Category Archives: Uncategorized

Set Some Goals, Reach Some Goals, and Fail

Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Back in January I decided to set some goals for myself. It is now April, the year is 1/3 over and I am no where near reaching my goals. This could easily be seen as a bad thing, yet I could not be happier at how this year has turned out. The goals I set assumed that life would not happen and stand in the way of me reaching my goals.

 

Flashback.

 

January stared strong and I was feeling good. Then I had my first injury in years. When i say injury, I mean can’t train injury. I have had run of the mill bumps and bruises. This was the first time in about 5 years that I was in bad enough shape that I had to change everything that I was doing. The beauty with this injury was that I was able to look at what I was doing, look at my goals, and decide where I needed to go from there. I am very lucky to have people much smarter than I am to bounce ideas off of as well. 

 

As I look back at this injury it was the best thing to happen to my training in years. I have not competed in years and needed a new focus. This led me to being able to work on movements and weaknesses that I have not addressed in years. 

 

As for my goals?

 

I reached none of my January goals. Well, I did reach my reading goal, yet that was never really in question. As far as movement goals, I was not even close to any of them. My question for you is, do you think I would have been better if I had reached my goals and not be injured? I know what my thoughts on this are. 

 

I have never been a person who says, everything happens for a reason. I have twisted this saying to my own view, I believe, wise people learn lessons when things happen. The world and all of its happenings can be random and if we try hard enough then we will learn lessons from all these happenings. 

We can do it all this week if we

Now go out, set some goals, fail, learn, growth , and set some new goals. Fail better and maybe one day you will reach those goals. Whether you reach your goals or you don’t does not matter as the journey is really what matters and you’ll remember the struggles more then the goals. 

College Night, Part 2

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Hey everyone!

 

It is Montrell back with an ANNOUNCEMENT.  April 21, 2022, at 7 pm, the fantastic four interns will be hosting  College NIGHT at Union Fitness! The people have asked and now we are here to deliver.

 

The first college night was a big “W” we had 19 people in attendance. We would love to see more people present so tell a friend to tell a friend.

 

For those who do not know what College night. College Night will be a full-body workout in the Performance lab hosted by the Interns. The class will be open to college students for FREE. If you are interested in joining us, please click the link and sign up. Whether you are an experienced lifter or never exercised a day in your life. Come out and help the interns sharpen their skills as coaches and enjoy the vibes of UF!

 

The fantastic four is looking forward to seeing all of you there to have some fun!

 

Best,

Montrell

College Night

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Hey everyone! 

 

It is Montrell back with a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT.  March 31, 2022, at 7 pm, the fantastic four interns will be hosting the first-ever College NIGHT at Union Fitness! 

 

College Night will be a full-body workout in the Performance lab hosted by the Interns. The class will be open to college students for FREE. If you are interested in joining us please click the link and sign up. Whether you are an experienced lifter or never exercised a day in your life. Come out and help the interns sharpen their skills as coaches and enjoy the vibes of UF!

 

See you then,

 

Montrell 

Northside’s Strongest Bench Press & Deadlift

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We are coming up on two weeks out from the North Side’s Strongest bench press & deadlift push/pull competition on Sunday April 3rd. We currently have 28 people signed up, and will be capping the sign ups at 45 spots. So be sure to fill out that registration form on our website before it is sold out. As previously mentioned, the fee for competitors will be $20 for Union Fitness members and $30 for non members, with no charge for spectators.

 

Weigh ins will be held from 8:30-9:15am, followed by a quick rules meeting at 9:30am with warmups to follow, and lifting will begin at 10am. For weigh-ins, we will be meeting in the cardio lab of the gym. Weight classes will be based off of standard powerlifting weight classes and are as follows: 

 

Women: 97 lbs., 123 lbs., 132 lbs., 148 lbs., 165 lbs., 181 lbs., 198 lbs. and anyone over 198 lbs. lifts in the unlimited category.

