Category Archives: State of the Union

Covid Update

State of the Union

Dear Union Fitness Member,

 

In accordance with Pennsylvania state regulations announced on December 10th, we will be closing our indoor spaces only starting December 11, 2020, at 9PM. To take care of our members we will once again be loaning out equipment beginning immediately. Come see us or reply to this email and we will do our best to satisfy as many of you as we can. Starting Monday, December 14th we will be running online classes and posting at-home workouts on our social media platforms. WE WILL BE OFFERING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TO ALL THAT ARE INTERESTED AT OUR PERFORMANCE LAB. Masks MUST be worn at ALL TIMES during these workouts.

 

Hours of operation will remain the same, Monday-Friday 5AM-9AM and 9AM-4PM on the weekends. We will be reserving 6-7 AM and 6-7 PM for class only time on the turf. Powerful will be the only class during this time.

 

Anyone wishing to suspend their membership, please email us.

 

Any additional questions can be emailed to me directly, at todd@unionfitness.com

 

We will send out further updates via email and our social media pages when available.

 

Stay strong, stay safe & we’ll go through this. In UNION there is STRENGTH.

 

– Todd Hamer

GM of Union Fitness

Week in Review

State of the Union,

This week has been a unique one here at UF. While 2020 will be a year none of us will soon forget I would want to review some of what we are doing not just this week but this year.

 

Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pgh.

 

Our own Matt Grayson has been helping out with this group for years. He is back at it again collecting good for this important organization. Please consider stopping by and helping out.

 

December Challenge.

 

We began a challenge here at the gym. With this challenge we are offering four options.

 

First will be a pull up challenge, just do as many as you can over the month. You don’t have to be at the gym, tag us and we can add your score up here.

 

Second is 2k challenge. Hit the Erg for a 2k. How many can you do in the a month?

 

Third Ski Erg 2k challenge. Same as erg challenge just this time on the ski erg.

 

Finally, we have a bike challenge. Ride an air-dyne bike for 3 miles. Like the above challenge, how many can you complete in one month?

 

All of the scoring sheets are located outside the cardio lab and the winner of each challenge gets a free massage.

 

Classes are BACK!!

 

We are excited to offer our classes again after a week off. We have also added time in our performance lab for any of our unlimited members to use as a private training space. Stop by the front desk to ask about scheduling a time.

 

This is a short overview of our week and hope this finds all of you well. Keep helping each other and be more like Josh Conroy our Member of the Month. Congrats Josh!!

 

TH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mask Up

State of the Union

Hopefully all of you who are reading this are doing well and staying healthy. Today’s blog is a little different, as I want to make it very clear where UF stands on our mask policy.

 

Masks are required at all times at UF and while visiting NOVA Place. There will be no more warnings and anyone caught breaking this policy will have their membership revoked immediately. This includes any of our staff our members and anything that is posted online. We support your lifting and hope you tag us in your videos and pictures, yet if the rules are broken we will consider this the end of your membership.

 

Our goal is to be the strongest gym as well as creating a great sense of community for all who enter our gym. We cannot do this if all members and staff do not feel safe. We appreciate all of your feedback and as always any or all complaints can be handed directly to Todd Hamer (General Manager).

 

Thanks and let’s stay healthy together and get stronger TOGETHER.

 

Todd Hamer

UF Update

State of the Union

As most of your are probably aware, on November 18th Allegheny County announced a new stay at home advisory. We at Union Fitness will do the best we can to follow all applicable government guidelines while providing you a safe training space.

 

At this point, we plan on remaining open with some modifications. With the exception of yoga, we are canceling all classes starting Friday, Nov. 20th through Monday Nov. 30th. During this time, we will have the same programming posted (teambuildr as well as on the TVs and dry erase boards) so that you can keep up with your individual training. Every one of our spaces will remain open to all members to encourage even more social distancing while training. You are welcome to use the Strength Lab, Cardio Lab, or Performance Lab at any time during your visit. 

 

We will still be enforcing our mask policy, and our facilities will remain at 50% capacity. We ask you to be extra vigilant with your mask at this time, and everyone will be required to follow all county and state rules. Anyone who does not comply with the mask policy will be asked to leave.

 

These changes are being made to help us keep everyone healthy during these unprecedented times. These policies are subject to change based on the evolving guidance of health departments. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to me directly via my cell phone or email.

 

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding, and we wish you strength and good health.

 

-Todd Hamer

GM of Union Fitness

todd@unionfitness.com

571 438 2976

Weekly Wrap Up

Fitness, Life Health, State of the Union, Training

Happy Friday everyone, we hope you all had a great week, got in some good sweats here with all of our awesome instructors and enjoyed some of the beautiful weather we randomly had (even if it was mostly rain but still warm none the less).

