Category Archives: Training

The Best Exercise You Don’t Want to Miss

Fitness, Life Health, Training

It is no secret that fitness coaches and trainers will debate over what kind of exercise is best for people. Whether it is weight training, aerobic activity, yoga, certain programs, speed work, plyometrics, sprinting, or HIIT, every fitness professional is biased to what they learned or how they currently train. All forms of exercise have their benefits in slightly different ways. But in general, they all promote a healthier and happier life. For example, HIIT training or high intensity interval training is extremely beneficial for your heart and brain. It decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease and/or can prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s or dementia through the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Another example, is weight training. Weight training has many benefits including building stronger and healthier muscles as well as boosting your metabolism. To build on this even further, yoga can help with mental health as well as increasing your flexibility. This increase in flexibility will aid in preventing injuries in the future.

 

In saying all of this, you might be asking what is the best exercise routine? Well, that’s where I am here to tell you that the best exercise routine is the one that you can stick to. In short, all exercise is extremely beneficial for you. So do the exercise that keeps you coming back to the gym or pushing yourself. If you love powerlifting then keep powerlifting, if you love running then keep on running, and if you love doing plyometrics then keep on doing your plyometrics. Sometimes we over complicate our exercise routines and forget why we exercise in the first place. We exercise to feel better mentally and physically. Movement is life! As soon as you stop moving then that’s when your body starts to fall apart. So, everyone who is reading this please do me a favor, never stop moving your body and always strive forward!

 

-Trainz

Training With A Concussion

Life Health, Training

A few weeks ago, I was playing ice hockey and fell backwards during one of our practice game drills. For those of you familiar with the game of hockey, you know that there is minimal padding on the backside of your body as you are supposed to fall forward or to the side when you play. Unfortunately, I lost control and caught my backwards fall with my head. I knew that I was doomed immediately because I did not remember what we were just doing or how I exactly fell. Luckily this happened with about five minutes left of practice, so I just left the ice and drove home. I was experiencing tension headaches, light and sound sensitivity, extreme fatigue, brain fog, and trouble with focusing while in busy environments.

 

I was able to get in with the UPMC Concussion Clinic doctors two days after it happened, so treatment began quickly. Since then, I have also started Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy once/week on top of my typical training here at UF. During my computer and physical assessments, the doctors found that my eyes are having trouble focusing and working together, and my short-term memory capacity is terrible.

 

Part of my concussion treatment program is to take part in exertional therapy, which is intended to induce my symptoms but will speed up my recovery process and have me feeling better soon. If any of you have ever had a concussion, you know how difficult it can be to get back into your normal everyday routine without feeling fatigued and defeated. No matter how tired and weak I am feeling, I make it a point to do my exercises and train my brain and the rest of my body daily.

 

Here’s a quick overview of what my exercise program looks like for someone with the specific type of concussion and symptoms that I have:

 

  1. Brock String – hold a string with colored beads at eye level starting at the tip of your nose – shift focus between the beads until you begin to see two beads of every color while focusing on one at a time. Continue working through each colored bead, focusing individually on each one at a time. Repeat 10 times.

 

  1. Pencil “pushups” – hold the pencil at arms length away and focus on the tip of the pencil – bring the pencil in towards your nose and when it becomes double try to make it clear – then bring the pencil back outwards and repeat. Repeat for 3 sets of 10.

 

  1. Vertical & Horizontal Saccades – moving the eyes up and down and then on a diagonal from each target (a piece of paper with an X drawn on it) as quick as you can for 30 seconds in each direction. Repeat 3 times.

 

  1. Walk in a straight line while moving your head up and down then walking in a straight line while moving your head side to side. Repeat each movement down and back 3 times.

 

  1. Backwards ball tosses with a partner – stand with your back facing your partner behind you – toss the ball to one side and when your partner catches it, have them toss to the opposite side (shown in video on Instagram). Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps/side.

 

  1. Vertical ball movement – hold the ball in front of you – extend the ball up overhead and then follow it with your eyes/head down to the ground. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps.

 

  1. Visit a busy environment as often as I can (grocery store, gym, etc.) – since I work in a gym that hasn’t been an issue. This will help me out with my sensitivity to movement, sounds, lights, etc.

