Hello world of Union Fitness!

You have probably already seen us post challenges and specials these past few months on our social media pages and on our TV’s inside of the gym. In the month of October, we ran a special where if you “tag and share your workout or experience at Union Fitness on social media for a chance to win 20% off your next month’s membership dues!”

The winner of this special was our very own Fernanda Padilla Ramos! She is an avid Powerful class and yoga class goer here at Union Fitness, so you have probably seen her around. She is awesome and has been putting in the work to get consistently stronger and fit in our classes. We are excited that she was the winner!

Keep an eye out for our upcoming specials and challenges, and it could be you featured on our social media pages next! For November, the member with the most scan-ins to the gym will receive 20% off their next month’s membership dues. As always, if you have any ideas or feedback, please feel free to let any of us know. 🙂

UF Team

Hola amigos y amigas! If you’ve been to Union recently, you may have noticed signs and bins set up for donations. We are partnering with an amazing organization called HEARTH, and we’re collecting food pantry items as well as other essential living supplies. 

You may be wondering: What is HEARTH? What do they do? And what is their mission? 

HEARTH is a transitional housing program located in Pittsburgh’s North Hills. They provide a safe, supportive environment for mothers and children overcoming domestic violence, homelessness, and trauma. Their goal is to empower these families to regain independence, stability, and healing through essential services and a strong sense of community. 

HEARTH offers a range of resources designed to help families get back on their feet: 

• Weekly Case Management: Tailored support that connects families to local resources and helps them rebuild their lives. 

• Food Pantry & Free Store: Families have access to food, clothing, and other basic essentials onsite. 

• A Supportive Community: With a garden, playgrounds, laundry facilities, and a clothing closet, HEARTH fosters a nurturing environment for all residents. 

• Life Skills Programs: Empowering mothers with tools they need to thrive, including parenting support, financial education, and job readiness training. 

Many families arrive at HEARTH with very few belongings and are in immediate need of support. Donations are critical in providing essentials like food, baby supplies, and hygiene products. Your contributions will directly impact the comfort, safety, and well-being of these families as they start over. 

How You Can Make a Difference: 

• Donate Essentials: Items like food, toiletries, and baby supplies help families meet their basic needs. 

• Make a Financial Contribution: Monetary donations fund essential programs, case management, and housing support. 

• Volunteer: Help organize donation drives or assist with childcare on Monday evenings and other events. 

• Spread the Word: Share HEARTH’s mission with those around you to increase awareness and support. 

Your generosity gives mothers and children the resources they need to heal, regain independence, and rebuild their lives. Every donation, no matter the size, helps create lasting change. 

To donate or learn more, visit the website or contact them directly. Thank you for helping us make a difference! 

Dahveed

¡Saludos hermanos y hermanas!

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been promoted to Head of Personal Training here at Union! This new role is a significant milestone and reflects the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my career.

When I first started on this path, I thought everything was laid out clearly, and I could achieve my goals within 5-7 years. However, after the pandemic, life, like for many others, came to a screeching halt. I had to rethink how I should progress in my life and career. During this time, I met my fiancé. We did long distance for about a year until I decided to move to Pittsburgh, and I am extremely happy I did.

Moving here has helped me grow so much as a person. It was the first time I lived more than 25 minutes away from my mom and brother. I thought it would be easy, but it turned out to be much more difficult, especially being away from my brother. We’ve always been together until the day I moved here, so it was tough to be so far apart. Ultimately, I believe it was good for us to grow on our own, and it has helped us become closer than we were before.

Coming to Pittsburgh has also opened many doors for me, including working at Union, where I’ve had the opportunity to meet and become good friends with many wonderful people. This move has also led to new career opportunities, like this Head of Personal Training position.

I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and hope to make everyone proud. I know this journey is not over; it’s only the first step!

