Periodization is a crucial concept in the world of sports and fitness, as it provides a structured approach to training that optimizes performance, prevents overtraining, and reduces the risk of injury. The concept of periodization has evolved significantly over the years, with contributions from various researchers and practitioners in the field of sports science.
The foundations of periodization can be traced back to the early 20th century. However, Russian sports scientist Leonid P. Matveyev first formalized the concept in the 1950s and 1960s. Matveyev’s work laid the groundwork for the development of periodization as a systematic approach to training, emphasizing the importance of balancing training volume and intensity to achieve optimal performance. In addition, he recognized that the human body adapts to training stimuli in a cyclical manner, with periods of increased performance followed by periods of stagnation or decline.
Matveyev believed that athletes could avoid overtraining and achieve peak performance at the right time, such as during a major competition, by manipulating training variables over time.
His work inspired other researchers and practitioners to explore and refine the concept of periodization further. One such influential figure was the Romanian sports scientist Tudor Bompa, who expanded on Matveyev’s ideas and introduced the concept of Western periodization, which is more commonly used today. Bompa’s work, along with others like Yuri Verkhoshansky and Vladimir Issurin, has led to various periodization models, such as linear, undulating, and block periodization. Each model has unique advantages and can be tailored to meet individual athletes’ specific needs and goals.
The connection between periodization and the General Adaptation to Stress (GAS) model by Hans Hugo Seyle further underscores the importance of a structured approach to training. The GAS model explains how the body responds to stress, such as the physical stress of training, in three phases: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. During the alarm phase, the body experiences an initial shock and a decrease in performance. In the resistance phase, the body adapts to the stress, and performance improves. Finally, the body enters the exhaustion phase if the stress continues without adequate recovery; with exhaustion, performance declines, and the risk of injury and overtraining increases.
Periodization is designed to help athletes avoid the exhaustion phase by carefully manipulating training variables like volume, intensity, and frequency. By doing so, athletes can maintain a state of continuous adaptation and improvement, maximizing their performance and minimizing the risk of injury.
Several periodization methods are used in athletic training, each with its unique focus and approach.
Some of the most well-known methods include:
It is essential to note that periodization methods can differ depending on the specific biomotor abilities being trained, such as endurance, strength, power, or speed. Therefore, coaches and athletes must consider the unique demands of their sport or goal and choose the most appropriate periodization approach to optimize training adaptations.
Linear Periodization
Linear periodization, also known as Western periodization, is a training planning model where volume decreases as intensity increases over time. This model originally involved athletes undergoing distinct training phases for preparation, competition, and transitioning out of the competition season back to the offseason. Generally, this began with months of higher-volume, lower-intensity work, such as hypertrophy and muscular endurance, followed by months of lower-volume, higher-intensity strength training, ending with lower-volume power training before tapering and peaking performance for competition.
Throughout the model, training becomes more sport-specific as the athlete approaches competition. First, hypertrophy and muscular endurance form the foundation of fitness and structural adaptations. Then, the strength mesocycle enhances the ability to utilize the newly added structure to generate higher forces. Finally, athletes train to develop power by lifting lighter loads as quickly as possible. The combination of high-velocity training adaptations with the adaptations from the strength phase results in increased power output (power in physics is force multiplied by velocity). This final phase is the most sport-specific for most athletes. They typically move their bodies, opponents’ bodies, and lightweight implements such as balls, pucks, rackets, or bats through space. As a result, light-load, high-velocity training is believed to have the most functional transfer to sports performance.
However, it is crucial to recognize that all periodization models are intended to be adapted to the unique demands of each sport. For instance, low-load, high-velocity power training is less specific to a strength athlete than actual strength training. Yet, in the traditional Western model, power comes after strength. Therefore, for a powerlifter, one would continue from the strength phase, performing reduced volume, high-intensity strength training, which would be more sport-specific in their case.
