Jokes and the Gym with Rudy Tyburczy

In this episode, I break down how I would build one simple strength-training workout that works for most people - no bodybuilding goals, no heroic suffering, no gym intimidation required. Just a simple outline coming from a personal trainer who wants to help people move and feel better.

Using the six basic movement patterns (push, pull, carry, squat, hinge, lunge), I let you know how to choose a few exercises, keep the reps reasonable, and train in a way that supports your body and your brain. 

I also ask AI to create a beginner workout a...

In this episode I talk about who I am, what I savor, recovery, capacity, and learning to do less after a brain tumor and seizure shifted my relationship to work, comedy, and stress. This episode is about nervous system care, changing relationships with the things you love, and finding small ways to rest and refill in a burned-out world. Don't expect a bunch of specific tips or whatever, but more of an exploration of what doing less can look like. And I chuck in a couple micro movie reviews, because of course I do. 

Find me, Rudy T...

This week, I’m talking about strength training - not from a research-heavy, “optimize everything” angle, but from a personal one.

You can look up the physiological benefits anywhere. Smarter people than me have that covered. Instead, I share three simple reasons I keep coming back to lifting weights:

In this episode I talk about one way to approach setting the tone for the new year, and why using Marty Supreme as an example may or may not be the best way to move forward. 

Instead of goals and specifics, I talk about the benefits of choosing a single word or phrase to use a guiding light for the year ahead, and recognizing the inherent costs of choosing any word. 

Happy New Year!

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

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Youtube @jokesandthegym

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...

In this episode I'm talking about setting process-based goals instead of outcome goals. That is, instead of things like, "I'm gonna lose 50 pounds!", we can help ourselves more by incorporating process goals into our day to day. So like, "I'm gonna go for a walk after lunch 4-6 days a week" or "I'm gonna lift weights two or three times a week" is much more likely to help you stay on track. So check it out, and thanks for being you. You rock. Happy New Year. 

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

TikTok @jokesandthegym

Y...

This week's episode is just a quick check-in. I'm juggling all sorts of holiday stuff before a trip out of town to visit family, so I just wanted to say hi and remind you to be kind to yourself, and if you miss a workout or go heavy on the eggnog, that's just part of the season. So move around if you can, enjoy your time, and don't be afraid to indulge in a holiday meal or two. This time of year is often wonky, and the fact that you're even here says a lot about you. Ho ho...

In this episode, I talk about why sleep matters more than we think, how much adults actually need, and how lack of sleep affects mood, memory, creativity, workouts, and performance. I share why comedians struggle with sleep, a few simple ways to improve it, and a brief personal health update as I continue recovering and getting back into the flow of life. 

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

TikTok @jokesandthegym

Youtube @jokesandthegym

patreon.com/jokesandthegym

www.rudytyburczy.com

ig @jokesandthegym and @rudytyburczy and @rudyandthecats

Facebook, Twitter, t...

JATG 102 - EATING FOODS. 

Here's another simple episode where I, Rudy Tyburczy - comedian, certified personal trainer and nutrition coach - offer a few straightforward guidelines and ideas to help us get our eating on track. Nothing crazy, no huge diets or super limiting rules, just basic ideas to help us feel like we're not going to war with our bodies and what we put in them. I offer tips for every day life as well as how to plan and prepare for the unpredictability of it all. 

I cover whole foods vs. super processed, pr...

In the new format of the pod (the JATG 101 series), I'll be chatting about one main topic each week and how we can use it to improve our lives as comics, people, or whatever else we are! 

Today's topic - walking! Gosh I love the stuff and I lay out the reasons why, some of the bennies, how you can incorporate it into your life, and how it might be helpful for us comics and creative types. 

Plus I give a walking challenge - go for a walk every day this week! Bonus points - le...

I hit 100 episodes and take stock of why showing up weekly matters more than perfection; how a seizure, brain surgery, and an AFib ablation reshaped my training and my comedy; and why tiny, consistent reps beat heroic bursts. I share gratitude for listeners, guests, and the YMCA community, plus a simple health-first workflow that got me back to the gym. I talk about what the future of the pod and my personal training will hold, how adjusting goals is necessary, and the problem with perfection. Oh, and if you need a nudge: something > nothing.

Find me, Rudy...

In Ep. 99, I catch up with comedian Myq Kaplan about making his new special, Rini, and how collaborating with his partner shifted his process from “just get the laugh” to “get the truth and the laugh.” We trace that evolution from Edinburgh reps and Rini’s note-taking to their “blooming → pruning → harvest” workflow, plus how shared ideas (and producer credits) actually happen in a real relationship. 

We also talk health and how that looks for him as a comedian in the Big Apple: Myq’s Manhattan walk-everywhere lifestyle, High Line laps, the Oura ring’s sleep traps, and practical tweaks li...

