sprague

KEN SPRAGUE

L&S: Ken, how did you first become exposed to track and field, and throwing?

KS: When I was about 9 years old, my older brother let me tag along to several of his track meets. [He also took me on my first visit to a weight room---the basement of the local YMCA.] He was an all-around athlete who competed in gymnastics, track and field, and Olympic lifting.

I began throwing in junior high school in the 1950's. Along with the typical school meets, I competed in AAU competitions in the summer. I started college on a track (throws) scholarship at the University of Cincinnati in the early 1960s. That scholarship (books and tuition) lasted one semester: I was married, working ten hour night-shifts at a local machine tool company, training, and taking a full academic load. Something had to go---it was track.

Interestingly, both my mother and sister competed in minor shot put competitions in the mid-1950s.

L&S: Give us some background on your coaching history.

KS: I consider myself a weight training coach having minimal technical expertise in the throwing events. I'm particularly interested in developing adolescent weight trained athletes. Hence, I'll begin with a sketch of my background as that background relates to weight training.

Ken and his son Chris, at age 10. That little guy grew up to be a top scholastic shotputter, with a bright future ahead at Stanford next year.

I began weight training as a ten-year-old who tagged along to the YMCA with his older brother. From that point---more than 40 years ago--I have trained with weights. I competed as a bodybuilder, powerlifter, and Olympic lifter. The weight training also led to substantial success in basketball, boxing, and track and field.

In 1970, I purchased the original Gold's Gym which was located in Venice, California. My motive for the purchase was to keep the doors open; it was going under at the time. In short, I bought it as a hobby. Yes, Arnold, Franco, Zane, Draper, and all the other greats of the time trained there, but weight training wasn't a big deal in the early 1970s. For example, Arnold was making a hundred dollars for a guest posing spot---in fact, I hired him for $50 in 1972 to pose at my first attempt at producing bodybuilding competitions.

The gym's gross income that first year was about $25,000. The rest is history. By the mid-70s, there were several select days when the gross receipts from contest spectators and product sales exceeded $250,000. Gold's made the cover of The Wall Street Journal and was featured on CBS' 60 Minutes---as well as several thousand other media spots. In 1976, Gold's was the primary location for the filming of "Pumping Iron." The gym produced numerous lifting and bodybuilding competitions, including the 1977 and 1978 National Powerlifting Championships. [I sold Gold's in 1979 and temporarily retired.]

More importantly, Gold's was the "Mecca" of weight training. As such, information was shared among the thousands of weight trained athletes that crossed the threshold each year. For example, Boyd Epley---then the strength coach at Nebraska--- toured Gold's for ideas in the summer of 1977 as he was setting into motion the fledgling NSCA. Gold's offered the greatest practical education in weight training. Today, much of the same sharing of information happens via the InterNet.

L&S: Ken, can you discuss some of your research?

Research? Few studies had been published before the mid-70s---absolutely nothing on weight training and kids or adolescents.

However, as the popularity of weight training grew on college campuses and among the general public, short-term studies of adult male subjects began to proliferate. Studies of females followed. Yet, there are still few studies on adolescents---the few that exist are short term and devoid of information on the effects of intense training. Hence, anecdotal information is essentially all that is available in regards to the effects of intense training on adolescents.

Over the past 25 years, I've read the bulk of published research involving adolescent weight training. As a supplement to that reading, I reentered school and received a Phi Beta Kappa key through completion of a second degree in biology and chemistry [I had been through law school.] Thereafter, I received a masters degree in behavior disorders and behavior management---I think a firm grasp of behavior management techniques are an integral aspect of effective coaching. I've had post graduate training in various elements of exercise science.

Along the way, I've weight trained hundreds of adolescent athletes. Of course, I've been involved in the weight training programs of numerous adults---including many world champions from many different sports.

L&S: What are your own thoughts/conclusions regarding adolescent strength training?

KS: I began "playing" with weights at about 11 years old. Most of the successful weight lifters and body builders that I've known over the years began at an early age too. My youngest son began weight training at 10 years old; and, at 17, he has successfully transferred the strength gains from weight training to success in track and field and boxing. Needless to say, I'm 100% in favor of strength training for adolescents.

The multiple benefits of adolescent strength training can be explained with a personal anecdote. My son, Chris, is a natural left-hander---he still writes and shoots a basketball with his left hand. In kindergarten, Chris shattered his left elbow falling off the monkey bars; his left arm was pinned and repinned and remained in a cast for over a year. The prognosis was that he would never straighten his left arm, and that sports participation would derivatively suffer. At ten years of age, Chris could still not straighten his left arm; and, the musculature/strength on his left shoulder, back, and chest was markedly less than the corresponding musculature on the right side of his upper-body.

