Muscles and Management
Gerry DeFilippo
Over the last near decade, Gerry DeFilippo has trained THOUSANDS of athletes from the youth to pro level across all major team-sports.
Gerry started his gym and brand, Challenger Strength, as an ambitious 22 year old still finishing his college degree.
In the time since, he has built his facility and following into a nationally recognized performance company training thousands of athletes both in-person and online.
Gerry brings guests across all areas of sports and performance training, giving the listener inside access to his rolodex of collegiate, world renowned private and professional performance and sports coaches.
If you are looking to improve your own performance OR knowledge of performance/sports training (and learn how to shape your career), Muscles and Management is for you!
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Top 10 Muscles and Management Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Muscles and Management episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Muscles and Management for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Muscles and Management episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Episode #82 Tony Holler Talks all Things Speed, Sprinting Fast to Get Fast, Energy Systems for Team-Sport Athletes and More!
Muscles and Management
05/20/20 • 80 min
Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode!
*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*
In this episode Gerry welcomes on track and field coach Tony Holler to get into the important AND some controversial topics regarding speed development and sports performance for team-sport athletes.
To begin, Tony discusses his core philosophies, and influences when it comes to how he trains his athletes and what has shaped his "feed the cats," mindset regarding speed and the importance of keeping athletes moving at maximum speed to get maximum results. As Tony says best, when trying to get faster, the fatigue so many often seek to show hard work is the enemy of success!
From there, Gerry and Tony go through the importance of sprinting at maximum speed in order to get maximum results and how recovery can have a role in athletes ability to get the most out of their speed work.
To finish up, the conversation turns energy systems for team-sports and breaking down the misconceptions regarding long distance running and how that is NOT ideal for team-sport athletes. As Tony describes, team-sport athletes can have success via stacking aerobic bouts on top of one another to have success in conditioning that has carry over to games. Finally, Gerry asks Tony his opinion on a common sports performance myth: quick feet and misapplication of "agility drills."
All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!
Show Timestamps
3:00 - How Tony Is Dealing with the Covid Situation
5:30 - Tony’s Influences
12:30 - Tony’s “Style”
16:45 - The Misconceptions in Regards to Sprint Training
25:00 - Dealing with Parents
32:00 - Doing More Doesn’t = More Results
38:30 - Plyometrics
46:15 - Insistence on Aerobic System (Stop Running Poles)
52:25 - Train Sports in a Way That Reflects the Sport’s Needs
1:01:10 - The 40 Yard Dash
1:03:05 - Common Myths
1:08:45 - Lifting During Season
1:12:03 - Introducing Speed Work to Athletes Who Have Only “Played the Game”
1:14:50 - Getting Athletes to Buy In
1:16:45 - Tony’s Final Thoughts
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Episode #234 Building Speed, Absorbing Force, and Contextual Coaching with Jorge Carvajal
Muscles and Management
04/09/25 • 70 min
Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode!
In this episode of Muscles and Management, Gerry welcomes speed and performance specialist Jorge Carvajal for a deep dive into building real-world speed, athlete resilience, and cutting through the noise in the world of performance training.
Jorge shares insights from over 30 years in the field, including experiences working with NFL athletes, tactical athletes, and elite performers across multiple sports. The conversation starts with Jorge’s early mentorship under Tony Villani and how it completely shifted his understanding of speed development—taking him from a strength-only coach to a true performance coach.
They unpack:
- The evolution from "strength coach" to "performance coach"
- Why sprinting must be in your program (and why it’s non-negotiable for speed)
- Understanding load management, especially for high school athletes
- The balance between “less is more” and doing enough to move the needle
- Force absorption and the overlooked importance of deceleration training
- Using testing data to know when to push strength and when to back off
- Why context is king in coaching decisions (especially with parents and over-programmed athletes)
Jorge also shares practical wisdom on athlete recovery, how to manage central nervous system fatigue, and why smart, simple programming beats trendy overcomplication every time.
