Gittleson at Mississippi State
I just received an invitation to attend a strength and conditioning workshop at Mississippi State in February. Mike Gittleson is speaking about strength conditioning. I may go and ask him about the role of pizza consumption in building muscle mass. Add your questions for Gittleson in the comments. Here is the link (itinerary is on page 2):
http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/16800/pdf/strength/strength_clinic_2011_full.pdf
December 16th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
if gittleson has any brains, he should open a pizza parlor in ann arbor called Gittleson's.
as soon as i read Gittelson, i thought "PIZZA!"
December 16th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
It is obviously from other threads that lasagna is better for building muscle.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:27 AM ^
I read below that Dee loves lasagna. Maybe we should hire Gittleson back.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:30 AM ^
The joke is more obvious now!
December 16th, 2010 at 5:58 PM ^
Is actually a great caloric dense food to eat when you need some cals to start moving the scale. Actually it's great for muscle building. I would guess that he prescribed to that theory simply because it's hard to get in enough cals to gain weight, especially if you're in practice and class all day long. Makes sense (in moderation) if you think about it...
December 16th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^
Gittleson's the brains behind the pizza tosses at Crisler, isn't he!
December 16th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
Gittleson's players at Michigan were constantly overpowered by Wisconsin, MSU, and OSU. How many 100-yard games did Ron Dayne have against Michigan? I bet every time out, right?
I'm so glad that never happens anymore!!
December 16th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
Fair point, and cleverly written, but remember too that "Gittleson's players" were not 19 years old. Turning 20, 21, and then 22 does about as much for a football player's physical development as any training he does on top of it.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^
How many times under Gittleson did we have four upper classmen starters on defense? Seriously, how do you think this is a remotely logical argument? The whole Barwis v. Gittleson debate won't have any real, conclusive onfield data to evaluate until Barwis has a complete cycle to work with.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:50 AM ^
I was just having fun with the haters.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^
of the current staff don't need to constantly shit on a guy who was on the cutting edge for decades and was a big part of the success Michigan had. Alex Mitchell needed a lot more than pizza to succeed. I didn't see Gittleson turning Jake Long and Lamar Woodley into fat slobs. Do you look at Bill Parcells as the Super Bowl winning genius of the Giants or the guy who built a decent Cowboys team? A little respect for the guy around here wouldn't kill anyone.
December 16th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
The rumor I had heard was that Jake Long and Mike Hart did not train with the S&C staff, rather they worked with private coaches on their own.
December 16th, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^
but I could run down a list as long as my arm of other great players who went through his system. I guess my point got a little ranty- I just think the guy deserves to be more than a pizza-related punchline around here. I love Barwis, too, but as the saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat. (What kind of sicko came up with that, anyway?) My respect for him has grown as other rumors have been relayed- that Gitts was hardcore anti-roids and tried to keep them out of the program.
December 16th, 2010 at 2:11 PM ^
The rumor I had heard was that Jake Long and Mike Hart did not train with the S&C staff, rather they worked with private coaches on their own.
That was right before the NFL Combine. Otherwise they were Gittleson guys.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
Don't have stats on the other years - overall don't think Dayne did that well vs Michigan.
December 16th, 2010 at 12:29 PM ^
We didn't play UW in 1996, and he gained 88 yards in the 1999 game.
December 16th, 2010 at 1:14 PM ^
From what I recall, he had almost all of that in the first half, and then got STUFFED.
December 16th, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^
He gained 88 yards in the first half and zero in the second. All those pizzas in their bellies didn't keep our D from playing much better in the second half.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:43 AM ^
also, now i want pizza for lunch
December 16th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^
Hey, back off Gittleson... his pizza-eating-program worked wonders for Alex Mitchel
December 16th, 2010 at 11:47 AM ^
let it go
December 16th, 2010 at 3:34 PM ^
I'm hungry and this is my first slice... dick
December 16th, 2010 at 11:47 AM ^
Extend a thank you from me for preparing a National Championship team and many Rose Bowl teams. He deserves recognition, far more than people who have no results to their name.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:55 AM ^
Maybe our linemen ate too much pizza under the Gittleson regime, but they did a pretty good job of opening holes for Mike Hart, protecting Chad Henne, and --on the defensive side--stopping Ron Dayne.
Spread offense teams, starting with Northwestern & on to Oregon, etc, gave us fits. I seriously doubt that problem can be laid to Gittleson.
December 16th, 2010 at 12:39 PM ^
I have no words. Mike Gittleson was the Barwis of his time, and part of the lore that is Michigan. Just disgusting.
Mike Barwis shares thoughts on his influences and Mike Gittleson
December 16th, 2010 at 3:50 PM ^
I may have been a little off base, but disgusting? Two years ago comments like "Fuck Gittleson in the ear" were being posbanged. Barwis, himself, hasn't been consistent in his love of Git. For context: http://mgoblog.com/content/unverified-voracity-covered-eeee
Git served the university well, but (for better or worse) his legacy will be connected to his prescribing pizza for weight gain. It is the thing most remembered about him AEB: the comments above.
