With all these Instagram Influences out there I wanted to dig back and showcase one of the real O.G. influences of the fitness & wellness culture. This evangelist of wellness went from a self considered sugar-holic to the World Renowned Godfather of Fitness. At 21 he opened one of the first health clubs, at 39 he started what would be the longest (34 years) running television exercise program, at 54 he beat Arnold Schwarzenegger (21) in an unofficial contest, at 70 he was handcuffed and towed 70 rowboats from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary (1 mile). If you’ve ever used a leg extension machine, Smith Machine, the weight selector on cable machines, then you have used one of his inventions. This shadowy icon of wellness is no other than Jumpin Jack Lalanne.

Long before Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons, Tony Little and Shaun T, Jack published numerous books and hosted countless TV shows about the benefits of regular exercise and a good diet. Jack was an advocate for everything in moderation when it came to a good diet. He personal was believer in a plant based diet with the addition of fish, vitamins (which he had his own line of) and juicing (The Tiger Juicer if anyone remembers those infomercials). He blamed added sugars and process foods for many of America’s health problems. When exercising, Jack believed in vigorous exercise with weights or body weight movements until muscular fatigue set in. Most Doctors back then believed this would leave him muscle bound and un-athletic and could give men who follow his program heart attacks due to exercise. Well we know now that exercise and movement is one of the best ways to battle against heart disease and Jack regularly did acrobatic feats to prove his athleticism and defeat his critics.

“Dying is easy. Living is a pain in the butt. It’s like an athletic event. You’ve got to train for it. You’ve got to eat right. You’ve got to exercise. Your health account, your bank account, they’re the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out. Exercise is king and nutrition is queen: together, you have a kingdom.” Jack LaLanne

At his home on January 23, 2011 the 96 year old Lalanne passed away due to respiratory failure from pneumonia, he had been exercising up til that day.

Do yourself a favor, take some time and check this real influencer out and learn a thing or two from his teachings. Now since you have been siting down too long reading this blog, get up and give me 20 squats!

Get up & Move,

CeJ

For the past few years, I have had this recurring dream, where it is the end of a vacation and I am scrambling to get to the beach because I realized that I stayed in my hotel room for the entire trip. I am bargaining for more time as I unpack and repack my suitcase because I didn’t get a tan, I didn’t have any fruity drinks, I accomplished nothing, and I wasted my precious vacation time. Dream me laments about how irresponsible I was with my use of time and at the end of each dream, I am promising myself I won’t stay cooped up like that again. 

COVID-19 has given us an unexpected vacation in a sense. A vacation from our day in and day out, normal routine. For most people, their routine has been shaken up, but it is not a vacation. It is an absolute nightmare, with work harder than they could ever imagine, with anxieties running high constantly, and uncertainty about what will come next. For others, it has been a time to slow down in a lifestyle that demands us to keep moving faster. 

It is difficult to reconcile the spectrum of situations individuals are experiencing and that they are also taking place simultaneously. I have wrestled with those feelings over the past few months, knowing both people in the healthcare field on the front lines, but also feeling grateful to spend time with my partner and with my dog, who I know doesn’t have much time left. 

As we move from red to yellow, and eventually from yellow to green, my dream anxieties are mixing with my waking anxieties. My brain is saying things like, “You have had all these weeks at home and nothing to show for it.” And, “Why didn’t you paint the kitchen? Why did you lay on the couch in a blanket for all that time? You could have organized the basement, and read your stack of books, and finished making your quilt.” 

These are things I am working through with my therapists (yes, that is plural), my friends, and my partner. They tell me – and they are right – that this is not a vacation, this is a FFF (flight, fright, freeze) situation. We are in constant survival mode, with warning alarms blaring. Does painting my kitchen help me survive? No. Does spending time on the couch with my old dog help me survive? Probably yes, in an emotional sort of way. 

How do we keep some semblance of normalcy while we are told simply going to the grocery store (to get life sustaining food) isn’t safe? A few weeks ago I went to Rite Aid, and by the time I got in line, I worked myself up to the point where I had to leave my things on a random shelf and walk out without buying anything. 

