Fall is right around the corner and while we’re all a little sad summer is almost over, we’re excited to announce additional classes, schedule changes as well as upcoming events!

 

Starting September 9 we are adding multiple MyZone and Functional Training classes. 

Additional MyZone Classes:

Tuesdays and Thursdays Lunch Time EXPRESS class from 11-11:30am

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays After School EXPRESS from 4-4:30pm 

 

What is Express MyZone? Same great class but in a shorter time frame for those that need to be in and out quickly

 

See a full schedule here

 

Additional Functional Training Classes:

Mondays and Wednesdays Lunch Time Functional Training EXPRESS from 11-11:30am

Sunday Functional Training 10:15-11:15am

 

What is Functional Training Express? This class will primarily focus on a quick dynamic warm-up and then the metcon for that day’s WOD. If you would like to also do the strength portion, you can come in earlier or stay later. 

 

Functional Training Schedule Changes:

Starting the week of September 9, there will only be 5-6pm Functional Training on Fridays!

 

See a full schedule here

 

Teacher Special:

Starting in September, we’re offering 10% off membership for the first three months to teachers who join Transcend or Functional Training. With the addition of our After School Express Myzone, we are looking forward to welcoming some awesome educators to our Club. If you have any questions, please email Tasha at Natasha@transcendfit.com

 

Events:

Saturday, August 17 –  WOD for Zach Miller.

If you don’t know the story of Pittsburgh’s Zach Miller who fell into a coma after a tragic car accident in 2011, please take a few minutes to watch the story on his legacy here. Zach will be at Functional Training on Saturday the 17th at 10:15 to watch us work out with his father. 

 

Saturday, September 28 – Join us as we support MS Run For Research at the Warminster Community Park. 

 

The details: 5k run/walk plus a community Functional Training-style workout afterwards. We will be joined by other local boxes to support a great cause. More info to come, open to all members!

 

“Work out and Wine”

Grab a girlfriend, a bottle of wine and your sneakers and join us Friday evening on October 25th. We’ll do a partner workout with bodyweight movements and light kettlebells and then spend time afterwards eating and enjoying a few glasses of wine while getting to know each other! More details to come, open to all members and their friends/family!

 

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Summer is one of the busiest times of the year to travel- the beaches, mountains and lakes and trips abroad come calling fast once the snow melts and the trees bloom. Most of us probably have the mindset of “I don’t need to work out, I’m traveling! Time to treat myself!”, but vacation ends and one week, two weeks or even a month later, we find ourselves feeling like a bump on a log, our strength and endurance are gone, and there may be a few tweaks in our backs. So how can you stay fit while traveling without missing out on time with family and friends? Keep reading below for a few tips:

 

When in doubt, bodyweight workouts

Your body is all you need for a good workout, especially if you’re not staying in a hotel with equipment. Head outside and find a hill or a set of stairs when you first wake up and start the clock for 20-30 minutes. Running or walking can be paired with burpees, push-ups, air squats, lunges, jumping jacks, stair sprints etc… Pick 3-4 bodyweight movements with a run or walk and you’ll feel fresh and ready to tackle the day. 

 

Choose the hiking or walking options

Looking to watch the sunset from the top of a mountain or cliff? Hike to it! Interested in exploring a specific neighborhood? Grab a map and get walking instead of a ticket for a bus tour. You can also choose to walk to dinner or lunch instead of taking that 5 minute uber or taxi.

 

Take advantage of your hotel gym

Many hotels have great equipment options- not just one bike and one treadmill. Find out before you leave if your hotel has a gym and if so, what kind of equipment it has. Then, write out a few workouts you know you can complete in 20-30 minutes in the morning or during an afternoon lull. 

 

Drink water and eat a healthy breakfast

Make sure you drink a ton of water, especially if you’re in a warmer climate. Water helps keep us hydrated (obviously), but also helps us feel full and aids in digestion. Also, start your morning with a healthy breakfast. Those pancakes and waffles I’m sure look amazing, and I’m not saying you shouldn’t indulge (it IS vacation), but choosing an egg dish with vegetables and some fruit on the side will help kick your day off on the right path. 

