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, givi ...
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Gerry DeFilippo Podcasts
Exposing the truth. Reclaiming food freedom. Making America healthy again. The modern food system is broken—corrupt corporations, misleading nutrition guidelines, and processed food designed to keep you sick. We’re here to change that. At Meat Mafia Media, we challenge the mainstream health narrative through hard-hitting investigative journalism, expert interviews, and engaging content that empowers YOU to take control of your health. ✅ Investigative reports on food system corruption ✅ Deep ...
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Episode #248 Youth Athlete Development, Long-Term Training Systems, and Coaching Careers with Nick Serio
51:13
51:13
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51:13Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In this episode, Gerry welcomes Nick Serio to discuss his extensive experience in developing youth athletes and building long-term training systems. Nick dives into key principles behind performance training for young athletes, how to balance sport-specific skills with physical development, an…
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#414 Jackson Mitchell: Redefining Success After Sports
1:27:46
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1:27:46Jackson Mitchell is a former SMU football walk-on turned team captain and medical device sales rep, known for his “No Limits” mindset. He’s the creator of The Walk-On Mentality Podcast, where he interviews individuals who bet on themselves. Jackson embodies discipline, intentional living, and authenticity—pushing his physical and mental boundaries …
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Episode #247 Reducing Injury Likelihood in Athletes: Practical Strategies and Real-World Insight
37:39
37:39
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37:39Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In this solo episode, Gerry dives into one of the most requested topics: how to actually reduce the likelihood of injury in sports. He breaks down the difference between injury reduction vs. injury prevention, highlighting the limits of control in high-intensity, contact sports. Gerry shares h…
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#413 Harry Gray: The Over-Intellectualization of Health
38:13
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38:13In this solo episode of the Meat Mafia Podcast, Harry explores the growing disconnect between the rise in health research and the decline in real-world health outcomes. He breaks down a simple, actionable framework to reclaim your health—built around rest, real food, movement, community, and purpose. This episode is a challenge to stop waiting for …
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Episode #246 Baseball Performance, Hamstring Health, and Sprint Speed with Royals Director of Sports Performance Nick Shedd
50:51
50:51
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50:51Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In Episode 246 of Muscles and Management, Gerry sits down with Nick Shedd, Director of Sports Performance for the Kansas City Royals. The two discuss the current state of baseball training, the evolving role of high-performance departments in MLB, and Nick’s approach to sprint mechanics, injur…
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#412 Chad Marx: You Can Just Do Things
1:06:26
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1:06:26Chad Marx is a former Army Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer who made a bold transition from military life to entrepreneurship, podcasting, and community building. Since moving to Austin, he’s become deeply embedded in the city’s fitness and startup culture—working across content, operations, and brand building for Noble Origins and the Meat Mafia …
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#411 Joel Runyon: How Endurance Prepared Him to Fight a Billion Dollar Company
1:15:07
1:15:07
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1:15:07Joel Runyon is the founder of Impossible, a performance brand built around pushing physical and mental limits through endurance, entrepreneurship, and mindset. From running ultra-marathons on every continent to building tools that help others tackle the "impossible," Joel embodies high-agency living. He’s also the underdog in a multi-year legal bat…
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Episode #245 Tony Shiffman on O-Line Development, College Football, and Coaching Identity
49:51
49:51
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49:51Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In Episode 245 of Muscles and Management, Gerry chats with Tony Shiffman, offensive line coach at Wofford College and co-founder of the #HogFBChat. They dive into Tony’s coaching journey, O-line fundamentals, building identity in offensive schemes, and how to develop young linemen effectively.…
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#410 Salim Najjar: What Your HRV Score Is Really Telling You
1:31:31
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1:31:31Salim Najjar is a former nuclear engineer turned wellness entrepreneur and HRV educator. After co-founding Sound, a pioneering unsweetened sparkling tea brand, he spent years biohacking his way through performance culture—until his body forced him to listen. Now, Salim is on a mission to teach people how to regulate their nervous systems, master th…
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#409 Jacob Donahue & Trip Ison: Building a Life You Don’t Want to Escape From
57:40
57:40
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57:40Trip Ison is the Host of the Ain’t Dead Yet podcast, Trip is a deeply reflective and purpose-driven leader. Known for his raw honesty, physical intensity, and commitment to service, he speaks directly to men navigating internal battles, offering a blueprint for rebuilding through consistency, discipline, and community. Jacob Donahue is the Founder …
