Category Archives: Uncategorized

75 Hard and Other “Challenges.”

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If you have not heard of “75 Hard,” it is an online fitness challenge. It was created by Andy Frisella, Andy is the CEO 1st Phorm International. He developed this challenge in 2019 and it went viral. Last year a friend of mine asked me to do it with her. I figured I would give it a try, and I want to share my thoughts with each of you. But, first let me list the “rules.” He refers to them as “daily tasks.”

 

  1. Follow any nutrition plan designed for your goals, with zero alcohol and no cheat meals.
  2. Complete two 45-minute workouts every day, one of which must be outside.
  3. Drink a gallon of water every day.
  4. Read 10 pages of an educational or self-improvement book every day.
  5. Take a progress picture every day.

 

I love eating desert so my nutritional plan was simple. No desert. This wasn’t very challenging, and I set it up this way as I wanted something I knew I would stick to. I also cut alcohol out, and this was not as hard as I thought it would be. I performed the workouts daily and this part was easy. If you already train this is simple. I did not like the fact that it was two independent workouts. For instance I may bike for 2 hours at Frick park.  Does this mean I need to do another 45 minute workout? Drinking water is something we all need to do, and I am glad I was reminded. As for the reading, I did this, but I already do this. One thing I tweaked slightly here was defining, “an educational or self-improvement book.” All books are educational so I just continued reading as normal. Finally, the progress pics were definitely not my thing, yet I did them. I shared on here and I hated taking it and sharing it.

 

Results.

 

What I found is as with most “challenges” if you are already committed then you don’t need a challenge to be better. I was shocked that taking alcohol out didn’t change much for me. I really thought I’d feel a difference, as I enjoy a glass of wine most evenings. I also thought the progress pic made sense for some, but was dumb for me. I saw a change in my body during this, yet I didn’t need the pics to tell me this.

 

My advice if you are thinking of doing a similar challenge.

 

If you are reading this and already train you probably don’t need one of these challenges. It reminded me of reading success/self help books in my 20’s. Back then I thought “YES! I am reading the greatest info ever.” Today I see it differently, I look at these books as good reminders to keep me honest. If you need rules and are not consistent then give something like this a try. If you are already engaged in your training and life then the rules may seem too arbitrary for you.

 

Do a challenge, don’t do a challenge. Just make sure you are making strides towards a better you.

 

 

 

 

Take a Break Fam

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Each day we walk into the gym, our main goal should always be to get better in one aspect or another. We put so much effort into our exercise selection, weight selection, rest periods, and even our preparation outside of the gym. However, one thing that may often be overlooked is our ability to properly recover from our training sessions in order to continue to see progress over the weeks, months, and years. In order to do this, it is very important that we schedule proper deload weeks or deload sessions. 

 

Deloading is the process of incorporating a lighter training week or training session in order to let the body recover. This is also a great time to address any technical issues or make any form adjustments that may be needed. As we add up the days and weeks of hard training, our bodies accumulate fatigue, which when escalated to a certain point can cause plateaus, injury, or even sickness. Obviously, this is something that we want to avoid, and can be avoided by staying in-tune with our program and our bodies.

 

When considering the best time to perform a deload, there are a few tell tale signs.

 

  1. If you’re feeling fatigued and beat up: This is the ultimate sign that you need to deload. If you are more sore than normal, or you are continuously mentally fatigued, take a light week to ease your mind and refresh your body.
  2. If you have hit a plateau: Often times, when we feel like we are unable to continue progressing, it’s due to the fact that your body & mind just need a break. Mentally, it’s hard for us to take a break because we feel as though we will lose progress. In reality, that break is going to propel us one step forward.
  3. If life is crazy and stress is accumulating: Our bodies do not know the difference between physical or mental stress. All stress has the same affect on how our body functions, and if we continue to let it add up, it will lead to the same outcome as the buildup of physical fatigue.

 

When it comes to performing a deload, there are multiple ways that they can be approached. There is no right or wrong way, it just comes down to what you feel works best for you and your goals.

 

  1. Reduce the load: This method consists of decreasing the amount of weight that you have been using over the past weeks while roughly keeping the same exercises, sets, and reps. When doing this, using around 60-70% of the load that you previously used.
  2. Reduce the volume: This consists of using the same weights as you have been over the previous weeks, but reducing the number of sets and reps. This may be best suited for someone who is preparing for a competition or event, but can still be beneficial for anyone.
  3. Change your exercise selection: This one can be a little tricky because you don’t want to add in a new exercise that may introduce increased fatigue and soreness. However, if you have been perform heavy, hard movements for weeks on end, getting away from those movements for a week may not be a bad idea. An example of this would be replacing a barbell squat with a goblet squat, or a barbell bench press with a dumbbell bench press.
  4. Take the week completely off: This is something that I don’t recommend that often, but it can be very beneficial depending on how you’re feeling. If you feel as though you are on the verge of a cold, or are very stressed and fatigued, sometimes it’s best to take the week off, go for a couple of short walks, read, or even meditate.

