What is Periodization?

A Road Map to Success

Identify Goals
Define Specific and Time
Related Objectives
Construct and Execute
Training
Training Program Fulfills
Objectives
Evaluate Progress toward
Objectives
SUCCESS

Why Periodization?
The objective is to get
all systems
--physical, technical,
psychological-to come together for a
major competition or a
series of
competitions.

Proper Prior Planning

Prevents
Poor Performance

Focus
Evaluate athlete Select competitions or
series of competitions for
peak performance
Determine cycling
General role of Periods
What is in a Mesocycle?
Microcycles- how to put
it together in a daily plan

Factors in Training
Direct Factors
Training

Supportive Factors

Physical
Training

Scientific
Assess.

Audio
Visual

Increase
Technique Functional

Tests &
Standards

Training
Journal

Teaching

Administration &
Economical Conditions

Assessment

Admin

Training
Facilities

Clubs
Organization Equipment

Professional &
Living Style
School/Coach
Satisfaction

Diet

Organized
Daily
Program

No Smoke
or Drink

Finances

Activity
in
Fresh Air

Potential

Tactics

Planning

Develop
Biomotor
Abilities

Medical
Control

Self

Assessment

Budget

Organization of
Competitions

Clothing

Facilities for
Complimentary
Sports

Bompa-Theory and Methodology of Training 1986 p12

Sleep

Considerations before you start

What does it take to achieve the goal that
you and your athlete have selected?
Evaluate your athlete
Make definitive measurable objectives
(Improve by 2% the scores on a particular test)

What are the competitions that you will

want to peak at?
Numbers of days that you have to work
with?

Evaluating your athlete

General:

Physical,
Physiological, Psychological
and Technical Capabilities

Specific: Sports, Tactical,

Technical and Functional
Performance

Athlete: Finance, Nutrition,

Occupation, Social, Training &
Support

Basic Concepts
Over-Compensation is what training is all
about The athlete loads and recovers and you
can take training to a higher level due to
improved fitness.

General Planning Considerations

Training emphasis1. When to shift from volume to intensity
(quality)
2. When to shift from training to
maintenance?
3. How long can the athlete be in the
maintenance phase?
4. Peaking/Tapering cycle
5. General: Related: Specific

Periodization Flow
TERMS

Annual Plan
Macrocycle
Period
Mesocycle
Microcycle
Training Session
Training Unit

EXAMPLES

Single Cycle, Bi-Cycle or Tri-Cycle

Preparatory
General Prep
Week 1
Monday AM

Competitive

Transition

Specific Prep
Week 2

Week 3

Monday PM

Warm-up Drills Training

Warm-down

Single Cycle, Bi- Cycle or Tri- Cycles?

Month
Period
Meso

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July
Preparation

Aug

Competition

Specific
Prep-

Pre-

Sept
Transition

Re- Major
cov Comp

Active
Rest

Oct Nov
NovDec
Dec Jan
Jan Feb
Feb March
MarchApril
April May
MayJune
JuneJuly
July Aug
Aug
Oct

Sept
Sept

General Prep

Preparation 1
General
Prep

Specific
Prep

Competition 1
PC

Comp

Comp

T
1

Preparation 2

Competition U M GP

Specific
Prep

Comp. 2 Transition
PC Comp

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July
Prep 1 Competitive 1
GP

Spec Prep

T1 Prep 2 Competitive 2
GP

Spec Prep

Active
Rest

Aug

Sept

T2 Prep 3 Competitive 3
GP

Spec Prep

Tran 3

PERIODS
Preparation

Competition

1) PREPARATION
(Adaptation--- Training to train)
2) COMPETITION
(Application--- Training to win)
3) TRANSITION
(Regeneration/Recovery)

Transition

GENERAL PREPARATION

Dominates the schedule

General- 50%: related-30%: specific-20%
VOLUME HIGH
INTENSITY LOW
Fitness before skills
Improving weaknesses
Develop max strength and endurance
Major changes in technique or using new
equipment
Weight loss
NO Competitions

SPECIFIC PREPARATION

General: Related: Specific

VOLUME HIGH INTENSITY INCREASING
Hardest working mesocycle
Technique must be schooled and stabilized as
athlete has become stronger & quicker.
2 a days might begin here
Testing occurs before, during and after
mesocycle.