December 16th, 2010 at 5:38 PM ^
I think my response was due to the general tone of the thread, you aren't that important.
No, I never posbanged comments like that. If a 20+ year body of work is going to be remembered for one comment about pizza then my disgust is well-placed.
Alan Branch does not seem to remember him for pizza. Remember Alan Branch?
Sophomore defensive lineman Alan Branch has lost roughly 60 pounds since his graduation from high school in 2004. He still tips the scales at 311 pounds, but he's a healthier, better football player because of Gittleson's tutelage.
"(Gittleson) has everything to do with my success here," Branch said. "I've gotten a lot stronger. When I got here, I'd really never lifted weights seriously. - I'd say (Gittleson has improved) almost every single player. Mike's programs on lifting and running are so intense that you have no choice but to get better. You could do it half-heartedly and still get better, the way he's working us out."
http://www.michigandaily.com/content/gittleson-helps-m-shadows
December 16th, 2010 at 6:08 PM ^
I followed the indention and it looked like you were responding to the OT. I thought disgusting was a little harsh. Yes, Gittleson was a pioneer. He had an enormous positive impact on Michigan football. The consensus seems to be that his methods were nearly obsolete by the time he left. He was roundly criticized by Brian and members at the time of his departure. The most salient memory most people on this board have about Gittleson is associated with pizza.
December 16th, 2010 at 9:35 PM ^
I was not suggesting that we bring him back, and you won't have to look far to find posts where I have supported Barwis. Being criticized at the end of his career, whether it be by Brian or anyone else does not change what the man did.
I do disagree with your last statement. Some people, to be sure, especially those who lack a frame of reference. If pizza is the salient memory for "most" of the blog members, I have wandered into the wrong place. I'm stubborn, though, and I will refuse to believe that the majority of the MGoBloggers are that shallow or that poorly informed.
December 16th, 2010 at 10:01 PM ^
It seems that many, if not most of posters are 16-23 years old and are too young to have paid attention to such things as S&C when Gittleson was doing his thing. I'll shut up about it all now and go to bed.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
AMEN..Dayne rarely, if ever, did well against us (Gittleson).
December 16th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
At the risk of being a complete a--hole, I have to ask: When you mention in your OT that you received an "invitation" to attend, you don't really mean that in the true sense of the word "invitation," do you? The brochure states that there is a fee for attendance . . .
P.S. You also upvoted your own thread. That's kind of a no-no around these parts . . .
December 16th, 2010 at 1:37 PM ^
I received an email which used the word "invitation." Within the email was the link to the brochure. Obviously this is open the public and was a marketing ploy. I guess I was primed to use that language. Apologies on up vote, I will down vote for balance. Thanks, profit.
The OP was not a dig at Gittleson. It was a more of look what he is up to. Funny that he is going to be in Starkville given the Gator Bowl and all. I thought it was MGoBoard worthy. Didn't mean to offend.
December 16th, 2010 at 1:42 PM ^
Dear Coaches, Fitness Professionals, Students, Faculty, Staff, and Administration
We would like to officially invite you to join us and several others as attendees at the 2011 Mississippi State University Strength & Conditioning Clinic. The clinic will be Friday February 25th, 2011 from 5:00 pm until 8:00pm and Saturday February 26th, 2011 from 7:30am - 4:00pm with lunch being provided. We have included a link to the registration form and itinerary for the day.
December 16th, 2010 at 2:16 PM ^
I didn't mean to demean the invitation. I was mostly curious on how it came about. Thanks for sharing.
December 16th, 2010 at 2:14 PM ^
I may go and ask him about the role of pizza consumption in building muscle mass.
...was unnecessary and made it look like you were mocking him.
December 16th, 2010 at 2:29 PM ^
This was a poor attempt at humor. Was just trying to start a thread that was not CC and maybe of interest. The lasagna thing was the same. It seemed timely given the Dee threads below. Didn't mean to be a dick.
I may attend. I have to check to see if the February conference I have to attend conflicts. I was serious about any questions for him. If anyone has anything to ask or comments to be made, I will pass them along and report back.
December 16th, 2010 at 2:51 PM ^
I'd like him to:
1. Describe strength training was 30+ years ago. Apparently lots of coaches didn't want their players to lift weights because it would slow them down or get them hurt. Overcoming that stigma must have been difficult at first.
2. Where does he see training going next and how can ordinary (non-elite athletes) apply it to their lives. Is it a Crossfit type program that tries to balance speed, strength, and flexibility?
He was a pioneer and probably has an interesting take on both.
December 16th, 2010 at 2:57 PM ^
I will ask. I scanned the program and it seemed like this is attempt to involve mere mortals in better training techniques. I would sure help this 200 pound guy to do some of that.