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Chapter 21: Periodization

Key Term

• Periodization: A strategy to promote long-term performance improvements in order to peak at the most important time without overtraining.
    - Characterized by preplanned, systematic variations in training specificity, intensity, and volume.
    - Organized in periods or cycles within an overall program to avoid plateaus.
    - First proposed by Leo Matveyev in 1966.

Performance Level

• Involves General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which includes fluctuations in performance at different periods:
    - Intraday variations
    - Interday variations
    - Microcycle fluctuations

Introduction of Stressors

• Stressors can be categorized into training and other stressors.
  
  

Phases of GAS:

1. Alarm Phase:
      - The initial phase of training.
      - Performance generally decreases in response to fatigue as the stimulus is first recognized.
   
   

2. Resistance Phase:
      - The second phase where adaptation occurs.
      - The system returns to baseline, or, in most instances, elevated above baseline.
   
   

3. Supercompensation Phase:
      - A new level of performance capacity occurs in response to the adaptive response found in the resistance phase.
   
   

4. Overtraining Phase:
      - If stressors are too high, performance can be further suppressed, leading to overtraining syndrome.

Section Outline

• Periodization Cycles
    - Macrocycle
    - Mesocycle
    - Microcycle

Periodization Cycles

• Macrocycle:
    - Encompasses an entire training year but could also be any period ranging from a few months up to four years.

• Mesocycles:
    - Medium duration training cycles, typically lasting several weeks to several months.
    - Example:
      - One mesocycle may consist of four weeks of training with varying training load (in arbitrary units).

• Microcycles:
    - Typically one week in duration but could last a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the program.

Structure of a Periodized Training Program

• Example of a macrocycle composed of 12 weeks of training and its training load fluctuations.

Section Outline

• Periodization Periods
    - Preparatory Period
      - Hypertrophy/Endurance Phases
      - Basic Strength Phase
    - First Transition Period
      - Strength/Power Phase
    - Competition Period
    - Second Transition Period
      - Active Rest

Periodization Periods

• Periodization involves shifting training priorities from the beginning of the macro cycle towards competition.

• This process is executed over many weeks to optimize performance and prevent overtraining.
  
  

Training Activity Characteristics

  - Non-sport-specific activities: High volume and low intensity.
  - Sport-specific activities: Low volume and high intensity.

Training Volume and Intensity

• Daily, microcycle, and mesocycle fluctuations are essential for both training volume (quantity) and intensity (quality).

• The goal is to optimize performance by ensuring appropriate preparation leading up to competition.

Preparatory Period

• Preparatory Period (Off season to preseason):
    - Emphasizes establishing a base level of conditioning to enhance the athlete’s tolerance for more intense training.
    - It is the initial and longest period, with no games and limited practices.
  
  

Initial Conditioning

  - Conditioning focuses on low intensity and relatively high volume.
  - Transition from General Preparatory to Specific Preparatory training.

Phase Characteristics

• General Preparatory Phase:
    - Hypertrophy/Endurance Phase:
      - Develop lean body mass (LBM) as needed and local muscular endurance (LME).
      - Training metrics:
        - Low to moderate intensity (50-75% of 1RM)
        - High volume (3 to 6 sets of 8-20 reps).
      - Sub-periods typically last 3-8 weeks and should be followed by a microcycle of recovery (deloading).

• Specific Preparatory Phase:
    - Basic Strength Phase:
      - Increase maximal strength (MS) of the muscles essential to primary sports movements.
      - Training metrics:
        - Higher intensity (80-95% of 1RM)
        - Moderate volume (2 to 6 sets of 2 to 6 reps).
      - Activities include resistance training (RT) movements such as deadlifts, squats, and lunges, along with plyometric drills, speed, and agility training.

Transition Period

• Transition Period (Preseason):
    - Focuses on pre-competitive training.
    - Strength/Power Phase:
      - Further sport-specific preparation occurs.
      - Training metrics:
        - Low to Very High Intensity (ranging from 87-95% of 1RM for strength to 30-85% of 1RM for power)
        - Low volume (2 to 5 sets of 2 to 5 reps).
      - Resistance training movements can now be performed at higher speeds (power).
      - Emphasis on technique training increases, as does intensity during drills, which should approach competition levels.
      - Focus on strengthening through resistance training (RT) and plyometrics, along with speed and agility training.