PRE-COMPETITION
VOLUME DECREASES INTENSITY
INCREASES
Develop and stabilize competition
performance
Maintain strength & fitness levels
Avoid imprecise patterns due to fatigue
Mimic time schedule & nutrition plan for
major comp

COMPETITION
VOLUME LOW INTENSITY HIGH
General-20%: Related-30%: Specific-50%
All physical capabilities should be at their
highest levels
Unloading occurs before competition
Avoid panic and changing loads or
intensities- sudden shifts are harmful to
athlete.

TRANSITION
Gentle reduction of all loading
Must be active you do not want to lose all
previous work
Lots of cross-training
Gets the athlete prepared for General
Prep phase.

TESTING
Should occur between each mesocycle
WHY?
1) Identify weakness
2) Monitor progress
3) Provide incentive
4) Predict Performance Potential
5) Measure level of fitness
6) Determine modifications that may be
needed.

PEAKING/TAPERING

Optimal taper time- 2 weeks

Maintain intensity
Reduce volume in training by 60-90%
Maintain training frequency at > 80%
Use progressive, non-linear tapering
Performance improvements between .5
and 6.0%
Scientific Bases for Precompetition Tapering Strategies
Inigo Mujika and Sabino Padilla, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,
2003 Vol. 35, No. 7, pp 1182-1187

Single Cycle, Bi- Cycle or Tri- Cycles?

Month
Period
Meso

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July
Preparation

Aug

Competition

Specific
Prep-

Pre-

Sept
Transition

Re- Major
cov Comp

Active
Rest

Oct Nov
NovDec
Dec Jan
Jan Feb
Feb March
MarchApril
April May
MayJune
JuneJuly
July Aug
Aug
Oct

Sept
Sept

General Prep

Preparation 1
General
Prep

Specific
Prep

Competition 1
PC

Comp

Comp

T
1

Preparation 2

Competition U M GP

Specific
Prep

Comp. 2 Transition
PC Comp

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June July
Prep 1 Competitive 1
GP

Spec Prep

T1 Prep 2 Competitive 2
GP

Spec Prep

Active
Rest

Aug

Sept

T2 Prep 3 Competitive 3
GP

Spec Prep

Tran 3

TRADITIONAL MACROCYCLE:
GENERAL CONCEPT

TAPER

Volume
MESO

Intensity
MESO

Technique

MESO

General Specific

Competition

Peak

Transition

MICROCYLES
OBJECTIVE:
Manipulating the load (volume, intensity,
technique or all of them) within a weekly
cycle, so that the loads are offset with
recovery.
Matveyev and others state that a block of
4 microcycles works best with each
microcycle building upon the other called
summated microcycles

MICROCYCLE VARIATION: SIMPLE

TECH H

TH F

REST H

SU

REST

APPROACH WORKS WHEN THERE ARE ONLY 1 OR 2 RELATED ACTIVITIES

MICROCYCLE VARIATION: SIMPLE

TECH H
SV
L

L
M

WTV L

TH F

REST MH
M
L
L

SU

L
M

M
M

REST
REST

REST

EMPHASIS ON GAINING TECHNICAL SKILLS

(MULTI- COMPONENTS)

Summated MICROCYCLES
Traditional 16 WEEK MESOCYCLE

Performance
Fatigue

VOLUME

Variation emphasizing Power Gains

Performance
Fatigue
VL

Annual
Plans
ANNUAL PLANS
Determine major competition or
competitions
Determine Cycling (Single, Bi or Tri)
Count the number of days till the major
competition
Develop your time frames for the periods
(Prep,Comp,Tran) along with objectives
within those periods
Pencil in the objectives of your microcyles

REFERENCES
1. Training for Sports and Fitness- Brent S. Rushall and Frank S. Pyke, 1990
MacMillian Education Australia Pty Ltd.
2. Training Theory- Frank Dick,1984 , British Amateur Athletic Board
3. Science of Sport Training: How to Plan and Control Training for Peak
Performance, Thomas Kurz, 1991, Stadion Publishing Company
4. Fundamentals of Sports Training- L. Matveyev, 1981, Progress Publishers
5. Sports Training Principles- Frank Dick, 2002, A & C Black Publishers
6. Peak when it counts: Periodization for American Track & Field, William
Freeman, 1989, TAFNEWS Press
7. Theory and Methodology of Training: The Key to Athletic Performance,
Tudor Bompa, 1983, Kendall/Hunt