Periodization Training

What is Periodization Training?

Periodization training is basically a planned cycle of training that varies in volume and intensity throughout a series of training phases, or cycles. The overall goal is to vary your repetitions, sets, weights and intensity in each cycle to avoid reaching a plateau. Any time that a routine is followed for a significant period of time, the body eventually reaches a point where it adapts to the workout and plateaus, a point where no additional gain can be made. By using a periodization cycle you can create a long-term workout goal which is broken down into cycles. This will help you avoid reaching a plateau, and will instead continually challenge your body to maintain gains in mass, definition, and strength. It is one of the most organized approaches to training, and generally looks at ways to alternate training through seasons to obtain peak performance.

Periodization formally began in the 1950s. It was based upon a model known as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which looks at biological responses to stress. It was created by Hans Selye, an Austrian-born Hungarian who began as a doctor of medicine and chemistry in Prague in 1929, before joining the team at Johns Hopkins University in 1931. By 1945 he was working at the Université de Montreal and researching biological stress, a condition that he is generally credited with discovering. His research soon revealed that stress differs from other physiological responses. The body responds to stress in the same manner whether or not the stress results from exercise, bad news, or a rollercoaster ride. He determined that the body has three “states” of stress: the alarm state, the resistance state, and the exhaustion state, referring to the glandular states of our bodies.

GAS and How it Works

The GAS breaks those three stages down even further. The alarm stage looks at the initial shock of the stimulus on the system, the resistance stage at the adaptation of the system as a result of that stimulus, and the exhaustion stage being the point when repairs are inadequate and decreasing system function results. The goal of the periodization training cycle is to keep the body in a state of continual resistance without ever reaching the exhaustion stage. By developing a training cycle the body is allowed adequate time to recover from the stress before additional training is undertaken. The initial response to a new stress is always a poor one that eventually drops off. An athlete using periodization training looks to achieve stress at the point where the resistance stage comes to an end, the exhaustion stage does not reduce the gains achieved, and the next cycle results in greater achievement; a process of continually raising the bar with each subsequent cycle.

The Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, worked in conjunction with the USA Weightlifting Development Center in Shreveport, Louisiana on a study that examined experienced weight trainers involved in a periodization cycle. One-rep max (1RM) for the squat showed significant improvement in strength above those who did not follow a periodization program. This is one of many studies conducted over a period of time that demonstrates how the cycle helps athletes achieve higher peaks of performance.

Breaking it down

A periodization cycle will always be broken down into segments. Training will always be planned well in advance of a competition or performance, in an attempt to look at the overall potential of the athlete. The individual program needs to be flexible to some degree in order to modify and meet the particular rate of progress. The cycle is rarely used for the average individual seeking simple benefits of health through fitness; instead, periodization cycles are used by Olympic athletes, professional bodybuilders, and weightlifters.

The macrocycle is the largest cycle within the program. It is an annual plan that forecasts the competition for which the athlete is preparing, in the hope of achieving peak physical performance during that time period. There are three additional phases within the macrocycle: the preparation phase, competitive phase, and transition phase. The preparation phase is around 60 to 75% of the overall cycle, while the competitive phase is generally spread out over several competitions leading up to the main event, with specific tasks designed to test the athlete. The transitional phase is a psychological phase, and could be considered a vacation where the athlete takes a rest from all workouts for a period of time.

The mesocycle is a period of training that lasts between two and six weeks. It is also known as a microcycle. It usually falls within a preparation phase and consists of four to six cycles, although if it falls into a competitive phase it will consist of two to four cycles depending on the schedule of the athlete. The goal of the planner is to fit the mesocycle into the overall plan and ascertain that the body peaks for the largest competitions while improving the overall cycles throughout.

Is a Periodization Cycle Right for Me?

Professional athletes or competitors generally use periodization cycles. The typical athletic club or gym population does not generally participate in these cycles. Their focus is on a healthy daily diet, good nutrition, and a four to five day a week fitness regimen that includes resistance, strength training, and cardio. Periodization cycles do not benefit the average person. Instead, they are designed to force the body to continually obtain greater results. Cycles are used as a way of building mass, however these are generally reserved for professional competitors. Always contact a professional trainer to ensure the safety and efficacy of the program, if it includes a periodization cycle.

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