Photo originally published Sept. 7, 1980
"If putting on pounds was the only goal," said Ed Olson, a sophomore center for the Gophers' 1980 football team, "it would have been a lot easier to just sit around and drink malted milks."
But the goals for the team were a bit more lofty. They were working to become bigger (but not necessarily heavier), stronger and quicker.
Bob Rohde, the Gophers' weight training coordinator, said, "What our weight program tries to accomplish is to keep the muscles at the same length and flexibility, but make them larger and stronger. Increase body mass without increasing fatty tissue."
In other words, they weren't all training to be the next Mr. Universe.
Rohde knew a thing or two about weight training — he had been practicing it since 1969, after suffering a knee injury while playing with the Denver Broncos. Back then, weight training was just starting to be studied and researched.
Rohde brought that knowledge to the University of Minnesota in 1979, when he was hired as the Gophers' first strength coach.
Now, 40 years later, he is still with the Gophers, and still coordinating strength programs for the entire athletic department.
