Reverse Periodization? specifics please

Quadsweep said:

Can we talk about reverse periodization with some specific, especially how it pertains to guys like me that don't ride a lot of endurance miles in the winter.[img]cyclingforums.comsmile.gifOpen ↗[/img]

Reverse periodization may have different meanings from one person to the other, so does base training. It's hard to define periodization without first defining base training anyway.

To me, when a training season respect the specificity principle by beginning with general fitness components first, then leading toward specific fitness comonents, that's not reversed periodization.

For instance, in your case, you say you got limited time during winter. But you probably have enough time to improve max mean power over threshold specific durations anyway right? Take the 20min MMP. I find this one to be important especially if you aim at using multiples of 20min to improve FTP (2 or 3 or 4 x 20 later in the season).

So working to improve 20min MMP early in the season and gradually transfering those gains over longer sets as the spring approaches isn't reversed periodization in my book.

I'm not suggesting that you should improve your 20min MMP, that was just an example.

Quadsweep said:

Can we talk about reverse periodization with some specific, especially how it pertains to guys like me that don't ride a lot of endurance miles in the winter.[img]cyclingforums.comsmile.gifOpen ↗[/img]

According to the article in the link below, they define it as improving 20 min power and filling in endurance on the right.

http://www.biketechreview.com/performance/base.htm