Athletic Periodization and Training Load Management

Posted on Oct 26, 2024 in Physical Education

Parts or Details of the Load

Load Features/Components

  • Volume (Quantitative)
  • Intensity (Qualitative)
  • Pause, Charge, Density, Recovery
  • Complexity (Neuromotor Difficulty)
  • Persistence (Level of Effort)
  • Character (Relation to Maximum Potential)

Internal and External Load

Internal (Athlete) Load

  • Conditional Level
  • Coordinator Level
  • Psychological Level
  • Symptoms indicating functional impact
  • Biological parameters
  • Modified engine program

External (Trainer) Load

  • Training plan designed by the trainer
  • Combination of load components/features
  • Reactions to the load

Periodization Components

Planning

  • Multi-Year Planning
  • Mega-Cycle Planning (2-4 Years)
  • Macrocycle Planning (6 Months/1 Year)
  • Mesocycle Planning (2-8 Weeks)
  • Microcycle Planning (3-10 Days)
  • Daily Session Planning

Long-Term Component (Multi-Year Plan)

  • Spans several years, adjusted for athlete age, preparation, and objectives.
  • Defines tasks and preparation methods with goals expressed in growth, development of specific capabilities, expertise, or sport improvement.
  • Includes initiation, training, refinement, and mastery stages.
  • Starting point depends on personal and sport structure.

Four-Year Plan (Biennial)

  • Based on timing, determining annual duties, objectives, resource allocation, dynamic loads, and skill training.

Objectives and Key Tasks

  1. Macros
  2. Annual and Biannual Cycles
  3. Calendar of Major Competitions
  4. Sequence and Duration of Periods and Tasks
  5. Performance Controls
  6. Dynamic Athletic Performance

Annual Component (Macrocycle)

  • Integrated within the four-year plan.
  • Considers all components, means, methods, periods, controls, and objectives.
  • Can be one, two, or three annual macrocycles, depending on the number of competitive phases.
  • Follows a biological and pedagogical sequence:
    • Biological: Acquisition, Maintenance, Loss of Sport Form
    • Pedagogical: Preparatory, Transition, Competitive Periods

Training Mesocycle

  • Characterized by training units:
    • Microcycles with similar guidelines
    • Microcycles with different orientations for cumulative load effect
  • A complete training unit
  • Consists of 2-6 microcycles (depending on the period), ending with a deload

Types of Mesocycles

  • Introductory
  • Basic Developer
  • Special Developer
  • Stabilizer
  • Preparatory Control
  • Precompetitive
  • Competitive
  • Restoration-Maintainer
  • Restoration-Preparatory

Training Microcycle

  • Typically lasts 7 days (options: 3-4 to 10-14 days)
  • Includes rest/recovery days
  • Variable load dynamics
  • Cycling used: 6+1, 5+2, 3+1, 2+1, 1+1

Types of Microcycles

  • Adjustment/Basic
  • Load/Current
  • Shock
  • PCD
  • Competitive
  • Restoration

Microcycle Structure

  • Determined by:
    • Total number of sessions/workload
    • Load orientation (maintenance, development, recovery)
    • Utilization and management of complex/select/supplementary sessions

Training Session

  • Basic structure of training in athletic preparation.
  • Composed of one or more units depending on the period and purpose.
  • Daily training can have one or more sessions.
  • Degree of fatigue/load level based on the global demand of the applied stimulus and its effect.

Training Units

  • Smallest component of the training process.
  • Sequence and combination of units reflect the objective of each period.
  • Determined by the preceding and following load.