Matt Rhodes

Matt Rhodes is a tremendous resource for our readers. He brings that hard-to-find mix of real-world playing and coaching experience. Rhodes started his collegiate career as a lacrosse player at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 1994-1996. He later transferred to the University of Arizona, where he played football from 1996-1998. After college, he played arena football for the Richmond Speed before suffering a career-ending neck injury. After his playing career, Rhodes coached football at the University of Richmond and later interned for Buddy Morris at the University of Pittsburgh. After eight years as a personal trainer, he is back in the collegiate ranks as a strength and conditioning coach with stops at Yale, the University at Albany, and the University of Rhode Island, where he worked with Dan Hurley. Rhodes competed in powerlifting from 2001-2014. His geared numbers include a 930 squat and a 605 bench. His raw numbers include a 650 squat, 485 bench and a 760 deadlift, all done in the 308-pound class. Currently, Rhodes oversees the strength and conditioning program at Morehead State where he works directly with football, men's and women's basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball. He also oversees all injured athletes and handles their rehab programs as they make their way back to "return to play" status.

 
Training Week 3 - Heavy Squat and Bench
Training Week 3 - Heavy Squat and Bench
The week's workouts are up to date. Staying active physically and mentally. We have the free time. Spend it wisely.
Training Week 3 - Heavy Week
Training Week 3 - Heavy Week
Monday I went off the reservation with my normal eating.  I had way more carbs than I'm used to for breakfast.  If I had trained within two hours or so of eating I think I would've felt great.  However, we got to talking in the office and figuring out what we were going to do […]
Training Week 2 - Trap Bar
Training Week 2 - Trap Bar
Made it through 2 weeks of training every other day without debilitating myself. As Charlie Sheen said, "Winning."
Training Week 2 - Press
Training Week 2 - Press
I'm excelling at social distancing, these days. Training is going well. Funny how that works? No one around to bother me and I train well. Who would have thunk it?
Keep It Simple For Your Sake: Part 2
Keep It Simple For Your Sake: Part 2
I can predict the future based on what I've experienced in the past. I'm amazing.
Training Week 1 - Bench
Training Week 1 - Bench
Training through the pandemic has me feeling good.
Training Week 1 - Squat
Training Week 1 - Squat
Another good day in the bag. I feel really focused in the weight room. Time to dial in my conditioning. The weather isn't really an excuse anymore.
Strange Things are Afoot at The Circle K
Strange Things are Afoot at The Circle K
Sports are cancelled... we can still train.
Training Week 1 - Press
Training Week 1 - Press
Week 1 of my training. I've been at it, but Training ADD was in full effect for about 8 weeks and I didn't think much of it was worth documenting.
Keep It Simple For Your Sake
Keep It Simple For Your Sake
Simplicity is good for the athletes and for the coach.
Pre-Season Baseball/Softball Training
Pre-Season Baseball/Softball Training
Baseball/Softball training ideas that seem to be working. Time will tell.
Training (the rest of Week 2)
Training (the rest of Week 2)
Good week. More reps under my belt. I need to focus myself and train to get the goals I'm looking for.
Training - Cycle 2: Squat
Training - Cycle 2: Squat
New training cycle in my saga. Obviously, you HAVE to read about it.
Experimenting With Some Progressions
Experimenting With Some Progressions
Some different loading/progression ideas I'm toying with as I take Football through the Winter.
Week 1 Back to Work
Week 1 Back to Work
Week 1 back to work and some new ideas I'm experimenting with. On the front end, I feel like a genius. We'll see how it plays out.
Training - Incline
Training - Incline
Week 1 is done! Back on track trying to hit my modest strength goals and keep my fat ass in shape.
Training - Bench and Deadlift
Training - Bench and Deadlift
Ebola (I'm being melodramatic... surprised?) couldn't stop me from training.
2020 Training: Week 1 - Squat
2020 Training: Week 1 - Squat
2020 Training has officially begun.
Questions I've been asked over the last few months.
Questions I've been asked over the last few months.
Some emails over the last few months got my brain working. Here's the result.
Things I Include in Every Athlete's Training Session
Things I Include in Every Athlete's Training Session
Touching on everything that should be in an athlete's daily plan in terms of the weight room.
End of semester thoughts
End of semester thoughts
A fairly simple explanation of how I start putting a program together.
Week 6 Training (all sessions)
Week 6 Training (all sessions)
Week 6 is done. Things are going pretty well and I'm happy with my progress. As the weather changes my training will have to, as well.
Week 5 Training (all sessions)
Week 5 Training (all sessions)
Week 5 under my belt. Motivation low, achievement high. As it stands, barring any unforeseen issues this Wednesday my Squat, Bench and Deadlift numbers will be increased.
Some Thoughts for Young Coaches/Interns/GA's
Some Thoughts for Young Coaches/Interns/GA's
Sets, reps, teaching, psychology... and a whole bunch more stuff we need to understand as coaches.
Week 4 Training (all sessions)
Week 4 Training (all sessions)
Good week of training. I believe I've hit PR's in every workout? It's been a good cycle and it looks like I'll be able to increase my Squat and Bench training numbers in two weeks. Progress.
Monday Training: Week 3/Day 1 and Day 2
Monday Training: Week 3/Day 1 and Day 2
Good beginning to my week. Set a few PR's and put some work behind me. The tweaks in training are leading to my feeling better all around.
Friday Training: Week 1/Day 3
