In the year 1913, Webster’s Dictionary defined Strength as “The quality or state of being strong; ability to do or to bear; capacity for exertion or endurance, whether physical, intellectual, or moral”. One hundred and Seven years later, and the same still holds true. Strength is how our grandparents built cities and towns, were able to make it through the Great Depression and World Wars, and how our parents were able to bring us into this world and raise us into decent human beings. Today, we are faced with our own challenges, obstacles, and adversity to overcome. The absolute best way to make it through unscathed is to be strong, physically and mentally. 

 

Being strong gives us the ability to make it through scenarios and situations that we typically might not be able to get through. When it comes to our physical abilities, strength is the absolute foundation for all other aspects of growth. Below is a list of six things that you will benefit from being physically strong.

 

1. Being stronger (duh): Obvious, yes. Although there are few things that compare to the feeling of being stronger than you were yesterday.

 

2. Building muscle: By building strength, you have a greater ability to build more muscle mass. 

3. Burning fat: A stronger muscle has the ability to burn more body fat. This is due to the metabolic requirements needed to keep that muscle working and provided with energy.

 

4. Having strong bones: Strength is shown to have a direct correlation with bone density and strength. When the muscles are put under stress to get stronger, so are the bones in order to provide structure and support.

 

5. Injury prevention: Through building total body strength, we are essentially “bullet proofing” our bodies. If we fall down the stairs, we have a better chance of coming out unscathed due to our conditioned and strong muscles and bones.

 

6. To be better prepared for what life throws at you: Josh Bryant defines this as being Jailhouse Strong. This is having the physical ability to make it through any physical challenge that you might find yourself in. Regardless of if it’s in the gym or out in the real world.

 

It’s no secret that being physically and mentally strong go hand in hand. There’s a very good chance that you have even experienced this first hand at one point or another. Often times, the challenges that we are faced with in the gym through working towards our goals also help us to do the same in our everyday lives. Remember how it felt when you lifted that weight that you didn’t think you could, or made it through that workout that you thought was impossible? Remember how you felt like you could do anything once you left the gym after that training session? Well, it’s because you can. The same principles that we use to get better in the gym are the same ones that we can apply to your everyday lives, relationships, jobs, etc. Below is a list of 5 things that we experience throughout our life that will become easier through strength.

 

1. Setting and achieving goals: Being strong builds confidence, and confidence gives us the drive to achieve great things. As we build physical strength, we understand that we can apply those same methods and steps to achieve our personal goals. 

 

2. Working through obstacles: Being strong means not giving up. We have all experienced many obstacles throughout our lives, and will face many more. Through strength, we understand that by not quitting when things get hard, we will eventually make it through the other side.

 

3. Navigating detours along the way: Unfortunately, there’s no GPS for life. It can be very easy to lose your way at times. Being strong allows you to find direction in even the most difficult times.  

 

4. Overcoming adversity: As we get stronger, we have the ability to become more comfortable with being uncomfortable. David Goggins refers to this as “embracing the suck”. When you have built a foundation on strength, you understand that you can make it through any situation placed in front of you.

 

5. Being a rock for those around you: I believe that we are all put on this earth to help each other grow and become better versions of ourself. There will be times where you feel as if the world is coming down around you. The strength that you build through your trials should always be used and passed on to help those around you. 

 

A wise man once said, strength is never a weakness. This may begin in the gym, but it goes far beyond. Be strong for yourself, be strong for those around you, and be strong for life.   

Hello my hungry hungry hidden comrades!

 

I wish you all well and that your pantries are stocked with some solid nutritious treats and supplies.

 

Here have been some of my favorite go to meals and snacks while we’ve been away. These delightful chows are good, good for you and easy as putting away your weights…yeah I’m looking at you over there!

 

Zucchini Fries:
Ingredients; zucchini, egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, pepper, salt, oregano, breadcrumbs (optional) and your favorite jarred or if youre fancy, homemade tomato sauce.

 

Directions: Slice Zucchini into fry shaped objects- toss them in a bowl with a few cracked eggs- toss the egg & zucchini into another bowl with the  dry ingredients above- toss the total creation into an air fryer or oven and let the bubs cook for 8-12 minutes. Serve on a plate with a side of sauce and BOOM!