At ten, Chris began weight training and won his first National Junior Olympic Championship in the shot put---throwing right handed (his "off" hand). Since that time, he's won 9 more National J.O. Championships in the shot or discus throwing right-handed. He has earned an athletic scholarship to Stanford University. His arm is perfectly straight and his strength/musculature is bilaterally balanced. He has added >80# of muscle through weight training.

Conversely, "what if" he had not weight trained through adolescence? It's reasonable to speculate that he would have enjoyed minimal athletic success---he would have probably packed ~175# on his 6' frame. He would not have been a champion thrower, if a thrower at all. Perhaps his arm would have never straightened. Certainly, he would not have had the range of exciting and rewarding experiences derived from weight training and throwing. Obviously---yes, obviously---weight training through adolescence has had an enormously positive impact on his life.

Rather than cite a lot of abstract studies, let me conclude my thoughts with a personal; statement. The controversy surrounding adolescent strength training is borne of misinformation. Well intentioned people don't know what they're talking about when they disparage adolescent weight training.

L&S: Ken, can you touch on adolescent vs adult training, the exercises that are appropriate and some popular misconceptions ?

KS: The first thought that comes to mind regarding adolescent strength training is "why not?" Strength training works for all ages and both genders.

Unfortunately, the topic of prepubescent and adolescent strength training is fraught with misconceptions and ignorance. Lots of erroneously constructed opinions derived from the misapplication of snippets of research. The bottom line: strength training is both safe and effective for prepubescent and adolescent athletes. Stunted growth, premature closer of growth plates, and the passel of other denigrations of youth strength training are myths.

A young athlete's training program, per se, need not differ from an adult's program: training experience, current strength level, and the maturity to follow instruction are the decisive factors in establishing a strength training program for young people. Training experience is the primary factor: beginners of any age are beginners and should follow a beginner's base-program. Conversely, a sixteen-year-old with six years of competently planned training experience should be able to follow the most intense "adult" training protocol.

Because the average kid lacks training experience---and the judgement that comes through experience---most kids are best served by following a basic, beginner's level program. Particularly for beginners, training should FOCUS ON THE LEGS: legs are tough to train, hence they're the most neglected body parts---and leg strength is the benchmark of a good thrower.

There are gradational differences in training effects dependent on the athlete's gender and maturational stage; but, the sequence of responses---quick initial gains because of neural adaptations, followed by slow gains accompanied by muscle growth---are essentially the same for all ages and both genders. Of course, the rate of muscle growth for females and preadolescents is compromised by low blood levels of testosterone.

I would recommend that a beginner use machines wherever possible to work a given muscle group. For example, leg presses rather than squats. [The substitution of leg presses for squats is particularly appropriate for beginning females and prepubescent/adolescent males. Both groups have relatively strong legs and weak spine/shoulder girdles---making the stress of squats a potential "turn off" to subsequent leg training. And, the relative strength difference between the upper and lower body makes upper body strength a limiting factor to effective leg training.]

Will substituting machines for free weight exercises harm long-term success in strength training? Here's an anecdotal response: My son had trouble squatting with 225# when beginning squats at 14-years-old. At 15-years-old, he could deep squat over 600#---the result of heavy leg presses from the time he was 10-years-old. The strength gained from the leg press machine quickly transferred to the squatting movement with a little practice, maturation, and back work.

The principles of applying strength training to sports technique are simple and the same for adults and youth: Break down the throwing movement into segments and mimic those segments as closely as possible through strength training exercises. Where possible, apply an overload through all joint angles of a given movement. I recommend assisted reps and partial movement exercises (ie, half-squat, etc.) to accomplish this goal. Bands and chains are other means of working toward the same goal. The primary goal is to increase strength throughout the exercise/throwing movement.

What workout is best? I've tried most standard set/rep/days protocols; they all increase strength. There is no magic workout. However, there are two components that I've found to be common to the most successful strength trainers; intesity while training combined with adeqaute rest and recovery between workouts. The usuual athlete, training with maximum intensity would probably be unable to sustain a workout schedule of more than once/week/body part. With a little less intensity, perhaps two workouts per week. But, in the end, the individual---after reflecting on personal training experience---will find the best training protocol to fit his/her unique physical and psychological makeup.

In conclusion, strength training is best described as a goal-directed activity. Short-term and long-term goals. Venus Williams, a young tennis player, could have been talking about an analysis of the relationship of strength training to the throws: "It's important to know what you want. Then you can work toward it."

