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Muscles and Management
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!
Muscles and Management
Episode #242 Zack Zillner on Building Resilient Athletes and Simplifying Performance
Send 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 foundational work, and building systems that actually serve athletes.
The two dive into Zack’s journey through high-level athletics, his evolution as a coach, and the lessons he's learned about doing less—but better. Topics include training simplicity, using data practically, developing athleticism without gimmicks, and the importance of trusting the process in both rehab and performance environments.
Whether you're a coach, athlete, or just want to cut through the noise in strength and conditioning, this episode brings clarity, honesty, and real-world insight.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro to Zack Zillner and his coaching background
2:50 – From Chicago Bulls to Texas Women’s Basketball: Coaching evolution
6:30 – What Zack values most in a training program
9:10 – Overcomplication in S&C: Why simple wins
12:44 – How Zack structures his programs with intention and progression
17:20 – The role of data in performance coaching: real-world use vs. overkill
21:03 – Trends and gimmicks in strength and conditioning
25:12 – Using team sport principles to guide training for female athletes
29:38 – How Zack handles in-season vs. off-season work
32:45 – Recovery strategies and the value of sleep and nutrition
36:10 – Common rehab pitfalls and the athlete’s mental game
40:02 – Coaching takeaways and final thoughts on career growth and mentorship
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