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Episode #244 Ross Garner on Coaching Track Athletes, Hamstring Rehab, and Sprinting Mechanics
43:53
43:53
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43:53Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In Episode 244 of Muscles and Management, Gerry sits down with Ross Garner, a performance coach and sprint specialist with experience working with elite track athletes and football players. The two dig into the details of developing speed, the biomechanics of sprinting, and effective strategie…
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#408 Brett & Harry: Building Noble Origins from the Ground Up
59:33
59:33
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59:33In this milestone episode, Brett and Harry sit down for a raw, behind-the-scenes conversation on building Noble Origins—two years after its founding. With weddings on the horizon and major growth underway, they reflect on the personal transformation, lessons learned, and pivotal moments that have shaped their journey. From early doubts to hard-won …
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Episode #243 Andrew Sacks on Sports Science, Data-Driven Coaching, and Building Better Athletes
49:22
49:22
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49:22Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In this episode Muscles and Management, Gerry sits down with Andrew Sacks, founder of Prime Sports Performance, to dive into the world of sports science and its application in real training environments. With experience across private sector coaching and deep data analytics, Andrew brings a gr…
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Episode #242 Zack Zillner on Building Resilient Athletes and Simplifying Performance
52:52
52:52
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52:52Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In Episode 242 of Muscles and Management, Gerry chats with Zack Zillner, Head Performance Coach for Texas Women's Basketball and former coach with the University of Kansas, University of Illinois, and the Chicago Bulls. Zack brings a no-BS approach to training—removing fluff, prioritizing foun…
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#407 Ben Azadi: Breaking Free From Metabolic Prison
59:27
59:27
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59:27Ben Azadi is a bestselling author, speaker, and founder of Keto Kamp. After overcoming obesity, depression, and pre-diabetes, Ben has dedicated his life to helping others achieve “metabolic freedom” through nutrition, mindset, and faith. With a background in personal training and years of content creation via podcasting, YouTube, and books, his lat…
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#406 Ben Greenfield: Daily Habits That Shape Generations
1:27:10
1:27:10
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1:27:10In this conversation, we sit down with Ben Greenfield- biohacker, entrepreneur, father, and follower of Christ- for his most raw and revealing interview to date. We dive deep into the evolution of Ben’s life philosophy: from chasing peak performance to building a legacy rooted in faith, family, and simplicity. If you’ve followed Ben for his cutting…
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Episode #241 Arno Rheinberger on Injury Rehab, Achilles Epidemic, and the Strength-Training Disconnect
45:37
45:37
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45:37Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In Episode 241 of Muscles and Management, Gerry sits down with Arno Rheinberger—former NFL and Division 1 athletic trainer with stops at the New York Giants, Rutgers, Minnesota, and more—for a raw, in-depth conversation on injuries, rehab, and the complicated relationship between performance a…
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#405 Gerry DeFilippo: Strength Training and Building Muscle
54:56
54:56
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54:56On this week's episode of the podcast, the Mafia sits down with Gerry DeFilippo to discuss strength training and building muscle. Gerry is a world-class strength and performance coach who has helped hundreds of athletes reach their athletic potential.By The Meat Mafia
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Episode #240 Culture Consistency and Coaching Beyond the Weight Room with Brijesh Patel
45:01
45:01
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45:01Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In this episode of Muscles and Management, Gerry sits down with Brijesh Patel—longtime Director of Athletic Performance at Quinnipiac University—for a masterclass in building culture, earning athlete buy-in, and leading with purpose in the strength and conditioning world. Brijesh shares lesson…
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#404 Jake Thomas: The Cost of True Transformation
1:34:17
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1:34:17Jake Thomas is a Marine Corps veteran, endurance athlete, elite trainer, and mindset coach with a philosophy rooted in radical self-exploration. Known for pushing the extremes of the human experience—whether it's competing in triathlons, testing his limits in extended dry fasts, or leading transformative client journeys—Jake’s approach is both deep…
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#403 Jordan Rubin: Faith, Food, and the Return to Biblical Health
1:43:19
1:43:19
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1:43:19Jordan Rubin is a New York Times bestselling author of The Maker’s Diet, co-founder of Ancient Nutrition, and one of the most recognized voices in natural health. Diagnosed with severe Crohn’s disease at age 19, Jordan turned to biblical nutrition and real food to heal himself. Today, he stewards thousands of acres of regenerative farmland and lead…