 

Tuna & Muffin Sammy:
Ingredients; Canned tuna, English muffin or favorite bread, light mayo, pepper and then your favorite toppings. We added avocado, pickles and tomatoes for an extra punch of flavor.

 

Directions: Toss your tuna in a bowl with some light mayo- toast your carbohydrate vehicle of choice- add all your ingredients on top and WHAMMY!

 

Avocado Toast:
Ingredients; avocado, feta cheese, cherubs/little tomatoes and basil leaves.

 

Directions: I think you got this one covered…KRUNCH enjoy some lunch.

 

Spicy Everything But The Kitchen Sink Shrimp Soup:
Ingredients; Shrimp, olive oil, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, hot peppers, corn, garlic, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth & avocados.

 

Directions; In a soup pan heat up some olive oil and toss in all your vegetables and herbs to saute- add in the veggie broth, tomato sauce and crushed tomato to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes- dump in your 1-3lbs of raw shrimp and continue to boil for 5-8 minutes until the shrimp bubs are cooked. Pour this into your favorite bowl, add some avocado and or sour cream to the top and you got yourself a powerhouse soup…..SHHHAAABAMMMM!

 

Have some fun and makes these special by putting your own spin on these Bumpy recipes.

 

Enjoy my Friends,
Cheers- CeJ

I’ve been lucky enough in my life to have many smart and strong training partners. I’m convinced that the best thing about training is the people. So many people have helped me on my journey, and I know that I’m not in any way an island. I’m only as strong as those around me. 

 

Union Fitness (UF) has one of the greatest training environments that I’ve ever seen. Last year, UF had 46 members compete in powerlifting and many others compete in other events. Throughout my training career, I’ve competed in many Strongman competitions as well as powerlifting meets. I know how training for something can change how you see your daily habits. When getting ready to train, we will plan when we eat, rest, and take in caffeine as well as many other mundane daily chores.

 

It’s the team

 

The reason that we all do this isn’t for that brief moment on the platform. We do this to be a part of something bigger than us. We pay it forward every time we spot, teach, or coach anyone in a training session. We learn that even the best laid out plans sometimes fail. I only bombed out of one meet and it sucked. I was happy that Louie Simmons did give me three white lights that day. I’ve seen many great lifters bomb out of meets when I know their training went great up until that day. But I’ve also seen all their training partners there to support them during that time. We are a family when it comes to training. 

 

How many times have you entered the gym without your head in the game? You aren’t feeling great. You had a bad day at work or had an argument. Then you begin training and one of your training partners changes your view immediately. For me, this more often happens when I see a lifter fight through a rep or attack a set and I snap out of my funk and say, “If they can do it, why am I being soft?” Other times, someone believing in me as much or more than I do can change that view for me. 

 

Strange times

 

During this time where we can’t come into the gym or get together and train, we must learn to adapt. As Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.”

 

We must now find a way to push each other and ourselves in order to reach our goals as well as aid all others to have success. Social media has shown us both the best and the worst of humanity. We can now use this to connect to one another and help one another. Here at UF, we’re hosting live Instagram workouts consisting of home workouts and different exercises that you do while home. I hope this helps keep some normalcy to your (and our) lives. 

 

In order to adapt, we must feel uncomfortable, so allow this discomfort to enter our lives. If you need help, reach out to a friend or reach out to us at UF and we will help you get through this just as we would if we were in the gym helping you get through a set. We will be stronger for this. It won’t always be easier, but we are stronger together. 

 

Keep on keeping on, and remember—we’re all here to support one another. Reach out, be active, and let’s get over this stronger than before.

By day 4 of quarantine my new reality was setting in. I was feeling bad for myself because I couldn’t train how I wanted to, therefore leaving me with zero motivation to do anything active, and all of the guilt from sitting around and eating.  After talking with my friends and reflecting on the feels, I came to a few realizations. 

 

• Without being able to train, coupled with the high stress of a pandemic, I was headed towards an anxiety and depression ridden spiral, fueled by constant body guilt/food guilt.