So with the Rite Aid situation in mind, I want to list some things that I did successfully to prove to myself that I was productive – and maybe it’ll help someone else who is struggling with this.

Things I did during COVID-19

• Read 6 books, and counting (I am 7 books ahead on my 2020 reading challenge!)
• Made masks for friends and family
• Continued therapy with my couple’s therapist and personal therapist
• Worked on difficult things from therapy
• Dabbled in painting (watercolor is really hard)
• Cleaned our house, made it a big mess, and cleaned it, and made it a mess….
• Dug out and gave away a stupid amount of rocks from our garden
• Spent quality time with my partner and my pets
• Played hours of Homescapes
• Binge watched Designated Survivor, Mrs. America, and Little Fires Everywhere
• Worked with my psychiatrist to try a different medication 
• Learned how to use Procreate (sort of) on my iPad 
• Repotted plants
• Retrained myself to sleep in
• Attended two virtual Creative Mornings
• Attended a virtual talk with Margaret Atwood

As I am reflecting on this, I definitely still feel like I didn’t accomplish anything important during this time and that I *should* have been more *productive* by normal societal standards. (Lol, what is normal?)

However, would I have read 6 books in 8 weeks with my pre-COVID schedule? Definitely not. 

Would I have attempted to learn how to paint? Nope. 

Would I have had time to watch 60+ episodes of TV? Not without losing a lot of sleep. 

Going forward, I will still be reading, I might still paint something, and I will definitely still be watching TV. I am hopeful I can do these things without feeling guilty for wasting “vacation time” and call tell my a**hole brain to suck it. 

Note: I have an immense amount of privilege in that I’m healthy, housed, & financially stable at the moment. My feelings on the state of things from that lens will have to wait for another day.

For the cats, 

Catlyn

Are you Working out or Training? We’ve all heard both of those terms used hundreds of times, but what do they really mean, and is there a difference? These two terms can be both subjective and objective in their own ways. Neither one of them is better than the other, and they both hold a purpose in your daily routine. It really comes down to the individual and their overall goals. To dig a little deeper, let’s define the two.

Training is the term typically used when there is a competitive goal that is planned for a specific day or event. Typically, a program is designed and organized around that day with the purpose to yield the best results possible. With this, you would design your program by starting from the day of the event and working backwards. Each training session would include purposefully selected movements with the intent of achieving a specific goal for that given day. On the flip side, working out is typically used when there is no competition or event planned, and you simply want to stay active, feel good, and work towards accomplishing some personal goals. You may still have a timeline for specific things, but you are mainly enjoying the process, and going with the flow. Workouts typically aren’t planned backwards for month in advance. They can be planned a week at a time, a day at a time, or even on the fly. That’s the beauty and joy of workouts. You can be as creative and individualized as you want. 

So now the question is, when is it necessary to train, and when should you be working out? Well, that’s something only you can answer, and it depends solely on your priorities and goals. I do however recommend that at one point or another every individual train to participate in some sort of event or competition. This can be as laid back or as serious as you want. A 5k all the way up to a marathon (or beyond). A local push/pull charity meet or a full powerlifting meet half way across the country. Either way, participating in a competition will provide you with a great opportunity to set goals, challenge yourself, and overcome obstacles in a way that can only only be achieved when you put yourself outside of your comfort zone. By signing up and circling the date on a calendar, you understand that you have a specific amount of time to focus all of your attention to achieving your goals. There’s no better feeling than when you cross the finish line the day of the event, and realize that you achieved exactly what you set out to do.

