Blog Posts - CHALLENGER STRENGTH

Muscles & Management Podcast

Muscles and Management takes an in depth look at all things training and business.

Gerry DeFilippo is a gym owner from northern New Jersey with a business degree in management from Rutgers University. He started his gym/sports performance business during his last semester of business school and almost three years later he runs the day-to-day business aspects of Challenger Strength as well as heading the strength training.

This podcast will take on any and all topics in both strength training, personal fitness and business and welcome the perspective of some of the best coaches and business minds in the industry. Whether you are an aspiring gym owner, athlete or coach you will enjoy all aspects of this podcast as we dive into the "ins and outs," of the sports performance industry as well as what it takes to excel in business.

Episode #74 Philadelphia Phillies Pitching Coordinator and Driveline Assistant Director of Pitching Bill Hezel

4/22/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3455491

In this episode Gerry welcomes in Philadelphia Phillies pitching consultant and Driveline Baseball assistant pitching director Bill Hezel on the show.

To start, Bill and Gerry discuss the importance of communication and presenting data and facts when engaging in the debates that sometimes occur in areas of pitching and pitching conditioning.

Then, Bill gives some insight on what pitchers can be doing during this uncertainty and off time to prepare themselves and stay ready as best they can.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Timestamps

4:45 - Running & Arm Injuries
8:20 - Helping Coaches
10:00 - Letting Athletes Have SOME Freedoms
13:00 - Explaining Details To Young Athletes
21:00 - Relationship Building
24:15 - Lifting Heavy & Injuries
30:00 - Why Pulldowns are Effective
37:35 - Unteaching Bad Habits
45:00 - Training Styles Based on Age for Pitching
55:00 - Be Cautious of Incorrect Information Online
58:12 - Giving Answers to Athletes that Stick
1:01:15 - The Disconnect Between Pros and Coaches Who Aren’t Former Pros
1:09:45 - Bill’s Final Thoughts

Episode #73 Meathead Monday: Will Improving My Squat Make Me Faster or a Better Athlete?

4/20/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3422686

In this episode Gerry gives a breakdown to a question he received from a coach on Twitter pertaining to improving squat numbers and the correlation to speed and athleticism.

To start, Gerry lists the factors that could impact the correlation of squatting and speed such as planes of motion, rate of force production and the impact of technical proficiency with the squat in particular.

From there, the conversation turns to specifics of each of these factors and how they can all have a great impact on the correlation of strength in a particular movement and improvements in speed or sport.

To finish up, Gerry details the complicated formula involving the context of force production and how it impacts how much built force in strength training can actually be applied in sprinting and sport movements.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Episode #72 Skill Acquisition, Creating Effective Training Environments and Bridging the Gap between S&C and Sport with Tyler Yearby

4/15/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3362308

*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

In this episode Gerry welcomes on Tyler Yearby of Emergence Movement, a sports movement specialist helping athletes with skill acquisition and bridging the gap between strength training and sport.

To start, the conversation takes a look at agility and the need to have athletes participate in random and uncontrolled environments that can challenge their ability to create solutions to situations that are presented to their usual movements and tasks in their sports.

Tyler discusses that athletes can develop pre-determined solutions to issues they have been exposed to and thus turn to them when faced with those similar decision making situations. This, combined with the physical qualities involved in changing direction encompass agility and an athlete's ability to effectively navigate the environments of their sport.

To finish up, Tyler and Gerry discuss how we can best bridge the gap of strength and conditioning to sport for the sake of best preparing athletes.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Show Timestamps:

8:00 - Servicing Clients Remotely During Covid-19
10:40 - Tyler’s Sports and Training Growing Up
14:15 - The Variable of Time & the Use of Conjugate Programing
21:54 - How the Brain is Connected to Exercise
31:00 - 4 Stages of Skill Development
34:00 - Agility Ladders, Force Exertion in Movement, & Other Variables
43:00 - Tyler’s Mindset on Removing Limiting Factors Such as Strength & the Correlation to Young Athletes
51:20 - Should Strength and Skill Coaches be Seperate?
1:00:00 - Energy Systems, Offseasons, and GPP
1:04:29 - Tyler’s Closing Thoughts

Episode #71 Meathead Monday: Quarantine Training Tips Part #2 and Adaptations vs. Variations (Featuring Kevin Poppe)

4/13/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3335026

In this episode Gerry welcomes on Kevin Poppe, strength coach and owner of DST Houston.