 

• I felt dumb, awkward, and embarrassed just thinking about working out at home – which then led me to imposter syndrome. How could I teach classes & train 12+ hours a week, but give up so quickly at home? How could I be embarrassed about my partner seeing me workout, when I train in public all the time? Am I even worthy of being a “fitness professional” if I can’t exercise without being at the gym?

 

• The gym helps me escape from the never ending chatter in my head – a place with no other distractions (except dance breaks). Working out in my living room did not have the same effect. I felt awkward and out of place, like my furniture and my pets and my plants were all judging me. I figured out that it wasn’t just about training, it was about having somewhere *to go* to train. 

 

Project Home Gym

#1 Make a space – A place where I feel mentally and physically ready to exercise.

✔ Clear out corner in spare bedroom

✔ Organize and set up equipment

✔ Arrange plants and roll out yoga mat

 

(Note: Use whatever you have, even if it’s just a yoga mat or towel. The physical space is what counts.)

 

#2 Make a plan – A routine that makes exercising at home feel more natural.

✔ Workout with @toddhamer1 at 12p to warm up

✔ Workout on my own for an additional 30 minutes

✔ Document the workout on my calendar (and by not-so-humble bragging about it to my training partners, that I miss dearly)

 

#3 Make friends – People who can hold you accountable and support you.

✔ Sara, Nicole, Molly, Terry, & Maggie (Sry not sry for the workout texts)

✔ Ham the man #weekdaywarriors

✔ Myself (Minimize negative talk. Give myself grace because it is okay if I gain weight, miss a workout, etc.)

After completing “Project Home Gym” and reflecting on how to write this blog, I realized that I wasn’t the blob, failure, or imposter that I felt like during Week 1 of quarantine. Writing things down helps me feel like I have accomplished something (see #2 – Make a plan), so here is my training log for the first week of quarantine. 

 

Day 1	Live Instagram workout with Todd
Day 2	Nil
Day 3	Quick barbell session at ASCEND (praise!)
Day 4	Hike with partner and doggies (Non-life sustaining businesses ordered to close)
Day 5	(Set up home gym space) Live IG w/ Todd + on my own workout
Day 6	Live IG w/ Todd + on my own workout
Day 7	Live IG w/ Todd + on my own workout  (Set up indoor bike trainer)

 

If you are looking for some ideas, here’s what I did on my own:

 

Day 5 

20*-15*-10*-5 

Squat+lunge

Jumping Lunge

Jump Squat

Mtn Climber

Inchworm in place (no push up)

 

*After round 20s 25 Sit-ups 25 Flutter Kicks (4count) 25 Sit-ups 25 Leg Raises

*After round 15s 25 Sit-ups 25 Scissor Kick (4 count) 25 Sit-ups 25 Crunches

*After round 10s  25 Sit-ups 25 Russian Twist (4 count) 25 Sit-ups 25 Bicycler’s (4 count)

 

Day 6

3X

10 KB RDL 35# per hand

10 KB Floor press 35# per hand

10 KB overhead leg raises 25#

10 KB around the world per side 25# 

* Iso Interlude of

• :30 plank 
• :30 boat
• :30 superpeople hold
• :30 wall sit

THEN

3X

10 curls 10# per

10 FR squats

10 OHP

10 suitcase lunge (total)

 

Day 7

5-10-15-20-15-10-5

Squat jumps

Mtn climber

KB swing (35#)

Russian Twist

Banded glute bridge

 

Looking for workout ideas? Looking for a friend? Looking for things to pass the time?

Feel free to follow me on Instagram, where I will definitely be posting pet photos, food I’m making, books I’m reading, and endless memes. Shameless self promotion, but also genuinely here to provide support in these weird times. @catlyn_b

 

Hello all my super sanitized amigos!

 

I know a lot of you are working from home or just practicing social distance to flatten the curve in these strange times. There is no need to have cabin fever and turn into Jack Torrance from the Shining with these 7 ways to stay sane I’m about to give you.

 

1. Stay active and workout from home or outside (coming from the King of the Bumps). Yes you will have to get creative and use; steps, chairs, gallon milk jugs, logs or heavy bags of dog food but that is what makes exercise fun! You can also check out Union’s Instagram and website for some cool training ideas.

