Angel Spassov
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Ангел Спасов Цветков |
| Birth name | Angel Spassov Tzvetkov |
| Born | 18 November 1941 Nikopol, Bulgaria |
| Died | February 11, 2017 (aged 75) Austin, Texas, U.S.A. |
| Education | B.A. in Scientific Basis of Sports Training (1966)
M.A. in Teacher in Physical Education Ph.D. (1972) D.Sc. (1981) |
| Alma mater | National Sports Academy |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Spouse(s) | Galia Tzvetkov (1999–2017) |
Angel Spassov (Bulgarian: Ангел Спасов; 18 November 1941 – 11 February 2017) was a weightlifter and coach. He was a competitive weightlifter from 1958–1970 and coached for over 50 years, authoring several books and articles.[1][2]
He is most known for popularizing the Bulgarian split squat and periodization in the western hemisphere, after being invited by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and U.S.A. Weightlifting (USAW) to conduct a lecture tour across North America.[3][4] He worked with many notable figures such as Donna Lopiano, Terry Todd, Jan Todd, and Ivan Abadjiev, and trained athletes such as Mark Henry, Ursula Garza Papandrea, Kerri Hanebrink, Naim Süleymanoğlu, Asen Zlatev, and Norair Nurikian.[5][6][7][8][2]
Early life and education
Spassov was born on November 18, 1941, in Nikopol, Bulgaria, to Pasko Krachounov Tzvetkov and Neviana Krasteva Todorova. After high school, he served in the Bulgarian Army for two years, as was mandatory at the time.[9][10]
Spassov then enrolled into the National Sports Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria. He received several degrees from the institution, earning his B.A. in Scientific Basis of Sports Training in 1966 and M.A. in Teacher in Physical Education. He received his Ph.D. in 1972 with a dissertation on "Pre-Competitive Warm-up for Elite Athletes," and his D.Sc. in 1981 on "Some Physiological Evaluations of the Periodization, Volume, and Intensity of World Class Athletes."[1]
Athletic career
Spassov weightlifted from 1958–1970, starting when he was 16. His highest placement was fifth at the 1965 European Championships.[2]
Coaching career
Spassov worked for the National Sports Academy as a professor of strength and conditioning for 25 years before being tasked by the NSCA and USAW to lecture across North America about Eastern European training methods.[3] During his tour, he connected with The University of Texas at Austin (UT) through Terry Todd and Donna Lopiano; he was originally hired as a special consultant, but was eventually hired as a full-time strength and conditioning coach.[3][9] He remained at UT until 2011 when he opened his own private gym, Tangra Elite Athletics, and continued to train athletes until his death in 2017.[1]
Personal life
Spassov married Galia Tzvetkov in 1999 and had two children, Kalina and Boriana Spassov. He is said to have been a loving husband and father who cared deeply for his family.[9] He remained in Austin, Texas since his first arrival in 1990 up until his death from cancer on February 11, 2017.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Little, Bill. "Carrying his weight". University of Texas Athletics. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Graves, Tony (September 1990). "Interview with Angel Spassov". IRONSPORT.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Spassov, Angel; Todd, Terry (December 1989). "Bulgarian Leg Training Secrets". Muscle & Fitness. pp. 133–194.
- ↑ "Coach Angel Spassov, Ph.D., D. Sc". LOCK'D IN. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ↑ Todd, Terry (Winter 2020). "Mark Henry's Olympic Diary". Iron Game History. 15 (1): 91–95 – via H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports.
- ↑ "Interview: Ursula Garza Papandrea". www.catalystathletics.com. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ↑ "Coach Kerri Hanebrink Goodrich Interviewed by Harvey Newton". SportsEdTV. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ↑ Todd, Terry (June 11, 1984). "Behold Bulgaria's Vest-Pocket Hercules". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2025-08-30. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Angel SPASSOV Obituary (1941 - 2017) - Austin, TX - Austin American-Statesman". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ↑ "Bulgaria ends compulsory military service - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
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