However, it is unrealistic to train this way year round. Every individual needs down time in order to rest, recover, and reset the body and mind. This is where working out can be very beneficial. Take this pandemic for example. With the closure of gyms and businesses, now is a perfect time to have fun and challenge yourself in new ways. Your workouts can be completely different from anything that you’ve ever done. They should be fun, low stress, and an opportunity to set some new personal goals. No one knows how long this will go on, and there are no scheduled competitions in sight. If you were one of those people who had a competition scheduled, understand that it may be quite some time before you’re able to compete again. There’s no sense in continuing to train hard for something that is still uncertain. Step back, take a break, and focus on things that you have potentially been missing out on. Wake up and plan your workout on the fly. Get creative, try something you’ve never done, and go with the flow. 

There are plenty of people who you could find to work out with, but true training partners are worth their weight in gold. It’s important to understand that choosing to train with someone else is not required in order to make progress, but it is absolutely necessary to have a great training partner in your corner if you want to be your best. Below is a list of 5 of the most beneficial qualities of a great partner in crime.

1)Help with your form, and see things you can’t:

Contrary to popular belief, a training partner’s main job is not to yell and scream motivational sayings while you’re in the middle of your set. In fact, a training partner’s most important job is to make sure that you are always on point and dialed in. Even the most experienced lifters benefit from having someone to keep an eye on their form and technique. During a set, it can be easy to lose focus of what your body is doing throughout each repetition. This is where your training partner can give you helpful cues (verbal or physical) in order to keep you as safe and efficient with your movements as possible.

2)Push you harder than you would push yourself:

A good training partner will always find a way to bring out the best in you. There will be many, many days that you just don’t feel like pushing yourself as hard as you could or should, but your partner will make sure that you give everything that you can in that moment. There are indeed times that it is beneficial to train on your own, but there is no doubt that you will achieve more with the help of a great training partner than you could on your own.

3)Keep you in check: 

I am very fortunate to have a handful of great training partners. One of the things that I’m most thankful for is their willingness to tell me when I’m wrong, and when I need to be better. One of the worst things that someone can do is to see things that you could do better, but chose not to bring it to your attention. This is where trust and respect really come into play. When your goal is to be the best that you can, you cannot be scared to tell someone things that they may not want to hear. If you know that it will benefit them and their overall goal, then it should be said. This will lead to a tighter bond and stronger relationship in the long run. 

4)Motivate you through their performance:

One of the best things that I’ve done for myself was to find people who were better than I. This is no different than with our professional life. If we want to be better at our job, we study under someone who has more experience, and who has accomplished the things that we want to accomplish. When you are training with people who are better than yourself, you should constantly be doing everything in your power to keep up, get to where they are at, and even surpass them. This will not only keep you motivated, but it will help you learn much more than you would on your own.

5)Build a relationship:

One of the greatest things that I have gained from training with others are the relationships that I have built along the way. To this day, some of my best friends started out as simple training partners. When you spend hours throughout the week, shoulder to shoulder with someone who is pushing you to be your best with the same goals as yourself, there is a bond that is built that is unmatched. In a way, you are trusting them with your life, and they are doing the same with you. It is your responsibility to trust and look out for each other, while having fun and building a great friendship along the way.

Some of you may not know this but I really enjoy weird things and strange movies. I could have an entire conversation with you using only quotes from The Big Lebowski…yeah, well you know that’s just like ahh your opinion, man. So I decided to give you some of my favorite movies that get me fired up to train and get bumpy too!

These will be a bit different than some more obvious movies such as Rocky, Gladiator, Brave Heart, 300 and for all you old time meat heads, Pumping Iron.

1. Mortal Kombat 1995 -“Flawless Victory!”

This movie is about a warrior monk and two mortals led by Rayden (The lightning God) to battle an evil sorcerer and his forces in a tournament to save the world! Fires me right up…..MORTAL KOMBAT!!!!

2. Fight Club 1999- “You do not talk about Fight Club.”

Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter and MEAT LOAF! As the quote says, I can’t talk about it…you’ll just have to watch for yourself.

3. The Mummy 1999- “It’s a sarcophagus..he must have been someone of great importance. Or he did something very naughty.”

A solider, librarian and her brother adventure to the City of the dead to uncover lost secrets but unintentionally wake a cursed mummy and now most right their wrongs to save the world. One of my all time go to action adventure movies.

