What is Periodization

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What is Periodization???
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What it is

• Periodization is the most important concept in
  training and planning to train.
• The term originates from the word period, which
  means a portion of time split into easy-to-manage
  segments called phases.
• It was first used in a simple form by the Greek
  Olympians so its been around a little while.
  (Bompa,T)

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Macro, Meso and Micro

• There are three main sections to each phase and
  these are called the macro cycle, meso cycle and
  micro cycle.
• The macro cycle this is a period of
  considerable length aimed at achieving peak
  performance, culminating in competition
• The meso cycle is a subdivision of a macro
  cycle, the duration of this is usually 2-6 weeks
• The micro cycle is a training period of around
  7 days. They contain detail regarding intensity,
  volume and sequence of training sessions (NCF)

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The Phases

• Anatomical Adaptation The goal of this phase is
  to prepare the body after weeks of no strength
  training for the demands of strength training and
  more intense training in weeks to come.
• Preparation Phase The goal of this phase is to
  develop muscle strength, muscle endurance, and
  improve flexibility.
• Competition Phase The goal of this phase is to
  convert the muscle strength and endurance into
  power and reactive ability.
• Transition Phase This is a bodybuilding phase
  for those athletes who want to beef up or slim
  down. During this phase athletes are encouraged
  to do sports other than swimming to give them a
  mental and physical break without losing their
  physical prowess

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Training Phases

• Early Season Training (anatomical adaptation)
• Improve VO2MAX and anaerobic threshold.
• Improve muscular power, endurance and joint
  flexibility, with both land and water drills.
• Establish the seasons goals and performer
  specific targets these will help keep the
  swimmer motivated.

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Training phases

• Preparation phase
• Outline technical deficiency and work on that, as
  well as perfecting strengths
• Improve stroke mechanics
• Work on start/turns
• Improve max speed
• Improve ATP-CP systems for sprint swimmers
• Some aerobic training to improve payback of
  oxygen debt.

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Training phases

• Competition Phase
• Maintain VO2MAX and anaerobic threshold developed
  in early season
• Race Pace training streamlining and maintaining
  optimum speed
• Tactics of races planning how to use strengths
  to nullify the weaknesses
• Train to keep stroke mechanics even when fatigued
• Mental/psychological rehearsal of competition
  (this can be done in early season races that are
  not too important)

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Training Phases

• Taper/transitional period
• Final 2/4 weeks of season coming into major
  competition
• May have minor tapers in a season (for qualifiers
  and after hard training sessions)
• Taper periods allow the swimmer time to
  supercompensate enabling them to peak at the
  major competition
• Training is still done but intensity and
  frequency is lessened

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Principles of Training

• There are four main principles of training and
  they are specify, overload, progression and
  reversibility
• Specificity Every exercise has a specific
  effect on your body. This means that you must
  first decide what you want to improve and then
  choose the right exercises and drills that will
  improve this specifically. A training programme
  must be designed to suit you.
• Overload To improve an area of your body i.e.
  fitness you need to overload it. That means that
  you work it harder than it is used to. Over time
  it increases to meet that demand and therefore
  you get fitter. There are three ways to overload
  you body, by increasing the frequency of
  exercise, by increasing the intensity of the
  exercise or by increasing the time you spend on
  exercise.

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Principles of Training

• Progression The body takes time to adjust to
  the increased demands on it. So you have to
  build up the exercise gradually or PROGRESSIVLEY.
• Reversibility You must exercise regularly or
  the muscle will lose the strength, endurance,
  flexibility or speed and start to go back to the
  stage you were at before and reverse the effects.
  This happens after only three to four weeks.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Bompa, T., PeriodizationTheory and Methodology
  of Training, 1999, Human Kinetics, 4th Edition
• Colwin, C., Swimming into the 21st Centaury,
  1992, Human Kinetics
• Galvin,B., A Guide to Planning Coaching
  Programmes, 1998, NCF
• WSCA., Swimming Coachs Bible, 2001, Human
  Kinetics
• www.asa.co.uk