Coach Rod Cole » March 9 2008

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THE COLE HARD TRUTH

Launching "Ever Stronger"

After 24 years in coaching, 18 as a collegiate head strength coach, I have launched my twofold "Ever Stronger!" consulting - personal workout programs, and clinics for school S&C programs. MORE

A football high: out-physical the opponent

Our six-man team, in its first two games, brought back memories of dominating wins over big powers in college football by demonstrating how an off-season strength and conditioning program pays off. Never mind it wasn't Nebraska or Texas; satisfaction still runs high over a job well done Feb-to-Aug leading to success in the fall. HERE'S HOW

Scant Equipment, Big-Time Workout for Kids

Details of the makeshift equipment and big-time football workout regimen, out behind a church....TUGGING STARTS HERE

You don't need fancy

A dozen youngsters, 11-18, a football/soccer field behind Steep Hollow Baptist Church, rigorous workouts. Not impressive. But the workouts are.....READ WHY

Please send questions, suggestions, or comments to WEBATT@coachrodcole.com

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March 9 2008

There is a lot ofİİ"newness" in my life right now - it is the first day of CoachRodCole.com and the first day ofİ life outside the womb for Charlsey Lydia, the youngest of seven children for my wife Stacey and me.İ Mom and daughter are doing well, thank you. We are enjoying our new addition to the Cole Tribe and hope that you enjoy the website. Grandparents back in Kansas and Nebraska eagerly await with their welcoming parties for Charlsey & Clan to make her first trek from College Station, Texas.

From time to time in this column, I will share thoughts and experiences with you ranging from stories of homeschooling to tips on strength training, conditioning and fitness, from life coaching to discussion of good reading material. And I'm hopeful you will invite me to come speak to your group or convention or banquet sometime. I have many stories and lessons learned from a lifetime of involvement in athletics at every level from elementary school to major college, and numerous stops in between.

In this space my intention is for us to learn together, laugh together, perhaps work out together, and ponder many of the issues, concerns and challenges that life brings our way.

It's already an adventure. Last week I went for the first time to the office of our Webmaster for a lesson on using CoachRodCole.com software for content management. I'm pretty sure Caitlin, the trainer, was speaking English. But it might as well have been Swahili. At least at first.

After practicing a few exercises hands-on, much like I have first-timers in an exercise program try something easy and slowly, it felt comfortable and less complicated. It made me think, though, how often things can look so good on the outside at first glance, and behind the exterior view there is great complexity.

A perfect example is the world of college football I have worked in the last umpty-dozen years at Dodge City Community College, Kansas State University, and Texas A&M University (and it was true, too, at my alma mater, Bethany College, my high school, Kensington, and the one where I taught and coached, Mulvane -- all little schools in Kansas):

The product on the field can appear to fans as a well-oiled machine (or not), and when it performs, the fans witness a story unfold from an outside viewpoint. They see the veneer, the cover, the final product. They don't see all the ins and outs, ups and downs, this and thats of the day, the week, the school year, the social life, the academics, the practices that led to the final product and game results.

That's the same with this new Web site. I can't begin to fathom all the pieces that put it together.

But it's here. And you're here, and that was the goal. I'd like you to stay a while, browse through other parts of the site, and come back. Come back often, and bring friends.

If you have questions, or tales to share, or general comments, please send them to me at WEBATT@CoachRodCole.com. I'll see you here again soon.

But for now, I'd swear I hear Charlsey calling, "Daddy, Daddy!" In baby Swahili, of course....

Ever stronger....
Coach Rod Cole

THE TURKISH GET UP IS AN ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR FITNESS & WORKOUTS.

To add a new wrinkle for your workouts, I'd like to give you a quick and easy self- assessment. You don't need a workout gym for this, or a weight room. Just a little corner of any room, a book, and a few minutes of your time. You don't even have to put on workout clothes.

First position to start the Get Up exercise

Standing up to complete the Get Up drill

The photos with this article show my son Kade, who is 15, performing a Turkish Get Up with a 30-pound dumbbell. He has three years left to prepare for college, where he wants to play football or baseball, or possibly both. He did this demonstration when I consulted with a small college recently. (By the way, photo credits go Kade's sister, Kressyn, who is 13 Head shot of Kressyn the photographer and loves photography. This is Kressyn.)

Just follow these instructions carefully. A few minutes later you'll know all you need to know about your balance, coordination, flexibility, shoulder strength, and even your core strength.

Grab your Webster's Dictionary from the bookshelf, or any hardback book about that size.
Go to an open space in your house.
Hold the dictionary in one hand at arm's length while lying flat on your back on the floor.
Now, get up! And get up this way:

Keep the arm with the dictionary locked out.
Hold the book overhead as you work your way to a standing position.

Do this, then come back and read the rest....

* * *

OK, how'd you do? You've just performed an exercise called the "Get Up," or, more specifically, the "Turkish Get Up."

Many strength coaches or personal trainers would have given you significantly more instructions on how to get up. I refrained, because I like the problem-solving dimension of the drill. I feel it is important for you figure it out.

Had I been coaching you, I would have helped you along with tips whenever you struggled. For the most part, though, this drill can be figured out with a little persistence and practice.

I have used this drill many years as an assessment. It works not only for the average person, but for athletes. Big athletes, not so big athletes; elite athletes, average to middlin' athletes; all athletes. It's especially effective when they are just coming into a program, as a freshman or a transfer.

After administering five minutes of Turkish Get Ups, I can look at a group of newbies and tell who is the most flexible and coordinated, who has the best core strength, and who has the best shoulder strength and flexibility.

All from lifting a book with one hand. (Well, not quite. College athletes would perform Turkish Get Ups with a dumbbell, something between 30 and 60 pounds, not a dictionary.)

The mental side of the equation is always interesting, too. Some individuals take to new things and catch on quickly, while others fight it, complain, and are quick to give up. It's amazing what a few minutes of work can tell a coach.

If the Turkish Get Up with Noah Webster's masterpiece seemed fairly easy with your dominant hand:

Try it again with your other hand.

And then again with two hands on the book.

After that you are ready to try it again one-handed with the opposite hand not touching the floor as you get up! (That's the way my wife, Stacey, did it the first time she tried it.)

After all that, graduate upward. Make all the lifts all again with a 10-pound dumbbell or weight plate, and then continue working up in weight.

Special note to young athletes: If you are a scholastic athlete and aspire to compete in college, when you can do the Turkish Get Up with a 50- or 60-pound dumbbell, you might be ready. Keep practicing just in case.

In working with college athletes, our staff would revisit the Turkish Get Up every so often in workouts. That way we could measure the overall improvement that our program was giving us in functional movements.

I recommend this exercise once a week or so, just to see if it is getting easier as time goes on. If it's not getting easier, you may want to rethink your program.

At that point, I'd be pleased to help you do that.

The Turkish Get Up is just one minute tool in my kit of various methods as I work with athletic programs, and I thought you might enjoy giving it a try.

If you'd like some consulting for your personal workouts, just send me an email, webatt@coachrodcole.com and we'll set something up. Consulting can take place by telephone, by email, or in person.

My workout tool kit has a lot more tools to help you reach your goals, too. Let's work together on the central theme: Ever Stronger!