 

  1. I have added in 20 minutes of cardio/day. I’ve been riding the Ryde bikes or a recumbent bike if the Ryde bikes aren’t available for 10 minutes at a moderate intensity, and then hopping on the treadmill for a 10-minute incline walk or 10-12 minute run/walk intervals. If I am at home and the weather stinks, I will ride the Peloton bike for 20-25 minutes that day.

 

I don’t think I’m forgetting anything here, but this is my very basic treatment program that I just started following this past week. I am hoping to add in some more heavy weights and a higher intensity of cardio in this upcoming week.

 

If you have any past concussion experience and would like to talk about how you dealt with it whether that be training or just existing, I would love to chat!

 

Hope you all have a great rest of your week,

Toria

The Great 8 Movement Patterns

Fitness, Life Health, Training

Gobble Gobble to all my November readers and a most crispy Fall to you all.

 

Have you ever carried all the groceries from your car to the house in one mighty attempt? Have you ever knelt down to tie your shoes? Have you ever lifted your pet in the air as Rafiki did to young Simba? If you said yay to any of these actions, then you’ve completed what the scientific meat-heads call functional movement patterns. Functional movements are real life biomechanical situations that we put our bodies through. Functional movement involves multiple joint movements across various planes of motion. During these complex planes of motion, we the people are utilising many muscles at once to complete these tasks. Many of these functional movements are daily tasks of living that we don’t even consider taxing, strenuous or exercising. Building in these movement patterns or portions of the movement into your exercise routine will help improve your quality of life and resilience.

 

Before we get to the movements, here are 4 big reasons to add the great 8 movement patterns into your exercise routine. First, we can improve movement efficiency by completing a wide range of motions that we perform every day. The more we train these movements and progress them, we can continue to perform these movements more easily. The second reason leads to increased coordination and balance. By performing these movements in the gym, you will improve overall; strength, balance, coordination and control over time. Thirdly, who wouldn’t want to be more flexible with better overall mobility? Putting our muscles through their full range of motion will help increase flexibility and mobility. This is something we could all use after those long days in the office or binging the holiday Lord of The Rings franchise marathon. Last but not least the addition of these movement patterns can help with the reduction and prevention of injuries. Training your body through movements that you complete every day can help us adapt to the applied stress and become stronger and more resilient. This will also give us more energy to do the same task with less energy or to do more overall work with the energy you have.

 

Now, brace for impact as I give you the Great 8 Movement Patterns and some exercises that can go along with them.

 

1) Squat: Front Squat, Fat Bar Zercher Squat, Belted PitShark Squat, Goblet Squat, Barbell Overhead Squat.

 

2) Hinge: Trap Bar Deadlift, Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift, Single Leg Glute Bridge, Stability Ball Hamstring Curl, Banded Good Morning.

 

3) Lunge: Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Kettlebell Step-Ups, Safety Bar Reverse Lunges, Plate Walking Lunge, Body Weight Curtsy Lunge

 

4) Push: Push-Ups, Dumbbell Bench Press, Barbell Overhead Press, Kettlebell Z-Press, Medicine Ball Press.

 

5) Pull: Lat Pulldowns, Band Assisted Chin-Ups, T-Bar Rows, Chest Supported Dumbbell Rows, Banded Face Pulls.

 

6) Rotation: Medicine Ball Chops, Palloff Rotations, Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up, Cable Low to High Rotations, Plank Reach and Pull Through.

 

7) Carry & Brace: Farmer’s Handle Weighted Carry, Plate Overhead Marches, Kettlebell Off-set Carry, Weighted Plank, Hollow Hold, Banded Dead Bug.

 

8) Locomotion (Run, Jump, Throw): Stair Sprints, Box Jumps, Medicine Ball Toss, Prowler Push, Skips, Medicine Ball Slam.

 

Do your body a favor and add these movement patterns into your exercise routine, your future self will thank you. If you’d like to learn more about these movements or how to add them into your routine, I am always here to help.

 

Don’t forget to sign up for our Thanksgiving day Turkey burn #Powerful & Ryde Dynamic Bootcamp class.

 

As Always, get bumpy my friends.

CeJ

Halloween Hodgepodge

Fitness, Life Health, State of the Union, Training

Hello my spooky scary skeletons!

 

Time for some classic Halloween Hodgepodge of bone chilling songs, spine tingling training tips, hair standing tales and a horrific announcement.

 

The pumpkin patch 8-track of seasonal serenades.