 

For this weeks recap we have some changes happening within Union that we want to keep you in the loop on:

 

CARDIO LAB

 

Tuesday 6:00AM, Steph Stahovic

Tuesday 5:30PM, Cody Miller (starting Tuesday, November 24th)

Wednesday 6:00AM, Jocelyn Lemay

Friday 6:00AM, Matt Grayson

 

MOVEMENT

 

MOVEment will be moving to 5:00PM on Friday evenings only, continued to be taught by Jocelyn Lemay.

 

YOGA

 

If you haven’t noticed yet we have two new instructors joining us, both Meagan Gnibus and Lauren Sweetnich will be covering classes on an as needed basis. We are very excited to welcome them to Union and be part of our staff!

 

Also, we have started to utilize inside of Nova Place for our yoga classes. MindBody will reflect the location of each yoga class, be sure to check your MindBody Application for any room changes or ask our front desk staff to show you where yoga is being held if you have never taken a class on our Nova Yoga Deck.

 

Have a wonderful weekend and we hope to see you this weekend in our Cardio Lab and Yoga classes.

 

UF Team

Cody’s Weekly Wrap Up

Fitness, State of the Union

What does it mean to have a good week of training? When we highlight the events of the past week, what makes something noteworthy or not? If you frame everything by reaching objectives, coming closer to goals, or fulfilling some quantifiable metric, you may find that some weeks will be “good” while others will be “bad”. The next question is, is this the most productive way to view training? I would say no.

 

Much of our performance can be outside the realm of our control. The natural fluctuations in your daily capabilities are influenced by a gentle interplay of your genetic potential and your interaction with the environment. These two factors can combine to produce some unexpected results at times. This means that you can have some surprisingly good performances and some surprisingly disappointing ones. So what are we to do if consistently good performance is hard to come by? Focus on what you can control every day and enjoy the activity that you are engaged with for its own sake.

 

My Cardio Lab classes are great. I have the tendency to play games. Games are a way to tap into our natural ability to problem solve, meet challenges, and be curious. My position is that cardio training doesn’t have to be miserable. It doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a source of joy and self-discovery. If we get our heart rate up, seek out and overcome challenges,  have fun during the process, and reinforce the incentive to return to class, I have succeeded as a coach. If this interests you, you might like my Cardio Lab classes.

 

My personal training clients are numerous, so I’ll just give a quick shout out to each.

 

Ashley Koltonski- Ash came back from surgery this week. Ash is driven, but what really makes her stand out is her love for training. It shows with how willing she was to come back and train. We talk about philosophy and yoga. Or as Ash puts it, “woo woo” stuff.

 

 

Kyle Hartenstein- Kyle has made tremendous improvements over the last couple months. His physique has exploded in a short amount of time. He works his tail off. Some of my best moments during the week are when we update each other on what episode of Gilmore Girls we are watching. Judge us. I dare you.

Nate Kimel- Nate is such a huge personality and a ton of fun to be around. He’s extremely coachable and pushes the limit every day. The strength he has acquired has been impressive. We both have significant others that simultaneously befuddle us and fill our lives with immense joy and contentment. We talk and laugh about their unique idiosyncrasies and how lucky we are to have them in our lives.

 

Andrew Tennenbaum- Andrew is wicked smart. He’s coachable and a hard worker. He’s patient with results, and he keeps making incremental gains in strength. Usually Andrew blows my mind with some obscure and insane project that NASA worked on decades ago. Or we talk about how birds are government drones that are programmed to surveil us (it’s a joke, relax).

 

Eric Price- Eric is great to train. He’s honest with his effort, and he brings it even when he’s traveled extensively during the week. He’s seen some significant gains from his recent efforts. Recently we’ve been talking about how his Eagles have been riding the struggle bus this season.

 

Kim Canfield- I just started working with Kim this week, but she brings a great attitude to training and she gives great effort.

 

 

 

Have Some Fun and Improve with Us

State of the Union, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last week I wrote about knowing our Why. Why are we here working in a gym? We are here to empower, educate and entertain everyone who enters our gym. Through this, we are offering a few different mediums to accomplish these goals. Today I want to highlight some of what we are doing and hopefully, something here will pique your interest.