Friday Training: Week 1/Day 3
Training at a commercial gym - I don't recommend it if you can help it. But, I was able to get done what I needed to.
Wednesday Training: Week 1/Day 2
Wednesday Training: Week 1/Day 2
Getting in a routine with the training set up and moving forward.
Redo: Monday Training: Week 1/Day 1
Redo: Monday Training: Week 1/Day 1
Redo on Week 1. Some good training talk over the weekend led to some more tweaks in what I'm doing. Revisiting my summer training set-up with some minor tweaks. This led to 3 FBB Bench PR's today.
How My Programming's Improved Over the Years
How My Programming's Improved Over the Years
I love and hate programming. When I'm doing research and reading stuff, my brain goes a million miles per hour. Of course, everything I read seems like the greatest idea ever, so I have to dial it down, but I've gotten better at it over the years, and it shows.
New Training: Week 1/Day 1
New Training: Week 1/Day 1
Some tweaks to my training for multiple reasons. The first workout with the changes went well. I think I'm setting myself up for success.
WATCH: Matt Rhodes' Problems with Sports Coaches
WATCH: Matt Rhodes' Problems with Sports Coaches
Strength coaches have a lot of problems to deal with. Some of those problems come from the strength coaches themselves, but don't even get him started on the sports coaches... too late, though. We got him talking about them.
Training Week 5
Training Week 5
Training catch up and some thoughts on how things probably need to change abit so I can have more focused, productive workouts.
Training Week 4
Training Week 4
Week 4 of training was solid. Making progress in my plan (can't progress until I hit all 3 weeks for 10 reps). The challenge of being in-season is tough, but expected. Just keeping the train on the tracks.
Young Coaches Getting New Jobs During the Semester
Young Coaches Getting New Jobs During the Semester
Some thoughts that popped into my head this morning as I watched one of my GA's run a group knowing that he has already accepted a new job.
Some Coaching Thoughts After Week 1
Some Coaching Thoughts After Week 1
Some random thoughts that were in my head after football practice today.
Training Week 3 (First week of school)
Training Week 3 (First week of school)
School started and training kept right on going. Not a great week, but productive.
Training Week 2
Training Week 2
Week 2 was a success followed by 5 days off from training.
WATCH: Matt Rhodes Gives Advice to Young Coaches
WATCH: Matt Rhodes Gives Advice to Young Coaches
A few pro tips from Coach Matt Rhodes: Not everything you learn in a book can be applied to strength and conditioning. Open your mind to new ideas and influences, and learn how your mentor wants things down.
Football Season Training: Week 1
Football Season Training: Week 1
Good first week of Football Camp training.
Football Camp Training
Football Camp Training
Training catch up as we start football season.
Football Season Training: The Real Strength Coach Workout
Football Season Training: The Real Strength Coach Workout
Let's look good on the sidelines this year.
Conditioning Without Running
Conditioning Without Running
Stop killing kids by making them run so much. Stop running them into the ground with running... and in general, stop it. It defeats the purposes of building them up.
WATCH: Matt Rhodes on Getting His Foot Through the Door
WATCH: Matt Rhodes on Getting His Foot Through the Door
“People I knew got my foot in the door, and I got myself through the door.” Morehead State strength and conditioning coach Matt Rhodes shares his story of how he made his way into the collegiate strength and conditioning world.
NOV Meet and The Podcast Without Dave
NOV Meet and The Podcast Without Dave
Table Talk Episode 18 and the NOV Non-Invitational
Training Week 7
Training Week 7
Last full week before NOV and the 1 mile Prowler Challenge. This is going to suck.
Training Week 6
Training Week 6
Feeling jacked after training today. I'm probably a day or 2 away from being stage ready.
Conditioning Without Running
Conditioning Without Running
I don't think you have to run to be in shape to run.
Training Week 5
Training Week 5
Packing on lbs like it's cool.
Training Week 4
Training Week 4
Week 4 is in the books and things are going well. I'm following the plan and it's paying off. Check out the podcast with myself, Jim and Dave if you haven't already.
Programming: Always trying to Improve
Programming: Always trying to Improve
Just a few thoughts on writing/updating programs and a little bit of the process that I go through. This might be a snoozer.
Training Week 3
Training Week 3
Week 3 training, Ring Dings and the ramblings of someone with too much time on my hands right now.
Observations of/for Young Coaches
Observations of/for Young Coaches
I must hate young coaches. I may need to call my therapist and iron out these issues.
Training Week 2
Training Week 2
Week 2 in the weight room was a good one. It's an unbelievably good read. You should click on it.
Training Week 1
Training Week 1
Week 1 in the books. Getting ready for the NOV Challenge at Wendler's in July. We have a stupid event we're going to do together.
Coming Up With Strength and Conditioning Principles
Coming Up With Strength and Conditioning Principles
Check out the podcast with Dave, Jim and myself. It's good.
Test Week
Test Week
Test numbers and the podcast. Click on my log.
Volume Training: Week 3
Volume Training: Week 3
Last Volume week - things went well.
Elite Sports Summit
Elite Sports Summit
As I'm sitting in my office writing this I'm stuck listening to the worst "music" (modern (c)rap) I've ever heard. I can't believe people actually listen to and buy this garbage. With the anger growing inside I was kept this pretty rant-free. I think I shirt-changed you guys. This could've been so much more raged-filled. I might be mellowing.

Items 60 to 118 of 458 total