4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles1990- “I have always liked..Cowabunga!”

4 Mutant Jacked up Turtles and their ninjutsu Master Splinter (a Rat) battle against the evil warrior Shredder and his foot clan to save the city. This was the highest grossing independent film of all time until 1999 and one of Jim Henson’s last projects. They will fight for pizza.

5. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 2002 “There is always hope!”

A littler better known movie here but the final battle in this movie always gets me hyped up.

6. IP Man 2008 “Nobody is #1 forever.”

You think Bruce Lee is bad, well this dude was his Wing Chun Master.

CeJ’s Honorable Mentions:

Road House 1989 “Be nice..until it’s time no to be nice.”

Pain & Gain 2013 “You cant just kidnap a guy and take all his things.”

The Karate Kid 1984 “Sweep the leg.”

Predator 1987 …The handshake scene.

Special Guest Selections:

Mom- Flashdance 1983- Fun fact some of the movie was filmed in Pittsburgh

Sky- The Fighter 2010

Uncle Ken- Cool Running 1993 “Rise & shine…It’s butt whooping time!”

I hope you enjoyed my list and I would be interested to see what some of your favorite movies that get you ready to train are.

Hasta La Vista..Baby!

CeJ

During this unprecedented time, we’ve all had to find new ways to train. As CeJ would say, “get bumpy.” I’m lucky that, over the years, I’ve accumulated a collection of random weights and a few bars. While it’s nice to have some of these cool things, I still don’t have a squat rack! Lacking a squat rack made me think about how I can train during this time outside of the gym.

Here are some things I’m doing to keep my training moving forward:

• I have set a schedule and seven days a week I stick to that schedule. I still wake up at 5:15 am, and without boring you with the details of my life, I am busy until about 6 pm.
• I broke down my weaknesses to decide how I would train.
• I was realistic with this list, as I don’t have all the fun things that we have at UF.
• I set a plan.
• I have been sticking to that plan.

This is where my training began. Now here is what I have to work with:

• A fat bar
• A power bar
• Random bumper plates of differing sizes
• A few random bands
• A few kettlebells

Knowing these factors, here is what I put together. I stole ideas from the greasing the groove theory. If you want to know more about this, I wrote an article a few years ago about this theory. Click on this paragraph for the link. The idea is I will do the same lifts at pretty much the same weight daily. 

• Snatch 3 X 3 (always superset with some sort of a jump); weight 135 lbs
• Clean 3 X 3 (superset with a sprint); weight 185-205 lbs
• Deadlift 3 X 3 (superset with an ab exercise); 335 lbs…or as I call it, all my plates
• Floor Press 3 X 20; weight 135 lbs

Finish with kettlebell walk variations. I do overhead, waiter walks, overhead bottom up, farmer walks, or whatever else I think of. I just walk up and down the street.

I know this is probably too many Olympic lifts for most of our members, but I believe a good coach must understand movement, not just lifts. So take some time and work on your weaknesses. These could be mental or physical. Let’s just all be stronger together.

TH

With things changing in the news daily, it’s hard to tell when we will be reunited at our favorite hangout, Union Fitness. We can only hope that it will be sooner rather than later. With the time off, we have all had plenty of opportunity to sit and ponder our plans for when we can train again. At a time where our bodies are fresh and our motivation will be higher than ever, it will be easy to jump back into training and push things hard without any thought or hesitation. My advice to you, before you hit the ground running, pump the brakes.

If you’re reading this, there is a good chance that you have found some way to stay active during your downtime. If you are fortunate enough to have access to equipment, then that’s great. If you don’t but have been going for walks, bike rides, or doing bodyweight workouts, that’s great as well. Or, if you’ve decided to take this time to relax and focus on other aspects of your life, I applaud you as well. As a matter of fact, if you’ve been continuously pushing yourself for any significant amount of time, then you will have benefited from this time of rest, and your body thanks you. Regardless of how you have been spending your forced time off, there are some things to consider before jumping back into training once our favorite gym is able to open up it’s doors.

