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!

We’re counting down the days until Body Rock! at Stage AE, and we’re really excited to introduce our Fatbell Revolution class to other health-minded Pittsburghers! Today we sat down to chat with Davis Kinville, our original Fatbell Revolution coach. Davis will be up on stage on April 30 showing everyone how to swing their Fatbells around. He currently teaches Fatbell classes at Union Fitness on Monday and Thursday mornings, just in case you miss him at Body Rock!

What inspired you to train others?
I am a big believer in that training and being active improves your mood, so I aim to help people live a happier and healthier life!

How were you introduced to Fatbells?
Casey Williams introduced them to me in a workout at Union Fitness. I had typically been training with kettlebells, so the move to Fatbells came naturally. I have been using them ever since and base most of my classes around Fatbell movements.

What do you like about teaching with Fatbells?
I am all about functional training and Fatbells really allow you the flexibility in movements that target core muscles and the lower back. I also love that it is a great change of pace from a normal workout routine!

What’s your favorite Fatbell movement?
I’d say single arm swings. You get lots of bang for your buck with this exercise; they’re great for training both power and core stability.

What should people expect at your Body Rock! class on the 30th?
Higher intensity intervals using a mixture between kettlebell and dumbbell style movements. Look for lots of single arm work.

Which other Body Rock! classes are you looking forward to?
Definitely spinning with Steel Revolution.

Thanks for chatting with us Davis! Look for his Body Rock! class at 9:30am, outside at Stage AE. Still need tickets to Body Rock!? Talk to Lindsey, Alison, or Beth at the front desk to get your ticket and choose your gift! Also, don’t forget to RSVP on Facebook for event updates and teacher profiles leading up to the event. We hope to see you there!

For this edition of Workout Wednesday, we’ve put together an at-home workout you can do before or after consuming your weight in chocolate this Easter! In the spirit of the holiday, we’ve included a lot of jumping and hopping around, so be sure to stretch out your legs before you start!

Check out our short video below for a visual guide to some of the harder moves, then hop to it!

If you love these workouts but would prefer to get your sweat on with your other dedicated Union Fitness members, stop by our special Easter Bunny Bootcamp class on April 16 at 12pm. We’ll be doing some of our favorite jumping exercises (and maybe a little Easter Egg hunt) – all for free! Sign up on our website and we’ll see you there!

For those that enjoy the chill and relaxed side of exercise with feel good vocals and acoustics, try reggae!

1. Lay your body down- Diego Roots
2. Watching the tide- Diego Roots
3. Drum & Bass- Diego Roots
4. Summer Nights- Iration
5. Reelin- Iration
6. Scoreboard- Katastro
7. Alone- katastro
8. Sweet summertime- the movement
9. those days- rebelution
10. santa barbara- rebelution

For those looking for a little push of motivation in their workouts with intense beats and style, plug in for hip hop.

1. random- g- eazy
2. alone- 6lack
3. prblms- 6lack
4. calm down- g eazy
5. releaser- kid cudi
6. illusions- kid cudi
7. halfway off the balcony- big sean
8. no favors- big sean
9. passionfruit- drake
10. can’t have everything- drake
11. recognize- PARTYNEXTDOOR
12. humble.- kendrick lamar
13. the heart part 4- kendrick lamar
14. blue suede- vince staples
15. free lunch- isaiah rashad
16. new bae- vic mensa
17. liquor locker- vic mensa
18. drive me crazy- vic mensa
19. juke jam- chance the rapper
20. no problem- chance the rapper
21. selfish- future
22. vitamin d- ludacris

For those looking for something eclectic and out of the ordinary, press play for EDM/House.

1. In time- Droeloe
2. Stacks- yellow claw
3. bounce- masego
4. lost run the crowd- bassnectar
5. wawa- party favor
6. masks- cavalier
7. the raid- wafia
8. matches- cash cash
9. for the love- griz
10. tonight- rufus
11. we left- rufus
12. all deez- buku
13. front to back- buku

Do you love our group training classes? Steel Revolution’s butt-kicking spin class? Trying new things and listening to awesome music? If you answered yes to any of the above, you should definitely check out this year’s Body Rock!

Body Rock! is a pop-up fitness event hosted by Highmark, Allegheny Health Network, and organized by Fame15 Creative. Registration starts at 8am and the event will keep going until 2pm. Body Rock! is in its second year, and features Pittsburgh’s premier fitness instructors and studios, all taking place within Stage AE. Body Rock! attendees can participate in multiple classes once on-site at no extra cost. You will also be able to shop with the owners from Ragged Row as they create a pop-up Boutique in house showcasing all of their unique athletic brands.

Classes will be happening non-stop on April 30th, from 9am to 1pm, both inside and outside at Stage AE. Union Fitness will have a big presence at the event: Steel Revolution will be kicking things off with spin right at 9am, then doing it all again with a special 1pm class; Davis will be blowing everyone away at 9:30am with his one-of-a-kind Fatbell Revolution class; and Amy will be teaching Rebuilt at noon to help you mobilize after working your body for hours.

You can get your tickets for Body Rock! right here at Union Fitness. Everyone that purchases a ticket gets a little something extra too: you choose a free group training class here at the gym, OR a free consultation and 1/2 hour training session with one of our personal trainers! Talk to Lindsey, Alison, or Beth at the front desk to get your ticket and choose your gift! Also, don’t forget to RSVP on Facebook for event updates and teacher profiles leading up to the event. We hope to see you there!