Hello everyone! My name is Mary Howski, and I am a new trainer at Union. I am a student at Pitt, studying Exercise Science. About 90% of the people in my program want to pursue Physical Therapy, but there are a few of us, myself included, who want to follow a strength and conditioning route.  

There are two main things that led to me choosing this career path. First, I grew up playing year-round, super competitive volleyball for school and for club teams. I was a libero as well as the person who chose the warmup music and gave the pregame pep talks for my club team. This team is the reason I first started being involved with sports performance as we had several sessions per week of lifting, conditioning, etc. to help us excel at our sport. It was difficult, but also very rewarding and enjoyable. I loved the time spent in the weight room and on the turf because I loved our great coach-player dynamics and bonding with my teammates and best friends. 

Second, I have always had an immense passion for exercise and health in general. Since grade school I’ve been active, and I began to enjoy it more in high school when I started lifting. During my freshman year of college I studied psychology at Boston College, but I decided to study for my personal training certification. Throughout this process I realized the real extent to which I love training. I thought that my personality, passion, and desire to learn would make me well suited for a career in sports performance. So, I transferred to Pitt and have absolutely loved school since then. I love working hands-on with physical activity and general health, whether that means learning from a professor, another coach, or the other ExSci majors. I absolutely crave figuring out all that I can to help athletes perform at an excellent, efficient level.  

I have experience in personal training, teaching group exercise, and shadowing/working with teams. This summer I will have the privilege of working with Pitt Men’s and Women’s Basketball, and I could not be more excited to be in the weight room with their very hard-working coaches and players.  

Outside of the gym, I love to read, go to concerts, and discover new music. I’m also a huge fan of long walks, painting my friends’ nails, and figuring out how to meditate. I am also a massive Cleveland Cavaliers fan. After finals week is over, I’m planning to spend some more hours at Union with all of you extremely dedicated and impressive people! I’m so grateful to be here! 

Mary

Hello Friends of Union Fitness!

This past weekend we hosted our fourth annual Push/Pull fundraiser competition. It was a huge success, and we were able to see some awesome lifts from all our participants. There were some lifters who had participated in powerlifting meets or the push/pull in the past, and there were some who had never stepped up on a platform before. It is always so great to see everyone try their hardest to crush some PR’s and celebrate even the small wins. We also raised a little over $500 to donate to HEARTH. An organization that provides a range of supportive services and housing that empowers homeless families, who are survivors of domestic violence or other trauma to become independent, self-sufficient, and adequately housed; to foster housing opportunities to prevent homelessness and encourage safe, affordable housing.

I would like to take a moment to say thank you to every individual who helped us out that morning, and put their best effort forward.

CJ – thank you for killing it on the mic and for keeping the morning flowing.

Jen – thank you for being an amazing judge and helping select bench rack heights for all of the lifters.

Jared – thank you for also being an amazing judge and helping with weigh ins for the gentlemen.

Ward & Dahveed – thank you both for the stellar spotting job throughout the morning. You guys were sweating the most out of everyone from working so hard.

Ava – thank you for being an amazing photographer, we appreciate all of the hard work you put in.

Sandhya – thank you for keeping me in line and ensuring all the flights and lifts were recorded correctly. Also, for being a great videographer.

For those of you who competed, we are all very proud of how far you’ve come in your training and are excited to continue to watch your progress. Congratulations on competing in either your first push/pull or your second/third/fourth. Looking forward to next year!

Toria

Hi Union Fitness Team! As many of you know, I have spent the past couple months interning here at Union Fitness to broaden my knowledge of and grow my skills in the fitness field. With my internship sadly nearing its final weeks, I would like to highlight some of the important lessons I have learned throughout this experience, as well as sincerely thank everyone for the pivotal role you all have played in my growth as a fitness professional.  

One of the most prominent things I have learned during my time at Union Fitness is how many different ways we can move our bodies to achieve our fitness goals. Through joining different classes, I have learned so many new and creative exercises that target all the same muscles without having to stick to the same repetitive routine or conventional movements. This keeps exercising interesting, as performing the same movements each week can become a very monotonous and mundane experience which can make it difficult to find excitement and motivation when entering the gym. Switching up your routine every now and then by trying new exercises or focusing on different modes such as cardio, plyometrics, weightlifting, yoga, etc. can keep exercising an exciting experience! 

A key aspect of reaching your fitness goals is the type of environment you are surrounded by. As I have seen here at UF, a supportive environment can help you PR, reach your fitness goals, and boost your mood more than you think. Many times I have witnessed members and staff supporting each other throughout their workouts, ultimately pushing each other to achieve what they set out to pursue. I have both seen and experienced the difference that a supportive environment can make when it comes to lifting heavy weight or completing another set when it feels super difficult. The supportive environment fostered by UF has helped me learn just how important it is to cheer each other on and how far that support can go. 