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Episode #239 In-Season Strength, Online Coaching Myths, and Building a Sustainable Training Model with Joe Aratari
1:03:07
1:03:07
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1:03:07Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In this episode of Muscles and Management, Gerry welcomes back Joe Aratari for a raw conversation on the realities of in-season training, youth sport culture, and what too many coaches get wrong when it comes to online content, business, and development. Joe shares lessons from over a decade t…
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#402 Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy: What Conventional Cancer Care Gets Wrong
1:37:23
1:37:23
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1:37:23Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy is a globally recognized leader in integrative and functional medicine. She is the founder of the Center for New Medicine and Center for Healing in Irvine, California—two of the largest and most advanced integrative medical clinics in the country. With over 39 years of experience, Dr. Connealy specializes in treating chronic…
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#401 Scott Hatch: Hearing God in a Distracted World
1:38:18
1:38:18
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1:38:18Scott Hatch is a pastor, church planter, and spiritual mentor based in Austin, Texas. As the founder of Thrive Church, Scott has spent the past decade leading a gritty and grounded ministry built on obedience, presence, and the power of the gospel. He is also Harry’s close friend and pastor, offering wisdom, encouragement, and spiritual direction t…
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Episode #238 Who You Should (and Shouldn’t) Listen to on Social Media with Pratik Patel
56:07
56:07
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56:07Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In this episode of Muscles and Management, Gerry welcomes back Pratik Patel—former NFL and Division I performance coach—for a raw and unfiltered conversation about the current state of social media, training misinformation, and why athletes (and coaches) need to be way more critical of who the…
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#400 Brett & Harry: Reflecting on 400 Episodes + Q&A
1:14:44
1:14:44
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1:14:44In this milestone episode, Brett and Harry celebrate 400 episodes by kicking things off with a Q&A from their community covering business, hiring, endurance, and faith. Then they dive into a powerful reflection on the last three years as they unpack how the show started, what’s changed, and the lessons they’ve learned about leadership, risk, and li…
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Episode #237 Strength, Speed, and Data-Driven Development at UCLA with Sean Swetnam
53:00
53:00
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53:00Send us your questions, or thoughts on today's episode! In this episode of Muscles and Management, Gerry welcomes Sean Swetnam, Assistant Director of Football Performance at UCLA, to break down how elite-level training, data integration, and interdisciplinary collaboration are fueling performance gains at one of college football’s top programs. Sea…
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#399 Ryan Griggs: Inside the First 100 Days of MAHA
1:05:07
1:05:07
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1:05:07In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Griggs - founder of The Regenaissance - to break down the first 100 days of the Trump administration and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. We dive into the real story behind agricultural policy shifts, what's missing from the national conversation around food, and why the future of America's heal…
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#398 Jacob Donahue: Finding Your Muse Through Discipline and Curiosity
1:17:18
1:17:18
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1:17:18Jacob Donahue is a former collegiate hockey player turned machine learning engineer and competitive CrossFit athlete. Driven by curiosity and relentless self-improvement, Jacob uses his personal experiences in athletics, technology, and mental resilience to inspire others. His pursuit to blend performance, creativity, and entrepreneurship has shape…
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Episode #236 Reframing Strength, Conditioning, and Sport Culture with Malorie Henderlong
1:11:33
1:11:33
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1:11:33Send 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 a…
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#397 Alec Jaffe: Reinventing Ice Cream with Regenerative Dairy
1:05:36
1:05:36
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1:05:36Alec Jaffe is the founder of Alec’s Ice Cream, the first and only regenerative organic A2 dairy ice cream on the market. What started as a childhood passion turned into a full-blown mission: create ice cream that’s better for your body, better for the planet, and doesn’t compromise on taste. Alec’s background in athletics, food systems, and entrepr…
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#396 Chad Marx: Creating the Life You Actually Want
1:01:46
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1:01:46Chad Marx is an entrepreneur, veteran, and the operations specialist behind the Meat Mafia Podcast. After graduating from JMU, Chad made the unconventional choice to enlist in the Army infantry, serving in Alaska and later transitioning through the Army’s Career Skills Program. Chad's diverse experiences—from startup internships to military service…
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