Union Fitness is built on a community. So anytime Union can contribute back, we will. A friend of the Pittsburgh fitness community unfortunately was diagnosed with cancer. After brainstorming some ideas UF decided that the most effective way to raise money is do what we do best, share our knowledge and passion of lifting.

The seminar was an absolute success. We had fifteen attendees that were curious about the art of benching and deadlifting. People were overly generous with their time and monetary commitments and it gave the #powerthroughcancer series a great jump start. The seminar was split into two sections. The first section of the seminar went over proper bench press technique and the second section was deadlifts. In each section Casey and Yessica first went over main technique points followed by letting the people perform the exercise. While performing the exercise Casey and Yessica walked around to give specific cues for the athlete’s needs. Some of the cues that Yessica and Casey went over for the bench press were to externally rotate your hands,  drive your legs and keep your back as tight as possible. You could tell from the look on each of the athletes faces that there was some confusion in the cues but each person was determined to work on the technique. After some reptitions, more people started to understand what each cue meant and the confusion soon changed to excitement. After grabbing lunch at the Federal Galley we headed back for the deadlift session. This is where the intensity picked up. AC/DC started blasting while a fog of chalk filled the room. Casey and Yessica went over important cues such as keep your hips down, drive your feet into the ground and keep your chest up during the lift by flexing your triceps. After the cues were said people started putting on the plates. One of the athletes decided to go for a Personal Record and ended up hitting 4 reps instead of one! Overall the seminar went very smoothly with people walking away feeling good from the new personal records and the feeling of helping a friend.

This seminar is a great example how here at Union fitness is able to bring people together to help other people in the community. Casey and Yessica plan to continue doing these seminars every weekend this month to help further raise more money. The next seminar will be at Arsenal Strength on Sunday January 14 at 9 am.

With New Year’s Resolutions in full effect, I’ve begun to put away the computer, phone and television in exchange for healthier habits.  It’s not exactly the brand new year that’s encouraging me to ditch the zombie-creating devices (although it definitely helps!) but rather an innate need or quest for knowledge.  Trying to skip the fake news and clickbait articles, I’ve opted for good ole fashioned books.  Here’s what’s currently on my reading list:

Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance by Dr. Kelly Starrett

Although I’ve read this book numerous times before, I always come back to it.  It is a must have resource for coaches and gym goers alike.

Weightlifting Programming: A Winning Coach’s Guide by Bob Takano

If you know me, you know that one of my greatest loves is Olympic Weightlifting. Learning the lifts are one thing.  Learning how to coach, program and implement them in training is a whole other ball game, which this books describes in depth.

Conscious Coaching by Brett Bartholomew

This one has admittedly been on my list for a couple months (Sorry Casey!) but I’m excited to dive in to explore the psychological and emotional sides of coaching.

Whole 30 Cookbook by Melissa Hartwig

Ok so it may not be a page turner, but having a healthy cookbook handy certainly helps with keeping the nutrition and healthy meals in check.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda

Here is another one that is a constant on my reading list.  I see this book as a day by day guide to living a meaningful, purposeful life through the guidance of ancient yoga philosophy.

Restorative Yoga For Life by Gail Boorstein Grossman

Restorative or recovery yoga is something we love here at Union Fitness! I’m constantly searching for new poses and techniques to implement into my own personal practice and into our Slow Flow Recovery yoga class here on Wednesday nights.

So it’s great to have someone’s current reading list but the real question is: What are the best fitness books to purchase? The answer is simple— whatever you’re interested in! My list will look a lot different than yours so I encourage you to head to your local library or book store or Amazon and just browse! See what catches your interest.  Happy reading!

It’s almost a brand new year and we know what that means— new goals and new resolutions.  Some of the top resolutions each year are to get into shape, lose weight, and be healthier.  Most of the time those goals come with a brand new gym membership.  While the staff here at Union Fitness is always here to help you accomplish those new goals, the first step is often a literal one— walking in the door. Just the thought can be overwhelming and anxiety producing. So how can you overcome gym-timidation?  Here are a few tips to help you take that first step.