 

2. Take time to phone a family member, friend or training partner. This is an opportunity to shoot the bull and keep everyone’s mental health up. Times like these you learn how powerful a quick phone call check in can be. You can also face-time, text and maybe even send smoke signals if you’re into that sort of thing.

 

3. Read those books that you have been putting on hold.

 

4. Cook real food/ learn how to cook. The internet still works and there are plenty cool meals out there for you to try and make your own. Cooking is a great way to take your mind off the outside world and get creative in the moment. If you want some great ideas reach out to this cool chick you may know as Skylyn. If you don’t know…now you know.

 

5. Take some time to go outside. Find a trail in the woods or walk around your favorite park and take in some exercise and naturally forming vitamin D from the Sun. You’ll still want to keep a safe distance from people so you don’t spread or contract the coronavirus. I know we’ll be taking our pups on a nice hike later today.

 

6. Pick up and old skill you’ve gotten away from because of work or a busy life schedule. I’m tuning up my bass as we read and plan on rocking out later. Horns up fam!

 

7. All your home renovations or clothes that you have been meaning to sort through in your pile…looks like you got some time now to put some work in and get caught up on it all.

 

Bonus Tip

 

8. Make a friendly wager on how big the baby boom will be from the time in quarantine.

 

Stay safe, protect your mentals and remember to wash your hands my friends.

 

Air High Five,

CeJ

Alright guys, so I’ve put together a few days worth of workouts for you. Please program in your own rest day and avoid doing these workouts all 4 days in a row. Also, feel free to cherry pick and do your favorites first if you so please, just have fun with it.

 

If you have questions please feel free to email me at jocelyn@unionfitness.com or even reach out to me via my personal IG @jlemay or the Union Fitness Instagram account as well.

 

Stay healthy my friends,

 

Jocelyn

 

W1:

5 min active warm up: consider a light jog

Into: 3 rounds (easy)

10 toe touches 

10 air squats

10 lunges

Core-Circuit

5 rounds:

10 sit-ups

:20 plank

10 lemon squeezers

:20 plank

10 v-ups (substitute with hollow hold)

*goal is to make everything look pretty and not rush.

Workout 

FOR TIME

400m or 2:00 run

50 air squats

400m or 2:00 run

30 jumping lunges

400m or 2:00 run

20 air squats

*If you’re feeling frisky, 2 rounds for quality not time.

 

W2:

5 min active warm up: consider a light jog

Into: 3 rounds (easy)

10 arm circles

10 air squats

10 jumping jacks

Workout

4 ROUNDS:

60 singles or 10 squat jumps (if you don’t have a jump rope)

15 KB swings (substitute with push ups, from toes or knees based on ability) 

5 – 10 burpees (pick your poison)

Cash Out

Accumulate a 5:00 – 8:00 wall sit, to make it harder – Use a small dog or child works as well.

 

W3:

5 min active warm up: consider a light jog

Into: 3 rounds (easy)

10 butt kicks

10 high knees

10 toe touches

Workout

4 ROUNDS

10 bench dips (get creative use your couch or something sturdy)

:20 – :30 side plank, both sides (get those hips on the floor)

10 split squats each leg (use a gallon of water to make it harder)

Cash-Out

TABATA (:20 on/:10 off) 

5 rounds of:

Mountain climbers

Jumping jacks

Plank shoulder taps

Sit-ups

 

W4:

If you have access to a track or trail, even your own neighborhood works.

Go for a 30 – 45 min run/walk, take your dog or your kids and just get moving outside.

All UF Members,

 

As you have probably seen or read Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been creating issues throughout the world. We here at Union Fitness are determined to help keep each of you as healthy as possible. We are addressing this issue in many ways.

 

1. We have increased our cleaning of the facility. You may notice that staff members are being extra vigilant with disinfecting the equipment. We ask that you help out by also being extra vigilant when it comes to cleaning equipment after usage.
2. Any staff member who appears to be sick will be asked to stay home, and if you aren’t feeling well we respectfully ask you to take the day off as a precaution.
3. We have already met with our cleaning crew to make sure that the facility is being cleaned and disinfected.
4. Finally, we are sad to say that we must postpone our fundraiser scheduled for this Sunday. I know many of you have trained and donated and we appreciate you. We are doing this in order to keep each of you safe and healthy. At this time we do not feel that holding this event would be the best thing to do.