Kevin joins Gerry in part #2 of his quarantine training tips to help athletes and coaches navigate this period of unknown while away from their standard training facilities and seeking to continue effective training while at home.

To start, the two discuss the importance of maintaining adherence to goals, time of the off-season for each athlete and still aiming to improve the attributes we would be if we were still at the gym. Kevin points out the effectiveness of plotting programs and goals and writing them down to stay on track.

From there, the conversation turns to training adaptations vs. seeking specific variations and how it can be helpful in training with limited equipment. If we seek to train speed, strength, power etc. vs. trying to do cleans, squats, or other specific variations we can much better accomplish what we need to. Adaptations equal freedom and ability to program with what you have while variations leave you putting together half-baked attempts at mirroring our usual training with equipment.

To finish, Kevin gives some tips for athletes and coaches during this time and the importance of utilizing the internet and social media to find help from coaches you can trust.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Episode #70 University of South Carolina Director of Sports Performance Billy Anderson

4/8/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3263761

*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

In this episode Gerry talks to University of South Carolina Director of Sports Performance Billy Anderson.

Billy works specifically with the National Championship winning Baseball Team as well as both Female and Male golfers.

To start, the conversation turns to rotational power and how to go about building elite rotational ability in baseball players and golfers. The two talk about the importance of the core resisting rotation, extension etc. in building rotational power. Additionally, Billy discusses his strategies for training rotation in season when there are high volumes of rotating in sport.

From there, the two discuss general strength training principles like calculating diminishing returns of strength training through force-velocity profiling, energy systems, in-season training and more.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Episode Timestamps:

6:25 - Some Positives of the Current Situation
8:45 - Rotational Power & Lower Power
11:05 - Billy’s Thoughts on Lifting Schedule In-Season
17:45 - Coaches Trusting Strength Coaches
22:00 - Managing Relationships with Coaches
26:00 - Weightlifting & Arm Injuries
31:00 - How Teams Treat Injuries: Then and Now
36:20 - Rotational Movement & How to Train it In-Season
42:15 - The Idea Golfers Shouldn’t Strength Train
47:45 - Training Women
49:00 - How Strong is Strong Enough?
55:22 - Vertical Jump Testing
1:03:25 - Baseball, Acceleration, & the Use of 60’s
1:12:45 - Billy’s Final Thoughts

Episode #69 Meathead Monday: Building Your "First Step."

4/6/2020

Link: www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3247216

In this episode Gerry gives a full breakdown on acceleration, the fallacy of "quick feet," and how you can build fast and efficient acceleration.

To start, the breakdown encompasses a full explanation of the force required and needed to accelerate effectively and a full breakdown of the inaccuracies of desiring or working on "quick feet," to get more explosive in acceleration and speed in general.

From there, Gerry discusses the mechanical aspects of acceleration, how you can coach them and what you can look for when aiming to master this portion of your sprint.

To finish-up, the conversation turns to useful means to develop forceful strides early in your sprint, sled sprinting and various cues that can help build acceleration mechanics.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Episode #68 Strength Training, Pitching and Sports Performance with Ben Brewster

4/1/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3195094

*EPISODE TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

In this episode Gerry welcomes on Ben Brewster, owner and founder of Tread Athletics. Ben has revolutionized remote training for pitchers since 2015 with the start of Tread Athletics.

Ben specializes in training pitchers with a full, "top down," approach consisting of strength training, general movement evaluation and pitching mechanical instruction.

To start, Ben and Gerry discuss the importance of fitting drills and programming to a unique athlete, not using a blanket approach to movement, training and pitching as all individuals require different areas and needs.

