Basic Periodisation Flashcards
- Define what is meant by the term ‘Periodisation’
- the planned manipulation of training variables to optimise performance at appropriate time points, manage fatigue + prevent stagnation
- training variables varied in a cyclical fashion across training phases to promote peak fitness levels for targeted comps
Central concepts related to periodisation
three basic mechanistic theories = established to explain how body responds to exercise:
1. General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
2. Stimulus-Fatigue-recovery-adaptation theory
3. Fitness-fatigue paradigm
Stages of General Adaptation Syndrome
* Describe the ‘General Adaptation Syndrome’ and the other two basic mechanistic theories in relation to how the body responds to exercise.
- Alarm stage = when an athlete has been exposed to an exercise bout
- Upon perceiving a stressor = body reacts w/ a “fight-or-flight” response, + the SNS is stimulated as the body’s resources are mobilised to meet the threat or danger
- Resistance stage = when the athlete has finished that bout (ceased session) + now is restorative phase i.e. replenishing any fuel stores lost (glycogen, CP), repairing any damaged tissue/ cells = recover
- = body resists + compensates as the PSNS attempts to return many physiological functions to normal levels while body focuses resources against the stressor + remains on alert.
- Exhaustion stage = not enough recovery or stressor was high = reduction in the ability to recover, = has continual psychological fatigue, soreness, reduction in performance = can happen in short or long period of time
- If the stressor/s continue beyond the body’s capacity, the resources become exhausted + the body is susceptible to disease + death
Stimulus-Fatigue-Recovery-Adaptation
- = extension of the GAS + suggests that training stimuli produce a general response that is influenced by the overall magnitude of the training stressor
- A state of involution or detraining (i.e., a reduced overall capacity) will occur if no new training stimulus is introduced
- High effort/intensity/volume = produce greater change in level of performance (acute)
- Supercompensation = when someone recovers from a training bout + adapts + recovers
Fitness–Fatigue Paradigm
- Summation of the two primary training aftereffects (i.e., fitness + fatigue) in response to training interventions that influence the athlete’s level of preparedness
- Every training bout, session, or cycle creates both fitness + fatigue aftereffects, which summate to create a state of preparedness
- Dif b/w fitness + fatigue = is athletic preparedness
- 3 factors that cause transient reductions
in performance after a training session:
(1) peripheral fatigue = muscle, (2) central fatigue = CNS = cortical output + (3) muscle damage.
Need for tapering
- When training volume is reduced, fatigue will dissipate at a faster rate than fitness, which may necessitate the need for a taper phase prior to a comp
- Tapering > reduce muscle damage + neuromuscular fatigue > increase muscular strength
Relating to graphs on progressive overload, overtraining, too much rest time
- Progressive overload = applying a slightly greater exercise stress than accustomed to on a regular basis.
- Appropriately applied overload followed by adequate rest should result in continual perf improvement (graph a)
- Overtraining (graph b) - long-term decrement in performance capacity. Recovery may take several weeks or months.
- Too much time b/w training bouts – not frequent enough hence no super compensation (graph c).
Overreaching + Overtraining
- Short-term overtraining (known as overreaching) is widely used by coaches + is reversible within days
- Functional overreaching: short-term reduction in perf that later leads to improved perf after taper/rest.
- Non-functional overreaching: short-term reduction in perf that recovers fully, but does not lead to improved perf after sustained rest
- Overtraining: longer-term reduction in perf that recovers fully, but only after a sustained period of rest e.g. >2 months.
Periodisation cycles
* Name and describe the periodisation cycles e.g., macrocycle, mesocycle and microcycle.
- Multi-year plan: 2-4 years
- Annual training plan: 1 year
- Macrocycle: several months to a year = divided into prep + comp + transition
- Mesocycle: 2-6 weeks
- Microcycle: several days to 2 weeks
- Training day: 1 day
- Training session: several hours
Prep period + first transition period
* Explain the differences between the preparatory (general and specific), transition (first and second), and competition periods of a training plan.
Preparatory Period
- no comps, + technical, tactical, or sport-specific work is limited
- Corresponds to ‘off-season’ phase
- Central goal of this period = develop a base
- Progresses from general prep to specific prep phase (moving towards more sport-specific training).
First Transition Period
- Is the link b/w the prep + competitive periods (known as the ‘pre-season’ phase)
- A resistance training shift focused towards the elevation of strength + its translation into power development
- variations in training intensity + vol at the microcycle level maximise perf + facilitate recovery.
Comp period + second transition period
* Explain the differences between the preparatory (general and specific), transition (first and second), and competition periods of a training plan.
Competition Period
- Main focus = preparing athlete for comp by further increasing strength + power via additional increases in training intensity while decreasing volume
- Is referred to as the ‘in-season’ phase.
- A peaking program is usually attempted to place an athlete in peak condition for about one or two weeks.
- For team sports, where the competitive period spans many months = require the use of a maintenance program
Second Transition Period
- This period of time = known as ‘active rest’ + is when athletes can rehabilitate injuries + refresh both physically + mentally for the next macrocycle.
- Referred to as the ‘post-season’ phase.
- Usually lasts no longer than four weeks, because long periods with reduced training will cause significant detraining
Strength training focus link to seasons
Hypertrophy/Strength Endurance Phase
- Generally occurs during the early portion of the prep period = training intensity is low to moderate + vol is high
Basic Strength Phase
- A focus towards increasing the strength of the muscles essential to the primary sport movts
Strength/Power Phase
- Translation of strength into more specific movt velocities + forces (to enhance sport perf).
Active Recovery
- Reduction in training vol to aid in recovery (also referred to as ‘deloading’).
Periodisation Models
* List and describe the three periodisation models.
Linear (traditional)
- Initiates w/ high training vols + low intensities + gradually progresses toward low training vols + high intensities over the course of several months.
Reverse-linear
- Similar to linear model except that it is run backward i.e., low training vols + high intensities + gradually progresses toward high training vols + low intensities
Undulating (or “non-linear”)
- Frequent variations in loading on a daily, weekly, or bi-weekly basis.
- Can progress from high vol to low vol over the course of several training phases
- therefore……….undulating + linear periodisation are NOT mutually exclusive