Undulating periodization
Undulating periodization is a type of periodization that involves more frequent alterations in repetition ranges and intensity zones. Daily undulating periodization (DUP) is a form of periodization that modifies training variables for each session within a week. This can be accomplished by varying the rep range used each day or assigning different weekdays to different training objectives. For instance, you might perform 10’s on day 1, 5’s on day 2, and 8’s on day 3, or you could have a “strength day,” a “hypertrophy day,” and a “power day” all within the same week.
DUP is just one type of undulating periodization. You can also have weekly undulating periodization (WUP), where an entire week is dedicated to a specific rep range or training goal. Like block periodization, undulating models were developed to address the potential issue of losing previously acquired adaptations associated with linear periodization. The proposed solution in undulating periodization is that each of the training objectives (hypertrophy, strength, and power) are trained concurrently in either a day-to-day (DUP) or week-to-week (WUP) manner. The theoretical advantage is that this approach prevents detraining any one of these adaptations.
Like the linear model, traditional undulating periodization is conducted in the order of hypertrophy, strength, and power. For example, a traditionally designed DUP model might involve training for hypertrophy during the first session of the week, strength during the second session, and power during the final session (assuming a three-day-per-week training setup). With a WUP model, you would allocate a week to each training goal in that same order over a three-week period.
These undulating periodization models are sometimes referred to as nonlinear models; however, this is largely an inaccurate description, as there is often a degree of linearity when examining the broader application of undulating periodization. For example, a strength athlete may alternate between days within the week where they perform 8’s, 6’s, and 4’s a couple of months before a competition. However, in the final weeks, they might be doing 5’s, 3’s, and 1’s—a DUP model that is linear over time. In reality, these different models share many similar characteristics and objectives. They should arguably be integrated rather than viewed as separate.
Block Periodization
Block periodization is a more adaptable and straightforward form of periodization that shares numerous similarities with linear periodization. It was created to address some of the limitations associated with the conventional linear method.
Block periodization breaks the macrocycle into three distinct blocks (mesocycles), each with its own objectives. Similar to linear periodization, it begins with a high-volume, low-intensity block, transitions to a reduced-volume, high-intensity block, and ends with a taper for optimal performance.
The primary distinction between block and linear models lies in the shorter mesocycles in block periodization. In conventional linear periodization, several months are dedicated exclusively to hypertrophy, followed by a focus on strength for several more months. A critique of this method is that the adaptations from previous periods may deteriorate during these extended single-goal training periods. The block periodization employs mesocycles for volume and intensity that typically last no more than six weeks to counter the effect of possible loss of gains. The length of mesocycles can be adjusted according to the number of competitions an athlete needs to peak for in a season. Furthermore, a volume block doesn’t have to exclude high-intensity work; it simply needs to have a higher volume and lower intensity relative to the subsequent intensity block. In many aspects, block periodization is similar to linear periodization but with increased flexibility to accommodate athletes who may need to peak multiple times within a year.
Since periodization is a systematic approach to organizing training programs, dividing them into specific periods, phases, and cycles to optimize performance and recovery, it allows coaches and athletes to prioritize certain aspects of fitness at different times. This approach ensures a balanced development, and peak performance at the desired time is crucial to the athlete’s success. In their book “Periodization – Theory and Methodology of Training,” Tudor Bompa and Gregory Haff detail these divisions within a periodized training program.
Let’s Look at the brief explanation of periods, phases, macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles in a periodized training program:
It’s essential to recognize that a periodized training program must be developed based on a comprehensive evaluation of the athlete, identifying their strengths and weaknesses in their current performance. For example, for a strength athlete, the initial phase may focus on increasing training volume, refining technique, and enhancing hypertrophy before transitioning into the strength phase, where the primary goal is building a solid foundation of absolute strength. Once this foundational strength is successfully established, the training program will progress toward developing sport-specific qualities, such as power and speed. This targeted approach ensures that the athlete’s overall performance is optimized and their potential is maximized.