This is an absolute masterclass for coaches and athletes looking to train smarter, avoid injuries, and get faster—without falling into the trap of chasing numbers for the sake of it.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction to the Episode and Guest, Jorge Carvajal
2:24 – Jorge’s Start and Early Mentorship from Tony Villani
7:39 – Rethinking Ladder Drills and Purpose-Driven Application
12:10 – Humbling Lessons on Speed: "I Realized I Knew Nothing"
16:00 – Jorge’s Evolution: From Strength Coach to Performance Coach
19:54 – Contextual Coaching: What Do Your Athletes Really Need?
23:08 – Sprinting and Strength: Knowing When Enough is Enough
29:04 – Avoiding Excessive Mass Gains That Slow Athletes Down
33:35 – Chasing Numbers vs. Chasing Results: Keep the Context
37:11 – Load Management: Avoiding Overload, Especially in Young Athletes
42:12 – Why High School Strength Coaches Deserve Huge Respect
44:58 – Less is More: Structuring Sprint Workouts for Recovery
48:15 – Monitoring Athlete Readiness and Recovery Daily
53:08 – When Strength Stops Translating to Performance
57:48 – Deceleration Training: Building Better, Safer Athletes
1:02:10 – Film Study and Sport-Specific Application of Deceleration
1:05:11 – Final Thoughts: Stay Humble, Stay Curious, and Keep Learning
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Episode #71 Meathead Monday: Quarantine Training Tips Part #2 and Adaptations vs. Variations (Featuring Kevin Poppe)
Muscles and Management
04/13/20 • 35 min
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!
Support the show (http://www.challengerstrength.com)
Episode #132 Q&A (Testing protocol, getting your business started, planning a weekly training schedule and more!)
Muscles and Management
12/16/20 • 49 min
Episode #178 Power Cleans and Exercise Selection and Building Quality Strength Coaches Beyond Certifications
Muscles and Management
12/15/21 • 52 min
On episode 178 of the podcast, Gerry and special guest Cody Hughes talk about cleans and how they should be fit into an athletes program. They cover their history with the clean, their current philosophies, and situations cleans might make sense.
They also discuss their thoughts on the CSCS, the importance (or lack of) of certifications, how strength coaches should be hired, and much more! This is an episode you do not want to miss!
All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!
Show Timestamps
2:05 - Baseball Performance Summit
11:50 - The Continued Debate on Cleans
18:05 - Opportunity Cost in Training
20:10 - Newbie Gains
27:30 - Efficiency with Teams in a Short Amount of Time
31:30 - Who the Clean Makes Sense for and Advice for Young Coaches
37:00 - Pay for People's Time. Bring Something to Offer.
39:58 - Thoughts on the CSCS; How We View Certifications
46:15 - How Strength Trainers Should Be Hired
Support the show (http://www.challengerstrength.com)
Episode #50 Keeping it Simple to Build Strong, Fast and Powerful Athletes with Zach Even-Esh
Muscles and Management
12/11/19 • 66 min
Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode!
*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*
In this episode Gerry welcomes on veteran strength coach Zach Even-Esh to discuss keeping it simple and sticking with what works to get athletes stronger, faster and more powerful.
With the prevalence of social media in strength training, there is a tendency for athletes to see flashy training that lacks substance. In some ways, this has led some trainers, coaches and athletes to abandon what is simple (sprinting, squatting, lifting heavier to get stronger etc.) in favor of what is "sexier," and appeals more to complication.
To start, Zach and Gerry discuss the difference between doing an exercise the RIGHT way and simply doing it. Additionally, they go over the importance of establishing proper movement BEFORE adding load and piling on top of dysfunctional movement.
From there, the two talk about mastering the basics and building quality movement patterns and earning the right to move heavier weight with more complex movements. Lastly, the conversation turns to the importance of strength training and striving for gains and improvements year-round, ESPECIALLY for young athletes who are developing.
