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 #125 Meathead Monday: Power Isn’t One-Dimensional and Our Implementation of Medicine Balls in Training It Shouldn’t Be Either

11/2/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/6171481

In this episode Gerry discusses a recent tweet he saw about using medicine balls that are ONLY 8 pounds or less and why that pisses him off.

He explains the need to analyze the force-velocity curve and think about how we load sprints and jumps and not abandon these principles just because we are using a different tool (medicine ball).

Gerry dives in to how he used medicine balls and his approach to picking weights that best work for each unique athlete based on their need.

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

Episode #124 Speed Training and Sprinting for Team-Sport Athletes with Dan Pfaff

10/28/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/6097981

*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

In this episode, Gerry welcomes on world-renowned sprint coach Dan Pfaff to talk about a variety of areas concerning speed development with team-sport athletes as well as overall career development.

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

Episode Timestamps

3:39 - Working with High School Athletes First

15:00 - Dan’s Early Years as a Coach

20:30 - Do What People Seek You out For

23:15 - Sports & Covid

26:50 - Multi-sport Athletes

32:00 - Wellness and Injuries

39:00 - Gerry & Dan’s First Interaction: Scope of Practice

43:35 - Strength Coaches Adjusting to What an Athlete Has Been Doing Elsewhere

47:55 - High-performance Model

52:30 - What Is a Complete Athlete?

58:05 - Overdoing Small Mechanical Changes in Athletes

1:06:00 - the Science of Coaching

1:14:15 - Dan’s Final Thoughts

Episode #123 The State of NFL Injuries in 2020, Building a Coaching Career and Guiding Elite Athletes with Bobby Stroupe

10/23/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/6004612

In this episode, Gerry welcomes on speed and strength coach Bobby Stroupe to talk a wide range of topics in the world of sports performance.

To start, Bobby goes through his early career and what first drew him to a career in sports performance. He discusses the early struggles of starting his business and what he learned along the way that eventually lead him to founding one of the most well known and elite training facilities in America, APEC.

From there, Bobby and Gerry discuss the nature of working with elite level athletes and understanding the impact even the smallest changes can have. Bobby talks about his work with Patrick Mahomes and some fun stories that shed light on things you need to look for when preparing and guiding college and professional athletes.

To finish up, the conversation turns to the litany of injuries early on in this COVID impacted NFL season and some of the factors that could be at play. This leads to a discussion about volume, collaboration amongst all aspects and areas of athletic performance and the best practices to mitigate injuries for athletes.

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

Episode #122 Meathead Monday: How I Use Intensive and Extensive Plyometrics

10/19/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/5953132

In this episode Gerry discusses everything you need to know about intensive and extensive plyometrics.

To start, the conversation addresses the inspiration for the episode and Gerry's initial claim on Twitter that extensive plyometrics create a solid base and foundation for desired "high speed," movements.

Extensive plyometrics are distinct from their counterpart, intensive plyometrics, and have several benefits and uses for athletes. Gerry gives a breakdown of the difference between the two and then some benefits you can get from using them.

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

Episode #121 Building Rapport Amongst All Areas of Athletic Performance and Various Intricacies of Speed Development with Brendan Thompson

10/14/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/5847223

*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

Brendan Thompson, PT, DPT, is a former All-American sprinter at the University of Iowa and current physical therapist and speed/sprint coach.

Brendan joins the show to talk about his college career and training experience with his own sprint work, the road to becoming a physical therapist and everything you can imagine when it comes to speed training and handling athletes.

From the importance of all sectors of athletic development building rapport to build athletes, the importance of staying in our scope of practice depending on our area of expertise and valuable technical/timing and data aspects of sprint training... this conversation covers many topics.

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

Episode Timestamps:

2:20 - Julian’s Nutrition Tip
5:10 - Brendan’s Background
12:40 – Hamstring Injuries
16:45 - Brendan’s Educational Experience in Becoming a Physical Therapist
23:17 – Staying in Your Scope of Practice
32:25 – Improving Speed
39:15 – Helping Athletes be Patient
44:00 – Keeping Data Accurate
51:50 – Lack of Sub-Max Training in Sprinting
59:00 – More Effort Does Not Guarantee Higher Performance
1:08:00 – How to Promote Gains in a Responsible Way as a Coach
1:11:40 - Brendan’s Last Thoughts

Episode #120 Meathead Monday: Using the Force-Velocity Curve to Build Rotational Power and Building a Training Cycle

10/12/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/5847073

In this episode Gerry dives into two very important topics in the world of sports performance and strength and conditioning: mapping out training cycles and building rotational power.