 

Free Travel Work Out

Set a clock for 20 minutes and perform the following movements until the clock is up:

25 jumping jacks

20 air squats

15 pushups

10 burpees

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The Leg Raise

Everyone loves a good sit-up or crunch burn, but those movements only do so much for your core strength and achieving those “six-pack” abs. This is because the range of motion for those movements is limited, only targeting your upper abs instead of your entire core.

While there are a ton of exercises that you can add to your regimen while you’re at Transcend, one of the movements we love, due to its versatility, is the leg raise. More than just an “ab” exercise, its benefits include: full core strengthening, hip stability, and lower back strengthening.

If you’re looking for a new way to challenge yourself during an ab blast, try these variations of the leg raise below:

Single leg raises on the floor:

If you are just starting out with leg raises, single leg raises are a great place to start. Lay down on a mat and bring your feet together, legs straight and your arms straight at your side, hands pressing into the mat. Take a deep breath in and push your lower back into the mat.

Then push your right heel into the ground as you raise your left leg into the air. As you raise your leg, keep your back pressed into the ground. Keep your left leg straight and point your toes as your slowly lower your left leg back toward the ground. Only lower your leg as far as you can while keeping your back pressed into the mat, avoiding leaning to one side. Repeat for 10-15 reps for 3 sets.

 

Double leg raises on the floor:

Lay down on a mat and bring your feet together, legs straight and your arms straight at your side, hands pressing into the mat. Take a deep breath in and push your lower back into the mat.

Raise both legs straight up into the air as far as you can keeping your legs straight and your hands pressing into the mat. Then, while squeezing your abs slowly lower your legs down back toward the floor. Only lower them as far as you can while keeping your lower back pressed into the mat, then return your legs to the starting position. Repeat for 10-15 reps. Try 3 sets of 10-15 reps for 3 sets and then increase reps as you get stronger.

 

Weighted leg raises:

Once you’ve mastered the double leg raises and feel like adding a new challenge, try a weighted leg raise. Take a light medicine ball or light dumbbell (trust me it doesn’t take much weight to increase the difficulty!) and place the ball or dumbbell between your feet. The set up is the same as the double leg raise. Slowly raise your legs off the floor while squeezing the dumbbell or medicine ball between your feet the whole time- remember to keep your back flat on the mat!

If you have any questions or are looking for even more variations, grab one of our trainers and we’ll be happy to work with you!

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Transcend Fitness Monthly Member Spotlight: Jean Tanner

What Jess Coates has to say about Jean: “Jean and I started working together because she was looking for some help to alleviate some lower back issues and she wanted someone to help keep her accountable.  She has a great attitude, works hard and is dedicated to her workouts! We have been training together for quite some time now and I look forward to our discussions along with reaching fitness goals. We train so she can avoid the doctor and be able to keep up with the grandkids!”

How long have you been a member at Transcend Fitness? 

I joined Transcend Fitness in January of 2012, and it is the only New Years resolution I have kept for more than a month.  Seven years later my husband, Bill, and I average an early morning visit to the gym four days a week. One of the reasons I joined was because of my back pain and my doctor told me to exercise more.  Transcend is close to our home and the exercise and strength training have helped to improve my health. After a couple of years working out on my own I realized that I wasn’t pushing myself enough. That’s when I made the decision to book some personal training sessions with Jess and haven’t given those up.  

What do you like most about Transcend? 

Jess is a great motivator and knows her stuff!  She has helped me tremendously and keeps me on track.  I still struggle with my love of food, but my workouts and Jess’ watchful eyes help keep me on the right track.  Another benefit of my membership is the atmosphere at the gym, initially I was intimidated by the machines and equipment but the staff is friendly and helpful.  Other members are welcoming and pleasant creating a great environment. 

What is a typical day like for you outside of the gym?

I work full-time in an office, so five days a week I sit at a desk most of the day, which makes my time at Transcend very important.  Weekends are typically busy with family, grand-kids and household chores.

Do you have any tips for anyone just starting out with a work out routine? 

For anyone who wants to start a new workout routine, my thought is just start and keep doing it!