All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!
Show Timestamps:
1:17- The Importance of Doing an Exercise The Right Way
5:45- Information is Easy to Come By, But Hard to Implement Correctly
10:15- Listening to The Wrong Voices in The Industry
13:25- How Easy it is to Open a Gym, and Why That Can Be a Problem
20:10- Dealing with Weakness From Injuries
23:20- Sports Specificity
27:15- You are Dealing with PEOPLE and Adaptation
32:45- Training Year-Round
37:10- Intensity Based on Season
40:05- Seek out The Type of Athlete You Want to Train
43:55- Invest in Yourself
56:46- Mini Q&A Question 1
57:39- Sprinting Fast to Get Faster
1:01:18- Mini Q&A Question 2
1:03:14- Importance of Timing with Static Stretching
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Episode #129 Strength and Conditioning, Speed Training and Athletic Development with Deerick Smith
Muscles and Management
11/25/20 • 67 min
Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode!
In this episode, Gerry welcomes on strength and conditioning coach Deerick Smith.
Deerick is a young, up and coming strength and conditioning coach who works with various athletes across the middle school, high school and college level.
The conversation starts with some basic philosophies and how Deerick helps guide his athletes in their development.
Then, the discussion turns to speed training, working with sport coaches and much, much more!
All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!
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Episode #236 Reframing Strength, Conditioning, and Sport Culture with Malorie Henderlong
Muscles and Management
04/23/25 • 71 min
Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode!
In this episode of Muscles and Management, Gerry sits down with Malorie Henderlong, Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Auburn University, to discuss her journey through college strength and conditioning, breaking down outdated training mindsets, and creating performance systems that actually serve athletes.
Malorie opens up about her coaching stops at Baylor, UNC, NC State, and now Auburn—detailing how mentorship, trial-and-error, and trusting her gut have shaped her philosophy. She gets into:
- Why the weight room is misunderstood in team sports, especially soccer
- How to build athlete trust, autonomy, and buy-in
- The importance of training for long-term durability over passing fitness tests
- How and why conditioning is still widely misused in the college space
- Why being a great coach also means knowing how to “sell” your ideas with humility
The conversation also explores match-day plus/minus training models, how to structure in-season lifts for high and low-minute players, and why soccer-specific training needs to evolve beyond just running laps and hoping for the best.
Coaches, athletes, and sports staff at every level will benefit from Malorie’s raw honesty, systems thinking, and practical strategies for optimizing performance without sacrificing athlete health or development.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro to Malorie and Her Journey Across College Programs
4:06 – Chasing the Right Roles, Not Just Titles
7:08 – Coaching at Auburn and Building Out a Sports Science Department
9:00 – Internships, Mentorship, and Learning from Brutal Feedback
12:11 – Investing in Young Coaches and Paying It Forward
13:52 – Why Some Coaches Still Fear the Weight Room
16:18 – Building Trust with Coaches Through Education and Language
21:24 – Why Strength Training Matters for Team Sport Athletes
25:52 – Transfer to Sport: Acceleration, Decel, and Foundational Strength
29:25 – Biggest Conditioning Mistakes and Outdated Approaches
32:06 – Rethinking “Mental Toughness” and Contextual Fatigue
34:47 – Learn the Sport, Then Reverse Engineer the Training
37:24 – Winning Coach Buy-In Through Relatable Language and Logic
41:05 – When “Learning the Hard Way” Helps Create Buy-In
44:33 – Offseason Conditioning: Play More, Sprint More, Lift More
46:52 – The Problem with Fitness Tests (and What to Do Instead)
51:37 – Misplaced Priorities: Testing vs. Actual Match Readiness
56:34 – Match Day Plus/Minus: In-Season Programming Done Right
1:01:09 – Auto-Regulation, Athlete Autonomy, and Keeping It Simple
1:03:15 – Training in Chaos: From Structured Plans to Afrobeat Sessions
1:06:42 – Match Day Periodization Across Sports
1:08:20 – Final Advice: Learn the Sport, Learn Your Coaches
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Episode #56 The Evolution of Strength Training and the Importance of Testing and Tracking Progress for Development with Xan Barksdale
Muscles and Management
01/22/20 • 81 min
Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode!