1. Schedule a free New Member Orientation

Did you know Union offers a free introductory course to the gym? It’s our New Member Orientation and any member is welcome to schedule a session with one of our staff members. Afraid you won’t be able to find the water fountain? Or when you can use the Cardio Lab equipment or use the room for stretching? This brief orientation will take you around the gym, giving you the basic details of where, how & when of the inner workings of Union Fitness.

2. Schedule a session with a Personal Trainer

Still a little unsure? Schedule a private one-on-one session with one of our  certified Personal Trainers.  This in depth session will include things like discussing your goals and how to achieve them, your health history and of course, safely leading you through a goal-crushing workout.  Plus, the consultation will always be free! So there’s no harm in just meeting with one of       our trainers to see if you jive!

3. Take one of our Group Fitness Classes

There’s nothing quite like a group of like minded individuals (future friends!) to keep you motivated. Whether you’re in our strength classes or yoga or cardio lab classes, you’ll get help from one of our coaches and encouragement from everyone else.

4. Ask for help!

There will always be a staff member available to answer any questions or give you a little guidance.  Need a spot? We got you.  Need to vent? We got you. Can’t figure out how to work the leg press machine? We can show you.  Please don’t ever hesitate to ask any questions, whether you think they’re silly or not, we are a family here at UF and will always be supportive without judgement!

5. Don’t compare yourself to others

It can be easy to walk into a new place and instantly compare yourself to everyone around you.  Remember that everyone is on their own fitness path and as soon as you walk in the front doors, you’re with friends.  No one here is judging you.  Everyone wants to support and encourage you.

6. Be confident!

Yes, you may be new to the gym scene but be confident as if you’ve been doing this for years (But don’t forget, safety should always be your number one priority so don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it!) Remember the age old advice, “Fake it til you make it!”

So how can us veteran gym-goers help out the newbies? Leave the resting gym face at home.  Yes, we know that your back squat sets can be grueling and burpees can remove any trace of friendliness from anyone’s face but try to reserve those faces for just the mirror.  A smile can go a long way, not only to show those burpees who’s boss but to encourage all of our novice members.  Here’s to a brand new year, new goals, new resolutions, new PR’s, new badass-ery, and overcoming gym-timidation!

Watch out 2018, here we come!

It’s almost the 2018, so let’s talk about it: New Years Resolutions. I know I’m thinking about mine, so I’m betting your thinking about yours. And of course, our goal for every year at Union Fitness is to help our members reach theirs. With that in mind, I like to encourage my clients to set SMART goals, and no, that’s not just a snarky pun.

In this case, I’m referring to Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused, Time-bound goals. Let’s break that down:

Specific: Instead of setting the oft-cited and then oft-neglected goal of “losing some weight,” let’s tighten that up. Maybe you have a goal of losing 15, or losing 2 inches off your waist (or adding an inch to your biceps, we don’t discriminate). We want to make your goals as clear as possible, so that we know when they’ve been reached, what’s keeping us from reaching them, or when it’s time to move on to bigger things.

Measurable: Playing into “specific,” we need to make sure our goals are measurable, otherwise we’ll never know if we’ve accomplished what we wanted! Habit tracking apps can be really helpful for this. Maybe you have a goal of walking for 20 minutes each day. That’s easy to measure, all you need to do is check off each day on your calendar or habit tracker. Looking more long term, a specific and measurable goal would be to walk 20 miles in 40 days.

Attainable: We all get ahead of ourselves sometimes, especially when it comes to weight loss goals. You may feel motivated enough to lose 30 pounds in 2 months, but the reality is that this goal isn’t really attainable (and worse, is definitely not sustainable). For weight loss, a goal of losing 1-2 pounds per week (depending on your size) is difficult but doable. For other fitness goals, like shaving a few minutes off your half-marathon time or getting your first pull-up, ask us! We’ll help you figure it out.

Results-focused: We’re looking at the final picture, not the individual steps that will get you there. Those specific goals like losing 10 pounds are better able to be realized than a more general goal like “eat more salad” or “eat less donuts.” I do still encourage process goals, like mentioned above with the habit tracker, but they still need to be specific – “eat a vegetable at every meal” for example. Still, for a good resolution, think final result.

