If you’d been following this site for a while – I’m talking about years, here, back to the early part of this decade – you’d heard rumblings from Jim Wendler’s training log about a former college teammate of his named Matt Rhodes. You’ll also recall, if you’ve been paying attention, that most of these “rumblings” took place in the presence of large quantities of alcohol and all the other accoutrements of the life of a Division I football player.
Late in 2007, Matt was brought on board as a member of the EFS Q&A. Since then, through his high volume of answered questions on the Q&A, we’ve gotten to know quite a bit about him, his sense of humor, his training partners and his philosophy on lifting and life. In reality, Rhodes is a world class powerlifter – in terms of knowledge, performance and the overcoming of adversity – from whom readers can learn a ton.
In this interview, we take a closer look at how Matt’s athletic career evolved – from lacrosse to football to powerlifting - and what’s happening in his life right now:
Most of the people who read this side know you as a) Jim Wendler’s friend, and b) Some guy who used to play football for the University of Arizona. Please introduce yourself to the readership a little more comprehensively. Where did you grow up? Where’d you go to high school? What sports did you play?
I grew up in Westfield, MA. I'm a hick. We lived on top of a mountain. You couldn't see the neighbors and could barely hear cars as they drove by. It was awesome. I rode horses and shot guns, and I'm lucky I didn't kill myself or someone else in the process.
I went to Williston-Northampton School from 7th grade until I graduated in '94. I really got into sports in middle school. I played basketball and lacrosse. I wasn't allowed to play football, so when I was a freshman, I never told my parents I was playing. I assume they thought I was playing soccer. I told them my first game was on Wednesday and they showed up. Much to their dismay, it wasn't a soccer game.
I earned three varsity letters in football and basketball and four in lacrosse. I captained all three teams as a senior. I wanted to play football and basketball in college. My football coach told me I'd never play again, and I bought into it. It sort of worked out because my junior year, Tom Carmean (three-time All-American at UMass) became our lacrosse coach. He said I could go anywhere I wanted if I put my mind to it.
I was offered a scholarship to play lacrosse at UMass before my senior season. After two years at UMass, I just didn't like school, lacrosse, or anything to do with being in Amherst, MA, so I transferred to Arizona because my sister was in school there. At Arizona, I decided that my high school coach was wrong, and I walked on as a long snapper. After three seasons at Arizona, I had to graduate and move on into the real world.
What position did you play in lacrosse? Why did you give it up for football?
I was a defenseman and a long stick middie. I played lacrosse because it was a lot like basketball. I never really thought of it as a year-round sport. I picked up my stick on the first day of practice and put it down after the last game. I didn't touch it again until the next season. I loved to play, but I wasn't that dedicated to it. Football was my true love. I was much better at lacrosse, but I couldn't commit to it, in my head, like you need to in order to be a good college athlete. So, football it was.
You’ve experienced some health issues, both recently with your eye and with Marfan’s Syndrome. What effect has all of this had on your life?
Marfan's Syndrome has never really been an issue in my head until recently. All I knew as a kid was that the doctors didn't want me to do ANYTHING! The reason is, the connective tissue in my body is weak. Ligaments, tendons, and all the connective tissue in my eyes, heart - you name it. My eye surgeries have all been because of Marfan's. As a side note, if you ask my training partner Vincent Dizenzo, Marfan's Sydrome is Dwarfism. It's a long story, but it's pretty funny. Back on track. I was told not to accept my scholarship because of it. Obviously, I wasn't listening. My parents were very cool and always signed the release forms so I could play sports. I thank them so much, because I never realized that it was a big deal. My girlfriend and another close friend have done some reading about it, which is how I know what Marfan's is.
I'm glad I never knew that it was a big deal. I believe that you only have a problem if you think you do. The mind is so strong. I'm no mental pillar, but I don't use things as excuses for not succeeding. If I don't succeed, it's my fault. Not Marfan's, or my parents, or whatever other BS people use because they suck at life. Have a goal, and find a way to reach it.
You’ve also had some sleep issues over the years. How have you addressed them? How did they effect your lifting? Have things improved?
