The Transformational Sleep Routine: How to Snooze Faster and Wake Up Energized

A night of good sleep has long been pursued as the ultimate remedy for fatigue, stress, and various other physical and mental maladies. 

Especially for those who suffer depression or anxiety like me. 

In this week's featured video on Unity Gym's YouTube channel, we delve deeper into the critical importance of sleep and how you can optimize your night routine to fall asleep faster and wake up feeling refreshed.

At Unity Gym, we believe that achieving a good night's sleep is more than just lying on a comfortable bed and closing your eyes. It's an intricate dance that's orchestrated by our body's natural rhythms and influenced by our day-to-day activities. If you've been yearning to reset your sleep clock to sleep early and rise with the sun, we've got some insights to share.

We've all heard the saying, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." While it sounds like a simple directive, the reality is often complicated. 

Many of us struggle with shifting our sleep schedules. We feel enslaved by our 'night owl' tendencies, perpetually stuck in a cycle of late-night screen time, caffeinated drinks, and restlessness that seeps into the early morning hours.

In our latest video, we debunk the myth that changing your sleep pattern is merely about tweaking your bedtime. It starts right from the moment you wake up. It takes a concerted effort to retrain your body and mind to sleep and wake up at specific times. 

In this video, Rad shares his personal journey from being a habitual late-night gamer, to someone who hits the sack by 9pm and is up and about before 5 a.m. without an alarm.

But beware, change does not occur overnight. As with any lifestyle modification, it takes time for your body to adjust. It might take a few days or even weeks of sticking to your desired wake-up time and managing your day judiciously before you feel genuinely ready for bed at 9 pm or 8 hours before your wake-up time.

Sleeping well and waking up early can revolutionize your productivity and overall wellness. 

Poor sleep is linked to weight gain and can be a major contributing factor to a successful weight loss program. But it all begins with a commitment—a commitment to prioritize sleep, understand its science, and adapt your daily habits to support a healthier sleep cycle.

Join us on this journey of sleep transformation and wake up to a more vibrant, productive, and healthy life. Watch our latest video, 'How to Fall Asleep Fast' to get started on this transformative path today. 

And remember, at Unity Gym, we are here to support you every step of the way.

Are you ready to venture into the world of calisthenics? If you're a beginner looking to increase your strength, flexibility, and overall fitness level, then you're in the right place. Our latest YouTube video features Rad Burmeister, guiding you through an intuitive Calisthenics home workout. But that's not all - with this, you also get a FREE printable program card for your handy reference!The workout focuses on two key areas - Straight Arm Scapular Strength (SASS) exercises and lower body shrimp squats and eccentric Nordics strength exercises. But why, you might wonder, are these two so crucial?Straight Arm Scapular Strength (SASS) exercises are crucial for building foundational strength. SASS targets the muscles around your shoulder blades, leading to improved stability, balance, and power for your upper body movements. Whether you're reaching for something on a high shelf, swinging a tennis racket, or perfecting your pull-up, SASS exercises will make you stronger and more efficient. Lower body strength, on the other hand, is crucial for athletic performance.But the core strength of our program lies not just in these exercises alone - it's how they're integrated in the Unify Movement System (UMS). The UMS approach is built on the philosophy of integrating strength and flexibility, leading to maximum workout efficiency. The result? Better fitness outcomes in less time!When you train for strength while neglecting flexibility, you limit your potential for growth. Similarly, if you focus on flexibility without strength, you risk instability and injury. The UMS understands this delicate balance and blends both aspects seamlessly into your training regime. With UMS, every workout moves you towards being stronger, more flexible, and overall, fitter.Our latest YouTube video provides comprehensive tutorials for the SASS and stretching exercises, making it easy for you to follow along. And remember, your free printable program card is just a download away - it'll help you keep track of your sets and reps, and make your workout experience all the more convenient.By aligning your workout goals with our integrated system, you're signing up for a powerful transformation. It's time to explore what you're truly capable of with Rad Burmeister and the power of UMS. Press play today, and witness the change in you!