*SHOW TIMESTAMPS FEATURED AT THE END*
In this episode Gerry welcomes former Ole Miss Catcher and current Eastern Tennessee and USA Baseball Development Coach Xan Barksdale.
To start, Xan provides some insight on his background and personal playing career, shedding some light on the college recruiting process and how Junior College can be a good avenue for those who are late to develop or need some time to seek further opportunities.
From there, Gerry has Xan walk through his strength training experiences from his early career, all the way up to his time at Ole Miss with a veteran and respected strength coach. Things have changed greatly when it comes to the landscape, readily accessible information and application of programming in strength training and Xan's experiences show just that.
To finish up, Gerry reads some of Xan's tweets regarding topics such as testing for strength and conditioning and the importance in determining athlete readiness, the need for tracking progress in strength training, sports and nutrition and why it is important to not think you always have all the answers. The two expand into deeper conversation on the tweets, giving some practical insight to help athletes and coaches.
All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!
Show Timestamps:
9:00- Tweet of The Week
12:52- Xan’s High School Training Experience
16:15- Transition to College Training
20:50- Xan’s Early Training Influences
26:10- Xan’s Hitting Training
34:27- Not Playing Division I is OK
41:18- Xan’s College Training
45:13- 1RM Testing?
51:00- Xan’s Take on the Shift in Training Today
52:30- Using Your BS Filter
57:25- Xan’s Philosophies
1:01:00- Discussing Xan’s Tweets
1:09:35- Behavior Change & Throwing Journal
1:15:30- Question Askers & Answer Givers
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Episode #42 Studies vs. Coaching Experience, VBT, Hypertrophy and Key Training Principles for Athletes with Alan Bishop
Muscles and Management
10/16/19 • 98 min
Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode!
In this episode Gerry welcomes on Alan Bishop, Director of Sports Performance for Houston University's Men's Basketball Team.
To begin, Alan and Gerry discuss the topic of minimum effective dose, and what it means for programming and training athletes. Alan voices his concern that too many view this as a way to do less in training, even when that may not be the right choice or necessary for the circumstances. The two talk about the importance of finding what is effective for programming (what works), what is efficient (the best/least taxing way to achieve effect) and how they come together to make training optimal. THAT, is the minimal effective dose.
From there, Gerry leads Alan to a discussion on Velocity Based Training (VBT) and Alan discusses how he uses modalities to train for power as a coach who (as he describes) isn't ideal to talk to in terms of speaking on bar speed, measurements etc. This makes for a very refreshing perspective from a coach who utilizes such training but isn't as technical with the measurements/data of it. Alan explains how he uses it and why it has been so effective with the incredible results his athletes have achieved.
To finish, the episode covers a wide array of important topics from Charles Poliquin and the Poliquin Principles, balancing research/studies and anecdotal experience/discoveries and then hits on some important points of education and career when it comes to being a strength coach.
All that and more on this episode of Muscles and Management!
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FAQ
How many episodes does Muscles and Management have?
Muscles and Management currently has 241 episodes available.
What topics does Muscles and Management cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Training, Athlete, Management, Career, Baseball, Strength Training, Podcasts, Sports, Business and Coaching.
What is the most popular episode on Muscles and Management?
The episode title 'Episode #54 Importance of Strength and Conditioning in Athletic Development with Tampa Bay Rays Catcher Erik Ostberg' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Muscles and Management?
The average episode length on Muscles and Management is 59 minutes.
How often are episodes of Muscles and Management released?
Episodes of Muscles and Management are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Muscles and Management?
The first episode of Muscles and Management was released on Dec 20, 2018.
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