In this episode, I’m joined once again by the delightful Myq Kaplan to talk about his new special “Rini” (out November 19 on the Blonde Medicine YouTube channel), his year of creative growth, and what he’s learned from diving into acting with his partner Rini. We get into how acting became less “mystical” and more playful, how exercises like switching emotional choices cracked things open, and how those tools feed back into stand-up. From there we zoom out into the philosophy of comedy: process over product, finding joy in the “now show” (not just the 20 minutes on stage), treating life an...

I’m back on stage and back in rhythm. Halloween cover show on Friday, Double Entendre on Saturday—two months running as freestyle champ—and my first 30-minute walk since brain surgery. I share how beta blockers changed the feel of performing, why I might add freestyle to my act, my fast-approaching return to personal training at the Y, and a big 2026 goal: developing Tumor Humor for Edinburgh Fringe. 

PLUS! I include a couple clips from the shows this weekend so you can judge my abundantly average skills for yourself!

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

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This week, I’m talking about what it feels like to get back into comedy after brain surgery and an ablation, Brain Tumor Awareness Week, and how I’m feeling about returning to work soon. I did two shows this weekend — one for a cancer benefit and another at Bleepin’ Funny — and they both went great…except for the part where an entire table of women walked out mid-set (don’t worry, there’s a clip).

I also share a few updates about my recovery — the weird silent migraines after my ablation, learning to prioritize sleep (I got nine hours las...

I saw the movie Shelby Oaks, written and directed by Chris Stuckman! He's a youtube movie review guy, so it was cool to see him get his shot at making a movie. Was it great? I dunno...listen to find out what I think!

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

TikTok @jokesandthegym

Youtube @jokesandthegym

patreon.com/jokesandthegym

www.rudytyburczy.com

ig @jokesandthegym and @rudytyburczy and @rudyandthecats

Facebook, Twitter, they also exist. I’m on them too.

Email any questions or jokes or gyms to: jo...

Hey friends, it’s Rudy. This week marks one week since my heart ablation, and I’m happy to say I haven’t had an AFib episode since. I talk about what the procedure was like, some hospital stuff, and how it feels to finally give myself permission to slow down without guilt. But what I lack in heart chaos, I make up for in a rather chaotic episode: ablation, books, tv shows, and a Portland Trail Blazer/western conference NBA season preview.

I’ve also been deep into some really good books - It’s Not You by Dr...

As I'm about to get a pulsed field catheter ablation in my heart, I check in and talk about making choices in the interest of health and rest. Quick episode, thanks for stopping by!

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

TikTok @jokesandthegym

Youtube @jokesandthegym

patreon.com/jokesandthegym

www.rudytyburczy.com

ig @jokesandthegym and @rudytyburczy and @rudyandthecats

Facebook, Twitter, they also exist. I’m on them too.

Email any questions or jokes or gyms to: jokesandthegym@gmail.com

#rudytuesdays

Thanks for st...

I saw One Battle After Another twice (empty house vs packed crowd) and it hit harder on rewatch. Here’s my spoiler-free review and my (almost) definitive PTA ranking (all 10 films) from a guy who just loves watching movies. 

Honestly, upon a full PTA rewatch, my number 4 movie has leapfrogged into the number 2 position. Other than that, they're all the same.

 Drop your PTA Top 3 in the comments and tell me where this lands for you.
 —Rudy | Jokes & the Gym Goes to the Movies
 #PTA #PaulThomasAnderson #MovieReview #FilmRankings

If you don't know his...

I’m back with a weekend of bars and big screens. I start off with reflections and a clip or two from the freestyle round I won at Double Entendre (shoutout Lexy for keeping Eugene’s scene lively), and yes—my mom and her friends sat front row at a very dirty show where one of them yelled something that would otherwise be inappropriate to yell in public, which became one of my three freestyle words. 

I share a teaser from my new chat with Myq Kaplan about Rini, the special he co-wrote with his partner, Rini. 

The...

In this bonus mini-episode, I celebrated being cleared to drive again post brain surgery by treating myself to a $5 Tuesday showing of Him. There were only three of us in the theater, and honestly, I can see why. The movie was a strange, muddled football-horror mashup that never quite came together.

I talk about why it didn’t work for me—the random football scenes, the lack of story until the final act, and the lead’s tiny little brain scar (which I couldn’t help comparing to my own 12-inch post-surgery horseshoe MONSTER scar). I also riff a b...

This week I get personal for AFib Awareness Month: how a house-call "huh" turned into an AFib diagnosis, what AFib actually is, the warning signs people miss, and the small, daily choices that have helped me, and could help you. Human, useful, and a little funny—because hearts shouldn’t be freestyling all the time.

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

TikTok @jokesandthegym

Youtube @jokesandthegym

patreon.com/jokesandthegym

www.rudytyburczy.com

ig @jokesandthegym and @rudytyburczy and @rudyandthecats

Facebook, Twitter, they also exist. I’m on them too. <...