1. Respect where you are currently: If you have not been able to perform regular at-home workouts, then there is a very good chance that your strength, stamina, and overall conditioning will be slightly lower than it was when you were training regularly. Because of this, take your time during your first week back in the gym. Don’t overreach and be patient with your progress return.

2. Let yourself readjust: If you have in fact been able to train regularly but in different forms then you’re used to, then your overall conditioning could be different than it was before. For example, if you were used to using barbells and dumbbell, but are now using bodyweight circuit style routines, then your strength may be slightly lower, but your endurance and stamina could be higher. On the flip side, if you were used to performing cardio based workouts only but you have been focusing on resistance exercises, then your strength and muscle mass have potentially increased, but overall endurance has possibly decreased. Either way, understand that when you return to your regularly scheduled programming, there’s a chance that your body may be operating and feeling a little differently.

3. Control the accelerator: When you return, you will feel fresh, reenergized, and excited to get back into the swing of things. If you have not been able to train the way you were prior to this, then you will want to gradually build your way back up. I would not recommend jumping right back into where you left off. By doing this, you may be putting yourself as risk of injury, which could potentially set you back longer than you’ve waited to return to the gym. There’s also a good chance you will want to stay forever in fear of missing out on this opportunity again. You will feel great at the time, but your body and mind will hate you over the next few days, so take things slow.

4. Be patient: Don’t expect things to come back instantly, but know that it won’t take as long as it did the first time around. If you have already developed a base of strength and conditioning, then your body will adapt and return to it’s previous state relatively quickly. Unfortunately, you will be much more sore than normal, there’s just no way around that. Those first few workouts are going to be a challenge, but within a short amount a time, you will be back firing on all cylinders. 

Now that we have taken a few things into consideration, here is my advice. Before you step foot back into the gym, make a plan. Begin by scheduling your first 3-4 weeks of training and stick to it the best that you can. Be sure to take all of the things that we have discussed into consideration. Next, set goals. With those goals, think small, not big. Next, give yourself some leeway on your workouts. For your first few training sessions, make the duration shorter than what you’re used to. If you are lifting, consider lowering your intensity for the first few sessions to let your body get reacclimatized. If you were previously performing barbell squats, bench press, and deadlifts before leaving the gym, don’t start back with the same weights you were using, and certainly don’t consider trying to find your current max. Likewise, if you were used to running multiple miles on the treadmill daily, don’t start back up directly into the same distance or intensity. Finally, be happy that you are able to be back exercising and doing something that you enjoy. When something that you love and rely on is taken from you, it puts into perspective how much it truly means. So, set some new goals, make a plan, enjoy the process, and remember why you started all of this in the first place. I hope to see all of you soon. Cheers.

Is it valuable, What is it, how to develop one, etc.

Around 15 years ago, I was out of college nearly 5 years and married for a few.  My wife had finished some post college schooling to become a registered dietitian and I decided I wanted to pursue an MBA, while working on my career.  I loved the MBA classes because my mindset was different.  I was truly enjoying what I was learning, and it didn’t hurt that I was paying for all of it in lieu of just a portion.  Regardless, besides the business things I learned, the most valuable personal item I had to develop as an assignment during this time was a Self Development Action Plan (SDAP).  

This assignment was one of the hardest I have ever done, but probably one of the most rewarding and it has helped provide direction for my life over the past 15 years and will continue to help well into the future.  It required me to picture myself through the rest of my life and figure out where I want to be in every phase and then write it down.  Next the important part was to develop goals and actions that would allow me to achieve my future self.  This is very similar to a fitness plan, but it involves every part of your life.

So what makes up a SDAP?  It starts with a chart that includes columns with the following headings: Goals, Strengths, Weaknesses, Strategy, and Evidence of Accomplishment.  Here is a simple silly example that is on my SDAP:  

Goal: have my own teeth when I die, 

Strength: I have them now; 

Weakness: I don’t go to the dentist as much as I should and I love sugar, 

Strategy: stop eating so much sugar, floss and brush at least twice a day, and visit the dentist at least twice a year, 

Evidence of Accomplishment: I still have my teeth when I die.