L&S: I'm sure during your years you've seen many of the negative effects of steroid abuse. Can you relate some things that you've seen?

My response will surprise you. Over the years, I've known thousands of athletes---primarily bodybuilders, powerlifters, Olympic lifters, and football players---who have used moderate doses of steroids over both short and long periods of time to markedly improve performance. From both my personal observation and the athletes' comments, none have experienced negative physical or psychological side-effects as a result of moderate steroid use.

Before saying more, let me emphatically state that, today, I'm absolutely opposed to steroid use. Why? Three pragmatic reasons: (1) Track and field organizations have banned steroids. Hence, steroids are cheating, providing an unfair competitive advantage---like using an underweight implement; (2) The possession and sale of steroids to enhance athletic performance is a federal crime, the violation of which subjects the violator to severe penalties---I know both doctors and athletes who have spent time in jail for steroid-related crimes; (3) Steroids alter body chemistry---and, only a fool would play with his/her body chemistry without the availability of medical supervision. Hence, the law, ethics, sportsmanship, and lack of medical supervision mandate that athletes stay away from steroids.

I first heard of steroids in the early 1960s while training with bodybuilders in the local YMCA. Around that same time, I talked with members of the York Barbell Club who mentioned the positive effects of steroids. [The team physician for the York Barbell Club was instrumental in the development/sports application of steroids.] That sent me in motion.

My family doctor readily wrote a prescription on my next office visit; his rationale was that steroids were a mild drug that were unlikely to cause harm, and a paying patient requested them. My rationale was that I wanted to get stronger; steroids were not prohibited at that time. The three small (Dianabol) tablets I took each day helped produce a 150# gain in my Olympic total in 6 weeks. Previously a hard-gainer, I gained >30# in bodyweight over that same 6-week period.

On arrival in California and Gold's Gym in 1969, I found that steroids were part of the training regimen for 95% of serious (beginning through pro) lifters and bodybuilders that I met. Steroids became a "media darling" during pre-coverage of the 1980 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The Cold War was going full-blast, a testing lab was set up at UCLA, and the American media was quick to jump on alleged Eastern Block chemical enhancements to athletic performance. [Rarely mentioned was that many American track and field athletes had used steroids since the early 1960s.]

Since that time, reporters have merged fact and fiction in headline-grabbing steroid stories. Typically, as exemplified by [All-Pro NFL] Lyle Alzado's death, popular-news stories confuse correllation for cause-effect. Lyle died of a brain tumor: Lyle took steroids. The media widely reported that steroid abuse "caused" the brain tumor---although that cause-effect relationship was never substantiated. "Roid rage" is another popular media-coined term that has been employed to explain psychotic episodes of men with large muscles who had admitted steroid use. Rarely reported are the pre-steroid personality disorders displayed by the same individuals.

Certainly, steroids aren't absolutely safe---particularly without medical supervision. Tylenol and ibuprofen aren't completely safe either. Tylenol and ibuprofen have been shown to cause liver and kidney damage failure. Extreme dosages (and probably moderate dosages in some people) of steroids can produce a panoply of negative side-effects such as accentuated secondary sexual characteristics, elevated liver panels, elevated blood pressure with attendant weight gain,and the temporary shutdown of natural steroid production. Hypothetically (no research available), steroids administered to an adolescent can cause premature closure of growth plates. And, hypotheticating from animal studies, steroids administered to a pregnant female during the appropriate developmental stage will produce more aggressive offspring. However, I reiterate---and please focus on the word "moderate"---I have personally observed no negative side-effects from moderate steroid use among adult males; and, moderate dosages are all that are necessary to saturate testosterone receptors in muscle tissue and produce the performance enhancing effect.

As a final note, I suspect that controversy will always surround any discussion of steroids since truth and fiction have been so completely intertwined. The bottom line: like height and reaction time, an athlete is stuck with his/her genetic potential for testosterone production. [Note:Two individuals might have a 10-fold genetic-based difference in natural testosterone production.]

L&S: Ken, what are your thoughts on strength and explosiveness?

KS: "Explosiveness" is often a limiting factor to successful throwing. That's particularly the case with young throwers, who, because of low strength levels, are often limited in their expression of explosiveness. Many writers have commented on weight training's value in building/expressing explosiveness in an athletic movement. Here's my two cents (maybe less): (1) We all know what "explosive" is in practical terms, it's a quick arm, quick feet, etc.; there's no need for a scientific explanation other than explosiveness relates to acceleration (how "quickly" the athlete increases the speed of his body or implement) (2) As with all physiological factors in athletic performance, each athlete has an individualized genetic potential which limits explosiveness. (3) All the weight training in the world can't override the athlete's genetically driven explosive potential. [An analogous argument is that "sprinters are born, not made." An example is Carl Lewis: although Carl has consistently weight trained for the past 15 years, his 100m time has improved ~1% (Arguably, that 1% could be attributed to improved technique.)]

