Sports Training Methodology: Form, Periodization, and Exercise Classification

Posted on Oct 14, 2024 in Physical Education

1. Broad vs. Narrow Sense of Training

1.1. Definitions and Approaches

The term “training” has broad applications across various fields, often used synonymously with repeated practice and experience. In sports, while repeated exercise can lead to improvements, it doesn’t guarantee competitive performance. Two main approaches to training exist:

  • Broad sense: Encompasses the holistic development of the athlete, including physical, psychological, and technical aspects (e.g., Harre’s view).
  • Narrow sense: Focuses on training as a method for enhancing performance primarily through physical means (e.g., Matveev’s initial view).

Matveev later expanded his definition to include training as an organized learning process (broad) and the methodological system of exercises as the training base (narrow).

1.2. Sports Performance Methodology (MRD)

MRD is a scientific process that generates rules and methods for intervention in athletic development. It shares characteristics with scientific research, aiming to understand and represent the reality of sports performance. MRD utilizes various sources of knowledge and theories to guide its practice.

1.3. General Theory of Systems (TGS) and Coaching Theory

TGS plays a dual role in MRD, acting as both a science and a technology. It helps bridge the gap between theory and practice, aiding in the construction of theories. Systemic thinking, characterized by its non-reductionist, organic, and holistic approach, is central to this framework. Bending Method, based on systems thinking, aims to build knowledge in MRD and contribute to a comprehensive Theory of Coaching.

1.4. Central Nuclei of MRD

MRD encompasses a plurality of study objects, but three major central nuclei can be defined:

  1. Training to enhance athletic abilities.
  2. Preparation and training to raise performance opportunities.
  3. Competition as both a process and a product.

Understanding these nuclei helps elucidate how the scientific-pedagogical process facilitates the transition from potential to realized performance in competition.

2. Describing the State of Athletic Form

2.1. Definition and Characteristics

Athletic form refers to the state of optimal performance capacity an athlete achieves in each phase of their development through appropriate training. It’s characterized by:

  • Optimal training state.
  • High level of functional possibilities.
  • Coordination of all organs and body systems.
  • Integration of physical, technical, tactical, and psychological aspects.

2.2. Duration and Cyclical Nature

The duration of each phase of athletic form depends on factors like training level, age, individual peculiarities, and sport characteristics. Training plays a crucial role in its development. The performance of top athletes often exhibits an annual cyclical nature, influenced by the competition calendar. Some sports may require shorter cycles (e.g., half-year), while others benefit from longer ones. The duration of the cycle doesn’t always directly correlate with performance gains.

2.3. Phases of Athletic Form

Athletic form comprises three phases:

  1. Development: Involves creating and developing the foundations for athletic form, including enhancing functional abilities, physical qualities, and motor skills.
  2. Conservation (or relative stabilization): Characterized by more specialized adaptations, improved technique and tactics, and relatively stable performance at a high level.
  3. Temporary loss: Marked by a decline in training state, often due to changes in activity or reduced training intensity and volume. This is a normal phase in the development process.

3. Phases of Athletic Form and Training Periods

3.1. Relationship Between Phases and Periods

Athletes cannot maintain peak form indefinitely. A training cycle typically includes:

  1. Preparatory period: Focuses on building athletic form.
  2. Competitive season: Aims to maintain and translate training gains into competition performance.
  3. Transition period: Emphasizes active recovery.

These periods are necessary not only due to biological limitations but also because periodic changes in training structure and content are essential for long-term development. The phases of athletic form and training periods are interconnected, and aligning them properly is crucial for optimal progress.

3.2. Objective Causes of Periodization

Periodization, the systematic planning of training, is necessary to manage the cyclical nature of athletic form and optimize performance. It allows for the gradual development of fitness, adaptation to increasing training loads, and the prevention of overtraining and stagnation.

4. Continuous Wave Nature of Training

4.1. Three Principles

The continuous wave nature of training emphasizes:

  1. Structured specialization throughout the year and across multiple years.
  2. Building upon previous training units.
  3. Alternating training loads and recovery intervals.

4.2. Interrelationship Between Erosion and Restoration

Training involves a balance between functional wear (erosion) and recovery (restoration). While full recovery is ideal, training can still occur without complete restoration. The accumulation of training stimuli, even with incomplete recovery, can lead to long-term adaptations and improved performance. The key is to manage the balance between stress and recovery effectively.

4.3. Wave Character of Training Loads

The dynamics of training loads can be visualized as waves:

  • Small waves: Occur within microcycles (approximately 7 days).
  • Medium waves: Represent the trend of several small waves (approximately 1 month).
  • Large waves: Encompass half-year or yearly trends.

These waves reflect the interplay between fatigue and recovery, long-term adaptation processes, and the heterochronic nature of physiological changes. The undulating nature of training loads allows for progressive overload and prevents plateaus in performance.

5. Exercises, Taxonomy, and Classification

5.1. Importance of Exercise Classification

Physical exercise is the primary tool for improving athletic performance. Due to the vast number of exercises, classification is essential for several reasons:

  • Facilitates exercise selection and planning.
  • Enables comparison and analysis of training programs.
  • Provides a framework for understanding the impact of different exercises on athletic development.

5.2. Different Classification Approaches

Various classification systems exist, based on criteria such as technical composition, force requirements, mode of working (static or dynamic), specific objectives (strength, speed, stamina), and movement structure (cyclic or acyclic). Some prominent examples include classifications by Matveev and Harre, both of which consider the similarity between training exercises and competitive movements.

5.3. Challenges and Considerations

Exercise classification presents certain challenges:

  • Choosing appropriate criteria that reflect the impact on athletic development.
  • Dealing with the multi-faceted nature of exercises and their effects on various aspects of fitness.
  • Addressing the overlap between different exercise categories.

5.4. Key Principles for Effective Classification

To address these challenges, the following principles are important:

  1. Consider the sport’s specific demands (anatomical, energetic, biomechanical, psychological).
  2. Use a single primary criterion for classification to achieve a high degree of generalization.
  3. Acknowledge that some overlap between categories may exist.
  4. Develop clear and precise definitions for each category and subcategory, specifying characteristics, materials, and relevance to competition.

By adhering to these principles, a comprehensive and practical exercise classification system can be developed to guide training program design and optimize athletic development.