100th Episode Roundup
Brock Armstrong has reached his milestone 100th episode as Get-Fit Guy! Here’s a light-hearted look at some of the Google search terms people used to find the Quick and Dirty Tips website.
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100th Episode Roundup
Can you believe that it has been two years and 100 episodes since the former Get-Fit Guy, Ben Greenfield, handed me the keys to this fitness kingdom? It’s true. What’s the old saying: time flies when you are on a treadmill? No, that can’t be right.
Anyway, in those two years, 100 episodes and 40-some blog posts, I have gone undercover to investigate some of the latest trends and fads in fitness, I have dug into some lesser known exercise techniques (like Cryotherapy), investigated some of the latest research (Do Fitness Trackers Lead to Better Fitness, for example), and broken down some complicated exercises into their basic components (8 Steps to Doing a Burpee). And of course, I have answered many reader’s questions about fitness and movement (like when reader Aaron asked How to Build Strong and Pain-Free Feet). Although, there are some questions readers searched for that I haven’t answered. Not because I don’t want to, but because … well, you’ll see.
Popular Search Terms
I asked the Quick and Dirty Tips team to find me some of the terms readers and listeners have used in their Google searches that inevitably lead them to the Get-Fit Guy webpage. Boy oh boy, am I glad I did! The things we ask Google when we’re trying to find answers sometimes look strange, but believe it or not, I’ve released episodes to cover them. Here are some highlights:
“muscles of the arm”
Although I have never written a post that was simply a list of the muscles in the arms (because that sounds terribly boring), the article Go From Push-up Zero to Push-up Hero was the most popular post about the arms in general. In that one we dove into how doing a simple push-up can work out your chest, shoulders, arms, core, glutes, and legs. So why aren’t you doing them right now?
“carbs after workout”
Carbs aren’t really my area. Seeing as I am a movement and fitness professional, not a dietitian, I tend to leave the nutrition stuff to the Nutrition Diva (my friend and fellow podcaster here on the Quick and Dirty Tips network). Although I did break that rule when I took a look at amino acids and if they can help build bigger muscles, for the most part, I stay in my lane.
“become strongman”
Now, unless this individual was searching specifically for instructions on how to become a strongman in a circus sideshow (which would be super cool), I do have some advice to offer them. It’s not all about getting “swole” either, I have advice if you want to train your muscles to be functionally strong without Hulking out of your favorite clothes.
“how to breathe”
Well, OK, I’m sure you know how to breathe, in general. If you don’t, please consult a doctor. But I do have some advice on how to do it more effectively during exercise. I also have some advice on how you can use your breath to help you get a better night’s sleep and achieve better athletic recovery.
“should I lift heavy”
This may come as a surprise, but I think you should! I also believe that you should lift that heavy object over your head. The overhead press is one of the best shoulder exercises out there, but it has benefits beyond giving you delts for days.
“weak butt bone”
Wow, OK! Although we do have some information about how to strengthen your butt on the Quick and Dirty Tips website, none of it talks about the butt bone in particular. I have, however, written about why exercise is essential for strong bones, which would indeed apply to your butt bone.
“can I workout olympics”
That’s not exactly a question (don’t let Grammar Girl see the grammar, or lack thereof, on that one.) Assuming our searcher was looking for workout tips related to the Olympics, I’ve got you covered, especially if we’re talking the Winter Olympics. Whether the event be Ice, Alpine, Skiing, Snowboarding or Nordic, I have a workout for you.
“too cold to workout everest”
I haven’t addressed Mount Everest in particular, but I have talked about cold weather a few times. It may surprise you that scientists have actually suggested that no temperature is too cold when it comes to exercising outdoors. You can take it from me—I’m Canadian.
“soul cycle waste of money”
Yes, and yes! Enough said? I think so.
“training hot hot training”
Not just hot, but hot hot! If you’ve been on a tropical vacation and spotted someone wearing a three-piece suit, looking cool as a cucumber, while you sweat away in your shorts and flipflops, you’ve probably wondered about heat acclimatization without even knowing it. And yes, I have are indeed written about the advantages and cautions of training in hot (hot) conditions.
What I Have Learned?
I have to say that my favorite thing to do in my time as the Get-Fit Guy has been to pontificate on what being fit really means. And to be honest, my perspective has changed a bit in those two years and 100 episodes.
I still love to dig into some strange and fringe workouts like occlusion training or electrical muscle stimulation and crush a killer workout at OrangeTheory of PureBarre but I am also becoming more and more aware that large portion of the population is simply concerned with good health and full mobility. Both now and into the future.
The vast majority of you have realized that true fitness has nothing to do with six-pack abs or bulging biceps. Nor does it have anything to do with a thigh gap or perfectly round glutes—that’s not a measure of fitness so much as aesthetics.
Being able to run a fast 10k or deadlift twice your bodyweight each represents one measure of fitness, but neither of these by themselves actually define your level of fitness. For example, many runners and cyclists have poor upper body strength and many lifters have poor cardiovascular fitness.
If we want some better measures of fitness, we can look no further than activities like:
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Being able to walk, run, or cycle to our workplace or perform errands.
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Carrying a heavy load of groceries, a child, or supplies home.
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Getting around the office building or apartment without the need for elevators (within reason—I know some office towers reach incredible heights).
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Staying on our feet for an entire workday without the needing to sit down.
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Being willing and able to move large pieces of furniture to clean behind.
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As strange as it sounds, being able to squat or sit on the ground without the need for a pillow or lumbar support.
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Being able to chase a runaway child or pet through the neighborhood.
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Lifting heavy objects off of a high shelf.
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Getting up off the ground using only your legs.
You get the idea.
If we were all able to perform these activities, we would raise the national fitness average considerably. And, if you were paying attention, you will notice that none of these activities require a gym membership, an expensive outfit, or a coach chasing you around a track with a stopwatch. And that’s what I hope I’m conveying. It is fun to dive into the hardcore, wacky, trendy and fad workouts but true fitness comes from living an active, mobile, movement-filled lifestyle.
The Next 100 Episodes
I know it sounds like a cliché, but if it wasn’t for you, this blog and podcast would not exist. So, if you have questions for me or topics you’d like me to cover, I’ve set up a special voicemail page for you to leave me your messages. You may even have your question played on the Get-Fit Guy podcast. (With your permission, of course.) Just use the link bit.ly/fitspeakpipe and you’ll can easily use your computer’s mic or your phone to leave me a message.
You can also email me at getfitguy@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email or find me at Facebook.com/getfitguy, and Twitter.com/getfitguy. As you can see, there are many ways to find me. And I really do want to hear from you. I can keep coming up with topics forever, but to truly be the best Get-Fit Guy I can be, I need your input to help me provide the information you most want to know.
Finally, I want to thank you for reading and listening. I am grateful that you’ve put your faith in me, and I promise to never to take that for granted. So, here’s to the next 100 episodes and to a future of staying fit together.
GET MORE GET-FIT GUY
For more info, tips, and to join the conversation, head over to Facebook, Twitter, or BrockArmstrong.com. Also don’t forget to subscribe to the Get-Fit Guy podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Spotify, Google Play or via RSSopens XML file .
About the Author
Brock Armstrong was the host of the Get-Fit Guy podcast between 2017 and 2021. He is a certified AFLCA Group Fitness Leader with a designation in Portable Equipment, NCCP and CAC Triathlon Coach, and a TnT certified run coach. He is also on the board of advisors for the Primal Health Coach Institute and a guest faculty member of the Human Potential Institute.