– Murder in the Graveyard by Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages

– The Boogie Monster by Gnarls Barkley

– Were Wolf by Carl Bonafede

– Vampire Money by My Chemical Romance

– Pretty in a Casket by Blitzkid

– Wake the Dead by Comeback Kid

– We Drink Your Blood by Powerwolf

– I Still Believe by Timmy Cappello

 

Hellacious training tips.

1) Never skip leg days or your pumpkin patch will never be full

2) Keeping your used gym socks near you in the dark will ward off all encroaching vamps, warlocks and most other creatures.

3) Candy is fuel and you need fuel to eat candy

4) Keep your gym bags off the floor to avoid tripping and having the slowest monster eat you.

5) If Jack Skellington would have resistance trained, his bone density would have been greater and he wouldn’t have crumbled when he was blown to smithereens. Lift weights for greater bone density.

6) Jesse Eisenberg reminds us in Zombieland that cardio is important. If you want to out run and outlast the zombies, ghouls and goblins you must have quality cardio in your life. A little a day keeps the monsters at bay.

 

Howl at the Moon or one of the UF staff members because if you attend #Powerful Monday Oct 30, Tuesday Oct 31 and/or Wednesday Nov 1, we’ll be crushing a Halloween Circa Max Out. Get in the spirit and wear a costume and let’s have some fun. P.S bring a friend who is a non-#powerful member and get bonus spooky surprises.

 

All the best from your Badass Duke of Darkness.

 

-CEJ

The Supple Leopard

Life Health, Training

In college, I had a friend and roommate named Will. Will was an exceptional guy. We often hit the weight room together, pushing each other to new limits like good lifting partners do. We both shared a profound interest in the recovery aspect of training. We’d engage in passionate discussions, often pulling insights from various online journals. Our most frequent topic was a book titled “Becoming a Supple Leopard,” authored by Kelly Starrett DPT. The book espouses the idea that, akin to a leopard, maintaining optimal physical readiness at all times is key. Being both strong and agile is the goal. “Becoming a Supple Leopard” introduces many unconventional tools tailored for recovery. As Louis Simmons once stated, “Normal people will only give you normal results.” Sometimes, breaking free from traditional approaches becomes essential to effect the necessary changes, particularly when you’re at the pinnacle of your training and have exhausted conventional methods. If you feel like you’re hitting a plateau after years of training, this book might offer relevant insights to propel you forward. These discussions with Will inspired me to pursue future tracts into recovery and strength training methods once I graduated from college.

 

Will unfortunately and unexpectedly passed away right when I moved to Pittsburgh 2 years ago. After the funeral, his mother reached out to me and mailed me the copy of his book with a note that said, “He always was talking about this book and how much it meant to your friendship. I think you should have it.” To this day, I utilize this book as a resource for a lot of my training plans and coaching points.

 

I highly advise you to get your hands on a copy and learn something that might change your life.

 

Put down your phone and read books.

 

All the best,

Dylan K.

Force Velocity Curve 101

Fitness, Training

Hello My Max Effort Friends,

 

Have you heard of the force velocity curve? Would you like to be strong, fast and powerful? If that is a big 10/4 buddy in agreeance then take a walk with me up & down the force velocity curve to pack knowledge into that big brain. Learning about the force velocity curve can help us understand how to develop specific adaptations and make certain training decisions to elevate our training.

 

The force velocity curve is an inverse relationship between  Force (Force=mass x acceleration) and Velocity (Velocity= Distance/Time). So a relationship of moving something very heavy or very fast. For example if we look at the top of the curve at maximal strength that would be a powerlifting moving a 1 rep max, a very heavy load/intensity with a slower velocity/speed. That is unless you are Curt and move all maximal effort exercises fast. When we drop to the bottom of the curve and look at the speed section of the curve we can use the exercise of sprinting. Sprinting with no external load (added weight/sled) is a very low resistance exercise and you are moving as fast as possible, so low force and very high velocity.

 

The force velocity curve has 5 points on the graph ; maximal strength, strength- speed, power, speed-strength & speed. These points are along the Y & X axis of the graph, the force and velocity, respectively.

 

With maximal strength, this can be your 1RM or anything above your 90% of a lift, some may know this as a max effort training style. These are those very high force and lower velocity exercises.

 

As we move the lift a bit faster and drop below our 90% max effort phase, we enter the strength-speed territory of the curve. Strength-speed is in that 4-6 rep ranger and about 80% of your 1RM. With these loads you’ll still have a high force but the velocity will be faster than your maximal strength.

