PERIODIZATION: Still the best way
Periodization, training in cycles of gradually increasing intensity, began with the work of Soviet sports scientist Dmitri Matveyev in the early 1960s. Elite athletes, Olympic weightlifters, swimmers, and track and field performers have used it all over the world to an ever-increasing degree since that time. American Olympic lifters and power lifters have been using periodization for a long time for example Frank Zane (Ripper 3, Fleck, Steven 34). Periodization provides a method by which the plateau can be avoided. One of the problems with most training programs is that it is the same day in and day out. Intensity, rep range, etc tend to be varying constant. However, the body is extremely adaptable and will eventually stop responding to a certain exercise scheme regardless of the intensity. Periodization provides a method of training that over rides the bodies mechanism by keeping them it plateauing.
There are two types of periodization, strict and Modified. Strict periodization consists of four or five distinct stages. Each stage has a specific goal and method of execution. Generally, the program moves from a low intensity workout to short, high intensity workouts. Each phase stresses a different aspect of the muscle. By changing the stress, progress can continue without plateauing. Modified periodization, is for non-competitive builders, and has four stages.
My personal workout will generally follow the modified periodization model. It follows as: (Taken From http://staff.washigto.edu/griffin/period.html)
Stage 1: Base
Volume: High
Intensity: Low
Sets/Exercise: 3-6
Reps/set: 12-20
Type of movement: slow, continuous movement
Purpose: To build muscular endurance, increase capillarization and blood flow to muscle
Stage 2: Strength/Endurance
Volume: Moderate
Intensity: Moderate
Sets-exercise: 3-6
Reps/set: 8-12
Type of movement: moderate speed
Purpose: To increase strength and muscle size
Stage 3: Strength
Volume: Low
Intensity: High
Sets/exercise: 3-4
Reps/set: 4-8
Type of movement: fast but controlled
Purpose: build power
Stage 4: Recovery
Volume: Low
Intensity: Low
Sets/exercise: 2-3
Reps/set: 12-15
Purpose: This stage allows the body to completely recover before beginning stage 1 again, it should last 2-3 weeks
The length of each stage may be more consistent for modified periodization. Anywhere from 1 to 3 months can be spent on each stage (Ripper 3, Fleck, Steven 89). Studies have found that strength tends to peak at about12 weeks during strength training with either a plateau or decrease in strength occurring after that.
The first participant measured her pulse rate for 30 seconds before starting the exercise. Her pulse rate was calculated to determine the number of beats per minute. She then stepped on the platform (up and down) and continued at a slow pace for 3 minutes. After three minutes of the exercise, she measured her pulse rate every minute to determine her recovery time. This process was repeated until her pulse rate returned to normal.
6. Mike, Jonathan N., M.S., and Len Kravitz, Ph.D. (2009). "Recovery in Training: The Essential
The progressive overload principle is exemplified in strength training, which is necessary to improve the performance of a 100m sprinter.
Athletic staleness and burnout is a big problem for many of today’s athletes whether they are at the amateur or professional level. The good thing about this problem that ends up in total and complete physical and emotional exhaustion is that it can be recognized when it is taking place. It can also be treated if the recognition comes at too late of a stage of the onset of staleness and burnout. But the best remedy for athletic staleness and burnout is prevention of it in the first place. There are three different models that have been used to explain the causes of athlete burnout.
In Stage 2, they're living a life of quiet desperation: their behavior is under control but they continue to suffer, often due to past trauma and invalidation. Their emotional experience is inhibited. The goal of Stage 2 is to help the client move from a state of quiet desperation to one of full emotional experiencing. This is the stage in which post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) would be treated.
“After 5 months of training I expect to be moderately stronger and more efficient in all areas of activity as well as see a reduction in body fat and an increase in lean body mass.”
Dunn, George et al. National Strength and Conditioning Association. National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal. 7. 27-29. 1985.
...required, but the volume of exercise can be gradually progressed to meet American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines (Stevinson 2007). Stevinson suggests that an exercise training program needs to have a gradual increase in the volume of the training so that patients will see long term improvements (2007). Each exercise session should include a warm-up, the actual exercise itself, and the cool-down. The warm-up should include a light aerobic exercise so that the heart rate and body temperature is increased gradually, followed by some simple stretching for all of the muscle groups that are going to be used in the session (Stevinson 2007). The exercise itself should include a prescribed time, intensity, and type of the exercise. Lastly, the cool-down should consist of stretching exercises so that the body can return to normal-resting values (Stevinson 2007).
In order to fully understand the impact and effect of overtraining, defining and establishing the difference of what overtraining is from other conditions, such as overreaching, is necessary. Overtraining is defined as the accumulation of both training and non-training stresses producing a long-term effect on the athlete’s performance capacity, with or without physical and psychological overtraining signs and symptoms in which recovery of the performance capacity will take weeks to months (Halson, 2004 p. 969). Overreaching, however, is defined by the accumulation of training and non-training stresses with a short-term effect on the a...
The guide set down by Philostratus shows a sequence of small medium and large training loads in a 4-day training cycle. This shows us the ancient approach to short term periodisation and set a standard that modern programs where advanced
The principle of overload consists of three training variables, duration, frequency, and intensity. These variables must be increased or manipulated to experience increases in the improvement of performance, skill, and technique.. Following proper training guidelines will enhance the performance of any athlete not just a ballet dancer or football player.
Sometimes these dramatic changes in our workout programs (such as increasing volume or intensity) can put too much of a shock on the body. Especially if you see these pro athletes or bodybuilders crazy hard workouts, just because they do it does not mean that it’s right for you. When we are using high rep or intensity sets multiple days a week on the same muscle groups such as drop sets, failure sets and compound sets. This can diminish your energy and take longer for your body to
...n be sure to monitor the progress of the client, so to timely adjust the workout (i.e., bump them to Stage II or III, or increase the intensities of the zones) so that the client continues to be motivated and challenged.
... currently in. By reassesses your progress and where you are currently you allow yourself to keep from relapsing and falling from one stage back down to another. In this particular article they reassessed their participants commitment and current stage every six and twelve months (Geoffrey 2012 p.256) I feel for me moving forward reassessing my current commitment every three months would be most effective. Reason for this is at the 60 days is when you need to start making a move from preparation into the action stage, also after 6 months of being in the action stage you can consider yourself within the maintenance stage. By evaluating every three months I can have a solid idea of when I have left my preparation stage and finally entered action and after two assessments in the action stage I can start to consider myself firmly within the maintenance stage of change.
After awhile the monotony of doing the same exercises in the same