High Intensity Training Interview of the Month: Dan Geraci
Our High Intensity Training Interview for this month features former strength and conditioning coach, and current owner of High Intensity Chicago–Dan Geraci, a.k.a. High Intensity Dan.
Dan’s last name kind of rhymes with this
Dan is a former graduate assistant Strength Coach at the University of Michigan, and former Assistant Strength Coach at the University of Illinois Chicago. He currently runs a very successful personal training business called High Intensity Chicago, where he administers High Intensity Training workouts to his happy, result-getting clients.
Dan learned about High Intensity Training while at Michigan from long-time Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Gittleson, and has also been strongly influenced by well-known H.I.T. expert Dr. Ken Leistner.
Dan having fun with Dr. Ken
Dan NOT having fun with Dr. Ken
Listen in on our conversation, as Dan discusses:
- What H.I.T is all about, as far as he is concerned
- His extensive background in education and research that has helped him understand what works-and what doesn’t
- Where the term “core training” really came from
- His take on slow repetition speeds (you might be surprised)
- The differences between training athletes vs. non-athletes
- The story behind High Intensity Chicago, and how it got to where it is today
- His take on workout recovery
- What he tells his clients about losing weight (whoa-did he really just say that?)
- And much, much more!
To hear the Dan Geraci interview, just click on the play arrow (the little triangle on the left) below:
Check out the High Intensity Chicago website
Leave a comment about Dan’s interview below…
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excelent video
congratulations for dan
greetings from argentina
prof./trainer alejandro fonseca
heavy duty – hit
a hug!
Nice interview Dave. I’m always interested in hearing different HIT trainers ideas about training frequency. Dan seems to favor a higher frequency than others out there. I know I’ve tried training three full body HIT workouts per week and ended up super sore, waking up at 4 am every morning, and had a diminished libido after about two months of doing this. Now, I sometimes feel I’m pushing it with two HIT workouts per week. I’m 40 now so maybe that has a lot to do with it. Doug McGuff and others (like Doug Holland) seem to do well training once per week, although they are advanced and seasoned (older) trainers. I think maybe frequency periodization would work well, starting at a higher frequency for a short time and then going less and less as the weeks go (then break and start over). Training frequency seems to be one of the unknown variables out there in HIT (other than most people say train infrequently, although Dan said train frequently), probably due to the high variation between individuals recovery capacity. Any thoughts?
Thomas,
Not sure if it was clear or not from this interview, but my take on training comes more what I think fits practically into someone’s life then what is the absolute perfect thing via science in a vacuum.
For regular people (non-athletes) I just think infrequent training makes people unmotivated. Most people sit around all day an need as much activity as they can get.
In terms of lifting, I do think that 3x per week is more effective for most individuals than 2x. I would also argue that is is much easier to under-train than over-train.
Hope that is clear. Feel free to email me any questions you have on my take on things – highintensitydan@gmail.com.
Best,
Dan Geraci
Hi Dan,
This was a great interview. How many sets per bodypart in a workout do you recommend?
Thanks,
Marc
Dave,
Another GREAT interview. With information like this we will turn this ship!!!
Dwayne Wimmer
i strongly disagree with dan’s view on overtraining.
mike mentzer said it best when he stated:
“overtraining inst something kinda – sorta negative, its THE biggest mistake you can make”.
“overtraining is the very reason why most never reach their bodybuilding/fitness goals”.
butcher