 

Smack dab in the middle of the curve we have our power portion. Power is a wide range of anything between around 30-80% of your 1RM. In this range you’ll see more olympic lifts and their variations around this point as well as loaded jump squats.

 

As we push more towards velocity we’ll creep into speed-strength and some Westsiders may know this as dynamic effort or athletes call this explosive strength. We could see sets of 8×3 at 50%, focusing on moving the bar as quickly as possible through the entire range of motion.

 

Finally we have speed, here we see maximum velocity with very low resistance. For example, throwing, jumping and sprinting would all be in this category.

 

So how can this benefit you? In training we want to program so you start with general training in the offseason to more specific training the closer you get to competition/ season. For example a powerlifter in the offseason should train in those power, speed-strength and speed points on the graph to drive new adaptations that could assist in the overall work capacity and general fitness of the lifter. Doing so could push that part of the curve up and to the right. As said lifter gets closer to the season/competition at that point we can get back to the strength-speed and maximal strength points to get more sport specific training, again pushing the curve up and to the right.

 

I hope you picked something up from this blog and give the force velocity curve a go.

 

Stay strong, stay speedy and stay powerful my friends.

-CeJ

Building Bigger Gas Tanks with GPP

Fitness, Training

Electric cars are coming in hot and everyone has been looking into them. If I had you choose between two models of electric cars at the same price, one with a 300 mile range and the other with a 600 mile range, which one would you pick? Well of course we want to ride around with bigger mileage capacity. With GPP we can help improve your overall work capacity, essentially increasing your mileage capacity for work. I’m telling you with proper GPP training , you can train longer with more intensity and still have some juice left in the tank. Who wouldn’t want this adaptation?!

 

GPP stands for general physical preparedness. GPP is the general training that helps increase your specific training. GPP will improve your aerobic fitness (work capacity), your recovery between exercises and sessions, your quality of movement and enhancing your ability to handle larger workloads. GPP has a main goal of improving movement patterns and fixing the weak links with more practice with various movements. Some GPP movements include push, pull, hinge , squat and loaded carry/drags. So if you’ve been in Powerful and wondered why we’ve been doing all these different variations of squats, hinges, weighted carries, sled pushes, medicine ball throws and more… well it’s because we’ve been in a “GPP build a bigger gas tank” block. We’ve come a long way this block at improving your overall work capacity and that will pay great dividends to this upcoming strength block. GPP is the foundation building block to SPP aka specific physical preparedness. For most powerlifters this means your squat bench and deadlift, for Olympic lifters it’s your clean & jerk and your snatch, for athletes, your SPP would be your position in your sport.

 

When should you use GPP: the beginning of an offseason, after a long hiatus in training, post injury, deloading and active recovery. GPP is to set you up for the next block of training and level you up while you prepare for the more specific movements of your training and sport. This is a great opportunity to add overall training volume to workout sessions.

 

I hope this was a helpful intro into the importance of GPP and I can’t wait for you to give it a try if you haven’t yet. Let’s rock some GPP to build those bigger gas tanks!

 

Cheers,

CEJ

 

Meet the Staff – Montrell

Fitness, State of the Union, Training

Hello Union Fitness! My name is Montrell Newton Jr, and I will be here as a personal trainer and cardio lab instructor! I am originally from Miami, Florida, born and raised #305. I have my undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and am currently getting my master’s degree in clinical Exercise Physiology. I interned here at Union Fitness in the spring of 2022 and now I am back like I never left!

 

For my area of interest, I want to help people. I want to help educate the masses on health, and how to live a healthy life without making it difficult. I find it rewarding to help people achieve their goals or assist people in various aspects of their lives. While I am not training or working, I enjoy watching TV, playing video games, and listening to music (My playlists are AMAZING). I have Division 1 strength training coaching experience and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). I cannot wait to see all your smiling faces throughout the facility. If you see me, please do not hesitate to say hello!

 

Montrell

Why Do We Need Protein?

Life Health, Nutrition, Training

Proteins are large, complex molecules that play several critical roles in the body. They do most of the work within our cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs. Some call them the “building blocks of life.”

 

When it comes to protein, there are complete (essential) and incomplete (nonessential) proteins. There are 9 essential amino acids that the body can’t produce by itself. To get these amino acids, we must consume foods that contain all of them, making them complete proteins. Those foods that do not contain one of more of those 9 essential amino acids are considered incomplete proteins. We should strive to receive a majority of our daily protein from whole food sources, but otherwise you can supplement with a good ole reliable protein powder.