Men: 114 lbs., 123 lbs., 132 lbs., 148 lbs., 165 lbs., 181 lbs., 198 lbs., 220 lbs., 242 lbs., 275 lbs., 308 lbs. and unlimited class.

In order to make a weight class, you must be at or under the weight class you sign up for. If you are over, then you will be placed in the next weight class up. After you weigh in, you will tell the staff member what your opening attempts will be for your bench press and deadlift. As I’ve mentioned before, a good opening attempt is something that you feel you could do for around 3 repetitions to competition standards, but it’s always good to be on the conservative side if you are unsure. Once we receive everyone’s weigh-ins, we will organize everyone into groups known as “flights”. This will dictate when you will begin warming up for each lift. While the first flight is competing, the second flight will be warming up in the warmup area. The first flight will go through all of their attempts, and then the next flight will begin.

 

Each lifter will get three attempts for each lift. An opening attempt, a second attempt, and a third attempt. After the first attempt, each lifter will go to the designated score table and submit their second attempt, and the lifts will cycle through the rest of the flight before coming back to them for their second. If the first attempt was successful, then the lifter will go up for their second. If the lift was unsuccessful, then the lifter must either stay at the same weight, or still go up, but cannot go down. Keep in mind, a lifter must complete a successful attempt for the bench press event in order to continue onto the deadlift event. So choose wisely.

 

As for the rules of the competition, there are specific commands that you will need to follow in order to have a successful lift. For the bench press, you will unrack the bar and wait for the judge to give you the “start” command. Once they do, you will lower the bar and touch your chest, pause it until it becomes motionless, and then the judge will give you the “press” command. Once you lock out the weight, you will hold it under control until the judge gives you the “rack” command. During that time, you must keep your glutes on the bench. If these are successfully done, then the result will be a “good lift”.

 

For the deadlift, there is only one command. You will walk up to the bar, and when you’re ready you will lift the weight and stand with it locked out. This means legs straight, hips into the bar, and chest tall. Once you are completely locked out, the judge will give you the “down” command. During that time you will lower the bar to the floor under control, and if all steps are done correctly, you will receive a “good lift”. As far as equipment goes, a lifting singlet WILL NOT be required. No lifting gloves are allowed, along with lifting straps. Footwear is completely up to the lifter. Chalk will be provided, but you can bring your own if you would like. As always, do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions at all. We look forward to seeing you all enjoy yourselves. 

 

– Curtis Miller

Biceps

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Biceps are an underrated muscle to everyday life. Especially now with a lot of people working from home and sitting at computers . Your biceps are constantly in a shortened state for 5-8 hrs a day. When you finally break from that repetitive motion you will more then likely have stiffness, less flexibility, and some pain/discomfort.

 

The bicep muscle has two tendons that attach at the top of the arm and scapula. These tough bands of tissue can become very sore and painful if they are over worked. Athletes , like baseball players, swimmers, golfers etc. Sometimes develop tendinitis. The connective tissue and muscle should work harmoniously together. There is a balance that needs to happen between not enough use and over use.

 

As a massage therapist when a client comes to me with discomfort at the top of the arm/ shoulder joint I think about,

 

  1. What action is causing the pain?
  2.  What does the muscle need?

 

I would take the client through range of motion exercises to see how much flexibility the client has, and to determine where exactly the tension is originating . I would then spend more time working on the tissue to help create space and openness in the joint allowing the fascia(tissue) to glide over each other properly. Cups can really help with this!! But that’s another blog.

 

Sarah Paladin

RYDE Instructors Part 2

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We have 4 more Ryde instructor introductions to share with the UF Community on today’s blog. Please welcome Bill, Natalie, Mallory and Meagan! 