To start, the conversation gives a breakdown of one of the most important aspects of strength and conditioning: constructing and planning a training cycle. Gerry gives his thoughts on the areas that should be defined and structured and how you can go from there.

From there, Gerry gives a breakdown on the development of rotational power and how FORCE is just as important as VELOCITY when it comes to power.

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

Episode #119 Strength and Conditioning Essentials for Baseball Players with Angelo Gingerelli

10/7/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/5734891

*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

Episode Timestamps:

5:09 - Julian’s Nutrition Tip
8:30 - Getting to know Angelo Gingerelli
15:00 - Working with Large Groups
23:35 - Baseball Strength Training & Training Pitchers
31:20 - Individualization for an Athlete
36:30 - Biggest Changes in the Industry over the Years
43:10 - Sticking to the Basics and Being Consistent
50:00 - Social Media and Getting Attention
52:00 - Starting Strength Training at a Young Age
59:15 - Work/Life Balance, Talking with People Outside of the Gym
1:04:45 - Angelo’s Final Thoughts and New Book Coming Soon

Episode #118 My Take on Conjugate Programming, Verkhoshansky and Louis Simmons (Everything You Need to Know)

10/5/2020

Link: www.buzzsprout.com/238054/5734816

In this episode Gerry discusses an important topic that has flown around strength and conditioning Twitter this past week: Westside Barbell for athletes.

In essence, there are some definite misconceptions regarding what conjugate programming is for athletes and what is done in a standard Westside Barbell.

Gerry gives a breakdown of the difference it makes when you are training athletes and have to account for sports, speed and many variables that go BEYOND the barbell.

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

Episode #117 Business, The "Basics," and Building Strength with Tony Gentilcore

9/30/2020

Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/238054/5628064

*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*

In this episode Gerry welcomes on world-renowned strength coach and businessman Tony Gentilcore.

Tony has trained both athletes and general fitness clients for almost two decades while having a hand in the co-founding and early years of Cressey Sports Performance as well as his own successful training studio, Core, in Massachusetts.

The conversation begins with a look at Tony’s ascension through the industry, his experience co-founding Cressey Sports Performance and what he learned in that time and in venturing out on his own thereafter.

From there, he talks about COVID-19 and the impact it has had on the fitness industry, the perils of misunderstanding sport specificity, sticking to the basics in strength training and way, way more.

For a refreshing, genuine perspective on various areas of strength and conditioning you definitely won’t want to miss this episode!

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

Episode Timestamps

3:20 - Julian’s Nutrition Tip
9:10 - Dealing with Covid
19:20 - Small Gym Atmosphere & Gym Composition
24:15 - Tony’s Background & Clients
27:40 - Dealing with Clients That Get in Their Own Way
32:25 - Dealing with Parents
44:33 - Shifting to Gen Pop Vs. Athletes
50:45 - The Grind of Moving Up
53:48 - Defining When You’ve “Made It”
1:00:00 - Avoiding the “Change Just to Change” Mentality

Episode #116 Meathead Monday: Q&A (Pre-game Warm-ups, Balancing a Minimum Effective Dose Mentality While Pushing Athletes, Drop-step vs. Crossover Step and More!)

9/28/2020

In this episode, Gerry discusses a variety of topics inspired by the latest questions in his DMs.

To start, the conversation tackles the importance of a good warm-up structure and what you can look to do both when you first arrive to the field before a game as well as what you should do right before game-time.

From there, Gerry discusses both objective AND subjective factors that are at play with minimum-effective dose and what you can look for when it comes to deciding when it is "okay," or necessary to push athletes a bit more with intensity and volume.

Then, the conversation finishes with specifics of the drop-step and how to break-in in the private sector as a coach!

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