 

We ask that if you have any concerns you bring them up to our staff. We appreciate you and are here to help each of our members become healthier.

 

Thank you,

 

Todd Hamer

General Manager, Union Fitness

If you’ve spent some time back in our Strength Lab here at union Fitness, then you’ve probably noticed our large selection of barbells. Each barbell has multiple purposes and benefits. Some of them will make your training more challenging, while some of them may make training easier if you are battling with a nagging injury. The main benefit of having such a large selection of bars is variety. By having variety within your training, you will be less likely to hit a plateau, and it will keep things interesting and fun.

 

One of the first things you’ll notice when looking at the bars is that they have a piece of colored tape on them. This tape designates what the bar could be used for, and which area of the gym it is best suited for. Listed below are the different colors and what each of them mean.

 

Blue: All purpose. These are our 45lb. texas power bars. They can be used for anything from squatting, bench pressing, deadlifting, overhead pressing, rows, cleans, jerks, and snatches. This is by far the most versatile bar you can find.

 

Yellow: Deadlift. These bars are used specifically and ONLY for deadlifting. They are thinner and a bit longer than a power bar, giving them more “flex” for lifting heavier weights from the floor.

 

Red: Bench Press. Here, you’ll find straight bars that are 55lbs for competition bench press use, as well as multi/ neutral grip bars used for building your bench through variations.

 

Orange: Squat. This is our largest variety of bars. Ranging anywhere from 55 and 60lb competition squat bars, to cambered and safety squat bars.

 

Next, we will go a little bit more in depth on the more specialized bars and what they have to offer for your training.

 

The SSB squat bar (65 lbs): This is the best speciality bar to use for building your squat. By having handles located out in front, it relieves stress on the shoulders and elbows. With the bar pad on the back, the bar is forced to sit up high on the traps. This is going to force you to use your core and upper back to keep the bar in place and prevent it from pitching you forward. Although this will make the squat more challenging, it greatly aids in building overall squatting strength.

 

The Cambered squat bar (65 lbs): This is a great bar to use for challenging your core and overall stability/ control during the squat. Due to the large U shape, the bar locates the weight’s center of mass much lower and out in front of the body. This will cause the bar to want to swing back and forth if you are not in the proper position and are not utilizing the proper tension throughout your core and upper body. Give this bar a shot if you want to focus on your overall stability, but be sure to start very light as it will take some time to get used to. 

 

The Buffalo bar (55 lbs): This multi-purpose bar can be used for both squatting and bench pressing. The slight bow of the bar helps it to sit across the shoulders in a very relaxing position during squatting, while also taking pressure off of the shoulders and elbows. During the bench press, this bar can help you work through a greater range of motion which can help to build pressing power. Be sure to go a bit lighter than you would with a standard straight bar, as it can be harder on the pecs and shoulders if they are not used to the increased range of motion.

 

The multi grip Football bar and Swiss bar (55lbs & 35lbs): These bars are great for building the bench press. With the grips being in a neutral position, the triceps will be emphasized more so than the standard straight bar, while also relieving stress on the shoulder joint. This bar is great when used for performing a floor press as well. Although a bit more challenging, both of these bars will greatly help to build overall bench press strength.

 

The Axel bar (55 lbs): Another great tool for building a strong bench press. With this bar being much larger in diameter, you are forced to focus on stability and control. Because of this, you are forced to used your main pressing muscles (triceps and lats) in order to stabilize the bar under a challenging load. Because of the larger grip, this bar can also alleviate stress on the shoulders and elbows.

 

Now that you have a better understanding of what each bar has to offer, be sure to try them out and give us your feedback. As always, don’t hesitate to grab one of us if you have any questions, or simply need a hand. Cheers.

Every day I am surrounded by strong, beautiful and confident women. I train/compete with and against some of these women, they inspire me and challenge me in my daily life. Feelings of inferiority and jealousy do not have room within the four walls of my heart. I am not in competition with these women, I stand on the same side and loudly cheer for their accomplishments.