P.S. I got triples of the nova, triples of the road runner, AND triples of the barracuda

Love y’all,
Dahveed

My first time coming into Union Fitness was when I was a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. I had just joined the Pitt Powerlifting team and was coming off a bodybuilding prep for 2 separate shows. My goal at the time was to be the best as I could possibly be in powerlifting. In essence, I wanted to lift as much weight as I possibly could. While I was lifting at Union for the first time, I was enamored with the community and the overflowing amount of knowledge that this environment provided. Everyone from the coaches to the members were so strong but also willing to teach you what they knew. In that moment, I knew that I had to be at Union Fitness if I wanted to grow not only as a powerlifter but also as a person. Fast forward to 3 years later, I had the opportunity to intern at Union Fitness in the Spring of 2022 where I met Curt, CJ, Todd, Toria, Miranda, Ethan, and many others. Along with that, I also got an inside look of Union Fitness’s community outside of powerlifting. The relationships that I saw from our group classes, our clients, our athletes, and our members is what convinced me that I needed to work here.

Fast forward again another year later, Curtis had stepped down from his position and there was an opening for being the head personal trainer. This is what I had been waiting for and I was extremely excited to apply. Although I had a stiff competition with Maria and Dahveed, I was fortunate once again to be selected as the head personal trainer. I did not want to take this position lightly especially with how great my predecessor Curt was before me.

I did my best to be who I am as a person but also continuing to carry on the legacy and knowledge that Union Fitness has provided for me and so many others. Through all the ups and all the downs, I am forever grateful for this opportunity and experience that was given to me. I have put my two weeks in at Union Fitness and my official last day as the manager of personal training and services will be Saturday September 21st 2024. However, do not fret, I will be staying on part time and continuing to train clients and maybe teaching a class or two when I have the time!

I wanted to take the time to thank each person that I have interacted with during my time here. This goes from teaching powerful bright and early with the OG squad at 6am, teaching powerful at 5pm with the evening homies, teaching countless cardio labs with the dedicated yet psychotic few, all the personal training clients that have trusted me with their progress, and all the members who have made my time as enjoyable as possible. Lastly, I want to thank my coworkers for their trust in me and allowing me to be part of the team with them. I truly felt at home with these people.

Over the past few years, I have gained many new relationships that I hope I can keep for the rest of my life. I view you all as my friends and I care about each and everyone of you. Without a doubt, the community is the best part of Union Fitness and I will die on that hill.

Like I said earlier, I will still be here but in much more limited role. However, next Saturday September 21st I would love to get drinks with everyone that would like to come. We will meet right after the mock meet at approximately noon at federal galley. Please feel free to stop by if you would like!

Zain signing off

Hello!

My name is Demetrius Butler but you may commonly hear me referred to as Meech. I am currently an intern here at Union Fitness as I am enrolled in undergrad at Chatham University as an Exercise Science major. I am a Pittsburgh native and a fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams (even through the tough years) and actually went to Ringgold High School, which is about 40 minutes south of the city. I was a 4-year varsity starter there in basketball and achieved my dream of playing college basketball.

During my time at Chatham, I completed 2 years with the team when I then decided to go a different direction. I obtained a coaching job with the South Park High School Boy’s Basketball Team and I have been an assistant with the program for coming up 3 years now. My love and passion for the game has brought me in this direction and now it is time to spread my knowledge with the younger generations. I have always liked fitness because it helped keep me in shape for the upcoming seasons, so now I figured I will learn as much as I can to stay in shape and healthy now that I am no longer playing.

Being here at Union Fitness will allow me to expand my skills so that I can help prep my future teams in the offseason while also helping them avoid injury during the season. I am looking forward to being here and helping out all of my new teammates!

Thank you for taking the time to read a little bit about me, if you have any questions feel free to ask!

Meech

Hey everyone!

With my internship coming to an end this week I just wanted to write one more blog to share my experience at Union Fitness over the past 4 months. I have had so much fun interning at Union Fitness! Everyone has been so welcoming, and I have enjoyed getting to know the staff and members here. I have never been a part of a gym facility where everyone knows each other and is like a family, and I’m so glad I got to experience that here! 

 I have learned so much while being here. Being in Exercise Science classes for 4 years has taught me a lot, but I feel as though I learned the most while being at my internship because I was able to utilize the knowledge I have gained through classes. Throughout the past four months, I have been able to gain knowledge in all types of exercise fields including personal training, coaching group classes, shadowing Physical Therapy, and getting a glimpse of what it’s like to operate a gym. I will forever be thankful for this experience and the staff who have helped me grow and gain knowledge along the way! 

