Periodisation for Training – History & Tradition
Defining Periodisation
Read twelve different articles and you will get a dozen slightly nuanced definitions of the concept of periodisation for training, essentially saying the same thing. My attempt to succinctly define the term is thus:
Periodisation is the use of planned cycles, each manipulating volume, frequency and intensity in order to optimise training adaptations, achieve peak performance at a specific moment and prevent the occurrence of overtraining.
Although not as all-encompassing, I also feel it is important to bear in mind Joe Friel’s words which emphasise the central role specificity plays in periodisation:
‘The closer you get to your goal, the more like your goal the training becomes’.
The History
The theoretical basis for periodisation stems from Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), first proposed in 1936. Selye posited that animals have a limited amount of adaptation energy that can be devoted to the stress response, and exceeding this leads to exhaustion (McCarty, 2016).
The GAS consists of three phases:
1. Alarm
2. Adaptation
3. Exhaustion
Key here is the second phase where the body responds to the stressor by adapting with more tolerance to the specific activity, and improved performance. This occurs at a greater level than that demanded by the stressor and has therefore been termed supercompensation (Lorenz & Morrison, 2015). But supercompensation cannot occur whilst the stress is still being applied. For that, recovery and adaptation is required.
Chris Beardsley neatly summarises periodisation’s relevance in reducing the risk of reaching exhaustion in this framework by:
- Limiting exposure to muscle-damaging workouts.
- Increasing the recovery time between workouts.
- Reducing the exposure to other stressors other than the targeted adaptation.
Periodisation’s direct application to sports training is most commonly attributed to analysis of Soviet Union athletes in the 1950s & 1960s, leading to a pioneering model proposed by Leo Matveyev (González-Ravé et al., 2022). However, widespread recognition and uptake was not evident until the 1980s, influenced by Tudor Bompa and his book titled Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training.
Application
Applying the periodisation concept to a training plan involves dividing the training season in to cycles of varying time and with different emphases, all leading towards peak performance at the goal event.
- A Microcycle is a small cycle of several training sessions and intermittent rest/recovery days. This will typically translate to a 7 day week, but can extended to 10-14 days.
- A Mesocycle is two or more repetitions of the same Microcycle. Training methods within the Microcycles may be repeated, although the relative emphasis of volume to intensity may change. A rest/recovery period will usually be incorporated to the final part of each Mesocycle to allow for recovery and adaptation ahead of the next cycle.
- A Macrocycle comprises 1-4 Mesocycles and describes the full training period (eg. base/general preparation, build/specific preparation). There is a gradual change of volume, intensity and frequency from one period to the next as training becomes more specific to the goal event.
Through these cycles of training, there will be periods of overload followed by recovery and adaptation where the body supercompensates, reconstructing itself to a superior level of fitness. Carefully monitoring levels of fatigue will guard against over-training or burnout and provide a logical and progressive development in specific fitness ahead of the goal event.
‘Traditional’ Periodisation
The ‘traditional’ method of periodisation in cycling training has been to prioritise volume early in the training year and shift towards greater intensity over time. When the deciding factor for success in ‘traditional’ cycling disciplines relies on short, violent periods of effort (such as a sprint finish or mountain-top finish), this focus on intensity nearer to the event day ensures that recent training sessions closely represent the race effort. To paraphrase Joe Friel’s earlier quote, the training has become more like the goal.
This ‘traditional’ model of periodisation does consequently translate well to individuals who have goals in events of this nature. This does though necessitate plenty of time to dedicate to high-volume training in the early season, which may not always be practical in the northern hemisphere winter. The volume first, intensity later approach can also suit athletes lacking aerobic fitness who need significant volume to build aerobic capacity and prepare their physiology for the demands of higher intensity training. As running coach Jay Johnson succinctly explains:
‘Metabolic fitness precedes structural readiness’.
Perhaps as it is commonly employed by pros, this model has however seemingly become ubiquitous, often ignoring the crucial principle of specificity. Terms such as getting the winter base miles in are bandied about without particular respect to a wider structure or concept of progression towards their specific goal. Returning once again to the concept of specificity and training more resembling the goal as it approaches, this model is evidently not appropriate for all circumstances.
What if your goal event was not determinant on short, intense efforts but requires a consistent aerobic effort for an extended period of time. For events where the emphasis is on volume, would it not then prove constructive to flip this model around - to reverse the periodisation?
References:
Beardsley, C. What can the general adaptation syndrome tell us about periodization? 8 April 2018. (https://sandcresearch.medium.com/what-can-the-general-adaptation-syndrome-tell-us-about-periodization-bb59bdb2ef79)
Friel, J. K.I.S.S. Periodization. 3 March 2010. (https://joefrieltraining.com/kiss-periodization/)
González-Ravé, J.M., González-Mohino, F., Rodrigo-Carranza, V. et al. Reverse Periodization for Improving Sports Performance: A Systematic Review. Sports Med - Open 8, 56 (2022). (https://sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40798-022-00445-8#auth-Jos__M_-Gonz_lez_Rav_-Aff1)
Lorenz, D & Morrison, S. Current Concepts in Periodization of Strength and Conditioning for the Sports Physical Therapist. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2015 Nov; 10(6): 734–747. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637911/#:~:text=Periodization%20is%20an%20overall%20concept,desired%20within%20that%20particular%20period)
McCarty, R. Chapter 2 - The Alarm Phase and the General Adaptation Syndrome: Two Aspects of Selye’s Inconsistent Legacy. Stress: Concepts, Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior. Handbook of Stress Series Volume 1. 2016, Pages 13-19. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780128009512000029)