Finally, Time-bound: Put a date on it. Lost those 15 pounds by June 1, just in time for vacation. Get your first pull-up by February 15. Cut 10 minutes off your half-marathon time by the Pittsburgh Marathon in May. Again, ask us for help setting those time goals. Having a specific date in mind will help motivate you after the initial thrill of the New Year wears off. Everyone needs a sense of urgency sometimes.

Now that you’ve got an idea of how to set those goals, get working on them! I’d actually encourage you to get started as soon as possible, ie. BEFORE the New Year. We’re trying to encourage that with our December new member special: sign up for a contract in December, get your second month for free! If you have a fitness goal that you want to reach, we’re here for you, right now. See you soon!

OH – and we’re hosting FREE Classes all day long on New Year’s Day. So stop in and see what Union Fitness can do for you!

Now that we’re fully entrenched in the holiday season, you might be tempted to let your workouts fall to the wayside while you enjoy all the food and sweets this month has to offer. “I’ll start working out again in the new year,” you might tell yourself. OR, instead of backsliding on your fitness goals for the next several weeks, you could take a different approach and consider hiring a personal trainer. Here’s why:

Automatic accountability

If there’s one thing we all need during this season, it’s a little extra accountability. That’s where a good personal trainer comes in. Not only will your trainer create an exercise program tailored just to your goals, they’ll be there to push you a little bit when you need it. Having a set hour on your schedule to workout a few times a week is usually motivation enough on its own – no one wants to waste their hard-earned money.

Invaluable exercise advice that’s good all year round

Your training plan and the workout tips you get with a trainer will be carried with you for the rest of your life. Learning proper lifting form is invaluable and can only really be done with an expert’s help.

Training flexibility

We know you’re busy this month, and that’s why we provide flexibility with our personal trainers. We might pair you up with two different trainers so you can mix morning and evening workouts. We’re here to help you reach your goals no matter what it takes!

Get ahead of the New Year’s Resolution rush

This one is really the best benefit of all: you’re getting a jumpstart on your 2018 fitness goals by getting started in December! The more work you put in, the more likely you are to stick with your plan. Plus, you’ll have your trainer locked in before our January rush starts.

If this sounds like a good plan to you, now is the time to start with a trainer. Our personal training rates are set to go up in January, so give us a call to get started now.

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, many of us anticipate our healthy lifestyles to take a hit.  The dinner tables will be set with stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, and so much more, making it hard to not go into carb overload. However, it doesn’t have to be this way! There are plenty of healthy alternatives for your favorite dishes so you can enjoy food with your family without the added stress of ruining your diet.

Instead of regular mashed potatoes, try Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”.

By making this easy swap you are lightening the carb load and saving yourself a ton of calories. There are plenty of different herbs and spices you can add to your “mashed potatoes” to make them just as delicious as the original version. Check out this Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower recipe for some inspo!

Replace your original stuffing recipe with Quinoa “Stuffing”.

Exchanging your carb-filled stuffing with a protein-packed version is a great way to enjoy this holiday favorite. Not only will you feel better about what you ate, it’ll taste delicious too! Try making this Quinoa Sage Stuffing this year!

Make a healthy version of Mac & Cheese.

A creamy, cheesy mac & cheese is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving. There are plenty of healthy ways to get the same great taste for half the calories. Give this Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese a try!

Fill up your plate with a delicious salad.

Piling on the greens will leave less room on your plate for the unhealthier options. Not only will it taste good, it’ll feel good too! With so many fall-inspired salads it’ll be a hit at your dinner. Make this Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad!

A green bean dish you can feel good about.

Save the calories by opting out of a creamy green bean casserole. Instead, make Crispy Roasted Green Beans everyone will love! These green beans will be so tasty; you won’t even miss the crispy onions.

Swap out Pumpkin Pie for Pumpkin Bars!

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the sweet taste of pumpkin pie after dinner. Whip up these pumpkin bars this year so you don’t have to restrain yourself during dessert. Check out the recipe here.

Switch it up, No Bake Apple Cobbler instead of Apple Pie!

Not only will these Apple Cobblers taste delicious, you can save time and oven space because you don’t have to bake them! This dessert will help you from overindulging because they will already be portioned out! Skip the pie and enjoy this instead.