After leaving Union Fitness, I will be starting my new job as a Physical Therapy Aide for UPMC. I will be going back to school next year to gain my Doctorate in Physical Therapy (fingers crossed I get accepted to Nova Southeastern- Ft. Lauderdale!). Again, I had so much fun interning at Union, and it was great meeting you all this summer!! 

-Alicia 

Hi UF Community! 

We all live different lives outside of our jobs, but it is important to establish and build a strong team in order to succeed in your workplace setting. I wanted to take a few minutes to shoutout and say thank you to every single one of our hard-working team members who are here at Union Fitness weekly. 

Allyssa – She has been a hard worker since the start. She immediately took on clients and hopped on the sub list for our classes and the front desk and has never stopped working hard. She is also doing all this while in Physical Therapy school, which makes it even more impressive. 

CJ – The wizard! He does it all here, whether it’s training almost all our University athletic teams, or several of his own clients, all while doing his management duties. He taught me all that I know when it comes to coaching group classes, and I’m forever thankful for that and for all he does to help keep UF in the best shape possible. 

Curtis – This guy is truly one of the greatest humans out there. Fun fact: He is the one who hired me on as a part-time contractor back in 2020. He always goes above and beyond for his clients and for UF. He still puts in his full 100% effort even while having a baby at home, which I sincerely respect and admire. I am happy to call him a very good friend of mine. 

Dahveed– I love the way he truly connects with both his clients and his athletes. He has a special way of interacting with them and making them feel like they are the most important people in the room. The amount of respect I have seen him gain from both his clients and athletes (and coaches, too) is highly commendable. 

Adeel – He has been a stellar addition to the UF Team. He never hesitates to step up when it’s needed and is a super friendly face for when anyone and everyone comes into the gym. We are glad to have you on the team! 

Eric – This guy showed up wearing an F45 hat, and we haven’t stopped messing with him about it. He has a great personality and has been able to fit himself right in with the UF crew. He’s already been crushing it with his own personal training clients and with subbing in for all our classes. 

Ethan – He is one of the best trainers I have had the pleasure of working with. I have the utmost respect for him and for how hard of a worker he is. Ethan also brightens up the room with his jokes and humor, which we all appreciate. He started a new trend called “Opera music Fridays,” which helps keep the good vibes rolling in the Strength Lab on Friday afternoons. 

Grayson – He is another one of our trainers who always puts a smile on everyone’s faces. He’s fun to mess with but will give you some attitude right back. You always need those people to help keep the environment light and fun, and Grayson is that person. 

Hannah – She is one of the newest hires here at UF, but she has also shown herself to be one of the hardest workers in the room. From the start, she was ready to take on some of her own classes and clients. Hannah teaches Powerful every Monday at 6pm and Cardio Lab every Saturday at 9:30am. If you are looking for a perfectly fun and upbeat class, Hannah is your girl! 

Hanson – He started as an intern last semester and has proven to be quite the “sponge” for information. He is always looking to learn and ask questions, which keeps him knowledgeable and ready to tackle the 6am Powerful class on Tuesday mornings. If you’re a morning person and are looking for a fun laugh while getting a great lift in, grab a coffee and check out his class! 

Jared – This dude is one of the smartest and strongest guys out there. He has been keeping the gym running by opening on M/W/F at 5am for several years now, and even teaches our Powerful classes at 6am on those mornings as well. He has also built his own Physical Therapy business (Function Reforged) and runs it right here out of Union Fitness. If you’re injured or even just looking to get your form right, he is your guy! 

Jen – She has been on the Front Desk team for quite some time now and has recently been promoted to be our Front Desk Supervisor! Jen has always crushed it when it comes to customer service and teamwork, and it really shows. She’s a friendly first face when you first walk into the gym and a great person to talk with about anything. We love having her on the team! 

Justin – Justin started working here last year as one of our Front Desk employees, and he has been a consistent gym member since way before then. He is always willing to help the team, and help the gym grow in any way that it can! We love seeing him train and get strong in the Strength Lab every week as well. 

Katie – Katie is always a super friendly and smiling face to see in the very dark hours of the morning. I don’t think I have ever seen her in a bad mood! She teaches Cardio Lab every Friday at 7am, so if you’re looking to get your butt kicked and start your weekend off right come and join her! 

