Periodisation

Systematic planning of training to achieve specific goals

Division of training into cycles to manage workload and recovery

Specificity, Overload, Progression, Initial Values, Reversibility and Diminishing returns

Description: The exposure of tissues to greater than accustomed to training stress (1,2)

Concept: Challenging current fitness/performance levels induces compensatory improvements (1). However, excessive overload and/or inadequate rest can result in overtraining, injury, and performance decrements (2)

General Adaption Syndrome (GAS) Supercompensation

• When a body experiences a new stress or a more intense stress than previously applied (e.g. lifting heavier weight, or training with a greater load- volume), the first response is the shock or Alarm phase. (think overload and neuromuscular adaptions) • This phase may last several days or several weeks, during which the athlete may experience excessive soreness, stiffness and a drop in performance.

Resistance phase, one in which the body adapts to the stimulus and returns to more normal functioning. In this phase, the body is able to withstand the stress (training induced). (think Functional over-reaching)

In reaction to increased training stimuli (intensity / overload) The athlete relies on neurological adaptations (what is happening – think coordination – agonist - antagonist) to continue training while the muscle tissue adapts by making various biochemical, structural and mechanical adjustments that lead to increased performance (Stone et al 1982)

Acute: Chronic load ratio Understand the task ‘specific’ fitness requirement Understand the person and their aims / limitations / potential / motivation Set the training within periods of load and allow for progression and recovery

Frequency - How often Intensity - How hard is the sessions Duration and Time - How many minutes per Session

Intensity increase and Reps decreases

Several Months - a year Conceptually the macrocycle is considered a season and is subdivided into preparatory, competitive and transition periods

2 - 6 weeks Medium sized training period often referred to as a block of training. Structurally the mesocycle forms the basis of the macrocycle

1 - 2 weeks Possibly the most important planning structure. Contains individual training days set to meet the goals set in the mesocycle

Emphasis on remaining the same strenght or with subtle improvemnts have good application across sports that have many in-season contests or long seasons. Non-linear periodisation is more viable to team sports during the in- season

Linear periodisation may be more appropriate during the off- and pre-season Linear may be more appropriate for youth (and ageing) and individuals in learning and developmental stages (remember – soon ripe, soon rotten)

• External Factors: Travel, work-life balance, and competition schedules. • Injury Recovery: Modifying training for unexpected setbacks. • Load-management • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Enhances cardiovascular and metabolic fitness. • Concurrent Training: Balancing endurance and strength to minimize interference.

Between the competition period and the next preparatory period is the second transition period. This period is commonly referred to as active rest or restitution and lasts 1 to 4 weeks. The period focusses on unstructured, non-sport specific recreational activities performed at low intensity with low volume. Care should be taken to avoid aggressive / intense training immediately after peaking. Another additional use of the active rest period is to insert a one-week break between long phases (3+ weeks) of high intensity training (specifically good for team sports with long seasons). This is sometimes termed an unloading week, and can help prepare for a new challenge / increase in intensity / volume.

The goal of the competition period is to peak strength and power through further increases in training intensity and additional decreases in training volume (lifting more, less often). Technique and game strategy will increase dramatically as time spent on physical conditioning decreases proportionately. The competition period can for some athletes last from 1 to 3 weeks (i.e. national, world championships) or a entire season. This prolonged season offers some challenges and will require careful manipulation of the mesocycles and microcycles. Can also be termed the Maintenance Period

This period usually denotes a break between high volume and high intensity training of the later stages of the preparatory period and the move into the competition period. Often the first transition period is a week of lower intensity and lower volume to offer a level of restitution before engaging with the competition period.

The last stage of the preparatory period is the strength / power phase. This phase involves high intensity (75- 95% 1 RM – depending on exercise) and low volume (3 – 5 sets of 2 – 5 repetitions). If the athlete were a sprinter, they would be training at near competitive pace against resistance (sled parachute) and uphill).

Later in the preparatory period, the aim of the basic strength phase is to increase the strength of the muscles essential to the primary sport movements. (or strength goals) The basic strength phase should involve high intensity (80 – 90% of 1 rep max) and moderate volume (3 – 5 sets of 4-8 repetitions). This is dependant on individual technique, skill and performance profile.

Occurs during the early stages of the preparatory period (may last 1 – 6 weeks), this training is low intensity and high volume. (meaning?) Goals are to increase lean body mass or develop an endurance (muscular and metabolic) base, or both for more intense training in the later periods. (67 – 85% 1RM, 6-12 reps, 3-6 sets) Initially the conditioning activities may not be specific to the sport / athletic event as this is a general approach. However, as the preparatory period progresses conditioning should seek to become focussed on specificity. This phase may be followed by an intermediate recovery week or a microcycle of low-intensity and low volume training (un- loading).