during the day, if you do keep them under 90 minutes.
  • Avoid caffeine after the morning
  • Avoid alcohol or substance use before bed
  • Reduce screen time and exposure to light for as long as possible before bed.
  • Don’t eat large meals close to bedtime.
  • Eat a small snack before bed. Avoid sugary snacks or ones with caffeine (like chocolate).
  • Exercise!

 

Sleep plays a huge role in our overall health and can have a huge impact on training. In order to live our best lives and progress towards our goals we need to properly sleep!

 

 

Josh

Caffeine/Preworkout Use, Safety, and Benefits

Life Health

The use of caffeine in the fitness industry has recently increased by a significant margin. With approximately 80-90% of the world using caffeine daily, with the average daily intake being around 200 mg, we can see this has become a very popular supplement. As someone who uses caffeine almost on a daily basis, I wanted to share some of the benefits and side effects/down sides of caffeine use, specifically in the field of exercise.

 

Benefits

1. May increase muscular strength and endurance. Some studies have shown that the ingestion of 3-6 mg/kg of body weight of caffeine can improve strength by 2-7%. This may be small but can be a deciding factor in the completion of a maximal effort repetition. Some data is still varied, and shows minimal effects of caffeine on performance, but depending on the person it can be beneficial.

 

2. May improve sports performance across wide variety of sports. Caffeine use has been measured in a broad range of sports from basketball to combat sports. These have shown small improvements in certain individuals within their sports, but it is still not consistently proven to work. Similar to muscular strength and endurance, it depends on the person, as genetics do play a big role on the effectiveness of caffeine on performance.

 

3. May improve focus. Caffeine has been shown to improve cognitive function during various tasks. Whether it is schoolwork, work at your job, or your exercise, caffeine may provide you that extra edge to lock in and meet that deadline. For me personally, I have had plenty of good and bad experiences with the use of caffeine in this aspect. There have been plenty of times where I am able to dial in and bang out my workout or assignment efficiently, while other times it has no effect or even makes me less focused than before. As always, it depends on a case-by-case basis.

 

Disadvantages

1. Can cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping. The goal of caffeine is to block adenosine receptors and the inhibition of phosodiesterases. This provides us the feeling of having energy through indirectly inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters such as GABA and serotonin. If we consume caffeine too late in the day, it can begin to disrupt our sleep cycles over an extended period of time. Depending on your tolerance levels and dosage, we should NOT be consuming caffeine at least 6 hours before bed, some even say up to 10 hours before bed.

 

2. Can cause anxiety, depending on the individual. According to a meta-analysis of eight different studies, the consumption of over 400 mg of caffeine can lead to an increased risk of anxiety, even in healthy individuals. From personal experience, I have had pretty severe anxiety from a very large dose of caffeine. So, we need to be careful with our consumption due to these adverse effects.

 

3. Can lead to addiction with withdrawal symptoms. We can become dependent on caffeine and build up a tolerance level as we continue usage of the substance. Caffeine is considered a psychoactive substance, which is in the same classification as alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana. When a tolerance is built up for any substance, it takes more and more of that substance to feel the same effects as before. If we decide not to consume caffeine on a given day, we may feel withdrawal symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and irritability.

 

Nico

Feel Powerful at Union Fitness

Fitness, Life Health, Training

Happy New Year and welcome to 2025,

 

 

I’m very appreciative of everyone who has made this gym a community of support and a home of strength. If you are new to the neighborhood and want to join our party of strength, you will be welcomed with arms wide open. Everyone deserves a place to train, with professional coaches, supportive members and overall unmatched vibes. As we all know, the people make the place, and for that I thank yinz. This is a very special group of humans and I’m happy to share this time in history with you.

 

 

For the next few weeks in our #Powerful class we will be focusing our training for the April Push Pull Charity Event. (Tentative date for the event is April 5th, 2025). The goal of our #Powerful class is to improve our technique , strength and confidence in our bigger barbell movements; squat, bench & deadlift. We will then be using smaller movements to build muscle, improve body composition and have some damn fun! As long as you show up and apply yourself, I can guarantee you will see and feel the results of your efforts. On Mondays and Wednesdays the training will be upper body focused, whereas Tuesdays and Thursdays will emphasize lower body movements. Friday, will be led and programmed by our 1 and only Dr. Jared, the strongest Physical Therapist this side of the Mississippi. I program the Monday through Thursday training days and, if you stop in on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, you’ll even get to hang out and throw weights around with me and the Crew…they are awesome. We Want You To Join #Powerful!