 

– Curtis Miller

Kabuki Open Recap

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This past weekend we hosted the 2nd annual USPA Kabuki Open powerlifting meet held at your very own Union Fitness. I have been around the sport for over a decade, and this was hands down one of the best meets that I have ever been a part of. The weather was absolutely perfect, the crowd was full, and the lifters were putting on an amazing show. This was actually the first meet that I’ve been to where there were two platforms going on simultaneously. This made for a very cool event with non stop action. 

 

One of the best parts of the day was seeing our members and staff up on the platform competing. Union Fitness’ very own Dave Jackson and Gillian Kane competed in their first meets and did an amazing job, walking away with some very solid PRs. Our members Eric Price, Brian Steinmiller, and Isabella Musante also competed in their first meets and all had an amazing day and expressed how much fun they had. I’m looking forward to seeing them back on the platform again in the near future. Two of our other members, Diana Jordan and Caroline Harpel competed in their 2nd and 3rd powerlifting meets and also did an amazing job. Congratulations to Caroline for walking away as the best raw female lifter of the meet. We are very blessed to have such amazing members and staff here at Union Fitness. They make everything we do easy and worth every second. Without them, Union Fitness could not be what it is today.

 

Finally, I want to take a moment to thank those who made this event possible. First and foremost thank you to Doug, Candi, and the rest of the Alpha Fitness/ USPA officiating crew for putting on such an amazing event. Their professionalism and support are second to none. Next, the Pitt Powerlifting team who stayed on top of the spotting and loading, keeping every single lifter safe and injury free. Thank you to all of the vendors who came out to support their businesses, as well as to support Union Fitness and our awesome strength community. Thank you to all of the fans, friends, and family members who came out to show love to all of the lifters. That support means more than you will ever know. Finally, thank you to our GM Todd Hamer and the rest of the staff here at Union Fitness for organizing and hosting such a spectacular event.

 

The more time I spend around this sport, the more I realize how amazing it is and how much it can bring a community together. For those few hours of competition, there are no problems, worries, or differences amongst any of us. For that period of time, there is only a community of people supporting and bringing out the best in one another. That is the power of powerlifting.

 

– Curtis Miller

Thank You

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We were able to host the USPA Kabuki Open here at Union Fitness over the weekend. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made this event (and many of our events) such a success.

 

Doug, Candi, and their USPA crew. This event wouldn’t happen without them.

 

Pitt Powerlifting. These guys and gals are amazing and do all the spotting and loading.

 

Valkyrie Donuts. Check these guys out for the best vegan donuts out there.

 

Knock About Coffee. Thanks for brining the coolest coffee shop in town to our event.

 

Federal Galley. As always our neighbors are there for us and there for you.

 

Slider Vibes. The offical food sponsor of our event. If you have’t visited this gem yet, then you should check them out in market square.

 

Curtis Miller. For those of you who don’t know, Curtis does most of the work to set this event up.

 

Mr John. Yes we even have a bathroom sponsor. If you have ever run any event you know how important this detail is to success. Thank you Mr John for helping us out and being the only bathroom sponsor we will ever need.

 

Union Fitness Staff. These people are amazing and step up to challenges everyday and for that I thank each and everyone of you.

 

In addition I would like thank everyone who attended, competed, volunteered, or were involved. Finally, thank you to our wonderful landlord, Faros Properties for allowing us to  make a big mess and loud noises.

 

 

 

 

 

Kabuki Open

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It’s that time again! Tomorrow morning we will be hosting the 2nd annual Kabuki Open powerlifting meet, right here at your very own Union Fitness. This will be the 8th sanctioned meet that has been held at Union Fitness since opening in November of 2016. If you have never been to a powerlifting meet, I highly recommend that you check one out! Especially our meets here at Union. I may be bias, but we are fortunate to have an amazing facility and support that allows us to hold some of the best meets that I’ve ever been a part of. Regardless of if you’re a competitor, or a spectator, there is something for you. This year we will have meals on hand from FitFresh Kitchen, Protein bars from Fortifx, apparel from Live Large and At War Athletics, and services from the Athlete Recovery Lounge, just to name a few. On top of that, 25% of the admission will be donated to Veteran’s Place here in Pittsburgh.

