It’s been almost an entire week since the Pittsburgh Marathon Expo and I feel like I’m still recovering! We had an amazing time talking to all of this year’s participants about their running and fitness goals (and how our Fatbell class will help them achieve those goals)! We were especially happy to meet so many local Northsiders! You all gave us some great ideas for outdoor and weekend classes and events that we can’t wait to put in place.

We were sure to take full advantage of all the other vendors at the Convention Center for the Expo. We were lucky enough to be situated right across from the Pro Bike + Run storefront, so we ate tons of Honey Stingers during those long Expo hours. We were also in smelling distance from the Jenny Lee Cinnamon Swirl Bread tasting station which was EXTREMELY tempting, and got to taste some Sierra Nevada beers around Happy Hour! I even walked away with some Pittsburgh-themed compression socks that I can’t wait to deadlift in. I would encourage every single Pittsburgher with any interest in fitness to stop by the Expo next year!

Th best part of the whole event? The Northside won the 2017 UPMC Health Plan Steel City Spirit Social Media Challenge! I like to think it was our relentless tweeting and instagramming, but who am I to say? The Northside will now get a free outdoor yoga class courtesy of Fitt and UPMC, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it might happy right here in our backyard. We’ll keep you posted on the blog as soon as we have more detail.

For any runners taking a break from the increased mileage needed leading up the race, now would be a great time to start adding in some dedicated resistance training workouts. The most effective way to make that transition? Hire one of our coaches to make sure your form is on point and your program suits your specific needs. You can check out more info about our coaches here, and about personal training packages here. Otherwise, come on in to the gym and we’ll chat about it. See you soon!

Today we’d like to share with you one of our favorite style of workouts: EMOM’s. This little guy is guaranteed to be seen here in one of our classes or maybe you’re already familiar with this killer style workout. So what the heck is it?!?!

An EMOM stands for “Every Minute on the Minute”. This is a type of interval workout where you perform a specific task at the top of every minute for the designated time. What’s great about this setup is that you can combine any types of movements to create an intense timed workout with brief periods of planned rest. Its many benefits also include the ability to teach yourself how to pace during a workout, to prevent burnout or redlining, as well as enabling you to track your progress throughout the weeks.

So without further ado, we introduce you to what we aptly dubbed “Killer Core”.

EMOM for 15 Minutes:

Minute 1: Russian Twists (with or without weight)
Minute 2: :45 second Plank
Minute 3: Straight Leg Situps
Minute 4: Leg Raises
Minute 5: Rest
(Repeat 3 times)

At the start of the clock, begin with Russian Twists for the full minute. This exercise can be performed without weight or with a medicine ball, plate, kettlebell or dumbbell. Work for the full minute, minimizing rest breaks.

At the start of the next minute, switch to a Plank position (or forearm plank) and hold for 45 seconds. Rest the following 15 seconds.

At the start of the next minute, perform Straight Leg Sit-ups for the full minute, minimizing rest breaks.

At the start of the next minute, switch to Leg Raises and perform until the following minute where you will rest completely.

We all know that incorporating yoga into your daily workout routine can build strength, stamina, flexibility, balance and, of course, all those feel good vibes. Balancing your entire body on your hands though, that’s just pure insanity, amiright?!?!

Well, YES! Inverting yourself has an insanely cool way of bringing a new perspective to your life. It allows you to see things from a vantage point that we haven’t really used since we were wee pups throwing ourself upside down on the couch, swings, our parents laps, etc. Arm balances are about channelling your inner carefree child again with the added bonus of creating strength.

Don’t believe us? Try crow pose today and let us know how it made you feel!

How to Master Crow Pose:

Warm up!! (Not sure how to warm up? See our blog post here for an easy flow.) Be sure to also fully warm up your shoulders, spine & back, as well as your abdominals.

From a standing position, squat down and place your hands flat on your mat, keeping your hands underneath your shoulders and feet underneath your hips.