 

 

If you’re not interested in the Push Pull event, #Powerful will still be a badass class for you if you’re looking to train with a community, build confidence in the gym, have fun, push each other, and learn old & new exercises. We are currently running a special on classes for the month that you can check out on our website and as always, the first class is Free. If you have any more questions on anything, please reach out and I would be so happy to assist.

 

 

Come on out and join us and let’s crush some weights in 2025 and have some fun!

 

 

Always Get Bumpy,

 

CeJ

SMART Goals in the New Year

Life Health, Training

The New Year is a fresh start, filled with hope and the motivation to become a healthier, stronger, and more active version of yourself. However, with so many resolutions in mind, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and lose track of your fitness goals.

 

This is where SMART goals come in! SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. It’s a proven framework for setting goals that are clear, actionable, and attainable. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how to set SMART fitness goals and ensure you stay on track to achieve them throughout the year.

 

What Are SMART Goals?

SMART goals provide a structure that guides your actions, ensuring that your goals are clear and realistic. Let’s break down each component of a SMART goal:

  • S – Specific: Your goal should be clear and specific. Avoid vague goals like “get in shape.” Instead, focus on something more detailed, like “I want to lose 10 pounds by March.”
  • M – Measurable: You should be able to track your progress. Having measurable outcomes will help you stay motivated and see how far you’ve come. For example, “I will run 3 miles without stopping” is measurable, whereas “I want to get better at running” is not.
  • A – Achievable: Set a goal that’s challenging but still within reach. While it’s great to aim high, setting unrealistic goals will only lead to frustration. Consider your current fitness level and other commitments when deciding what’s achievable.
  • R – Relevant: Your goal should be aligned with your overall health and fitness objectives. It needs to resonate with your personal desires and be something you truly want to achieve. If you’re working on building strength, setting a goal to improve your squat form or increase your max weight can be relevant.
  • T – Time-bound: Every goal needs a deadline. This helps create urgency and prevents procrastination. For instance, “I want to run a 5K race in under 30 minutes by April” sets a clear timeframe to work toward.

 

 

How to Apply SMART Goals to Your Fitness Journey

Let’s take a closer look at how to apply the SMART framework to some common fitness goals.

 

  1. Weight Loss Goal
  • Specific: “I want to lose 15 pounds.”
  • Measurable: “I will track my weight using a scale every week.”
  • Achievable: “Losing 1-2 pounds per week is healthy and realistic for me.”
  • Relevant: “I want to lose weight to improve my overall health and feel more confident.”
  • Time-bound: “I will lose 15 pounds within the next 3 months.”

Final SMART Goal: “I want to lose 15 pounds by the end of March by eating a balanced diet and exercising 3 times a week.”

 

  1. Strength Training Goal
  • Specific: “I want to increase my squat strength.”
  • Measurable: “I will track my max squat weight each week.”
  • Achievable: “Increasing my squat by 10 pounds in the next month is achievable.”
  • Relevant: “Improving my squat strength will help me build overall muscle and improve athletic performance.”
  • Time-bound: “I will add 10 pounds to my squat max by February 28th.”

Final SMART Goal: “I will increase my squat by 10 pounds by February 28th by adding two strength training sessions each week and focusing on proper form.”

 

  1. Running Goal
  • Specific: “I want to improve my 5K time.”
  • Measurable: “I will time myself during a 5K run each month.”
  • Achievable: “I can realistically improve my 5K time by 2 minutes over the next month with consistent training.”
  • Relevant: “Improving my running time will help me become faster and healthier.”
  • Time-bound: “I will run a 5K in under 25 minutes by the end of February.”

Final SMART Goal: “I will reduce my 5K time to under 25 minutes by February 28th by running three times per week and doing interval training.”

 

  1. Flexibility and Mobility Goal
  • Specific: “I want to improve my flexibility.”
  • Measurable: “I will track my progress by measuring how far I can reach in a hamstring stretch each week.”
  • Achievable: “Stretching daily for 15 minutes will improve my flexibility over the next 6 weeks.”
  • Relevant: “Improving my flexibility will reduce muscle tightness and lower the risk of injury.”
  • Time-bound: “I will improve my hamstring stretch reach by 3 inches within 6 weeks.”