Kyle – This kid is one of the smartest dudes I know. You could ask him any question about training, and he will most likely know the answer. On top of working here, he also works at Pitt with some of their athletic teams. He always works hard, and it definitely shows. 

Lauren – If you haven’t checked out a yoga class here at UF yet, you’re missing out! Lauren’s classes on Wednesday’s at 6pm and Sunday’s at 10:30am are always bumpin and she is awesome at what she does. She really cares about everyone that walks through the door and it shows. 

Mary – Mary came here while she was still in school and immediately picked up coaching our university teams and cardio lab classes. She has been working hard since she first started and has not stopped. We appreciate all of her help! 

Nick – Nick is another one of the newest hires here at UF and is one of the friendliest people I have ever met. He has been a great addition to our Front Desk team and has been willing to work hard ever since he started a few weeks ago. He is always willing to learn and wants to be sure he gets the job done right. 

Rachael – Rachael is one of the most thorough coaches I have ever met. I can honestly say she is one of the best. The way that she truly cares about all our members and cares about the growth of the gym is so much appreciated by all of us on the management team. She is one of the OG coaches who has been here since close to the opening of UF, so the fact she is still here is awesome. 

Roman – Roman may be quiet, but he is one of the nicest and friendliest employees we have. He has also been a long-time member here at Union, so it’s pretty cool to have him on the other side with us! 

Sara – Sara is a serious OG. She’s been here since the beginning of UF’s time! She holds down the desk on the weekends and is a consistent devoted class member. We love having our employees take our classes! 

Steph– Speaking of OG’s, Steph is also a serious OG. Her classes are one of the most popular ones here, only because everyone knows and loves her! Steph is always smiling and will always be sure to kick your butt! 

Ted – Not many people are willing to be awake before 5am, let alone come to open a gym at 5am. Ted has been great for the past few months he has been here. He’s been coming here for the past few years as a Chatham Lacrosse athlete, so his working here now is awesome. 

Vicki – Vicki came on board because her and Ted are coworkers at their other job, and both were members here. Another long-time member converted into a staff member. She is another quiet one, but super friendly. 😊 

Zain – I like to think of Zain as my little brother (not just because he reminds me of my actual 9-year-old brother), but because we treat each other like siblings. I love how he is always in a positive mood and is always making UF a better place. I have really enjoyed seeing him grow here at UF from back when he was just lifting here, to being an intern, to now being the Head Personal Trainer.  

Zoey – Zoey is from the same hometown as me, so that means we automatically have a cool connection. She’s also a Pitt grad, which we also have in common! She has been a great addition to the team, and I look forward to seeing her grow here at UF. 

Hi Everyone!

I am Erik Gountanis and I moved to Pittsburgh from Wisconsin at the end of May after finishing my undergraduate degree in Exercise Science! My wife and I moved to Pittsburgh together so that I can attend Pitt for their physical therapy program.  

I am interested in improving my health and wellbeing through training, diet, and other behaviors. After I get my degree in physical therapy I would love to further my education, and participate in research to help develop new technologies within the world of fitness, medicine, and physical therapy. Outside of work I enjoy spending quality time with my wife, listening to podcasts, and relaxing. 

Working at Union Fitness has been and continues to be an awesome experience! I love sharing my passion with people who are looking to improve themselves in various ways through training. While most of my knowledge is centered around general strength and rehabilitation, I hope to continue to expand my scope by surrounding myself with the knowledgeable, experienced coaches and staff at Union Fitness! 

See you around! 

Erik 

Hi everyone! 

I’m Nate! I am a senior Exercise Science major at Lewis University located in Chicago. I also play volleyball for the University as well. I plan to eventually get my doctorate in chiropractic or Physical Therapy following my undergraduate degree.

I have had a passion for exercise science from a young age when I was just trying to figure out how to jump higher and dunk a basketball. I love interacting with people and helping them believe they can achieve their goals when it comes to fitness and health.

I am excited to learn and be an intern at Union Fitness this summer. I’m looking forward to being part of a community that believes in hard work, science-based exercise, and fun through the process! If you see the tall guy around at the gym, it’s probably me so don’t hesitate to say Hi! 

Nate