 

One of the most gratifying things is seeing some of our members and staff sign up and train to compete in their first official powerlifting meet. After our most recent push/pull meet that we held this past year, I had multiple members tell me that they would like to compete in a full powerlifting meet, without even knowing what to fully expect. By setting their own goals, doing their own research, and with the help of our staff here at UF, they are now prepared to step on the platform and compete in their first official event. This sport is for absolutely anyone. Regardless of age or training experience, powerlifting has something wonderful to offer.

 

If you would like to stop by, lifting will begin at 9am right outside of the main entrance. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children. If you are planning to use the gym while you’re here, the fitness center will be open, although the Strength Lab will be closed for competitors to use for warming up. We look forward to seeing all of you here, and maybe we will even see you on the platform at our next event next June.

 

– Curtis Miller

Gym Etiquette

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UF is very lucky as we have some of the best members and employees. Weights tend to be re-racked, the gym tends to be clean, and we have a group of people who all help one another. Now with that said here are some areas that we all need reminding at times. Let’s all be better with our gym etiquette.

  1. Respect other people while they are training. This is a broad rule, as it everyone has their own goals and reasons for training, yet this should cover most issues.
  2. Learn how to spot someone. If someone asks for a spot, then help them out. You should know how many reps they are doing, how hard the set will be and when if ever they need your assistance.
  3. Keep your space clean. This includes wiping down equipment, and also not carrying your entire suitcase to each piece of equipment.
  4. Personal hygiene. Enough said, just respect yourself and others.
  5. Allow others to focus. When someone is preparing for a big lift allow them space, and do not walk directly in front of them.
  6. Share. Try not to take up more equipment or space than is neccesary.
  7. Have fun! Realistically if all one wants to do is be healthy a gym is probably not necessary. We all do this for different reasons. Some want to set world records, some want to look better, and for others this may just be a mental break. So work to make your training (and those around you) a fun experience.

 

I hope as you can see from this short list that respecting yourself and respecting others.

Open Mic & Bootcamps with CeJ

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Team Union and friends, check out this weekend’s fun bootcamp events we have planned!

 

Friday August 27th at 6pm

 

Union Fitness & Federal Galley are hosting the very first bootcamp & open mic night. Meet us at Union at 6pm for a Friday night sweat session with your favorite Coaches and then jog on over to Federal Galley and let your talents shine. You heard that right, it’s Open Mic Night at Federal Galley. This is a free bootcamp that you can sign up for on Union Fitness’ website. We are excited ti see you and your talents!

 

Sunday August 29th at 10am

 

Wigle Whiskey’s great revenge with our 3rd bootcamp at the Strip district location. Sign up on Wigle’s website to grab your ticket that includes the bootcamp, first libation and donation to our little friend Danny (who is raising money for a kidney transplant). Danny & his parents might even stop down to say hello.

 

To sweeten this deal, I will include a free week of unlimited classes to any new or non-member of Union and to our current members, you can pick a time and date to train/workout alongside CJ. How freaking fun!

 

Let’s get together and party some more! To sign up for our next boot camp, go to Threadbare Cider’s website and grab your tickets on their event page. We can’t wait to raise a glass or two with YOU!

 

Wigle Events | Wigle Whiskey

Vicky Zhen

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I’m Vicky, one of the newest members of the UF family. I’m a student at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Dietetics and Nutrition and minoring in Exercise Science. I’m interested in being a registered dietitian and/or go into food science. My favorite food is fruit. A food that I hate is mayo (if you like mayo, you’re actually disgusting). My education plan says a lot about my interests: I like to cook/eat and exercise. I used to run cross country and long distance track events in high school. Now, I’m a 57 kg powerlifter and the social media chair for Pitt’s Powerlifting team. My best lift is squat; worst is deadlift. Fuck deadlift. Bench is chillin’. My goals are to place top 5 at Collegiate Nationals this upcoming school year and have a 1000lb+ meet total before I graduate. Some cools things you don’t need to know about me, but I’ll tell you anyway: my dream superpower would be to read people’s minds. And when I was around 6 yrs old, I voluntarily jumped out of a moving car with no suicidal motives, I swear.

 

My experience being a powerlifter.

 

Before I discovered powerlifting, a big insecurity of mine was that I’d never find that thing that I’m passionate about. You always hear online of people chasing after their dreams and pursuing their passion(s). I could never empathize with those people until I became a part of this sport. Almost every time I get ready to train, I feel excited to grow, to be better than my last training day. And through training, I’ve learned so much about the sport and about myself. But the one thing I love the most about this sport is the community. Everyone supports each other. Whether it’s a quick spot, a ride to the gym, a handle, an extra lever for your broken lever belt, technique advice, some words of encouragement on a rough lifting day, someone is there to offer help always. The seemingly small acts of kindness are what drive me in this sport.