On behalf of the whole staff, we’re grateful to have you as a member of Transcend Fitness Club, Jean!  See you at the gym! 

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Imagine this.

It’s an 80-degree day, light clouds and little humidity. Arguably the best kind of weather for the North East in the summer when “swamp-like” is a more accurate term to describe our days.

The air is light, neighbors are out for walks and responsibilities seem just a little easier to manage with that extra dose of vitamin D.

Your phone goes off:

“Let’s do a barbecue today!”

“Beach trip?”

“Leaving work early, meet you for dinner?”

Good weather = socializing and traveling. And that’s absolutely how it should be… but what if you have a goal to lose weight, or gain muscle or just stick to healthier eating habits?

Do you ditch your friends or family? Deny your kids the magic of a summer barbecue at sunset? Probably not. And you shouldn’t, either.

So what can you do when faced with situations where there will likely be a plethora of processed foods, alcohol and restaurant dishes where you have little insight into how it’s prepared?

Lucky for you, we’ve put together 4 tips for getting you through barbecues, graduation parties, beach weekends and after-work socializing that will help you stay on track while still having a great time:

#1 — When in doubt, fill your plate with vegetables. Nearly every get together has a vegetable spread. Fill your plate with as many colors as you can. Vegetables are jam-packed with micro-nutrients and fiber keeping you fuller longer and less likely to keep going back to the table filling up on processed items (I see you, pigs in a blanket). If you’re at a restaurant, go for a veggie-filled salad and a lean protein on top– you can even ask for olive oil and a slice or two of lemon on the side to keep your dressing free of “franken-chemicals” found in so many salad dressings. Or, order the burger without a bun and ask for a salad on the side instead of french fries and chips.

 

# 2— Pack healthy snacks. I need a snack in my bag at all times, but that is especially true for any kind of travel or beach day. Boardwalks fill the air with that delicious smell of zeppole, funnel cake and pizza and after a few hours in the sun it’s easy to crave it all. Rest stops tempt you with McDonalds and Auntie Anne’s so having a few options already in your bag helps you avoid those pitfalls. Pre-pack trail mix, nut butter packets, fruit, homemade sandwiches, protein smoothies and pick up a few protein bars to help curb cravings– we love RxBars and have a few flavors at the front desk for you to try!

 

#3 — Drink Water. This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s easy to forget to drink water, or not drink enough of it, during the summer months. You’re likely sweating way more than in the cooler months, and it’s essential to hydrate even if you’re not working out. On top of that, water helps immensely to aid with digestion. Water helps break down food for digestion, increasing our ability to absorb nutrients. So, make sure you’re drinking a few glasses with every meal to help keep you happy and hydrated!

 

#4– Come prepared with a balanced dish at BYOB parties. Look, pigs in a blanket are delicious, but provide little nutritional value and are usually made with so many chemicals that our stomachs hate. Find a recipe that you like full of veggies, healthy fats (avocado, olive oil) and protein so that you’ll be more likely to eat your own dish if the other options at the party don’t work out. Check out this recipe below that we love:

 

Balsamic Grilled Chicken and Zucchini

INGREDIENTS

1/2 c. honey

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. orange zest

1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

2 medium yellow zucchini (about 1 lb.)

2 medium green zucchini (about 1 lb.)

kosher salt

1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2″ thickness

extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

sea salt

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1. In a small sauce pan over medium heat add honey and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in orange zest and oregano. Reserve 1/4 cup for serving.
2. Meanwhile, trim off both ends of each zucchini. Using a mandoline or vegetable peeler, create long flat noodles by running the blade against the length of each zucchini. Season with salt and set aside.
3. Preheat grill on medium-high. Drizzle Tyson Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Brush glaze onto chicken and cook until lightly charred all over and internal temperature reaches 170°, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate and cover loosely with foil.
4. Bring an 8-quart stock pot of water to a boil and generously season with salt. Cook zucchini until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes, and drain. Slice chicken against the grain and serve over zucchini noodles with a drizzle of balsamic-honey glaze and a sprinkle of sea salt. Serve immediately.

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