Here is a sample workout we created that we would like to share with you. In fact, I have been doing it the past three Sunday mornings. It's a great workout for those of you pressed for time. It is a timed superset workout. There are no breaks until you are done with the timed interval. Do as many sets as you can (with proper form) in the time allotted. Do one exercise, then immediately move to the next one. Once you go down the list of exercises, go right…

I have recently received lots of questions regarding vegan options as far as protein powders. We also have clients with bodybuilding goals that also happen to be vegan or vegetarian. Traditionally, there were not a lot of good sources of protein for muscle recovery if you did not consume meat or whey protein. You were not going to sit and eat 10 servings of broccoli or six servings of legumes. Veggie burgers became very popular as an alternative. Even for a while, I consumed them on a regular basis, during…

2014 is wrapping up and hopefully your year was full of fun and physical activity had by everyone in your family. I hope this year brought you closer to the realization, if you weren’t already aware of it, that physical activity is not just an activity you do sporadically, but a life-style that even the youngest members of your family should be participating in and can benefit a great deal from. Please check out my previous posts to read more about those benefits if you haven’t done so already! Usually…

Many people who workout dream of having that coveted six pack of abs. It is not easy to achieve, but YOU can do it! It takes hard work, discipline, and the right knowledge. Yes, you absolutely need to eat healthy. You also need a great resistance training and cardio routine. However, to fine tune your abs, you need exercises that will blast them way beyond a crunch. Here is a popular exercise our trainer, Deonte Toliver demonstrates below called the Stability Ball V-Pass. Hold a stability ball overhead with both…

Are you looking for a workout to build your chest strength but do not have access to a bench press? What if you can do 40-50 push-ups without breaking a sweat? You need a challenge! Try the 30 Second Slow Burn Push-Up. We saw this first on DDP Yoga. I decided to take this workout and run with it in so many different ways, including making it a part of an intense slow burn bodyweight workout. You count to 10 as you go downward in the eccentric phase. You hold…

Horizontal Pulls are one of our favorite exercises to prescribe to clients. They blast the upper and middle back muscles. They do a great job for your biceps too, especially if you use an underhand grip like you would for Chin-Ups. Horizontal Pulls are easier than Pull-Ups, and can be done in many different areas. Some of those areas include bars on a playground (like shown below with our client, Christine), the handles on a dip machine, arms of two treadmills side by side (don't do this during peak hours…

Today we are going to show you one of my favorite exercises. If you want something to blast your latissimus dorsi, look no further than weighted pull-ups. Weighted pull-ups are ideal when doing 15-20 regular pull-ups becomes easier and easier. This exercise is fun, yet very challenging. Not a whole lot of people can do a regular pull-up with proper form, let alone a weighted pull-up. Not only are you working your upper back, but your biceps get a great workout (especially if you do the Chin-Up grip), as well…

Well, fall is here and summer is now just an awesome memory. If you’re like me you’re wondering where summer went and why it always has to leave so abruptly! Lucky for us the fall season is just as awesome and rewarding as the summer. Children are back in school, which may not make them very happy, nit I’m sure parents everywhere are rejoicing. Another aspect which makes the fall an amazing and rewarding time of year are all the organized sports that not only can be viewed on television,…

From our experience, not only in personal training, but in our own personal weight loss and strength training goals, as well as goals our friends have met, they are achieved even more easily with a partner. CASS Fitness has trained couples, multiple friends, and multiple family members at the same time for our hour long personal training sessions even if their goals are different from each other. The clients sometimes get competitive with each other. It also adds another dimension of accountability, since you are in your uphill battle together.…

Summer is here and hopefully your children are involved in a plethora of physical activities from organized sports, to swimming lessons, or just playing around the neighborhood with friends. These activities are all great ways to keep you children active over the summer and ensure that they are getting the exercise they need. With that being said, an important aspect of physical activity is making sure your children are properly hydrated and well nourished. Like adults, children’s bodies are significantly water based, as humans our bodies are anywhere from 50%…

We have been researching and trying several different plant based protein powder options within the past couple of weeks. Even though Whey Protein is one of the best proteins for your post workout, unfortunately a lot of people's stomachs cannot tolerate it because they may not be able to handle dairy. I personally can only handle a small amount. While I can consume whey protein after my workout, I have to switch to plant based proteins throughout the rest of the day. One of the first ones we came across…

CASS Fitness is proud to announce we are sponsoring an up and coming bodybuilder who will be competing in the 2015 Mr. Pittsburgh contest. Doug Connor is no ordinary bodybuilder. He has a story behind him. Standing at 5'6, Doug once weighed 230lbs., Doug was not in top shape even though he was a consummate athlete. Doug competitively participated in football, basketball, and was even a track star. He had noticed that he had fallen off of his exercise and healthy eating routine the past few years. That fact combined…