Periodization – Guest Blog from Annalise at TrueFitness

Periodization can be described as the scientific approach to programming to avoid plateaus over time. We use periodization in creating a workout program to maximize benefit while minimizing stagnation, overtraining, and plateaus. Any athlete that is developing a program to ensure maximal sports performance will need to use periodization to properly prepare themselves to be at peak game readiness once the season starts. Proper periodization of training protocols will enable that athlete to be at his or her best come game time.

Periodization is a systematic approach to creating workout protocols based around time frame, season (in season, out of season, pre-season) current condition of athlete, goals of athletes, substrate skills, and necessities of athlete to achieve improved sports performance. We break down periodization into three concurrent time period cycles. These cycles are Macrocycle, Mesocycle and Microcycle. Each one is variable in length and time.

Macrocycle- This is the overall time period. For an athlete it can be a full year time period if the goal is to be better by next season or possibly up to four years for an Olympic athlete. So that the athlete is fully prepared come start of the season you view the overall time period as the macrocycle and assign program goals based on the time within the macrocycle.

Mesocycle- is a smaller, more manageable time period. It can last for as little as two weeks are as long as a few months. The goals of the mesocycle are very well defined to appropriately improve sports performance based around how far away is the in-season. Each mesocycle within a macrocycle could have a different specific goal such as power improvement, conditioning, improved agility or sport specific improvements, etc. Depending on when the mesocycle falls within the macrocycle will determine the goal of the mesocycle. Different goals need to be addressed at different time such as training power first to establish a foundation. The athlete’s current needs are also always considered but when training a large group the individual needs are sometimes outweighed by the team needs.

Microcycle- This is the goal of today. What can you accomplish to make yourself better today? A microcycle is the smallest time period and can last up to two weeks. It is based around the most specific of goals such as how many reps, how much weight or how fast to run an agility drill. Improvement will be made today but seen through the life of the mesocycle and macrocyle, respectively. A microcycle falls within a mesocycle and there might be several microcycles within a mesocycle. A microcycle needs to focused on the here and now and what goals need to be the focus of now in order to achieve sports performance improvement. Any of the elements of sports performance could be the focus of a microcycle and the options of focus are limitless. Options could include running technique, deceleration, lower body power, etc. Any improvements on skills could be a focus. The time period in which the microcycle falls within the mesocycle and the individual athletes needs will determine the emphasis of the microcycle.
All of these cycles are intertwined to produce a program of periodization and to ensure that the athlete is game ready. The cycles are always changeable based around needs and goals. So changing today for the sake of future days is always a possibility as long as it falls into the proper protocol of the cycle and periodization program.

This is a short synopsis of what periodization is and the cycles that are involved. We will go further in depth next week on how to determine what should be the emphasis of each cycle and how an individual athlete and the sport play a role in determining the goals of each cycle. So be sure to check us out next week when we discuss programming and appropriate exercise selection.

Anyone in the San Diego area is welcome to drop in at our studio at 2949 Garnet Ave. 3rd floor, Pacific Beach, CA. We would love to put you through our workout. Please feel free to call or email Annalise Evans of TrueFitness with any questions: (760) 809 1848 annalise@truefitness.biz and join her fan page on Facebook: TrueFitness Annalise Evans.