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Periodisation

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01 / Original postPeriodisationRoadie_scum · 19 May 2004 02 / This pagePosts 1–7Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #7ric_stern/RST · 20 May 2004

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Cycling Training
Published
19 May 2004
Last activity
20 May 2004
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Roadie_scum
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Training plansRecoveryInterval training

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  1. Original post
    Roadie_scum
    Archived post
    #1

    My assumptions/understanding, please feel free to comment/criticise/add:
    (questions below)

    Various methods of prescribing duration, intensity, volume and targeted energy system are described in both peer reviewed literature, professional publications and in other sources. Some seem to be of little value, but periodisation is often mooted as having many advantages. My understanding is that periodisation involves, at a basic level, training periods for specific purposes broken by specific rest/recovery periods where supercompensation occurs. More specifically, many sources recommend that every third or fourth week is taken at reduced intensity and volume. The advantages and reasons for this, from what I can tell, are as follows:

    (i) Prevent overtraining by allowing time for recovery
    (ii) Larger training benefit due to supercomensation during recovery/regeneration
    (iii) Prevent illness, both by allowing recovery generally, and more specifically allowing liver and muscle glycogen to reach normal levels which may be difficult to maintain during extremely hard training.
    (iv) Many elite athletes suffer from high infection rates - rest weeks may allow recovery from 'grumbling' illnesses, viruses that go undetected.
    (v) Prevent psychological burnout and concomitant depression from repetitive training.

    For most people, family and work commitments normally prevent reaching training volumes where specific recovery periods are needed.

    My questions are:
    (1) Does anyone have a better explanations of the mechanisms that make periodisation beneficial?

    (2) I have heard the theory that it is not volume (unless EXTREME) but volume + intensity (leading to increased chance of glycogen depletion) that leads to illness and severe overreach, thus periodisation is only neccesary for athletes in build periods completing many interval sessions (or similarly intense training), not during base periods. Does this sound right?

    (3) At what level of training should periodisation be used (hours/km a week)? It seems that 5-10 hours a week would definitely not need to be periodised, but I know a number of athletes in the 15-20 hour range and some over that. What combination of intensity and volume is required for periodisation to be a good idea?

    (4) I was thinking for someone doing 15-20 hours mainly (not exclusively) at base intensities, it might be a good idea to reduce volume over one or two days in the fourth week to allow some recovery, then have a proper rest/recovery 80%vol no intensity week three weeks after that. Then periodise with recovery every third to fourth week during more intense pre-competition training. Thoughts?

    NOTE: If ppl want to look up literature, search for both 'Periodisation' and 'Periodization'... those pesky Americans are at it again. 🙂

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  2. KEEBLER
    Archived post
    #2

    Hi Roadie_scum

    I find your question very interesting. I have started some official training through an online program. I have told them, due to my situations,(wife , kids, work) that I can only ride 10 hours a week. They also have me doing periodization, and i'm not sure if I require it. They have the first week as an intensive week, the second week as an endurance, and the third week as recovery. Each phase also has differences in volume and intervals, except the recovery week, which has none.

    My question is also, is this really neccessary, due to the fact, that my volume is not very high.

    Sorry i could not give you much help, but i have the some of the same questions

    And what is wrong with us pesky Americans??? :-)))

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  3. Roadie_scum
    Archived post
    #3

    [QUOTE]Originally posted by KEEBLER
    [B]Hi Roadie_scum

    My question is also, is this really neccessary, due to the fact, that my volume is not very high.[/quote]

    Hmmm... my guess is you probably need periodisation broadly construed - structured training allowing enough time for recovery - but that religiously reducing volume every third week will do more harm than good. Even for elite athletes doing many more miles, often it is the fourth and not the third week where volume is reduced. If you reduce intensity but maintain volume every third or fourth week, depending on subjective feeling of accumulated fatigue, that might be one compromise.

