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 #22 Hitting, Lifting and Life Lessons With Les Nozzle

5/31/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1220546-episode-22-hitting-lifting-and-life-lessons-with-les-nozzle

Les Nozzle is a former power lifter and current veteran strength and hitting coach who works with numerous athletes out of Omaha Nebraska.

This interview gives an authentic, in-depth view at what it takes to physically prepare athletes who have a desire to get to the next level.

Les and Gerry discuss everything from nutrition, strength training protocol, why it is ok to lift heavy and how strength training can have a great positive impact on all athletes, especially baseball players.

From there, the conversation takes a turn towards business and Les and Gerry discuss some of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and what some people are missing when they attempt to "make it."

No punches held, no opinions left on the table and a generally great, genuine conversation on hitting, lifting and life/business as a whole.

Episode #21 UTSA Softball Hitting Coach Carlton Salters: Understanding Hitting and Movement

5/23/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1184273-episode-21-utsa-softball-hitting-coach-carlton-salters-understanding-hitting-and-movement

In this episode, Gerry has the chance to talk to University of Texas at San Antonio hitting coach Carlton Salters.

Carlton has a terrific understanding of overall movement of the body and has done an exceptional job of applying this understanding to improving hitters.

Gerry and Carlton talk over the core principles that drive his teaching of hitting involving barrel depth, rearward barrel action and a general idea of the action of the shoulders. Additionally, he explains his mission to empower and educate his hitters so they have a growing tool box and knowledge to be their own coach.

Then, the conversation turns to the use technology in hitting and how it has changed the game. Carlton discusses how he uses tech and what he values the most. Finally, the conversation finishes with the importance of strength training principles and movement patterns in building elite hitters.

This episode is a must for all players, athletes, parents and coaches who want to learn more about hitting and also how the human body moves and works!

Episode #20 Everything You Need To Know About College Recruiting With Recruiting Coordinator Ryan McGee

5/17/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1157312-episode-20-everything-you-need-to-know-about-college-recruiting-with-recruiting-coordinator-ryan-mcgee

In this episode, Gerry talks to veteran recruiting coordinator Ryan McGee. Ryan has worked in recruiting for almost a decade and has placed 50+ athletes to college at Gamers Baseball Academy.

The episode starts with Ryan's personal recruiting experience as a high school player trying to get to college, and how he ended up at Division II Caldwell University in Northern New Jersey. Technology has changed mightily over the years, and you will hear about recruiting of yesterday, which includes some stories of written letter recruiting and the days of mailing DVDs to coaches.

From there, Ryan talks about his start in recruiting, which included his two years as an assistant coach at Caldwell upon the completion of his college career. For the remainder of the podcast, Ryan talks about how he began to structure and run recruiting at Gamers Baseball Academy in New Jersey, and gives insight on:

- Strategies for highlighting player strengths
- What most coaches look for when recruiting
- Doing away with the "D1 or bust," mentality
- How technology has changed recruiting
- Importance of grades and test scores
- Improving physical metrics and show casing
- Communicating with coaches

All that and more on this episode!

Episode #19 Detroit Lions Tight End Jerome Cunningham

5/10/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1113224-episode-19-detroit-lions-tight-end-jerome-cunningham

In this episode Gerry has the pleasure of talking to Detroit Lions tight end Jerome Cunningham.

Jerome discusses his journey from playing football at Division II Southern Connecticut State University, to being un-drafted in 2013 and all the way to the NFL, where he currently plays for the Detroit Lions.

Get the perspective of a professional athlete on the present state of strength and speed training, his experience in his own training over the course of his career, what he wishes he knew when he was a high school and college athlete, and his biggest advice for all athletes looking to get to the next level.

In addition, Jerome talks about life in the NFL, and the rigors of what it takes to "make it." Learn about the training regimen of an NFL player, and also hear about Jerome's time with the New York Giants and what it was like to be around legends Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning. All that and more on this episode!

Episode #18 Kyle Rogers, Head Strength Coach at Driveline Baseball

5/3/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1084382-episode-18-kyle-rogers-head-strength-coach-at-driveline-baseball

In this episode Gerry has a chance to talk to Kyle Rogers, Head Strength Coach at industry leading Driveline Baseball in Kent, Washington.

Driveline Baseball is one of the most prominent brands and facilities in the realm of baseball training, and Kyle heads the entire organizations strength training department. However, Kyle did not take the conventional route to reach this position. Find out the steps Kyle took to spin a college education in sports management into life as a full time strength coach. We discuss Kyle's learning process through certifications, experience with his first athletes, trainers in the industry he learned from and looks up to and more!

