Coach Rod Cole

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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Coach Rod Cole Accepts Position at Tarleton State!

Coach Cole finished his first full day on the job January 13th training the football team at Tarleton State University, a Division II school in Stephenville, TX.

"It is a pleasure to be at a fine instiution like Tarleton State, working in a very successful athletic department. My entire family is looking forward to getting re-located to Stephenville and enjoying the quality of life in this great community," Coach Rod Cole stated upon accepting the position. " I look forward to helping the Texan and TexAnn athletic departments build upon the successes they have achieved."

Coach Cole will continue his strength and conditioning consulting and speaking business on a limited scale with his new position.

Master Strength Coach Consulting by Phone and Email

What they say about Coach Rod Cole

"Rod Cole....has a tremendous knowledge of the science of mobility, agility, strength and conditioning development, and the teaching and motivational skills to enhance the growth of young student-athletes....And above all, Rod is an ethical, caring, passionate person and teacher."

Bill Snyder, Head Football Coach, Kansas State University
Governor-appointed Chairman, Kansas Mentors
[For entire testimonial and comments from others, read here]

Coach Cole booking in-service presentations, instant consultations

coach cole waving towel on sideline Football fever. And time for the 40-hour work day, not week. Or so it seems. Daily schedules run full for folks involved with football, from daylight to whenever the last person leaves. Having worked in that environment his entire adult life, Coach Cole realizes how busy coaches and athletic directors become across the spectrum of football season.

With that in mind, he offers his "Ever Stronger!" consultations on strength and conditioning, weight training regimens, and weight room setups by both telephone and email. He also is booking dates for presentations at teacher in-service days during fall semester, and for 2009 once the football season has ended.

Call now: 979.224.2747 to block a date for Coach Cole to address your coaching staff, weight room coaches, phys ed teachers, or any in-service group.

Coach Cole spent a busy summer introducing his new business to coaches at numerous colleges and high schools. There he joined forces with ProMaxima, the weightroom equipment manufacturer out of Houston. ProMaxima has signed Coach Cole as an official affiliate.

Today is the day to enlist Coach Cole's services. He has many insights, after a quarter century as an athlete, coach, and strength and conditioning leader, into how to deal with heat and endurance while going full throttle through the demanding schedule. He also remains available to travel to your site at any time, except on game days with the high school six-man football team he coaches in a home-school association.

Contact him today for an appointment and exclusive session.

Coach Cole includes in his work a specific, common niche - consultation on setting up a weight room on a limited budget, and/or in limited space. He guided his alma mater, Bethany College in Kansas, through that process during the summer, and consulted with others who strive to stretch their dollars.

"Ever Stronger!" has launched with outstanding feedback, a testimony to insights gained from his many years of experience at the highest levels of designing programs in Strength and Conditioning for optimum athletic performance. Coach Cole operates "Ever Stronger!" out of College Station, Texas.

Put a Master Strength Coach to work for you today!

Write to WEBATT@CoachRodCole.com, or call 979.224.2747

One of the institutions Coach Cole met with during the summer was Hardin-Simmons University, which boasts one of the strongest winning traditions in college football. Here's what head coach Jimmie Keeling had to say about involvement with Coach Cole:

"If you are looking for someone to help your strength and conditioning - both in season and out - Rod Cole is your man. He recently visited with our staff and provided great knowledge and lots of outstanding ideas."

[Other testimonials]

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!