It may not be easy to convert your entire Thanksgiving dinner into a healthy feast but by swapping at least one unhealthy option out for a better one is a step in the right direction! Don’t stress yourself out over your meal, enjoy it, and we’ll see you back at the gym! Happy Thanksgiving!

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, so does one of the most anticipated running events of the year.  While these races are not quite as intense as the recent New York City Marathon, Turkey Trots are a much-anticipated country wide phenomenon.

The tradition began more than a century ago with the Buffalo Turkey Trot.  It was established in 1896, a year before the Boston Marathon began.  The tradition began as a way to burn off some of the food you will inevitably ingest over the course of Thanksgiving Day.  This logical, (though slightly flawed since the average 5k burns fewer calories than a single piece of pumpkin pie contains), was embraced by people across the United States.

Since its founding in 1896, the Turkey Trot has grown in popularity.  It has morphed into a fun, family event that almost everyone has heard of.  In Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas, there are numerous Turkey Trots you can choose to partake in on Thanksgiving morning.

The most well-known Pittsburgh Turkey Trot is the 27th Annual PNC YMCA Turkey Trot.  This race is presented by United Healthcare and boasts a variety of race distances to choose from.  There is a 1 mile family fun run, a 5K Turkey Trot, and a 5-mile Turkey Trot.  The starting times are staggered between 8 AM – 9:15 AM.  For more information or to register for this race, visit

https://www.active.com/pittsburgh-pa/running/27th-annual-pnc-ymca-turkey-trot-presented-by-unitedhealthcare-2017

If you are searching for a medium length race, the Seubert Struttin’ Our Stuffin’ Turkey Trot could be for you.  This race 4.4 mile travels a pathed path through North Park, a mere 13 miles outside of the city.  The proceeds benefit Our Own Home, an organization that works to support individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities with housing, employment and independent living skills.  To register for this race, visit

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seubert-struttin-our-stuffin-turkey-trot-registration-open-til-1122-registration-38052173074

Another Turkey Trot in the area is the Sewickley Turkey Trot, located approximately 15.5 miles from Pittsburgh.  This 5K race begins at 8:30 AM and all proceeds benefit Faith in Action.  To register, visit the link below.

http://www.heritagevalley.org/pages/turkey-trot

The final Turkey Trot located in proximity to Pittsburgh is the Emerald Fields Turkey Trot.  This race, located about 21 miles from downtown in Mars, PA offers both a 1 mile fun run and a 5K.  To register, visit

https://www.active.com/mars-pa/running/distance-running-races/emerald-fields-family-5k-2016

Whether you are looking for a fun race to do with family or are trying to burn off a few extra calories before your Thanksgiving feast, a Turkey Trot is a great way to begin Thanksgiving morning.

They are plentiful throughout the country, so if you are traveling out of Pittsburgh for the holiday, be sure to look for ones near you. And, if you choose to run one, be sure to share your pictures with us using the hashtag #UFTurkeyTrot.

Here at Union Fitness we are blessed with so many extraordinary members! It’s incredibly challenging to pick just one member for each Member of the Month. We have such a diverse community yet many like-minded pursuits. When deciding upon October’s Member of the Month, the coaches here had a unanimous vote! Congratulations to Frankie Pierri!

We sat down with Frankie for a little Q&A to get to know him a little bit better. If you’ve never sat down with Frankie for a chat before, lemme tell you, you’re really missing out. Not only is he smart and articulate but he will bless you with many hilarious stories including some about his terrifying childhood dreams about Ursula the sea witch from The Little Mermaid. Good times!

1. 1. What’s your favorite lift? And why?
      Bench Press. Because benching is cool.
   2. Who’s your favorite coach?
      I’m gonna have to say Casey. He has always treated me like I was a member of the gym even before I was signed up. He takes the time to answer all of my text messages and is always very involved in what I’m doing here.
   3. Who’s your favorite member at UF?
      Nate is my least favorite member because I’m most threatened by his bicep veins.
   4. Where do you work?
      Nordstrom. I’m the Service Experience Manager at the Ross Park location.
   5. What’s one thing about you that the members should know?
      I used to be the lead vocalist in a Deathcore band.