I decided to break down my SDAP into categories.  My major categories include personal and professional.  Under Personal I include subcategories: Physical health, Mental health, Family, Social, Home, Travel, Financial well being, and recreation.  Under Professional I included subcategories: career and training.  Within each subcategory I have a number of goals, which I think I ended up with over 100 goals, by the time my instructor stopped asking for more.  The goals should be both near term and long term goals.  A short term example that I had at the time: 

Goal: pay off student loans in the next two years, 

Strength: I hate carrying debt, 

Weakness: other financial demands, Strategy: utilize all “extra” money to pay off loans (tax returns, expense checks, bonuses, etc.), 

Evidence of accomplishment: loans paid off by 2006.

The last step, which I believe is the most important.  Review, update, and add to your SDAP on a quarterly basis.  You will find, as I do every year, that you accomplish some goals or are utilizing the strategies to accomplish them, you develop new goals, and some of the goals you set before aren’t really important any more.  Also if you want real accountability, share your SDAP with your partner.  It is a great way to share and discuss your life with someone you trust.

Brad Ott

I have a few updates for those who read my last blog post about how I’m moving through this trying time. After the blog was posted some of you reached out which left me feeling blessed to be part of this community and Union Fitness in general. You guys inspire me endlessly and challenge me daily which is why I’m letting you all in a little something I’ve started working towards. This will be the start of a series for me, something not only to keep me motivated but also provide educational and useful content for those who would appreciate it.

For a little insight, I haven’t been coaching very long but 2 and a half years truly does go fast and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else or doing anything else. Recently I’ve started working towards my nutrition certification, this is something besides coaching that I am very passionate as well. I’ve always been briefly asked my advice when it comes to nutrition and I figured there couldn’t be a more perfect time to add to my arsenal than now.

Nutrition can appear to be complex and overwhelming but once you begin to understand the basics of eating well, it becomes less frightening. I remember when I first started counting macros, it was a tad overwhelming at first but once I found a routine and foods I knew I could easily prepare everything came together. I felt fueled for every training session and prepared for every day even if it was a rest day and all I had to think about was work. Now, counting macros, keto and all those structured diet plans we see daily aren’t for everyone. Your nutrition needs to be catered to YOU and it should never feel like a burden.

Although for the past year I haven’t counted but that doesn’t mean I’ve strayed from the path of fueling myself properly. Having counted macros for a few years I built a routine and basic knowledge of what I need to feel good and have general knowledge on my daily intake. I’ve continued this approach for about a year now but I know in the coming months I will be ready to take a serious dive back into being more dialed in and structured. You’re probably wondering why stop? Well, life is the answer. I’ve had a whirlwind of a year and found that dialed in nutrition was the least of my worries when I already live by the 80/20 rule. Life is all about give and take, you need to adjust as circumstances change but I’ve also never lost sight of my goals, I’m just living as the complex human being I am.

If you’re reading this you’re wondering what I am I going to be writing about or what this series will entail, well let me tell you. Along with sharing nutritional info and practices I am learning day to day I am going to be supporting small business’ that are healthy alternatives for cravings and/or options for fueling your body properly. This will be a hands on approach to have a little fun with what I am currently doing and it is my hope that I can inspire those reading to make small changes within their own lives or try something new.

So, if this is something that interests you I highly recommend you keep tabs on when each part of the series comes out and what business’ I’ll be supporting that week. I’m looking forward to this little challenge as I haven’t always been a fan of going outside my comfort zone (however, Todd has somehow willed me into almost enjoying it – Thankful is an understatement). With all that said, I hope you enjoy this coming series and please reach out via email or DM me on Instagram if there are things you would like to see discussed.

Email: jocelyn@unionfitness.com

Instagram: @jlemay

Much love Union,

J