 

When I officially joined the Pitt Powerlifting team in January 2020, I knew close to nothing (and I still have a lot to learn) but I wanted to get stronger like my more experienced teammates. But the more I became a part of the sport, the more I realized that lifting heavy is actually a fraction of the whole picture. For instance, at the first meet that I spotted and loaded, my senior took charge in shouting plate colors and rack heights for each lifter. I admire her strength in the weight room, but her leadership at that meet made a lasting impact on me. I want to be someone like her. I want to be someone who can impact other lifters and make meets a better experience, make powerlifting a better sport. This is the one thing I’d advise new lifters: find your place in this community. Powerlifting isn’t just about the PRs or the number on the bar. What are you contributing to this sport?

The Benefits of Paused Reps

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In the world of strength training, we understand that progress is not always linear. There will be times of consistent progress, and there will be times where we feel like we’ve hit a wall, whether physically or mentally. Sometimes, getting through these periods can be as simple as changing exercises, adjusting sets and reps, or even our sleep habits, stress management, and nutrition. On the other hand, sometimes it takes a more challenging approach. When it comes to building strength and muscle, there aren’t too many techniques that can do the trick as well as performing paused reps. If you’re a regular in our Powerful class, then you’ve witnessed paused reps first hand. If you haven’t performed paused reps, then here’s your 101. 

 

The hardest part of most lifts is when the primary muscles that are performing the movement are in the lengthened position and when the weight being moved is at the bottom portion of the range of motion. For example, the bottom of the squat when the range of motion is the greatest and the quads and glutes are at their greatest stretch. The greater the range of motion, the harder it becomes for those muscles to produce the maximal force needed to complete the movement. One of the best ways to overcome this obstacle is to spend more time in that position, also known as paused reps. When performing a paused rep, the goal is to perform a 1-3 second pause in the bottom portion of the lift. As mentioned earlier, with squats, this is around parallel. With bench, this is on your chest, and with the deadlift, this is as soon as the bar breaks the floor. As you get better at performing these type of repetitions, you will become stronger in the hardest part of the range of motion, ultimately leading to greater muscle recruitment and force production.

 

When incorporating paused reps into your program, start with 60% of your one rep max for 3 sets of 3-5 reps. Progress as needed each week based off of how it feels. If it’s very challenging, then stay there for the next workout with the goal of performing higher quality reps. If 60% is relatively easy, then increase by 2.5%-5% the following workout. After 4-6 weeks, go back to performing standard repetitions. Use what you’ve learned over the previous 4-6 weeks and apply it to your standard repetitions. You will find that the weights move easier, you feel more confident when performing the lifts, and you will break through those training plateaus. 

Density Training & the Juarez Valley Method

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August is almost upon us, and everyone is squeezing in those last minute trips and vacations while the weather is still nice. During vacation, there always seems to be that urge to fit in a few workouts in order to stay on track with the progress we have made over the previous months. Although it is never a bad thing to take a week off from training when traveling, it also isn’t a bad idea to squeeze in a few short workouts if you have the intentions to do so. For this, my advice is to keep them short, simple, and effective through a density training. Specifically, bodyweight density training. Density training takes into account the two variables of volume and duration. In short, this is how much work you can get done in a particular amount of time. This can ultimately help to increase your work capacity, which we know has many benefits within our overall strength, conditioning, physique, and health.

 

When it comes to bodyweight density training, one of my favorite routines is the Juarez Valley method. This method stems from the Juarez Valley prison in Mexico, where inmates would do a specific bodyweight workout using the length of their 8 foot cell. The individual would pick a number, either 10, 15, or 20. That number would represent the number of sets that would be completed. The repetitions go in ascending order on the even numbered sets and descending order on the odd numbered sets alternatively forming a valley structure. In the middle, they meet. For example, in Juarez valley 10, Set 1 has 10 reps (descending order) and Set 2 has 1 rep (ascending order). This method is typically performed with squats or push-ups, but can be used with other bodyweight exercises as well. Below is a full example of the Juarez Valley 20 for squats.

 

Set 1: 20 reps

Set 2: 1 rep

Set 3: 19 reps

Set 4: 2 reps

Set 5: 18 reps

Set 6: 3 reps

Set 7: 17 reps

Set 8: 4 reps

Set 9: 16 reps

Set 10: 5 reps

Set 11: 15 reps

Set 12: 6 reps

Set 13: 14 reps

Set 14: 7 reps

Set 15: 13 reps

Set 16: 8 reps

Set 17: 12 reps

Set 18: 9 reps

Set 19: 11 reps

Set 20: 10 reps

 

That’s a total of 210 bodyweight squats. Keep in mind, the goal is to complete all of the reps and sets in the shortest amount of time possible, aka density training. Record your time and try to beat it on your next workout. Incorporate these into your weekly routine and see the benefits.