Sleep apnea sucks! I think it really started to become a problem in college when I broke 240 lbs or so, and my neck was about 18". Once I hit 300 lbs, I wasn't sleeping at all. Vincent Dizenzo told me to get a sleep study, because I described everything he had suffered with for years. He was right. They woke me up after two hours and said, "Put this on. You're gonna die." My apnea was so bad that in eight hours of being in bed, I got about 25 minutes of sleep per night. If you stop breathing 40 times per hour, that's considered bad apnea. I stopped breathing 136 times per hour. I am proud to say that I have it the worst of all my training partners. Vincent was 126, I believe.
I never realized how bad it was until I actually slept. I was always sore, tired, and just weak. My appetite was horrible and I had headaches all the time. I just thought this was normal and part of powerlifting. Since I've been sleeping with my CPAP, I'm stronger, leaner (that could be debatable), less cranky, and just happier in general. Sleep deprivation sucks.
Why did you give up coaching football to go into personal training? Have you found this to be a good career move?
Coaching football and S&C was great. I learned a lot from it. I left football because of one coach in particular. The story is too long to tell, but one day during the Delaware week, he pushed me to the point of no return. I said and did things that still embarrass me to this day. When he tried to apologize, I had a few choice words for him. That's when I realized that this is not who I wanted to become.
About a year ago, my dad forwarded me a message about said coach. He was the D-Line coach for the Detroit Lions. (He is one of the greatest coaches as far as knowledge and technique that I've ever seen. I learned so much from him). He was pulled over and arrested for DUI. When the officer walked up to his car, he was naked and hammered drunk. Karma, baby. That was one of the best pieces of news I've gotten in a while.
As for the personal training - I love what I do. I get to help people try to achieve their goals while doing something that I'm passionate about. I'm basically still a coach - I just get paid better and don't have to work that hard. For me, this was a great move. In the future, I hope to open my own facility with Vincent. When the spirit compels us, it'll happen.
What advice would you give to someone looking to make a career out of personal training?
I never put much thought into that. Be able to deal with all kinds of personalities. Be able to deal with the fact that people are lazy and will look for any excuse to not reach their goals, then blame you. But, really, just love it and be passionate. People can see that I love what I do and that I really do want them to succeed. If you can sell yourself and find a way to reach your clients, I think you'll do well.
Since you’ve been sidelined with the eye issue, you’ve probably had some time to think about your own training. What, if any, changes (i.e., schedule, cycling, exercise selection, etc…) do you intend to make when you finally get back?
I won't change much. I plan on running a 12-week cycle of higher volume once I'm cleared to go full speed. I want to gain about 40lbs for November. I'll need the extra volume to gain some muscle and size. Then, twelve weeks from the meet, I'll get back to what I usually do. My training was dead on going into IPA Nationals and the Candy Azz meet in February. I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but that was not because I wasn't strong. So, not much will change. The wheel works. No need to re-invent it.
Whenever an athlete has an extended layoff due to injury, there’s a definite mental aspect that has to be addressed when he or she eventually returns to action. Have you made any allowances for this?
Vincent won't let us make these excuses. It will take some time, but I won't allow myself to slip into the, "Well, I was out for a while. It's just gonna take some time..." That's a load of horsecrap. I've become pretty good at setting my goals up so that I'll succeed. I won't come back and expect to squat 1100 lbs. I have certain numbers in my head that indicate that I'm back. When I hit them, I'll feel like I'm back in the game.
It really comes down to doing the work and letting things fall where they will. If I do the work, the numbers will fall. It's really that easy.
How has being a taller lifter (6’4”) impacted your training? I know this is a loaded question that would take more space than we have here, but what are a few things taller athletes could take into consideration in order to make better progress?
#1 - Stop crying about being tall. Life sucks - buy a helmet.
#2 - Become a great technician.
#3 - Get bigger. Anything less than 275 and you're just too small.
#4 - My bench training differs a little from the rest of the crew. I do a little more full range work. I think I need it so that I remember to push all the way thru to lockout.
#5 - Get bigger
Any parting words?
"Yo bartender, Joe Boo needs a refill!"