Conversely, for an endurance athlete, the first phase may emphasize building a solid foundation of muscular endurance to prepare the body for the subsequent mesocycle, which focuses on strength development. After establishing strength, the training program will transition into building specific endurance that aligns with the sport’s unique demands. Although muscular endurance may seem similar to hypertrophy, the rep ranges and focus on exercise execution will differ, ensuring that the athlete’s training is tailored to their specific needs and goals. By systematically progressing through these phases, endurance athletes can optimize their performance and adapt to their sport’s unique challenges.
We aim to provide you with a fundamental understanding of a periodized approach to training for your everyday clients. It’s important to note that the complexity of periodization for the general population, representing the bulk of personal trainers’ clients, is less profound than that for competitive athletes. Nevertheless, a solid foundation in periodization principles will enable you to create more effective and individualized training programs for your clients, helping them achieve their goals more efficiently.
We highly encourage you to seek further education in the field of expertise you wish to pursue, as deeper knowledge and specialized skills will not only enhance your professional development but also enable you to better serve your clients’ diverse needs.
When discussing periodization for the average Jane & Joe client, it’s crucial to understand the differences between periodization for general fitness and sport-specific training. Typically, a pre-competition phase will only be involved if your client decides to participate in a specific event, such as cycling marathons, running events, or any other amateur sports event they aspire to join.
As a result, periodization for the general population will primarily focus on improving certain aspects of the client’s performance. It will therefore alternate between the Accumulation and Intensification phases and a form of Deload. In addition, to make the periodization approach more accessible, we will simplify the concept and provide easy-to-use models.
In this simplified version, a periodized plan for sports will ultimately aim to improve performance through five stages or phases of periodization.
The first stage, Accumulation, focuses on building volume and progressively increasing intensity. The second phase, Intensification, involves decreasing volume to allow for an increase in intensity. This is usually the specificity-building phase, where athletes develop training more tailored to their unique goals. The next phase is the pre-competition phase, where specificity and intensity are increased. The volume will be strictly controlled to ensure adequate recovery. The subsequent competition phase provides intensity maintenance and further decreases in training volume, as the competition will take a toll on recovery time.
Depending on the sport, the competition phase can last a few weeks or even several months, as seen in soccer, for example. The competition phase, often referred to as the peaking phase, is immediately followed by the final phase of the periodization cycle: the deload and active recovery.
As mentioned earlier, the pre-competition and competition phases rarely occur for the general population, as only a few clients participate in sports events. Therefore, focusing on the Accumulation, shorter Intensification, and subsequent deload phases makes more sense for achieving continuous improvement with your clients. Now that these basics are clearer, this leads us to the PTBA priority approach to periodization for the general population.
You will encounter various findings when conducting health and physical fitness assessments with your clients. Assuming that you won’t be training clients with severe medical limitations or without medical clearance, clients will still come to you with certain disadvantages. These inevitable disadvantages may present themselves as a lack of mobility, poor lower or upper body strength, or compensatory movement patterns that hinder them from living pain-free. Our primary goal with exercise testing is to identify these disadvantages and incorporate their correction into our programs.
But the question that most aspiring trainers are asking is: How?
We propose using a priority system that allows you to prioritize what is most important at the moment and needs immediate attention. Usually, it will be a two-tier priority system, represented by the client’s and trainer’s priorities.
These two tiers will often prioritize different components since clients may have a different understanding of health, physical activity, and training adaptations than trainers. However, as a trainer, you should be able to acknowledge the client’s priorities as primary and your priorities as secondary, yet still complementary.
For example, a client may come to you with the primary goal of losing weight. However, during the assessment, you identify poor posture, muscle imbalances, and mobility limitations as areas that need attention. While weight loss remains the primary goal, as a trainer, you can incorporate exercises and strategies that address the client’s underlying issues as part of their training plan. This approach helps clients achieve their desired goals and enhances their overall health and well-being.
Incorporating the PTBA priority approach to periodization for the general population, trainers should begin by identifying the client’s primary goals and expectations through their initial consultation stage. Next, they should conduct a thorough assessment to uncover any secondary priorities that require attention in the second stage of PTSS. Finally, once both sets of priorities have been established, trainers can design a periodized training program that caters to both.