Final SMART Goal: “I will improve my flexibility by stretching for 15 minutes every day, aiming to increase my hamstring stretch reach by 3 inches by February 15th.”

 

 

Tips for Staying on Track with Your SMART Goals

  1. Track Your Progress Regularly: Set reminders to track your progress and adjust your plan if necessary. Using fitness apps or journaling can help keep you accountable.
  2. Celebrate Small Wins: Break larger goals into smaller milestones. For example, if your goal is to lose 15 pounds, celebrate every 5-pound milestone to keep motivation high.
  3. Adjust When Necessary: Life happens! If your goal feels too ambitious or if things aren’t going as planned, don’t be afraid to adjust your timeline or approach.
  4. Stay Consistent: Consistency is key when it comes to fitness. Commit to sticking to your plan, even on the days when motivation is low.

 

 

Conclusion

Setting SMART goals is one of the best ways to stay focused and motivated throughout the year. By making your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, you set yourself up for success and avoid feeling overwhelmed by vague resolutions. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, build strength, or improve flexibility, using the SMART framework ensures that your goals are clear and achievable—and that you’re equipped to crush them in 2025!

So, take a moment, think about what you want to achieve in your fitness journey, and write down your SMART goals today. The New Year is your perfect opportunity to make lasting changes, and with SMART goals, you’ll be well on your way to success.

 

Toria

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 

Having Agency

Life Health

What’s up UF!

 

I am sure that in the world of social media you see thousands of posts giving all sorts of advice. From how to properly do a back squat or deal with hard times in your life. An intricate explanation of what is needed to accomplish this idea usually follows. A ten part plan with a whole map of each step you need to take. However, the key missing piece that seems to always be left out is the simplest. Having the agency. 

 

Agency is defined as the ability to take control and action in your life. While this idea may be the simplest in theory it’s always the hardest. It’s easy to make an excuse and start when its convenient, or that life somehow always gets in the way. You can’t make the commitment to your goals because you’re too tired or something bad happened that threw your whole day into chaos. In those unexpected moments that’s when you have to double down and continue to be consistent. 

 

The only thing in life that stands between you and everything you’ve ever wanted to do, is doing it. So before you make that excuse, think about how every small step you take in the direction of what you want is perhaps no small step at all, but in fact the greatest journey of your life.  

 

To quote Marcus Aurelius: “You could be good today. But instead you choose tomorrow” 

 

That’s it, just start. 

 

Everything you’ve ever wanted will be in the palm of your hand before you know it.  

 

Dylan Heisey

Healthy Eating with Jen

Clean Eating, Life Health

Hi Union Fitness! 

 

With so much nutrition information available at our fingertips, it’s easy to get stuck dealing with analysis paralysis and decision fatigue or to fall down the crash dieting rabbit hole. Here are a few basic principles that I aim to follow in order to simplify the decision process, fuel performance, and maintain a healthy relationship with food: 

 

  1. Plan ahead. Whether I’m prepping meals for the week or heading to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for a special occasion, having a plan helps reduce decision fatigue and saves me time for the fun part: making and eating tasty food! Pro tip: freezing your meal preps helps them taste fresh for longer. No one likes refrigerator flavored chicken! Just remember to thaw them in the fridge or on a low power in the microwave before heating them up.
  2. Strive for small changes. Like laughably small. Breaking down large goals into small, easily achievable steps helps make big goals more attainable and makes us more likely to stick with new habits. Trying to increase protein intake, reduce ultra-processed food consumption, and eat more vegetables all at once is a huge undertaking for most people, myself included. Instead, add a greek yogurt to your breakfast or focus on opting for fruit over candy even 50% of the time. Use the small improvements to generate momentum, and remember, perfect is the enemy of better. 
  3. Eat for fuel and enjoyment. As a competitive athlete of 20 years and a budding therapist, I am a firm believer in the concept that there are no “good” or “bad” foods. Be it fuel and performance or pleasure and community, all food serves a purpose. Learning how to name that purpose and balance appropriately attending to our physical, emotional, and social needs is key to ensuring a healthy relationship with food. 

 

Finally, take some time to enjoy your food today. After all, we have to eat to live – might as well make it fun! 

 

-Jen