Periodization training is a method of training that involves progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during a specific period of time. It is a way of alternating training to its peak during the season. During periodization training, a program is mapped out in a macrocycle, mesocycle and microcycle. Athletes can vastly improve performance by interjecting resistance training based on specificity during the offseason of their training plans.
Strength Training and Athletes
Strength training programs are fundamental to an athlete's development and success. The principle of specificity states that training should mirror the demands of the sport as closely as possible, therefore athletes should train overall movements rather than focusing on specific muscles. A well-rounded program should include various types of training: endurance, strength and power, speed and agility, tactical, and recovery.
Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail
Another key aspect to athletic success is proper planning. A systematic training approach like periodization provides satisfactory overload to specific muscles fiber types while other fibers are getting necessary recovery. This helps keep athletes healthy, reducing likelihood of injuries, while improving specific aspects of athletic performance. Randomized training is not tailored enough to meet goals or warrant results in the same manor.
Why Periodization
The goal of periodizing an exercise program is to optimize training during short as well as long periods of time. Using periodization, a competitive athlete is able to reach peak physical performance at a particular point in time, such as for the season or a major competition. Athletes that adapt a periodized program over other training options have shown greater gains in general strength in addition to sports-specific movements overall, improving their games.
Application
Sit down with a calendar and determine which events will be the focal point of your season. Plan in reverse, from your goal dates backward. Remember to think big picture, then break it down. Cycle intensity, planning to peak in training closest to your competition events, but allowing for ample rest afterward. A periodized approach will help prevent plateaus as well as increase overall performance.
References
- Human Kinetics: "Periodization Training for Sports-2nd Edition"
- "NSCA's Performance Training Journal"; The Benefits of Strength Training for Endurance Athletes; Travis M. Erickson, MS, CSCS
- "NSCA's Performance Training Journal"; Periodization & Specificity: Resistance Training and Endurance Athletes; Kyle Brown, CSCS
- "The National Strength and Conditioning Association's Basic Guidelines for the Resistance Training of Athletes"; David Pearson, PhD, CSCS, et al.; August 2000
- "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise"; Physiological Changes with Periodized Resistance Training in Women Tennis Players; William Kraemer, et al.; January 2003
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