From there, the conversation turns to communicating to athletes and having them understand the basics, rather than complicated terminology, the importance of intensity with training and how to handle in-season training.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Show Timestamps:

:25 - Arm Action Drills Tailored to Each Athlete
6:48 - Cookie Cutter Plyo Drills That People Try to Use
10:00 - How to Decide What to Fix
17:00 - Using past Experience to Fix Common Issues in a New Athlete
19:30 - Missing the Little Things and Getting a Clear Picture of What Works
23:20 - Program Design & “being a Savage”
29:50 - Defranco Story about Sending Someone Home
39:30 - Gerry’s Story on Early Coaching and Overdoing Cues
44:30 - Explain Why Things Will Help an Athlete
51:25 - Baseball Players In-season (How Strong Is Strong Enough)
56:30 - Max Schmarzo’s Thoughts on Transfer Strength to Sport
1:01:00 - Maintaining in the Season

Episode #67 Meathead Monday: Quarantine Training Tips

3/30/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3166375

In this episode, Gerry gives a full breakdown of helpful tips to help coaches and athletes get through "at-home," training while we are in quarantine!

To start, the conversation addresses the importance of maintaining a schedule and training structure even when you may not have a gym or training equipment. Home training needs to be more than random bodyweight exercises thrown together.

From there, Gerry gives some tips on how you can train for strength and hypertrophy even if you do not have equipment, and also sheds light on the need to SPRINT. He explains training residuals and how long certain attributes can last (strength, aerobic capacity and speed etc.) and how that should guide how we train while we are home.

Need to conquer your quarantine training? Don't miss this episode of Muscles and Management!

Episode #66 Principles of Strength and Conditioning with Texas Tech Football Associate Strength Coach Brandon Howard

3/25/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3114634

*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

In this episode Gerry welcomes on Texas Tech Football Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach Brandon Howard.

To start, Gerry has Brandon walk through what shaped his early philosophies and principles as a strength and conditioning coach. From mentors, to coaches he has worked for, Brandon sheds light on the experiences he has had that have laid the foundation for him as a strength coach.

From there, the two discuss making strength and conditioning come to life in a team setting and what changes when you have to get a large group of athletes through a program. You quickly learn what "works," and what doesn't work.

To finish up, Brandon and Gerry discuss conditioning, strength in the presence of speed and how that affects training and programming, and much much more.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!

Show Timestamps:

6:15 - Brandon’s Training Growing Up
14:30 - Mentors & Implications of Big Team Settings
18:50 - Working with What You Have for Programing
20:30 - Learning from Charles Poliquin
23:15 - What to Do When an Athlete Isn’t Using Tempo Correctly
30:12 - Brandon’s Tips to Move up in the Industry
36:30 - Conditioning for Mental Toughness
40:30 - Work to Rest Ratio
44:00 - Christian Mccaffrey’s Conditioning
47:10 - Preparing Your Athletes for Games
50:00 - Poles in Baseball
53:10 - Aerobic Capacity Retention
57:25 - Sprinting Vs Strength Training (Stop Demonizing!)
1:06:40 - Resistance Sprinting
1:09:50 - Brandon’s Final Thoughts

Episode #65 Meathead Monday: When Do Returns From Strength Training "Diminish," How We Can Tell and Tests to Determine Athlete Needs

3/23/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/3088084

In this episode, Gerry introduces the first installment of "Meathead Mondays," an additional weekly episode to the Muscles and Management podcast focusing on solo episodes to answer your questions as well as cover the hottest topics in strength and conditioning and sports performance!

Gerry talks about the ongoing battle between focusing on strength and speed, and what really should be the topic of conversation. He explains the context of speed movements and the relationship of strength and force production when it comes to dynamic movements.

From there, he gives a guide on how you can blend both effectively and how you can utilize testing to determine when an athlete should focus on strength or when they should shift priority to other means that will improve speed and general explosiveness.

All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!