    Intensity/endurance/recovery seems like an odd pattern to me, especially over a three week period. My inclination is to target an energy system over a longer period of time - so an 8-10 week block would focus on endurance, and then 3-6 week blocks building on different types of intensity. Of course, you don't want to use only one system for that long or the others will degrade, so you do maintenance work on what you've already trained, and focus on something specific. It all depends a bit on your event, and when you want to peak. The overall system is build volume, then build intensity (thanks to Dave Martin from the AIS for this punchy explanation of training for the endurance athlete).

    What style of coaching is it? Do you have regular coach contact and adjustability factored into your program - so that you could rethink it if you are finding it too easy?

    Quoted post said:

    Sorry i could not give you much help, but i have the some of the same questions



    No worries. I'm really hoping one of the super-knowledgable mods will take the bait on this one. You know who you are... come on... you know you love to help...

    Quoted post said:

    And what is wrong with us pesky Americans??? :-))) [/B]



    They keep writing 'z' instead of 's' (to the point where the 'z' spelling dominates the literature, and I spend inordinate amounts of time wondering why I can't find more studies on periodisation). 🙂

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  4. Doctor Morbius
    Archived post
    #4

    Here's an excellent read on Periodization for bodybuilding by Dr. Fred Hatfield. Perhaps you could read it while you're waiting on Ricstern or 2LAP to answer your questions. 😉 Although the specifics apply to building strength the theory behind it is still sound.

    http://www.drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=viewarticle&articleID=52

    Keebler, I would think that changing the emphasis of your program each week might be too frequent.

    From article:
    This is a story about the most effective philosophy of training ever conceived, one which incorporates the celebrated concept of training periodization. Before getting into the nuts and bolts, let me show you something that'll hit you right between the eyes, that'll set the bias of your mind running toward...(ready?)...something that's relatively rare in these days of mercantilism, marketing hype and flying egos. Cold, uncompromising, objective, data-based SCIENCE!

    Say what you will about the Soviets' failed Commie system or its formerly red (now merely blushing) perpetrators. Say what you will about the demise of their empire, and the sad state of affaire therein today. Their athletes are still there! Here it is. Four examples of a pre-competition training protocol for any given explosive type sport. Between the eyes as promised. The point? Simple! Periodization makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE!

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  5. dhk
    Archived post
    #5

    To me, periodization refers to planning the training program for an entire season or year. The idea behind it is that the athlete can't be at a peak all the time, so the peak is planned to hit the major events of the season.

    Taking an easy week every 4th week may be a great idea as well for overall recovery, but it's not the same...at least not the way I think of periodization.

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  6. Roadie_scum
    Archived post
    #6
    Quoted post said:

    Originally posted by dhk
    To me, periodization refers to planning the training program for an entire season or year. The idea behind it is that the athlete can't be at a peak all the time, so the peak is planned to hit the major events of the season.

    Taking an easy week every 4th week may be a great idea as well for overall recovery, but it's not the same...at least not the way I think of periodization.

    Much of the literature breaks training into macro, meso and microcycles. Periodisation functions across all of these. It can occur across a year or a week. The 'fourth week' idea is a textbook approach to periodisation across a mesocycle. What I want to know is how to implement periodisation correctly across mesocycles at different training volumes - getting away from religiously following the textbook answer, which doesn't take into account individual circumstances.

    Hmmm: Periodisation across macrocycles is primarily useful to maintain mental focus, prevent psychological burnout. For meso and microcycles, it is useful primarily to prevent excessive fatigue accumulation. Thoughts?

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  7. ric_stern/RST
    Archived post
    #7

    quick answer: there's no real reason to have a recovery week *every* 4th (or whatever) week. in fact an entire recovery week (reduced volume/intensity) is pretty much (imo) a waste of time. for most people an extra day off, or a couple of easy days is often fine. a proper recovery week (i.e., an entire easy week) may only be required every so often.

    obviously, it will depend on the individual (everyone is different)...

    ric

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