 

  1. USPA Drug Tested Kabuki Open (Sat Oct, 31st 9 AM). This is a powerlifting meet that will be held under the tent here at UF. The meet is sold out, yet if you want to experience competitive powerlifting for the first time, we encourage you to stop by. The entry fee is only 5 dollars, and the tent will be heated so no worries about the weather.
  2. Getting Lean for Halloween Bootcamp (Sat Oct, 31st 11 AM). Join CeJ and Matt Grayson as they run you through a bootcamp in the parking lot of one of the finest breweries in Pittsburgh, Allegheny City Brewing. This outdoor workout will be one hour long before sharing some libation at ACB’s outdoor beer garden. This class is free for everyone.
  3. Comedy Bootcamp (Fri Nov, 6th 6 PM). This is a first for us here at UF. We will be holding a bootcamp followed by a comedy show with three local comedians. We will also have The Yard bringing food and libations. This class is also free for everyone
  4. Kabuki Squat, Bench, Deadlift Workshop (Fri Oct, 30th 3-7 PM). UF is hosting the Kabuki Squat, Bench, Deadlift Workshop in our performance lab. If you are serious about improving these lifts, I suggest you look into this workshop. Kyle Young of Kabuki Strength will cover all things squat, bench and deadlift related in this workshop. This event is 150 dollars and registration is through the Kabuki Strength website.

 

As you can see it will be a busy few weeks here at UF, and we will have more to come. As with everything we do, we will be requiring masks with anything indoors. Safety and health are of the utmost importance to us. 

Weekly Wrap Up

State of the Union

Happy Friday Union fam, it’s been another solid week here at the facility and we’re ever so thankful as always for everyone who is part of this community. This is an especially weird time, but for those of you who have returned we thank you for allowing us to continue to do what we love every single day.

 

We’re back with a fresh group of faces you’ve probably see around here daily. These coaches/trainers have some kind words to say about the week they have had here with all of you, find their wrap-ups below.

 

Haley Tamilia:

 

The last week at Union Fitness was a real treat. Friday morning brought new and familiar faces to our 6AM Vinyasa practice. I’ve been enjoying the spaciousness and ambiance of Nova Place, where we’ve been able to practice on the second level with colorful lights and floor to ceiling windows. 

 

I returned in the evening for yin, surprised by the number of folks who came to find peace. Yin classes on Friday and Saturday feel like a gift to me; while I lead mantras and suggest shapes, I’m not a teacher when I’m there. I’m a member of a loving, present community. We sit together, breathe together, and create space in our bodies, minds, and hearts. 

 

The workweek started anew, and I was joined by Thad and Gabe, two dedicated yogis who have been joining me consistently for 6AM Vinyasa. After flowing around the mat, Gabe told me how his immersion into yoga has brought clarity, focus, and productivity to his days–even earning him a recent promotion. 

 

I’m so grateful for all of my students, and looking forward to what next week may hold!

 

Toria Crispin:

 

I covered our Saturday Cardio Lab class this past weekend and that crew absolutely killed it even though it was a pretty cold morning. On Monday night, I helped Curtis out with the 5:30pm and 6:00pm #Powerful class which was a great experience. I loved seeing everyone put in the work on their Monday squat day. I also coach the Tuesday and Thursday 6:00pm #Powerful classes alongside CJ as well as the Friday 5:30pm #Powerful class – I’ve had some solid crews coming in and crushing it these past few weeks. You guys are awesome, and I love working out with you!

 

(Special shoutout: Lisa, Pawel, Terrance, Brian, Kirsten, Christian, Alp, Mohan, and Milind for recently putting in the work here with me) .

 

Matt Grayson:

 

I have been considerably lucky because I have had beautiful weather for all my classes. And I believe that our members workout harder when the weather is nice. My motto is “I LOVE HARD WORK” and I have to say in each one of my classes, the members have destroyed my workouts. I get excited to see them push and to persevere through my “easy” workouts!! 

 

The energy they generate is contagious throughout the gym, which makes UF the best place to train and coach at!!!

 

Weekly Wrap Up

State of the Union

Alright Union fam, every Friday we are going to start doing a weekly recap of the things that have gone on inside of Union, clients who worked their tails off with our personal trainers or members who we saw crush it in class or on social media (tag us, we love it!). 

 

All of our trainers/coaches will be writing their recaps in their own words, so be sure to read our blog every Friday for all the happenings within Union Fitness though our employees eyes.

 

Jocelyn Lemay:

 

Between Piyush, Women’s Powerful and Cardio Lab, my week was awesome. I really look forward to my Tuesday Cardio Lab because it’s the same crew and this week I had a treat of two new faces in my class, Ryan and Brendan whom crushed it along with the rest of the class! I was certainly having an off morning until I came into coach, these guys had me amped with their effort and energy.