Spent $20,000 On Flexibility Coaches To Learn This

As a family-oriented man who has been consistently training for 12+ months, you likely understand the challenge of balancing a workout routine with other commitments. It can be frustrating to put in the effort and not see the flexibility gains you're looking for, especially if you're passionate about calisthenics, weightlifting, MMA, or yoga.

If you're struggling with traditional stretching methods and want to make a breakthrough in your flexibility, we invite you to check out our 3 part video series on modern methods for improving flexibility. You can access the videos here: https://trial.unitygym.com/flexibility

In these videos, we share our experience of spending $20,000 to work with three flexibility experts who taught us the latest techniques for improving flexibility. They emphasized three important principles: understanding the meaning of flexibility gains, developing strength through range, and using modern stretching methods.

We understand that increasing flexibility isn't just about making your muscles longer - it involves changes in the conformation of elements within the muscles. To improve flexibility, it's essential to understand the two major nervous system security mechanisms involved in flexibility development: protecting limbs from over-stretching and protecting against overload.

Most flexibility protocols can improve your range of motion over weeks and months, but the process can be accelerated by using end range antagonist muscle contractions or end range strength. This technique helps to trigger the necessary adaptations within the muscle body for improved flexibility.

We know that you're a busy person, and that's why we've designed our flexibility programs to be as efficient as possible. Our UMS app reinvents physical exercise to produce superior strength, flexibility, and fitness results in half the time it would typically take, so you can perform better in calisthenics, weightlifting, MMA, and yoga. You can join now at https://unitygym.com.

In addition to our video series, we also offer a Flexibility Blueprint and an 18-Minute Stretching Routine, as well as other flexibility specialization programs. You can find all of these resources on our website and start developing strength through range for improved range of motion today.

We hope that our resources can help you unlock your full physical potential and achieve your fitness goals. Don't forget to subscribe for more tips and techniques to help you on your fitness journey.

Maximize Your Performance: Enhance Your Flexibility for Sports, Yoga, and MMA with This Follow-Along Stretching Routine

If you're a middle-aged family man who spends long hours working at a desk, you know how tight and uncomfortable your hamstrings can get. Tight hamstrings can not only limit your movement and reduce your performance, but they can also lead to discomfort or pain. However, with the right techniques and guidance, you can transform your hamstring flexibility and unlock your full potential.

Our 16-minute follow-along stretching routine combines cutting-edge techniques to hack your nervous system and help you achieve lasting improvements in flexibility and mobility. In this routine, we utilize the Pancake Short Range Activation and Loaded Pancake for optimal hamstring flexibility, followed by the Seated Pike Compression Lift and Loaded Jefferson Curl for improved hamstring mobility.

Not only will this routine increase your hamstring flexibility and range of motion, but it will also enhance your performance in sports, yoga, calisthenics, and MMA, as well as alleviate tightness and discomfort in the hamstrings. By incorporating this routine into your regular practice, you'll experience lasting flexibility gains that will improve your overall mobility and well-being.

Our expert guidance will lead you step-by-step through each technique, allowing you to master these cutting-edge hamstring stretching techniques. Say goodbye to tightness and limited performance, and embrace a more flexible, pain-free lifestyle. Subscribe now for more tips and techniques to improve your flexibility, mobility, and overall well-being.

Say Goodby To Your Knee Pain Nightmare: 5 Simple Exercises to Alleviate Pain & Improve Strength At Home

Knee pain is a common issue that can be caused by a variety of factors, including injury, overuse, or simply wear and tear over time. If you're experiencing knee pain, you may be wondering what you can do to alleviate your discomfort and get back to doing the things you love. Fortunately, there are a number of exercises that can help strengthen your knees and improve your mobility, without the need for expensive equipment or gym memberships.

After tearing my meniscus, I reached out to my sports physio friends who shared their expert knowledge and workout strategies to help me recover. Now, I'm excited to share this life-changing information with you in this video.

The exercises outlined in the video include step-ups, calf raises, hamstring curls, tib raises, and single leg deadlifts. These exercises are designed to target the muscles and ligaments that support the knee joint, helping to reduce pain and improve stability.