 

The standard Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein = 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. To show a quick example, I weigh about 77kg. So, for me: 77kg * 0.8g = roughly 62 grams/day. However, needs will vary depending on activity level and health status. Moderately active individuals may need closer to 1g per kg of body weight. Those who are more intensely active may need more than 1g per kg of body weight, so it all depends.

 

Most of us know and associate protein with building muscle. While this is certainly a key reason as to why we need it, there are several other reasons why we need protein to maintain good health:

 

  • Supports a healthy immune system
    • The amino acids help turn our antibodies and other T/B cells into “germ fighters” that spot and kill harmful cells that enter your body before they can start an infection.

 

  • Builds and maintains muscle
    • Muscle stress caused by exercise will damage the protein filaments in our muscles. As a result, our daily protein intake will help to rebuild those filaments and help the muscles stay functional.

 

  • Can help with weight management
    • Protein takes longer to digest than other types of nutrients, so it can increase satiety and satisfy our hunger for longer periods of time.

 

  • Supports the growth, development, and repair of cells

 

There are many different food sources out there for you to get your daily complete and incomplete proteins in. Some of my favorites include beef, pork, eggs, and poultry for my complete proteins and nuts, beans, rice, and vegetables for my incomplete proteins. What are your favorites?

 

Toria

Freaky Five Mobility

Life Health, Training

If movement is medicine, then mobility is the WD40 for our body!

 

Many times, we skip over our warmups because they aren’t as spicy as our main exercises. Well today, I’m going to give you that level 10 Sichuan peppercorn spice. The kind of heat that makes your tongue numb and your backbone sweat, but it’s so invigorating you can’t stop this freaky five mobility.

 

1) The Tall Reaching Inchworm. Standing tall, reach your hands high to the sky, even getting up on those tippy toes. From there exhale and fold down to the floor, using your hands to walk out into a top push-up position. Take a deep breath and drop under the fence to an up dog, exhaling next into a down dog space. From there walk your hands back to your feet, inhale, stand tall and repeat.

 

2) Squat to Stretch with T-Spine Rotation. From a standing position, fold over to grab your ankles or feet. From there pull your butt down into the bottom of a squat while you drive your chest up and back proudly. Hold this position for a breath leaning side to side and making sure your feet are planted flat on the ground. From here leave one hand on your ankle/foot and let the other rotate to the side and up to the sky, letting your eyes follow. Repeat on the other side then drop your head down and your tushy up to get a mighty nice stretch from your calves through your hammies and even up to your lower back. Pull yourself back to the starting spot and go again.

 

3) Lateral Squat to Windmill Rotation. Starting with your feet wider than your shoulders preform a lateral squat. As you do so, take your inside hand (opposite hand of the direction you’re squatting) and reach to that sides foot, while the same side hand is rotating up and away to the sky. Then flow back to center and repeat on your other side. Take your time to increase your depth and range of motion.

 

4) 90/90 with Rotation and Reach. Start seated with your front leg at a right angle along with your back leg behind you in a right angle, hence the 90/90. If your right knee is in front take your left hand and reach over and across that knee as far as you can, bringing your chest to that knee or close to the spot. Now imagine your feet are stapled to the ground and you take your knees using your hips and fold to the other side (you can use your hands for assistance). Once you get to the other side, repeat the reach step and make sure you’re using quality breath at each stop.

 

5) Glute Bridge with Reach Across. Start this mobility on your back with your feet planted in the start of a glute bridge position on the floor. Now using your bum and hammies, squeeze your hip up into a top glute bridge position. Now using your upper back and head to pivot, reach your arm up and across your body, turning your hip and stretching your lats, do this on both sides and then return to the bottom of your glute bridge.

 

These are my go-to spicy more bang for your buck mobility exercises that help keep me mobile, springy and of course bumpy. I’d recommend doing these exercises every day or every other day for 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps and slowly increasing your range of motion on each repetition. Psssttt I’ll give you one more of my favorite mobility exercises and that is the wonderful Spider-Man with rotation.

 

Come hop in powerful class or meet up with me to get these magical freaky five +1 mobility exercises rocking. Always remember, moss don’t grow on a rolling stone.

 

Cheers,

 

CEJ