 

Bill Battistone

 

I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, but went to school in Des Moines, Iowa, where I studied education and met my wife. I was a teacher and football/wrestling coach in Des Moines before moving to Iowa City to begin work as an Assistant Principal while my wife finished graduate school. I am currently the Principal of Avonworth Elementary School in Pittsburgh, PA, and have been there for the past five years since our family relocated to Pittsburgh. When I am not working, I enjoy golf, watching, playing, and refereeing rugby, and being a big Pittsburgh sports fan! I live in Troy Hill with my partner, Martina, and our newborn daughter, Zadie (born November 12, 2021). We also have a dog (Remington) and a cat (Blitz). I started teaching ryde and bootcamp classes at Urban Elements in 2020 and have really enjoyed continuing to teach at UF! I pride myself on fun playlists, structuring my classes around the songs, trying to create an environment where the time just flies by!

 

Natalie Paoletta

 

Hey I’m Natalie!

 

I currently am a Master in Business Administration and work as a healthcare recruiter as my day job. I started teaching just over a year ago and teaching fitness classes has become a huge passion of mine!

 

I have always been active and enjoy a good workout but fell in love with teaching after I received my certification in February of 2021. Shortly after my teaching journey in yoga started, I was encouraged to start teaching Ryde and HIIT classes.

 

My classes are designed with all fitness levels in mind. They will challenge you but keep it fun at the same time. I like to have an energetic teaching style that will help you push through to achieve your fitness goals. Come Ryde with me Tuesdays at 5:30!

 

Mallory Fallert

 

I started using the ryde bikes in a small studio in the south hills and fell in love instantaneously with them! I soon began teaching in 2019 at Urban Elements in the North Shore. As a registered yoga instructor, I love the connection I was able to have with these bikes physically, mentally, and emotionally. Every ride is YOUR ryde!

 

I encourage you to come as you are on the bike and while riding. All I want is for you to feel lighter than you did when ending my class. Whether that be a big sweat puddle or letting go of the negativity that doesn’t serve you! I am always up for the perfect kinds of beats that make my classes fly by! With my high energy and cues you won’t even realize how hard you just pushed yourself!

 

Meagan Gnibus

 

Meagan is a RN currently finishing a graduate degree in Nurse Anesthesia at the University of Pittsburgh (December, baby!).  She moved back to PA after living in Florida for over a decade where she attended The Florida State University.

 

Meagan began her fitness instructor journey in 2013 when she was invited to take a spin class taught by Sharon Skittle.  It was the ass kicking workout that pushed her to pursue Real Ryder Certification with Urban Elements and Cycology. She would go on to complete her 200-hour yoga training with Urban Elements as well and continued to teach there for 8 years.

 

A little over a year ago she joined Union Fitness as a substitute yoga instructor and when Urban Elements had to close their doors, came to us as a scheduled Ryde instructor.

 

You can catch Meagan every Sunday morning where she blends a variety of music genres and mixes up traditional Real Ryder moves with playful combinations to keep your heart rate up and balance your muscle groups.  Every workout is different and guaranteed to leave you feeling ready for brunch and good about the work you put in!

Unsure about changing Sunday from a rest day to a play day? Take the gamble…you won’t be disappointed.

 

You can catch Bill teaching bright and early Mondays, Natalie and Mallory teaching Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Meagan every Sunday morning!

Ladies of UF Dominate

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I began competing in powerlifting more than 20 years ago. Back in those days of dinosaurs and cave dwellings we didn’t even have RAW competitions. In 2022 RAW lifting is all there is. Times changes and either you evolve or you won’t last. I like to think that I am always open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. Another big change is the amount of strong women now competing. When I began competing there would be a few women in the first flight and that would be the it for female lifters. To be fair we must recognize the ladies who stepped up in those days, they were leaders.

 

We could look at the growth in female lifting from many fronts. We must admit that CrossFit assisted in the growth of female lifting. Additionally the growth of all female sports has clearly assisted in the growth of female lifters. Just looking at the women who train at UF, we had a a female win best lifter at a meet in Ohio this weekend (congrats Caroline), we also had a female squat 396 lbs at the same meet (congrats Emily).