One of the best things about these exercises is that they can be done at home, with minimal equipment. However, if you're looking for an extra challenge, you may want to consider incorporating a piece of gym equipment called the Freak Athlete Triflexor.

The Triflexor is a versatile piece of equipment that can be used to perform a variety of exercises, including those outlined in the video. It's designed to provide resistance to your movements, helping to increase the effectiveness of your workouts.

While the Triflexor can be a useful tool for anyone looking to improve their knee strength and mobility, it's important to remember that the exercises themselves are the most important part of any workout routine. Whether you're using the Triflexor or just your own body weight, the key is to perform the exercises consistently and with proper form.

In addition to alleviating knee pain, these exercises can also help to improve your balance and stability, making them useful for a variety of activities, from sports to yoga to calisthenics and MMA. And by strengthening the muscles and ligaments that support your knees, you can help to prevent future injuries and ensure that you can continue to live an active, healthy lifestyle for years to come.

So if you're dealing with knee pain and are looking for a way to get back to doing the things you love, give these exercises a try. And if you're looking for an extra challenge, consider incorporating the Freak Athlete Triflexor into your routine. With consistent effort and dedication, you can strengthen your knees and improve your mobility, paving the way for a happier, healthier life.

Self-myofascial release (SMR) is an effective technique for reducing muscle tension and improving flexibility. This technique is achieved through the use of foam rollers, massage balls, and other tools that allow individuals to apply pressure to specific areas of the body.SMR is gaining popularity among athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to improve their physical well-being. One of the main advantages of SMR is that it's a cost-effective alternative to traditional physical therapy and massage treatments. By using simple tools like a foam roller, massage ball, or psorite, individuals can perform self-massage and release muscle tension in a matter of minutes.The benefits of SMR extend beyond just reducing muscle tension. Studies have shown that SMR can also improve range of motion, reduce muscle soreness and stiffness, and increase blood flow to the muscles. SMR is also believed to help prevent injury by improving joint mobility and reducing the risk of muscle imbalances.SMR is easy to perform, and there are many resources available to help individuals learn how to do it correctly. The video tutorial mentioned in the introduction is an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn more about SMR and improve their flexibility. By incorporating a few simple tools and techniques into your daily routine, you can achieve many of the benefits of traditional massage therapy and physical therapy at a fraction of the cost.In conclusion, SMR is a powerful technique that can help individuals reduce muscle tension, improve flexibility, and prevent injury. With the right tools and knowledge, anyone can learn to perform self-massage and reap the benefits of this cost-effective alternative to traditional physical therapy and massage treatments.

Being flexible is important for your health, but just stretching isn't enough.

To be truly flexible, you need to also work on your strength.

This means doing exercises that make your muscles strong while they move through a full range of motion.

At Unity Gym, we teach our tribe to lift weights with proper form and full range of motion. We also teach you how to train so as to work the muscles that push and pull against each other in balance.

This helps your become stronger (and) more flexible.

For example, the muscles that help you raise your arms (shoulder flexors) have an inverse relationship with the muscles that help you lower your arms (shoulder extensors).

When you work the shoulder flexors, it helps the shoulder extensors move more easily.

The best way to get stronger and more flexible is to do exercises that move your joints through a full range of motion, like squats and push-ups, in balance with their opposing movements and muscle systems like the deadlift and pull-up.

Doing these exercises and stretching at the same time will help you become really strong (and) flexible!

Remember when you were a kid and you could run, jump, and play without feeling any pain?

But now, as you grow older, you feel stiff, weak, and tired after working out. This happens to a lot of athletes, but it doesn’t mean you can’t keep exercising.

I faced the same problem, but I didn’t give up. I found some experts who knew a lot about flexibility, physical therapy, and strength training. They showed me some new ways to work out that could help me feel better and be stronger.

The best part was that they all talked about the same three things to help you get flexible: understand what it means to be flexible, use strength to help you stretch, and use new stretching methods.