91 weeks in a row. Today I talk about balancing brain and heart (literally and figuratively), how “too much time” can scramble priorities, and my plan to hit 100 episodes before a December reset. Plus a divorce double-feature: The Roses (dark, funny ego battle) and Splitsville (modern, messy, hilarious). Cinema healing, with snacks.

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

TikTok @jokesandthegym

Youtube @jokesandthegym

patreon.com/jokesandthegym

www.rudytyburczy.com

ig @jokesandthegym and @rudytyburczy and @rudyandthecats

Facebook, Twitter, they also exist. I’m on them too.

Email any qu...

In this 90th episode, I check in on where I’m at—a month out from brain surgery and a month away from my next significant heart procedure. I talk about how hoodie weather, football season, and a steady diet of alien shows are helping me appreciate the little things. I share how I’m shifting my approach to training and recovery, celebrate 90 straight weeks of Rudy Tuesdays, look ahead to bringing back interviews while still enjoying these personal solo riffs, and give an under-appreciated Paul Rudd recommendation. 

Find me, Rudy Tyburczy, on

TikTok @jokesandthegym

Y...

On this (slightly late) episode I dive into my recent time on the circuit - the doctor's circuit! While I've been going to more appointments than shows, I also talk about doing my first comedy set since surgery - just 17 days after getting my head sliced open! 

I bookend with some surprises, starting with those that my cats have brought me, and ending with the pleasant surprise of being nominated for Best Comedian in Eugene, which brings a deep sense of appreciation.

It's filled with updates, gratitude, and a reminder to hold things gently while f...

This episode goes deep into the three nights I spent in the hospital throughout the experience of my craniotomy. I talk about getting there at 5:30AM, surgery at 8 (what I remember of it), my 8 hours waiting for an ICU room (and the barf bags that came with it), one night in the ICU, my racy initial interaction with my OT, and two nights in my room on the neuro floor. 

Overall, I had a good experience, and I'm thankful to have received such comprehensive and coordinated care throughout my time at Riverbend. 

I'm also still re...

I hopped on the mic for a short check-in—my first episode since coming home from brain surgery. I talk about the scar, my 21 head staples, my wobbly sleep schedule, and share some of what recovery has looked like almost two weeks out. I share updates from my surgeon, my PA Tom (not to be confused with Tommy the Tumor), and the pathology report (grade 2 astrocytoma), plus a bit about what’s next with follow-ups and care.

I also thank my mom, friends, and everyone who’s supported me through the hospital and at home—it’s meant a to...

Episode 86 – “A Letter to My Future Self” was recorded in the two days leading up to my brain surgery — the one where Tommy the Tumor finally gets 86’d. I look back on the long road to diagnosis, from years of strange symptoms and a missed MRI to finally learning that Tommy had been squatting in my right frontal lobe for who knows how long.

I share Jeff’s legendary “table story” from our Korean comedy days, when the mic went out and I laid down on the bar to finish my set, and how it mirrors lying down on the surg...

For my 42nd birthday, I turned my backyard into a live podcast-slash-bingo hall-slash-pre-surgery pep rally. Over 60 friends, neighbors, comedy pals, and YMCA folks showed up to eat, laugh, win creatine, and watch me forget Laura’s name for the eleventy-first time. "Blame Tommy!!"

Instead of the full, chaotic raw audio (karaoke mic + summer evening chatter), I pulled some of my favorite moments: Mo’s heartfelt Country Fair story, regular reminders to rest, my brief cryptid-related brain glitch, and a surprisingly tender reflection on what I’ll thank Tommy the Tumor for before we part ways.

It was...

Episode 84 Recap: aka 42 is the Answer

So, apparently the answer to life, the universe, and everything… is: a brain tumor, a cat named Milk, and a birthday bingo prize basket with Desitin and creatine in it.

This wasn’t the morning I hoped for. After months of navigating this whole brain tumor diagnosis, I met with a lawyer and found out I missed the statute of limitations to take legal action by three months. Three months too late to hold the ENT accountable for missing the tumor on my 2020 MRI. It was a gut...

Hey friends. This one’s coming to you tired. Real tired. Didn’t sleep great, and apparently that hits extra hard when you’ve got a brain tumor named Tommy squatting in your right frontal lobe. But we’re here, we’re honest, and we’re warming up—literally and metaphorically.

This week I talk about easing back into comedy after my seizure in June, doing my first set at Bleepin’ Funny and Tim’s birthday. It felt good. Weird, but good. I'm getting ready for my own birthday party and first-ever live podcast on 8/4, and realizing that rest, kindnes...