 

This week for Women’s Powerful in class it was just me and Diane, we had ourselves a solid hour. We have been working on our stability in a split stance/lunge position and she continues to impress me weekly, keep it up girl!

 

Lastly, Piyush has been putting time into his Olympic Weightlifting. We’ve been cleaning up his positions and working on committing to each movement, he pushes hard and I just have to shout him out for hitting a 260# Back Squat double when his 1RM is 265#!

 

Curtis Miller:

 

Over the past couple of weeks, our Cardio Lab and Powerful Classes have been on the rise. The addition of the new Performance Lab has been great for accommodating new and existing members, and providing them with the best training experience possible.

 

Long time member Kim Judy will be leaving us after 2 and a half years as she begins her new journey in Ohio. Kim was active in Cardio and Powerful class 3-4 times per week and was always a blast to work with. Although she will be moving on, her spirit and positivity still remains with us.

 

Erika Osorio hit a very good deadlift personal record. Erika began taking classes in June as a beginner to our Powerful class. After just a few months she has developed a solid base of strength, conditioning, and technique that will continue to keep her progressing.

 

Haley has been doing an amazing job with Yoga classes. She has even been going out into the community introducing her Yoga classes to members and non members all around the city. She most recently taught a free Yoga session at Market Square. Be sure to ask about her upcoming classes.

 

Cayt Neff:

 

Allie has transitioned from front squat and is now learning how to back squat. She also attempted the GHR for the first time and worked up to 8 reps!

 

Harry is approaching his two year mark since being diagnosed with an aggressive form of Glioblastoma. Since then he has completed treatment and is now receiving clean scans each visit. We started working together prior to his diagnosis and he has not skipped a beat since the very beginning. His approach to life is admirable and exemplifies a way that all would benefit. He recently had an opportunity to film an interview with Ryan Shazier and that video is posted today, October 16th through UPMC!

 

I’m so proud of the work ethic and attitude of all of my clients. Go Sharon, Kirsten, Deirdre, Allie, Nick, Harry, and Yiqun – you are the best and make my week.

 

To my Wednesday evening cardio lab crew (Steph, Raelynn, Terrence, and Kyra): way to finish a tough workout! We also saw a golden retriever puppy :).

 

Cody Miller:

 

Andrew Tennenbaum has shown a substantial amount of resilience the past couple weeks by continuing his training through a recent accident. I’m proud of him.

 

Nate Kimel has been ridiculously consistent and is doing the things necessary to decrease his pain. He’s a stud. I’m proud of him.

 

Ashley Koltonski is a trooper. Super focused and disciplined. She’s getting better at everything every week. I’m proud of her.

 

Kyle Hartenstein is a rocket ship. You would think that his job was making gainz the way his training has been going. I’m proud of him.

 

Eric Price makes improvements every week. Loves training and gives a great effort every week. I’m proud of him.

 

Dave Jackson:

 

I just want to give a huge shoutout to everyone I work with on a weekly basis!

 

From my people who show up at 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning to get work done before their real work begins and my personal training clients too.

 

I love y’all and look forward to the continued work we do together!!!

Thank You

Fitness, Life Health, State of the Union, , , , ,

As many of you probably already know this weekend we hosted “Bike Ride for Black Lives.” This was a fundraiser and the brainchild of Jessie Theisen (one of our awesome members). We were able to raise close to 4,000 dollars that will be donated to the Urban League of Greater Pgh.

 

This was our first bike ride fundraiser and I was not sure how we would do. We did better than I thought we could have. 50 people got on their bikes and rode one of three options 50, 30 or 10 miles using our extensive trail system we have here in Pittsburgh.

 

This blog is more of a thank you to each and every one of you than anything else. I would be remiss if I did not add some special thank you’s to this list though. My family came through big time! I had aunts, uncles, my father, my wife, and son and a few cousins come out to either ride or volunteer. In addition, we had some members and employees who stepped up big time! Curtis and his lovely wife Liz did a great job with the rest station. CJ actually didn’t wreck this time. Sara Rusner, this couldn’t have happened without her. Matt Grayson (who is my consummate backup man) once again had my back. Matt got us shirts when our first order fell through, he took care of picking up food, coffee, etc and I am indebted to him for his help. Others involved here were Cayt, Katlyn, Cody, Dave, Racheal and the rest of our awesome staff.

 

Thanks to each and every one of you and let’s keep doing good work. One of our goals is to do something for society at least once a month, so bring me ideas.

 

Final thought, we even had a John Fetterman sighting on the trail. Next time Big John needs to be on his bike with us!

 

Thank you

 

Todd Hamer