You might think that stretching makes your muscles longer, but that’s not really true. When you stretch, things inside your muscles change, not the muscles themselves. Your body has two systems that help protect you while you stretch: making sure you don’t stretch too far and get hurt and making sure you don’t lift too much weight and get hurt.

Most stretching plans take a few weeks or months to help you get flexible. But, if you use a special type of stretching called end range strength, you can get flexible faster.

So, instead of thinking about stretching as making your muscles longer, think about it as changing things inside your muscles. The best way to make this change is to use strength to stretch.

In short, don’t let growing older stop you from exercising. By using these new ways to stretch, you can feel better, be stronger, and keep exercising for years to come.

Check out the video to learn more!

Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility.

So you can you can enjoy your best years!

#stretchingexercises  #healthandfitness #personaltrainer

Age affects our exercise in more ways than we think.

Every training injury over the past few years was during a workout that I either rushed my warm up, or didn’t really warm up at all.

Which makes sense because the older you get, the more important your warm up routine becomes.

Frustratingly, I’ve also observed that the older I get, the less time I have to exercise.

So Rad and I spend countless hours reinventing how we prepare our bodies for exercise. Because the need for an efficient and effective warm up routine has never been more important than today.

Before you start spending time designing a new warm up routine, it’s important to remember, the warm up is not the workout!

But it should prime your nervous system, increase blood flow, saturate joints with synovial fluid, and include exercise specific body positioning drills.

If you take your training seriously, and you ain't no spring chicken anymore like us, then you’ll get a lot of value from our latest iteration of the UMS warm up routine.

Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility.

So you can do more of what you love without pain!

#exercisewarmuproutine #onlinepersonaltrainer #exercise

Morning tribe. No videos or questions today so I answer a good question received recently about nutrition supplements. https://vimeo.com/user96150358/coaching-call-friday-20230120 - Todays nutrition supplementation deep dive includes: 1. My essential layered hierarchy of priority for an optimal health regime: a) Lifestyle habits and behaviors are top priority yileding the greatest results b) Diet and nutritional practices come second and always before supplements c) Vitamin and mineral nutrition supplements only after first two acheived d) Pharmaceutical drugs (if required, but not usually need if first 3 are ticked) 2. How to design a supplement protocol to support maximum mental and physical health and performance depending on your: - Specific needs - Nutrition - Lifestyle - Finances 3. The importance of high quality, single-ingredient supplements to enhance specific aspects of your physiology. 4. My exact vitamin, mineral nutrition protocol to build an optimal health and performance foundation. 5. In addition, a few extra I use to put the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking) if you have the budget. If you'd like to watch todays full podcast it's here - Elevate Your Performance With These Top Quality Supplements: https://youtu.be/cIcgGfaGeEY If you would like to purchase any of the products I recommend use my store code here: www.vpa.com.au/YANI10 - and enter this code at checkout for the 10% discount we've negotiated for you: YANI10 Today is going to be a great day. Let’s get after it relentlessly 💥👊

There’s many reasons why you might experience shoulder pain.

In my case, training under archaic methods pushed my body beyond breaking point multiple times in my earlier days, causing painful rotator cuff and cartilage labrum tears.

I am proud to say, all of which I rehabbed successfully without surgery.

In the process I learnt that most shoulder rehab programs fall short because they lack the necessary strength progressions to properly fix your issues.

My formula for success was to first correct my technique for the best exercises, know when and how to progress them properly beyond the initial diagnosis period and how to put it all into a practical workout that would complement my regular training routine.

If you suffer shoulder pain, or know someone who does, then you’ll get a lot of value from the latest video uploaded to our Youtube channel.

Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility.

So you can do more of what you love without pain!