Lift your hips up to the ceiling and rest your knees on the back of your triceps, keeping your toes secure to the ground.

Slowly shift your weight forward to your fingertips, float your toes off the ground and squeeze your legs together.

Voila!

Modifications for Mastering Crow Pose:

Try baby crow. (Same as above, except come down to your forearms instant of your palms.)

Only float one foot at a time.

A block can be placed underneath your feet to lift your knees higher.

Two blocks can be placed underneath your hands to get your hips higher.

A block can be placed underneath your head if you’re afraid of falling forward.

The most important part of this whole thing? Take your time! Mastering Crow pose is a journey. Enjoy the ride.

For more fun yogic adventures come to Vinyasa Flow! Monday’s at 6pm and Thursday’s at 6:45am!

Today’s Monday Meditation is brought to you by one cranky, tired and quite frankly a not-very-zen Yoga teacher. Yes, even we get irritable and grumpy on Monday mornings. Whether you didn’t sleep very much or slept the weekend away, partied too hard or stayed in with the kids, hate your job or love it but it stresses you out, this meditation can be useful to you!

Before we get to an easy five minute meditation guide, let’s first dismiss some common myths associated with this stress relieving practice.

1: I don’t know how to meditate!
Good news! There is no right or wrong way to meditate. This practice is just about bringing your intention inwards and breathing. Have you ever taken yoga class? Ever zoned out while watching tv, driving, or sitting at your desk? If you answered yes, then you’ve meditated before!

2: I couldn’t possibly quiet my mind!
Meditation doesn’t have to be about stopping our thoughts or emptying our minds completely. Our minds are not designed to stop running so take that unrealistic expectation off the table. Practicing meditation just gives us the ability to take a step back to observe our thoughts and sometimes the silence or space already in existence within our minds.

3: I don’t have time!
You can meditate at work, in the car, or even on the treadmill while you get your miles in! Mediation practices can be done literally anywhere!

Five Minute Meditation Step by Step Guide:

1. Set an alarm for five minutes from now.
2. Find a comfortable seat.
3. Close your eyes (Optional).
4. Breathe in through your nose as you say to yourself “Inhale”.
5. Breathe out through your nose as you say to yourself “Exhale”.
6. Repeat steps 4-5.

Seriously folks, it’s that simple! Sit back, breathe and reap the rewards: less worry, anxiety, stress, increased mental focus, improved immune system, higher energy level, reduced blood pressure, and the ability to read minds (alright maybe not that last one, just checking to see if you were still with me here).

Still want some more meditation? Join me for Slow Flow Recovery on Wednesday nights at 6pm for a weekly dose of mindful movement, meditation and breathing.

There’s been a little something missing here at Union Fitness. Maybe you’ve noticed the lack of pulsating, bumping music stemming from the spin room. Maybe you’ve realized there aren’t any more people coming out of the studio dripping in sweat with a huge smile on their face. And no Steel Revolution trainers to be seen? Or maybe you’ve simply checked the schedule looking for your favorite spin class and saw a glaring red line through them saying “Cancelled”. WHAT’S THE DEAL?!

Worry no more fitness friends, SPIN IS BACK!

We’re rolling out our New & Improved class schedule. You asked and we listened! New start times, more FatBell Revolution classes, more #powerful classes, more Bootcamp and of course, we happily welcome Steel Revolution back to the studio for our Begin to Spin program!

The Steel Rev instructors are the same awesome, butt-kicking instructors as before. They will ride you hard, keep your body focused and fuel you with an inspiring playlist, that’s guaranteed! To match the pace and speed of our spin classes, we’ve updated our room to add some cool visual effects, so be sure not to miss this brand-new start and spin like you’ve never spun before here at Union Fitness.

What can possibly be more exciting than that, you ask? Well, hold on to your spin seat, IT’S FREE to our members!

Join us for Begin to Spin:

Check out our schedule here to sign up for classes and check out our newest changes & additions!