The conception is sometimes expressed that an athlete might be "too strong." A more appropriate perspective might be that extra strength is wasted, analogous to ingesting more protein than the body can utilize. Why? Strength is one ingredient determining explosiveness. By way of example, another factor is the speed with which nerve impulses travel to activate muscle contractions. [There are many other factors.] Continuing the example, if the athlete's strength is adequate to meet the speed of his nervous system, extra strength is superfluous---in this example, the nervous system is the limiting factor. (5) Strength helps overcome the added resistance of an implement. The baseline genetic potential for explosiveness (potential acceleration) doesn't change with added strength---the added strength helps the athlete overcome the added resistance (implement) to the expression of that explosiveness. Hence, Randy Johnson can throw a 100 mph fastball, but can't throw a shot worth a darn---Randy can't overcome the added resistance with his low level of strength. Another athlete, having an eqivalent genetic explosive potential and excellent strength, can throw a ~100 mph fastball AND throw the shot far. (6) The bottom line: If a guy/girl has a genetic prescription for quick movements, strength training will help realize the inherent potential. But, you're never going to make an explosive thrower out of a guy/girl who is not genetically programmed to be explosive.

L&S: How does behavior management come into play in coaching?

L&S: Relative to coaching, behavior management techniques come into play everytime the coach reinforces correct technique and attitudes; or, conversely, works to extinguish behaviors or attitudes of the athlete that are counter-productive to success. The underlying assumption of behavior modification is that the vast majority of human behaviors are learned---and can therefore be taught.

Positive reinforcement" is a common tool in teaching behaviors or skill acquisition. On the playing field, a coach employs positive reinforcement every time he makes a positive comment toward an athlete who has correctly performed a task. The most efficient application of positive reinforcement can become quite complicated; but, let me say that the ultimate goal of positive reinforcement is that the athlete internalize value in correctly performing the behavior/task/skill.

The nature of positive reinforcement is particularly striking in adolescent strength training. Within several workouts, the adolescent gains measurable strength (because of neural adaptations). The strength gains positively reinforce the trainee's effort; in everyday lingo, the strength gains "reward" the effort. Consequently, the trainee's successful experience motivates him/her to put forth more effort in subsequent workouts; the effort leads to more strength gains (rewards). The athlete is hooked on the rewards as his/her self-esteem rises with the demonstration of increasing competence.

Many coaches/teachers make the [behavior management] mistake of keeping beginners at a fixed level of resistance for weeks or months. The result is that the young male/female becomes bored with the activity before the positive-reinforcement feedback loop is established. [Weight training---like any activity--- can be a boring, meaningless activity if not goal-directed or positively reinforcing.] The solution is to plan workouts so that the young athlete lifts heavier weights in successive workouts---that helps internalize the value of weight training.

L&S: You've mentioned some elite bodybuilders you've worked with. How about strength athletes and throwers?

At Gold's and since, I've worked with many different types of athletes and fitness buffs who've benefitted from strength training; Lyle Alzado, Howie Long, Ken Norton, Eric Dickerson, the UCLA basketball team (during the Larry Farmer era), Marcus Allen, Sly Stallone, Jane Fonda, and Gene Hackman are several of the disparate types that come to mind. All used strength training for different reasons to achieve different goals.

L&S: Ken, can you give us a list of your writings?

KS: Glenn, Here are the books I've written:

The Gold's Gym Strength Training Book, 1994, Putnam/Perigee Books, NY (original edition, 1981, Tarcher/St. Martins Press).
The Gold's Gym Weight Training Book, 1993, Putnam/Perigee Books, NY (original edition, 1978, Tarcher/St. Martins Press).
More Muscle, 1996, Human Kinetics, Illinois.
Sports Strength, 1993, Putnam/Perigee, NY.
Weight and Strength Training for Kids and Teenagers, 1991, Tarcher/St. Martins Press, Los Angeles.
The Gold's Gym Bodybuilding Book, 1983, Contemporary Books, Chicago.
The Athlete's Body, 1982, Tarcher/Houghton Mifflin, Los Angeles.

L&S: Ken, how did you first become exposed to track and field, and throwing?