Author: Brock Armstrong

I am a big fan of cycling because it’s fun, a quick way to get around town, and a great workout. But I also know that when I cycle, I spend a lot of time in a seated position. This can shorten my hip flexors, and create pain and stiffness in my neck, shoulders, and back. If only there was a way to solve these issues without taking me off the road. Maybe there is. About 10 years ago, a friend of mine told me about this funky bike-like device he had purchased called an ElliptiGO. He described it as…

Recently I got a call on the Get-Fit Guy hotline from Dionne asking: I just have to know—what is the recipe for huge quads? I know you have to eat right and do resistance training but what exactly will make my quads huge? While I am not a bodybuilder, nor do I think we need to have huge muscles in order to be fit and healthy, I do appreciate where Dionne is coming from. We all have bucket list goals that go beyond being healthy and fit. Personally, I have done more than 50 races of varying lengths between 5k…

A few weeks ago, I received a voicemail on the Get-Fit Guy hotline from a listener named Erin. She had a great question of muscle definition. This is what she asked. Hi Brock. My name’s Erin. I’ve been listening to your podcast for a long time and I find it really helpful. I’m a woman in— well, close to 50, and I’ve been working out with free weights, kettlebells, and battle ropes pretty consistently for about three years. I’m finding that it’s like running to stay in place. I’m reasonably toned, but I never seem to be able to develop…

I received an email a while ago from a listener named Victoria who wanted to know what I thought of the online fitness program called Body Groove. It has been a while since I reviewed a gym or workout plan so I jumped at the idea. Before I get into my review, I think we need to review what a full-body or full-spectrum workout is and why it is important for all of us. Full-spectrum movement In her book, Move Your DNA, biomechanist Katy Bowman writes: I propose that movement, like food, is not optional; that ailments you may be…

Although these rather bland-looking platforms are only recently popping up in gyms and spas, whole-body vibration training (WBVT) has been around for quite a long time. According to the BioMedical Journal, the ancient Greeks were the first to think that shaking the human body would elicit faster healing. The history of whole-body vibration training Ancient Grecian doctors used body vibration machines as a “therapeutic methodology” to help soldiers recover from their injuries. Their version was a bow-like wooden instrument that they would pluck strings on to create vibrations over cuts and wounds. The Greek docs observed that the vibrations allowed…

A while back, I received a message on Facebook from listener Lindsey. She said: In another episode you talked about how aerobic exercise and weight lifting affect each other, but I’m not sure I understood. As a runner, can I run to the gym to lift weights and run home again or should I keep the cardio and weights on separate days? Thanks for your help! After thanking Lindsey for her great question, I promised that I would do a deeper dive in the near future. I also told her that, in a nutshell, if she wants to get the…

A while back, I received a message on Facebook from listener Lindsey. She said: “In another episode you talked about how aerobic exercise and weight lifting affect each other, but I'm not sure I understood. As a runner, can I run to the gym to lift weights and run home again or should I keep the cardio and weights on separate days? Thanks for your help!” After thanking Lindsey for her great question, I promised that I would do a deeper dive in the near future. I also told her that, in a nutshell, if she wants to get the…

I received an email from a listener named Trish a few weeks ago all about the importance of forearm strength. Trish said, “I read somewhere that having weak forearms can limit your ability to build other muscles. That seems extreme. Is it true? And other than not being able to build bigger biceps, why should we worry about our forearm strength? Thanks.” Great questions. I will tackle them in the order they were asked and then give you some exercises that you can do to strengthen those puny wrists. Weak Forearms Let’s start here. Your forearms are indeed used in…

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or electromyostimulation, is a protocol that elicits a muscle contraction using electrical impulses that directly stimulate your motor neurons. An EMS unit (like a Powerdot, Compex, Tone-A-Matic, or MarcPro) is a device that delivers this in the comfort of your own home. This stimulation creates muscle contractions that can be quick and frequent, fast with long pauses, or contractions that are held for several (uncomfortable) seconds or minutes at a time. Normally, it is your body that fires your muscles by sending electrical impulses from your brain through your…

Leg muscle power and vertical jump performance are considered critical elements for successful athletic performance, not to mention for simply performing successful daily activities. Not surprisingly, a lot of research has focused on the development of vertical jump performance. Here are three studies that I think stand out from the crowd. In a study called Does plyometric training improve vertical jump height? A meta?analytical review, the researchers found that, yes, plyometric training significantly improved vertical jump height. Researchers actually saw an increase in jump height between 4.7% and 8.7%. With results like that, plyometric training appears to be an effective…