What are your thoughts ... Is it safe to do weightlifting if you have lower back pain? One of the more common complaints for lower back pain is after lifting weight. Which is why so many people believe it’s the cause of their lower back pain and are afraid to lift. But it’s not the exercise that caused your lower back pain. It’s how you got there. Meaning, the lead up to when you exercised, or how you performed it. It’s true that if you lift too much weight, or lift with poor technique, you can make your back pain much worse. But trust me, the solution is not to abstain from strength training. It’s to optimize your exercise technique, and manage load properly. In my decade living with debilitating back pain after a horrific horse riding fall, to the last two decades living completely pain free ... I’ve come to realize that it’s not only safe to lift weight when done right, it’s actually a crucial part of overcoming your pain permanently! If you suffer lower back pain, or know someone who does, then you’ll get a lot of value from our latest upload to our Youtube channel. Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility. So you can do more of what you love without pain!

Do you want better hip flexibility? Whether you do martial arts and want higher, faster and more powerful kicks, or you do calisthenics and want to unlock impressive moves like the straddle press to handstand, there are many great reasons why you’ll need better middle split flexibility. There are two mechanisms at play that restrict your hip flexibility. One ensures you don’t stretch too far and cause an injury. The other prevents you from injuring yourself through excessive load or weight. We’re going to hack them safely to produce an instant improvement in your middle splits. In our latest Youtube video Rad walks you step-by-step through a follow along routine to instantly increase hip strength and flexibility. Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility. So you can do more of what you love without pain!

How To Do Chest To Bar Pull Ups For Beginners

Would you believe …“How to do a pull up” (or chin up) is among the most searched exercise related terms online. Which surprises me. If so many people are searching for pull up tutorials, why aren’t they executed better in our gyms? Rarely do I see someone complete reps with chest to bar, or start and end the rep at the bottom with elbows locked straight. Which represents the correct technique. I believe it’s because most people have poor scapular control and tend to initiate the pull up using their biceps, instead of their lats, traps and rhomboids. If you struggle to get your chest to the bar, then you likely fall into this cohort. Alas, we’ve got you covered. Rad and the content team just dropped a brand new complete guide for beginner pull ups. Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility. So you can do more of what you love without pain!

We both know shoulder injuries suck!Persistent shoulder pain is a nightmare. It’s enough to keep you awake at night. Let alone stifle your progress in the gym.Although physical therapy is important, most rehab falls short because it lacks strength progression from the initial consultation.To effectively train your shoulder rotator cuff you need beginner through to advanced level progressions.Plus, you need to know exactly how to execute with correct form and technique and you need to know how, where and when these new exercises fit into your workout regime.If shoulder health is important to you, strap yourself in because our latest Youtube video is for you!In this addition, Rad walks you step-by-step through beginner to advanced level rotator cuff strengthening exercise to bulletproof your shoulders.He also explains exactly how to do them and where they fit into your regular training routine.Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility.So you can do more of what you love without pain!

Shoulder mobility is essential for working out.

Especially if you do things like Crossfit, calisthenics or weightlifting.

Increasing your ability to stretch your arms above your head (shoulder flexion) is a critical first step.

Without good shoulder flexion you limit strength potential and expose yourself to serious injury because you put enormous stress on your rotator cuff.

The good news is that with the right training you can hack your nervous system using effective trigger point release, loaded stretching and antagonistic end range contractions, to get INSTANT shoulder flexibility results.

Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself …

In our latest Youtube follow along video Rad walks you step-by-step through a routine that will increase your shoulder flexibility in minutes.

Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility.

So you can do more of what you love without pain!

Age affects our exercise in more ways than we think. Every training injury over the past few years was during a workout that I either rushed my warm up, or didn’t really warm up at all. Which makes sense because the older you get, the more important your warm up routine becomes. Frustratingly, I’ve also observed that the older I get, the less time I have to exercise. So Rad and I spend countless hours reinventing how we prepare our bodies for exercise. Because the need for an efficient and effective warm up routine has never been more important than today. Before you start spending time designing a new warm up routine, it’s important to remember, the warm up is not the workout! But it should prime your nervous system, increase blood flow, saturate joints with synovial fluid, and include exercise specific body positioning drills. If you take your training seriously, and you ain't no spring chicken anymore like us, then you’ll get a lot of value from our latest iteration of the UMS warm up routine. Let’s reinvent how you train for strength and flexibility. So you can do more of what you love without pain!