Then, the podcast turns to Kyle's journey to Driveline and how he eventually headed the movement for Driveline to implement their own strength training department. We finish with his main training philosophies, the foundations of his programs and assessments and some immediate things to look for as a baseball player. Oh, and Kyle breaks down why baseball players should not be afraid to bench press!

Episode #17 Improper Use of Unstable Surface Training, Training Pro Athletes and Strength and Speed Training Principles with Jason Spray

4/26/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1056798-episode-17-improper-use-of-unstable-surface-training-training-pro-athletes-and-strength-and-speed-training-principles-with-jason-spray

In this episode Gerry welcomes guest Jason Spray. Jason is a former NSCA National Strength Coach of The Year, 15 year strength coach at Middle Tennessee State University and has trained NFL pros like All-Pro Safety Kevin Bayard and Tennessee Titans running back and former Alabama standout Derrick Henry.

Gerry and Jason immediately tackle the topic of unstable surface training and the recent videos that have surfaced involving the training regimen of New Orleans Saints All-Pro running back Alvin Kamara. They both give their joint takes on why unstable surface training is not necessary and should not be a priority, and better alternative to use with athletes if you do need to utilize it.

Then, Jason talks about the key training principles and coaches which have shaped who he is as a strength coach, and talks about the importance of creating a "buy-in," with athletes when they train. All that and more on this episode!

Episode #16 Why I'm Against Unstable Surface Training as a Means of "Sport Specific," Training

4/22/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1050074-episode-16-why-i-m-against-unstable-surface-training-as-a-means-of-sport-specific-training

In this episode Gerry goes on a heated and passionate rant about the use of unstable surface training in the world of sports performance and strength and conditioning.

Hear all about the video of a pro athlete that went viral, why Gerry WAS NOT a fan of the way balance training was being emphasized and his scientific breakdown on what is wrong with it and what can be done that better benefits athletes.

This episode retouches on the idea of sport specific training and why trainers and athletes alike should be careful about bringing sports directly into strength training. In addition, Gerry does a breakdown of training transferability to sport, how you can maximize the level of correspondence training has to sport, and why training on an unstable surface is the exact opposite of what an athlete wants to do!

Episode #15 Life of Independent Baseball, Trying to Get Signed, Hitting Data and Analytics and Training with TJ Ward

4/5/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1026901-episode-15-life-of-independent-baseball-trying-to-get-signed-hitting-data-and-analytics-and-training-with-tj-ward

In this episode Gerry sits down with TJ Ward. TJ played college baseball at Division 1 University of Hartford having a very successful playing career and leading Hartford to their first conference championship in school history. TJ is now one year removed from his college career and hopeful of getting signed by an affiliate of a Major League Baseball team. He currently balances his baseball playing career in the USPBL while also serving as the hitting coach for Division III Ramapo College in New Jersey.

TJ discusses his college recruiting process, things all players should look for and why no player should ever look down on or shrug off a school no matter how small or unknown.

In addition, he gives great insight on dealing with adversity and failure at the college level and the importance of finding a veteran player to learn from.

Finally, Gerry and TJ get into what has made their training together effective, and finish off with a look at how TJ uses data and analytics both for his own swing and career and in setting lineups and working with college hitters as a hitting coach.

All that and more on this episode!

Episode #14 Contrast Training: How it Can Help Build Speed, Power and Explosiveness

3/30/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1017150-episode-14-contrast-training-how-it-can-help-build-speed-power-and-explosiveness

In this episode Gerry gets into everything there is to know about contrast training.

Contrast training is a training method that pairs a resisted activity with an unresisted speed movement. The resisted activity helps the athlete exploit post-activation potentiation (PAP), otherwise known as the phenomenon of high firing rates of muscles immediately after they are contracted at high rates.

Find out how Gerry uses this protocol with his athletes, his recommendations for how to organize your rest time and his favorite contrast training pairings for lower and upper half explosiveness, power and speed.

Episode #13 Relative Strength: Making Sure Weight Gain Contributes to Strength, Power and Speed

3/22/2019

Link:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/1006102-episode-13-relative-strength-making-sure-weight-gain-contributes-to-strength-power-and-speed

In this episode, Gerry starts by taking a chance to answer a few questions he has received the past few weeks. One of the questions inspired the topic for this week's episode, relative strength.

What is relative strength? How can you ensure that your weight gain has contributed to increased speed and strength, and how can you decide whether or not you should try to gain muscle mass as an athlete.

This episode will give insight on finding strategies and using testing to give a process on monitoring weight gain and making sure that it is either improving overall speed or not adversely effecting it.