 

One of the things that I am most proud of at UF is how open we are to all lifters. So many strong women train here daily and I want to publicly praise each of them. I will give special attention to a handful here. As mentioned Emily and Caroline killed it this weekend. Few people are as strong as Kelsey. Skylyn brings the heat to every lift, and every moment of her day. Katie may run 20 miles, then come in and squat heavy the next day. Ava has improved everyday that she comes in the gym. Yessie is the OG of female UF lifters. Jaci our Richmond visitor keeps up grounded in the olympic lifts with her multiple national championships. Liz shows heart at all of her lifts. Vicky is getting stronger everyday and we love seeing her growth.

 

As you can see we have a great group of strong women here and want to be a supportive and strong community. Thanks for making us better.

 

Hamer

 

Meet the Interns, Tristan

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Hello everyone, my name is Tristan Hillebert and I am currently a junior at Chatham University.  During this spring semester I will be hanging out around Union Fitness completing my internship.  I will be graduating next year with a major in exercise science along with a minor in nutrition.  I am also a part of the Men’s Ice Hockey Team, due to this I have been lifting and training at Union quite frequently over the past two years.  Along with training for hockey I have a big passion for the weight room particularly bodybuilding. 

 

I’m excited to be working with everyone at Union and gaining knowledge about operating a gym along with working with athletes, teams, and all types of clients! After school I would love to open a training facility of my own to work with athletes and other forms of competitors.  Outside of the gym I enjoy being outdoors, hunting, fishing, and watching movies.  I look forward to seeing/ meeting everyone around Union over the next few months! 

Meet the Interns, Allison

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Hey everyone! My name is Allison Ream and I’m an intern here at Union Fitness for the spring semester. I am a senior at Robert Morris University, located in Moon Township. I’m majoring in Sport Psychology and I’m also getting a minor in Sport Management. I was born and raised in Indiana, PA in a big family of seven. I am passionate about physical fitness and have always had a sport-oriented lifestyle. Growing up I played volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, danced, and did gymnastics. I got into psychology because of my fascination for the mind-body connection and how big of a role your own mentality plays in your everyday performance. Sport psychology gives me the opportunity to combine many of my interests all into one. I hope to become a certified mental performance consultant in the future. My dream job would be to be a team psychologist for a professional sports team, specifically in the NFL. Some things I enjoy when I’m not working out are coffee, sneakers, rap music, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

I chose to intern at UF to see athletes first-hand be motivated and reach their goals mentally and physically. I love the family feel you get when you step in the gym and can’t wait to get more knowledge from the employees here. I’m super excited to be a part of the Union Fitness team!

 

Editors Note. Allison trains at the same gym that Skylyn trains at in Indiana PA.

Toria’s Exercise Variety

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We all know that humans tend to be creatures of routine and habit. This same concept goes for how we train in the weight room. We can tend to become narrow minded and focused on something so specific that we forget to include a variety in how we train.

 

The body will adapt to any demand that is placed on it. However, if you’re repeating the same training regimen for too long without variety in your exercises, your body will become much less responsive and lose the ability to continue to adapt. By creating a new stimulus, this will help to introduce more progress over time. For example, say that you have box jumps programmed into your routine for 4 weeks. I’m not saying that you should stop doing them all together after 4 weeks, but instead you should try to change aspects such as the number of repetitions and sets that you are doing or introducing things such as decreased rest periods, increased box height, or adding in seated jumps vs. standing. Another example could be for those of you who primarily train aerobically several days per week. Trying to incorporate some strength and mobility training exercises within your program as well could help you see some different or enhanced progress down the road.

 

Variation in your training can also include introducing new things such as trying out a new group class, getting outside to hike/bike/etc. I know it has been ridiculously cold recently but take advantage of the rare sunny days that we get in the winter and get out and get moving. Doing this may help you avoid possible boredom and increase your adherence to staying active. You don’t have to do different things every week and switch up your routine daily, however, just be sure to spice things up and don’t be hesitant to try out some new exercises and ways to be active. 

 

Toria