Tony Gentilcore Interview Part 4

Posted Mar 17, 2010 by Nia Shanks. This entry is filed under interview, strength training, weight loss, and fat loss.

You Won't See Tony Using a Bosu Ball. Pic from pilatesmarketing.com

In Part 4 Tony Reveals What People Should Do More of in the Gym, Less of, Tips for Weight Loss, and a Sample Conditioning Workout

Today we have Part 4 of the interview series with Tony Gentilcore. Tony has shared some amazing information in every portion, so if you haven’t read them, I highly suggest you check them out.

You can find Part 1 here => Tony Gentilcore Interview Part 1

Part 2 => Mobility Drills and Training with Purpose

Part 3 => Tony Gentilcore on Cardio and Planks

Nia:  Okay, Tony. What should most people do more of in the gym?

TG: Recognizing that you’re not as advanced as you think you are.  If you can’t do ten picture perfect push-ups, then you don’t need to be adding chains to your bench press.

Lifting appreciable weight.  If I had one wish, I’d make it illegal for any gym to buy pink dumbbells.

Pull-Throughs- arguably the most under-rated exercise.

Nia:  Less of?

TG: 

• Talking
  
  
• Watching television
  
  
• Crunches
  
  
• Anything with a BOSU ball.

Nia: This may not be a Bosu ball, but I think it expresses Tony's feelings towards stability balls as well:

What are your best tips for weight loss?

TG:  My best tip?  Recognizing that weight loss is subjective.  Women live and die by what the scale tells them.  If they don’t see the number on the scale going down, they’ll feel as if they’ve failed.  (Nia: I admit that I was guilty of this at one point, and it definitely makes weight loss and body transformation more stressful when the number on the scale is the only factor you focus on.) It’s unfortunate because they often fail to see the big picture.  Someone will bust their butt for eight weeks, and lose eight lbs of fat, and gain four lbs of lean muscle.

In my book, that’s fantastic progress.  She’s stronger, feels like a million bucks, not to mention her clothes fit more loosely. Yet, she’ll jump on the scale and only see that she’s lost four net lbs, and feel like it was all for not.

That said, I’ll always tell women to throw away their scale.   Honestly, that’s the best thing they can do. 

Nia: I know exactly what you mean. Women, and even men, should simply focus on how they feel, how their clothes fit, and their performance in the gym. (Shameless plug: that is exactly how Fat Loss Detour is designed). 

Moving on: here's a question from one of the readers: What do you do on your off days in terms of conditioning? Any goals besides CONVENTIONAL (my addition) deadlifting 600 pounds?

TG:  Whether it’s doing some med ball work, throwing the kettlebell around, or hitting the shit out of the tire with a sledgehammer, I’m generally always doing something on my off days.  That said, I’m also a huge fan of just having basic movement/mobility days, which is something I do a lot with my clients as well. 

So, rather than doing your traditional “cardio,” I’ll do something like this:

A1.  Bodyweight Reverse Lunges- from deficit 3x8/leg
A2.  Behind-the-Neck Band Pull-Aparts 3x10
A3.  Med Ball Floor Stomps 3x10
B1.  DB Goblet Squats (LIGHT) 3x10
B2.  Scapular Push-Ups- feet elevated 3x8
B3.  TRX Inverted Rows 3x8
C1.  Turkish Get-Ups 3x3/side
C2.  Slideboard Bodysaw 3x10
C3.  1-Legged Hip Thrusters 3x8/leg
D.  Eat lots of dead animal flesh. 

Essentially it’s just a list of activation drills, mobility/dynamic flexibility exercises, and/or low-grade strength exercises that I do in circuit fashion.  I figure I’ll get a lot more out of it, and will be less likely to be bored out of my mind and want to swallow a live grenade.

As for my training goals: honestly, as of right now, my goals are to just train for the sake of training.  That's not to say I never have any goals in mind (deadlifting 600 lbs, having my stomach mistaken for a steel plate, for example), but sometimes, after training athletes for 8-10 hours, I just want to have some fun and just lift heavy stuff.  No thinking involved, just turn the stereo up, and get after it.  We do, however, have a CP leaderboard that keeps us motivated.  As of right now, we keep track of front squat 1RM, chin-up 3RM, trap bar 1RM, vertical, and broad jump, respectively.

Right now, my numbers look like this:

1 RM Front Squat: no comment.  My excuse is that I have the knees of an 80 year old, so I can't necessarily squat too heavy.

1RM Trap Bar:  600 lbs

3RM Chin-Up:  301 (body weight + external load)

Vertical:  30.3 inches

Broad Jump:  101 inches

I haven't tested either of the last two in a while, I need to get on that!  Pathetic.

So, long-term, my goals are to constantly try to improve on those numbers. 

Nia:  Before we wrap this up I want to thank you for sharing so much wonderful information with us. Okay, Tony. It's time for you to free style. What else do you want to share with our readers before we end this four part interview?

TG:  Check out my website at www.TonyGentilcore.com.  Also, check out the new Cressey Performance website at www.CresseyPerformance.com.  Thanks Nia, it’s been a blast!