 

Since I can remember society has engrained within me that I should worry about the woman standing next to me, is she prettier than me? Is she stronger? Is she better? And all through elementary, middle and high school, even college I constantly compared myself to any woman, even if the only time I ever saw her was through the screen on my phone. Insecurity deeply rooted itself and fear tip toed through the halls of my life while they quietly hid, waiting for the right time to come out and play.

 

The moment I started treating my body better, feeding it and nourishing it with endorphins I saw a shift. Although I had been involved in sports all my life, no one taught me how to love my body because that was an inside job. You can have people in your life that give you the tools to succeed but you will not find success if you don’t put in the work yourself – I was 22 when I realized this. 

 

The majority of my 20s have looked a lot like this; college, CrossFit, graduation, CrossFit, post-grad jobs, CrossFit. If you’ve met me or if you follow me on Instagram, you know that fitness truthfully is numero uno in my life. My entire day revolves around when I can get into the gym to train and each of those days are structured accordingly, to me its a structure that I invite into my life because this is what makes me happy at the end of the day. The only thing I can control is how much work I put in, day in and day out. This mentality applies to not only my own training but my job, my relationships and more importantly the relationship I have with myself. The outcomes are completely out of my hands but I can never be disappointed in my own performance if I can honestly say, I did everything I could have.

 

When I started investing in myself I stopped feeling like I was in constant competition with other women. I stopped worrying if my best friend was prettier than me or if my training partner was stronger than me. I became less insecure and more secure, I became less introverted and more of a leader and I stopped comparing myself to others within the gym and started asking the hard question of, what can I do to get better?

 

I spend nearly 2-3+ hours a day training competitively with women who are stronger, faster and better than I am at the sport of CrossFit. Again, those feelings of inferiority or jealousy have no room to spread because within the walls of a gym you will find only support and encouragement. Yes they might be better than I am but there are also women who are better than them as well, we are all on the same path and regardless if its in the gym or on the competition floor we are all on the same team. 

 

The tides do change, when its 3-2-1 go and yes I want to beat the girl next to me but competition CAN be healthy. Once the workout is over and we’re both rolling around on the ground in the same amount of pain, it’s all high-fives and “good jobs.” You will find no ego or resentment because we choose every single day to celebrate each other rather than tear each other down.

 

This topic comes up for discussion as many well-known female athletes are speaking out against the beauty standards that live within competition. That there is a focus on what we look like versus what our bodies can do and as that discussion happens, this one that I’m speaking on is thriving at the same time. I didn’t sign-up to be compared to the woman standing next to me and I also didn’t put in the work to live in a world where women don’t support other women. 

 

If you are in my life, you will find me standing on the sidelines cheering for your successes because to me if SHE’S winning, we’re ALL winning.

We are hosting our fundraiser push pull on March 15th and with this we have many first time lifters asking a multitude of good questions. I want to share with you some tips about what to expect, and what to do heading into your first meet.

 

 

1. Be on time! Many meets have strict weigh in times and if you miss it then you are out of the meet. This is also when you will set your openers.
2. Pay attention at the rules clinic! I have seen too many lifters miss a lift in which they completed the repetition. This happens when the athlete hasn’t listened to the judge and rules.
3. Know which flight you are lifting in. This will dictate when you begin your warm ups. 
4. Have someone update you on how quickly the lifting is moving. This will change how quickly you move your warm ups. 
5. When you step to the platform be prepared for your lift. This seems simple yet everyone around you is there to help you perform your best. Don’t worry about the weight, that is the loaders job. Worry about the lift and only the lift.
6. Know what your next attempts will be, and watch your lifts to know if it is time to adjust for your next attempt.
7. Final point is to make it fun and be prepared. Pack your bag the night before with food, drinks and extra clothes. The day of the meet should be all about the lifts.

 

These 7 points should be enough to get you through the day. There are a few other things about the sport itself that I would be remiss if I did not mention. You get three attempts on each lift and you cannot decrease the weight after any attempt. So if you miss your opener you are stuck with that weight or more weight for your second and third attempts. Also, you get one minute from the time the bar is loaded to when you lift the bar. I have seen lifters lose track of time and miss the lift.

 

 

Remember, that at the end of the day the weight on the bar is irrelevant, the experience is what matters.