Periodization and weight training

[Jean-Paul]

Periodized weight training involves manipulating the volume, intensity, and exercises performed in a training cycle. By manipulating these training variables, the trainee can alter his workouts to prevent injury, boredom, and overtraining while training to peak for a specific event or achieve a specific fitness goal such as weight loss or muscle mass gains. Periodized weight training programs can be manipulated on a yearly, monthly, weekly, and workout to workout basis. An entire training cycle is termed the macrocycle and may last anywhere from a period of years to a few months, depending on the athletes goals. The next phase of a periodized program is the mesocycle whose duration can be anywhere from a few months to a month long. The shortest cycle of a periodized weight program is the microcycle which may consist of a few weeks of training or a few workouts. When designing a periodized weight training program, the athlete must be certain to first set specific performance goals to be achieved during and at the end of the training program. For example, one may design a training program to help them peak for a particular sport such as soccer or to lose a certain percentage of bodyfat over a period of time. After the training goal has been established, the trainee can begin to design their training program. The easiest way to develop the training cycle is begin with the general(macrocycle) plan and then develop the more specific aspects of the program(mesocycles/microcycle) . Following are a two examples of a periodized weight training programs.

•Example 1: •Weeks1-4: 3 sets of 10-12 reps •Weeks 5-8: 3 sets of 8-10 reps •Weeks 9-12: 3 sets of 6-8 reps •Weeks 13-16: Workout 1: 3 sets of 3-5reps/ Workouts 2&3: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

•Example 2: •Monday: 3 sets of 12-15reps •Wednesday: 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps* •Friday: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

For the first example, the trainee would choose 1-3 exercises to be peformed as core exercises(squat, bench, power clean, etc) and would periodized them according to the training cycles plan. Assistance exercises that would help the trainee improve in their activity and the core lifts could also be periodized or performed for 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps throughout the training cycle. The second example represents a training mesocycle that is periodized within the training week. The workouts performed in Monday and Friday are light and medium workouts respectively. These workouts are performed to prepare for and recover from the heavy workout that is performed on Wednesday. This type of routine is good to use for general conditioning or to maintain strength and muscle gains made but not peak for a specific event or goal. Exercises should be periodized along with training volume and intensity. To periodize the exercises performed, rotated different exercises every 4-6 weeks. After 12-16weeks of training, the athlete should take 1-2 weeks and perform activities other than weight training or reduce their training frequency, volume, and intensity to prevent injury, overtraining, and boredom.