This experience has taught me how important it is to take care of your body when it comes to exercising. While this sounds like a given, oftentimes we forget to properly warm up our bodies and stretch out after completing a challenging workout. Warming up your body correctly through performing mobility exercises and dynamic stretches prior to beginning a workout can make or break your performance. Taking the time to stretch out your muscles post-exercise is also imperative to keeping your body moving at its best. Coupling these practices together, while also listening to your body and giving it what it needs in terms of fuel and rest, is essential in preventing injury and keeping your body healthy. Rest is just as important as exercise! 

Lastly, one of the biggest lessons I have learned during my time at UF is not to be afraid of asking questions, asking for help, and trying new things. This is how you learn and build your confidence! Through asking questions and jumping into new experiences, I have learned so much about not only the fitness field, but myself as well. The welcoming community at UF has helped me feel comfortable and confident in my journey through learning and growing as a fitness professional, and I am grateful for everyone who has played a part in my experience! 

Over the course of my time at Union Fitness, I have learned and grown so much in so many aspects. I am excited to continue throughout my last few weeks here and look forward to what else there is to learn! 

Amanda Giunta 

What’s going on everyone!

As of late, I have been thinking about how Union Fitness has impacted my life and why I was attracted to this gym that is now my work place. At first, I thought that the hard working environment was what brought me in since I love to push my own boundaries much like all of our members, the powerlifters that train here, or our athletes. But after some consideration, I realized that the hardworking environment was just a part of the reason of why I wanted to work here. 

The largest influence on me pursuing my own professional growth at Union Fitness is the relationships I have made with so many people here. In my own opinion, the best thing about Union is the aura or vibe that creates positive relationships among our employees, our members, and our athletes. I have met so many awesome people in the 2.5 years I have been here. Some of which, I will remain friends with for the rest of my life. I can’t quite pinpoint the exact reason on how or why Union Fitness cultivated such awesome relationships but what I do know, is that I am thankful for each and every person that has made an impact here.

Whether you are a member, an employee, or an athlete, I thank you for making Union Fitness such a positive place to work at. Keep on hustling on your own personal goals and keep being you! We appreciate you all!!!

Trainz

Hello!

My name is Ricky and I am a senior Exercise Science student at the University of Pittsburgh. I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, so I am a big Philly sports fan. If you have any interesting sports takes, I am always open to entertaining conversations.

My hobbies include lifting, playing sports, and going out with friends. Some of my goals include working with personal training and hopefully eventually getting to work with professional sports teams.

I look forward to meeting new people and learning from the knowledgeable staff here at Union Fitness!

Ricky

Hi everyone!

My name is Hanson Zhang, I am currently a senior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Exercise science. I was born and raised in China for the first 11 years of my life and moved to Fairfax Virginia when I turned 12. I plan to go to Physical Therapy school or start my own personal training business when I graduate.

I am very excited to be interning at Union Fitness, as it provides me with great experiences and knowledge related to personal training and strength and conditioning. I enjoy martial arts, weightlifting, and a bit of video games during my free time. I’m looking forward to working with and learning from all the fun people in Union fitness!

See you around!

Hanson

Hi Everyone!

My name is Yuheng, and I am a senior Exercise Science student at the University of Pittsburgh. I will be attending Arcadia University this fall to obtain my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. I am from Northeast Philly and have lived in Florida for a few years. I am a competitive powerlifter for the Pitt Powerlifting team.

Outside of the gym, I enjoy traveling, seeing nature, and cooking. I am excited to learn from everyone this semester. If you ever have questions or need help around the gym, don’t be afraid to ask!

Yuheng

Hello, my name is Amanda Giunta, and I am a senior at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and interning at Union Fitness for my final semester.

I was born and raised in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and came to Pittsburgh to continue my education with an end goal of becoming a Physical Therapist. While my ultimate goal is to earn my DPT, I am also currently pursuing certifications in group exercise instruction and personal training. Through my coursework, I have developed an interest in group fitness instruction specifically for cycling, yoga, cardio conditioning, and Pilates classes and would like to strengthen my skills and learn more about these practices during my time at Union Fitness. My goals for this experience include expanding my skills and knowledge in the fitness field, exploring the various modes of physical activity and rehabilitation, and developing the abilities necessary to effectively help people reach their fitness goals.

For some background information, I grew up participating in various sports and coached younger children in many sports as well. I played basketball and softball for ten years, was a cheerleader and gymnast for a few years, and was a cross country and track and field athlete at Bloomfield High School where I graduated from in 2020. My involvement with the BHS track and field and cross country teams allowed me to serve as a team captain for two years, providing me with the responsibility of creating and implementing workouts for team practices. My competitive athletic career ended with the onset of the pandemic, but I was honored to leave behind accomplishments such as one school and one course record, as well as having an award named after me at my high school. My time spent in the BHS athletics program sparked my interest in the physical therapy and fitness fields. I was also a clinic counselor and a one-on-one aid for a child with special needs for Bloomfield Recreation in my hometown, where I helped children of all ages develop sport-specific and developmental skills such as teamwork and coordination. Outside of athletics, I thoroughly enjoy spending time with my labradoodle puppy, friends and family, and going to the beach.

Hope to see everyone around at UF!

Amanda