This week, I walk you through two wildly different Fridays: one full of joy, the other full of deflation. First, I reflect on my incredible day at Oregon Country Fair—hosting hip hop acts, crushing a surprise comedy set, vibing with strangers at Spirit Tower, getting clean at the Ritz sauna, and locking eyes with the perfect Phoenix Rising cookie. I was feeling present, energized, and connected to the chaos and beauty of it all.

And then… the other Friday hit. I went in for a cardioversion—hoping to reset my heart out of AFib before my upcomi...

Hey everybody, welcome back to Jokes and the Gym. This week’s episode is all about my Oregon Country Fair 2025 adventure.

This year was the full Fair experience: beautiful, chaotic, exhausting, magical. I went in prepared—literal farmer’s carries all year to get ready to haul my gear—and even that didn’t cover everything.

It was full of those human moments: old friends pitching in to carry bags, new friends chatting over tofu breakfast, kids laughing at my name because of Ice Age. Sharing a laugh in a nude sauna. I got to host shows...

Hey friends! Welcome to Episode 80 of Jokes and the Gym—80 weeks straight, baby! Can you believe it? Well, do. This one’s a check-in about life lately. (And a bonus movie review!)

I talk about navigating my AFib (cardioversion coming up where they’ll zap my heart back into rhythm) and this new brain tumor diagnosis—good ol’ Tommy the Tumor hanging out in my right frontal lobe. Turns out a lot of my struggles with fatigue, mood, and focus might not just be “getting older.” Thanks, Tommy. It’s wild learning this stuff and trying to give myself some...

This week on the pod, I talk through my latest neurosurgery consult—because apparently nothing brings people together quite like a brain tumor. I share what it was like meeting with a highly recommended neurosurgeon here in Eugene. We talk about how she and her team gave me way more confidence in the process, what we learned about the tumor's location in the right frontal lobe, and the real talk about personality changes, impulse control, and my lifelong struggle with multitasking.

I also get into my history of concussions (shout out to my teenage basketball self for ta...

In episode 78, I review Sam Tallent’s “Running the Light”—one chapter per day—as my own life spirals into a week of medical revelations. A hybrid book review and personal reflection, I weave the story of fictional burnout Billy Ray Schaeffer with my own diagnosis of a low-grade glioma, sharing green room memories, popcorn threesomes, and the deep, weird love of comedy, and the burning ball of light that is Sam Tallent. Featuring backstage tales, heartfelt tributes, and punchlines about brain tumors, this one’s a doozy.

“You listen to your body. I listen to you.”

Find me, Ru...

Episode 77 – “Greasing the Groove (with Frostner)”

Hey friends, it’s Rudy—and Frostner chiming in too. She starts with a purr. Mmm. This week I reflected on my early gym days, starting out in high school with workout buddies, chasing gains, reading Flex Magazine, and loving the world of bodybuilding. But I’m realizing how much that culture also fed into body dysmorphia and a mindset that wasn’t always healthy.

After my recent health scare at the Y, I’ve been shifting gears. I’m exploring Pavel’s “grease the groove” method—short, frequent movements...

Hey, it’s Rudy. Episode 76 is short and not exactly sweet—I wanted to share something important that happened to me last week. While working out at the Y (where I also work), I fainted after a heavy set of incline bench press. One minute I was standing up from the bench, the next I was on a stretcher being wheeled out of the gym in front of coworkers and clients I care about.

Turns out, I have a mass on my brain. Apparently, it’s been there since at least 2020, though I had no idea. This comes...

This past week felt like a full-on comedy festival in Eugene. I hosted a little Korean reunion with friends from all over—Canada, Baltimore, Korea—and we packed in seven shows across six days, including some with Kyle Kinane. It was beautiful, busy, and beyond fun. I got to see my hometown through their eyes, which reminded me how charming this place really is.

In this episode, I reflect on what it means to be a good host (and how hosting 40-something-year-old men feels a lot like a dime-store version of The Bachelor), the joy of connection, and...

This week, as Kyle pops by Eugene to perform at Olsen Run Comedy Club, we revisit Kyle's appearance on ep 50 of Jokes AND the Gym. We talk soft bones, strong cats, gym anxiety, and why sometimes "everything's fine and I'm sad."

Kyle opens up about the battle between winter blues and dumbbells, how pull-up bars became elaborate clothes hangers, and why he prefers slobs on the treadmill to beasts on the bench. We swap stories about cats that regulate your nervous system and the weird joy of just dangling.

We also get into:

My Summary:

Dude episode 73 rocked! I talked about Jefferson Fisher's Book titled The Next Conversation(I READ A BOOK!!), eliminating hurdles from being in the way of getting shiznit done, and also am visited repeatedly by a friendly possum! It's wild! Also I talk about a religious experience I had while watching Final Destination, I give you my go-to warm up routine (ANYONE CAN DO IT - EVEN YOUUUU), and the possum and I fall in love! So check it out!  

ME to robot:
Can you add to the summary or anything by looking a...