An example of a periodized plan for a general population client might include the following phases:
The cycle can then be repeated, modifying the program to address changes in the client’s goals, progress, or priorities.
Looking deeper into each phase
The Accumulation phase, in the case of the primary goal of weight loss, focuses on gradually increasing volume and intensity. This has a more Linear approach, but the Block Periodization approach also shares some similarities.
For example, the rep ranges and number of sets during the Accumulation phase could be structured like this:
Week 1-2: 12-15 reps, 3 sets
Week 3-4: 10-12 reps, 3 sets
Week 5-6: 10-12 reps, 4 sets
In the first two weeks, it is reasonable to incorporate higher reps to facilitate motor learning and improve technique with lighter resistance. In addition, more reps mean more practice of the movement and thus refining techniques.
Since we have established the secondary goal of improving mobility and addressing muscle imbalances, you will incorporate exercises that can help with mobility and enhance it with slower tempos and controlled movements. In addition, imbalances and asymmetries can be targeted by incorporating unilateral and isolation exercises to assist in muscle balance development, improving the ability to perform compound movements. This comprehensive approach ensures that clients not only progress toward their primary goal but also experience improvements in overall function and well-being.
The Intensification phase, which typically lasts fewer weeks for the general population, is aimed at helping increase strength. The strength improvements achieved during this phase will increase volume in the next Accumulation phase, leading to steady progress toward the client’s goals. In addition, these shorter Intensification phases elicit better neuromuscular adaptations, leading to increased motor unit activation and myofibrillar hypertrophy, which counteract age-related muscle loss.
Since the Intensification phase significantly impacts the Central Nervous System (CNS) compared to the Accumulation phase, a deload week is essential.
Here is an example of rep ranges and the number of sets for the Intensification phase:
Week 6: 8-10 reps, 3 sets
Week 7: 6-8 reps, 3 sets
Week 8: 5-7 reps, 4 sets
A decrease in volume must occur when the intensity increases to ensure adequate recovery. Keep in mind that greater CNS activation may lead to feelings of sluggishness and tiredness for extended periods during the day. Therefore, a deload phase following the Intensification is crucial and should provide sufficient recovery time for your client to excel in the next Accumulation phase.
Let’s compare the volume between the Accumulation phase and the Intensification phase by weeks for the Squat:
As you can see, the volume decreases as the intensity increases throughout the Intensification phase. Balancing these factors is crucial for ensuring proper recovery and continued progress in the training program.
The Deload phase plays a critical role in a periodized training program, especially for the general population. As we examine the Accumulation and Intensification phases, it’s evident that they will eventually take a toll on recovery due to the high stressors in training. Recognizing the significant differences between professional athletes and the average client regarding recovery is important.
Professional athletes structure their days around a training schedule and often receive assistance with recovery through soft tissue work and advanced recovery methods. The key factor allowing athletes to maintain this level of commitment is time. However, time is a resource that the average client will ultimately lack. With numerous daily obligations such as driving children to school and various activities, maintaining a job, and taking care of household tasks, juggling time becomes an inevitable challenge. Consequently, incorporating a deload week into the training plan is essential.
The deload phase is designed to provide clients with a planned reduction in training volume and intensity, allowing their bodies to recover and adapt to the previous weeks of training. This phase is crucial for mitigating the risk of overtraining, injury, and burnout while maintaining physical activity. In addition, a well-structured deload week can help clients feel physically and mentally rejuvenated and set the stage for continued progress in the next Accumulation phase.
A typical deload week might involve reducing the volume (number of sets and reps) and intensity (load) by 30-50% compared to the preceding weeks. The focus during this time should be on maintaining proper technique, mobility work, and addressing any minor issues that may have arisen during the previous training phases. Incorporating a deload week into the training program will help your clients achieve their goals safely and sustainably while balancing their many other life commitments.
Periodization is a powerful tool for personal trainers working with the general population. By utilizing the PTBA priority approach and adapting periodization principles to fit the needs of everyday clients, trainers can create individualized and effective training programs that help clients achieve their goals while addressing underlying issues that may be limiting their progress.