1. 1. What’s your favorite cereal?
      That’s an easy one. Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

1. What is your spirit animal?
   Red butted baboon. Because my ass is usually really red.

Thanks for being such an integral part of Union Fitness, Frankie! We love having you as a member and are so proud of all your continual hard work and progress!

Everyone knows that core exercises are important, but at the same time it seems like core work is the most hated part of any workout routine. For that reason, it’s also the most frequently skipped. Having a strong core is important for everybody. If you want to go through life without low back pain, core work is needed (especially if you sit at work all day). If you want to deadlift 300lbs, a strong core will help you brace properly and keep your spine in line as you move the weight. If you want to run a sub-4 hour marathon, a strong core will help you move the most efficiently. If you love to go out dancing with your friends every weekend, a strong core will let you stay on your feet longer and pull off cooler moves and tricks. In short, it’s good for everyone!

Core work doesn’t have to include only the boring basics like sit-ups and crunches. In fact, I’d advocate against those exercises in most cases. We use a rotating group of core exercises for our Strength Lab members that I’ll show you below. We typically have members train their core directly twice a week, with some easier movements daily.

A key concept to remember: the core does NOT just mean abdominals! Your core consists of the entire lumbopelvic hip complex: abdominals, glutes, hips, lumbar spine, and pelvis. We must train all of the muscle groups of the core to get the most balance and stability for our daily life and athletic pursuits. The following exercises cover several of these muscle groups, and put together will be a great place to start increasing your core strength.

1. The Plank
   We all know it, most of us don’t love it, but the benefits of the plank outweigh how tough they are! We encourage all kinds of planks: starting with holding the high push-up position. Be sure to keep your spine in one straight line (like a plank of wood) vs. letting your low back and glutes sag or trying to compensate by raising your hips up. Squeeze your glutes through the whole movement for best results! Once you can hold a high plank for a full 60 seconds, it’s time to move on to the forearm plank. Eventually, you’ll start adding weight to the movement!
2. The Glute Bridge
   You could probably guess, but this one is all about strengthening the glutes. For those of you that sit through the majority of the day, you may have noticed that it’s hard to really feel your glutes working while you’re working out. That’s a big problem given that the glutes are some huge powerhouse muscles! Ideally, you’ll feel them working whether you’re on the elliptical, doing squats, or sweating through a Bootcamp class. The glute bridge is simple: lie down on your back with your knees bent and soles of the feet flat on the floor. Toes should be pointed straight forward, feet about shoulder width apart. You will then raise your hips up until they are completely extended and you’ll squeeze your glutes as hard as you can! Repeat for at least 10 reps.
3. Wall Abs
   This is a favorite of ours: a slightly more difficult version of the Dead Bug exercise that does a great job at teaching the brace. Lie on your back with your head 1-2 inches from a wall. Place your palms on the wall, raise your head and shoulders off the floor, and pull your knees in towards your chest. While pressing your low back down into the floor, you will extend one leg all the way out while pulling the other knee into your chest. Alternate at least 8 times. The key here is pressing your back into the ground the entire time! The feeling we’re creating with this exercises is the same feeling we’re trying to achieve while bracing.
4. The Pallof Press
   This exercise trains anti-rotation of the core: meaning you’ll be able to keep your core stable and in line when something is trying to turn you around or side-to-side, like running. Grab a band and attach it to the rack at sternum height. You’ll take a few steps out to the side, assume an athletic position while bracing your core and squeezing your glutes, and pull the band out to your chest. The movement starts when you then press the band out directly in front of you. You’ll feel the band trying to rotate your body toward the rack, but you’ll resist it by engaging your core. This one really stresses the obliques as well. You can either do longer holds (20+ seconds) on each side, or do shorter hold reps (10+ per side).
5. Band X Walk
   This final exercise is also working the glutes, but more specifically the gluteus medius, a small muscle on the outside of the hip that helps create stability in your knees. Place a band under your feet, cross the band and pull it up to shoulder height to make an X. Get into an athletic position: slight squat, knees pushed out in line with the toes, braced core. Then start taking side steps, really focusing on using the outside hip to “push-off.” Take at least 12 steps in each direction. This one burns!

I hope you can implement at least a few of these in your training!