© National Strength and Conditioning Association Volume 26,Number 1,page 50–69 Roundtable Roundtable Discussion: Periodization of Training— G.Gregory Haff,PhD,CSCS Part 1 Column Editor G.Gregory Haff,PhD,CSCS Human Performance Laboratory,Midwestern State University,Wichita Falls,Texas summary Macrocycle,Mesocycle,Micro- One is also dramatically challenged by cycle,Transition Phase,Volume, the need for “individualization” based on The concept of periodization is im- Intensity,Restoration,Frequen- physiological status and predisposition portant for strength and condition- cy,Peaking,Overtraining,and and individual training goals to meet Overreaching? sport demands (3, 4). So, although the ing professionals. This roundtable answers to these questions will have Kraemer: First, one must realize that many different permutations and seem- covers several aspects of periodiza- with the progress in the study and use of ingly differences in various opinions, the tion strategies. periodization of resistance training since basis for periodization is the need for our last roundtable program variation in 1986, the opera- and programmed he concept of periodization of tional definitions rest to keep the stim- training has been a topic of discus- have been pushed in ulus effective as one T sion and debate amongst athletes, many directions of works toward his or coaches, and sport scientists for many which one can argue her genetic predis- decades. Large volumes of research have and debate, but this position for a given been done on the concept and its rela- provides the intel- physiological or per- tionship to peak performance of athletes. lectual perspectives formance variable. In 1986, the National Strength and Con- to work with when ditioning Association (NSCA) brought using this concept. I Many of the terms together a group of strength and condi- have had the oppor- used are from the tioning professionals to discuss the con- tunity to hear so former Soviet Union cept of periodization from a practical many different ver- and Eastern Euro- and scientific perspective in the pages of sions and work with pean countries in the NSCA Journal. The purpose of this a host of different periodization models origin, as I remember reading about current roundtable discussion is to revis- from practice to laboratory; I am amazed them in 1973 from blue mimeographed it the topic of periodization with some of at how far it has all come. The concept of sheets sent out by Carl Miller with U.S. the original participants and add some of periodization is what is most fascinating Weightlifting at the time (22, 23). Over the latest scientific and practical applica- to me, and so many fine coaches and time, American lifters, coaches, and sci- tions of this training method. sport scientists are making headway into entists adapted the concepts and the its understanding. Ultimately, periodiza- terms so that many “hybrids” of the pe- Question 1: How Would you de- tion of training is mediated by the need riodization concept and terms exist and fine the Concept of Periodization, for variation in the training stimuli (22). continue to evolve today (3). This shows 50 February 2004 • Strength and Conditioning Journal the level of utility and creative use of this cally about 2 weeks in duration, and this achieved with frequency of lifting, lower important concept of training theory. allows for variation to be carefully cus- volumes of exercise, absolute rest, active So, it is important that each program tomized. My laboratory definition of in- rest, and strict attention to restoration carefully define what is meant by each of tensity has been related to the resistance techniques when needed (e.g., sleep, the terms so that better communication used for the exercise of which some call massage, hydrotherapy, etc). Frequency can be achieved when speaking about “load”. We prescribe this typically in is the number of times per week that we periodized training programs, as it is not training repetition maximum (RM) lift. Peaking is related to a composite ag- a single entity anymore. ranges for most exercises (e.g., 3 to gregation of all conditioning stimuli and 5RM, 8 to 10RM) where the athlete sports practice that result in optimal or Despite the many different versions of does not have to go necessarily to failure record performance in the sport for the periodization we have used, we essen- on every set because of compression athlete at a specific point in time. The tially have “periodization” as a concept stress, but he or she should not be able to peaking phase in a resistance-training that can be defined by programmed volitionally lift more repetitions in a set program is the contributing factor to variation in the training stimuli with the than the training range prescribed or total conditioning for optimizing a per- use of planned rest periods to augment then must alter the resistance on the formance at a specific point in time. recovery and restoration of an athlete’s next set up or down based on percep- Overreaching (OR) is where one in- potential (16). Again, the key factor to tion. Historically we have found that creases the training stimuli in order to optimal gains going toward one’s genetic athletes can easily understand and pick create a decrease in performance but one potential is “variation” in the exercise the resistance to achieve this 3-repeti- that has a “supercompensation” re- stimulus with systematic rest pro- tion range resistance goal by trail and sponse or a rebound with increased per- grammed into the equation. How that error. This approach reduces the need formance at some point in time after the variation is achieved and used is the for multiple 1RM testing in every lift, OR phase is completed (16, 25). Typi- topic of a wide variety of different train- which is administratively impossible. cally this would occur in the following 1 ing goals and must also be individual- For structural lifts (e.g., cleans, hang to 2 weeks. In our recent work, we have ized for each athlete and sport to achieve cleans, etc) we use a combination of per- discovered that a training rebound pro- optimal success in his or her sport. Even centages of their 1RM for a given num- gram was possible after a high-volume in the model I used in a later question, ber of repetitions in a set. This is espe- phase (25). In this study, before initia- the basic form is just the template from cially important for certain resistances tion of the 4-week OR program, each which to work. We have tried to stick used for power training but even when participant underwent 4 weeks of base with the classic terms and have limited we are associating percentage and load resistance training. This ensured that excessive term creation, as the need has failure in whole body lifts such as a each subject began the study in a trained not been there for our applications in power clean. On power training, with state. Base training consisted of 5 exer- sport and in the laboratory. So, in classic emerging research data in our laboratory cises per workout (squat, bench press, terms of periodization theory, the and along with those of Robert U. New- lat pull-down, leg press, and shoulder macrocyle is the longest duration of the ton’s laboratory, we have found that press) for 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions training cycle; typically a year is used for power exercises need to focus on “quali- with 1 to 3 minutes of rest in between most situations, but some international ty” of each repetition for maximal power sets performed for 2 days per week. See programs have used a 4-year duration to or velocity of movement, and with the Table 1 for the OR protocol used in the coincide with peaking for the Olympic use of more sophisticated monitoring study. Multiple-set, periodized resis- Games. The mesocycle is the next cycle instrumentation and equipment we tance training was performed on 4 con- duration further defining the amount of have found that this occurs in sets no secutive days with a total-body program. variation during the macrocycle. Prior longer than 6 repetitions, and that many Because of time limitation constraints work has shown that more mesocycles of the repetitions do not hit critical cut- with the subjects, the OR program uti- allow for greater training gains in physi- off levels needed for the quality training lized training each muscle group on con- ological adaptation and performance, (unpublished data, 18, 24). Therefore, secutive days, thereby limiting recovery. and thus many have used a 3-month many athletes are not ready for high- The first 2 weeks consisted of a higher mesocycle allowing 4 to be cycled in a quality power training because of many volume, moderate intensity of resistance year. The microcycle is the next and factors related to the fatigue state of the exercise, whereas the last 2 weeks con- probably most important phase of train- athlete (e.g., sport practice demands, sisted of a higher intensity with a lower ing where changes in the acute program other supplemental training, order volume of resistance exercise. All sets variables are prescribed to define each problems in a workout design). Restora- were performed with RM loads such mesocycle and provide change and vari- tion is related to the need for rest and re- that all sets were performed either to or ation over time. The microcycle is typi- covery over a training cycle. This is near muscular exhaustion. When each February 2004 • Strength and Conditioning Journal 51 Table 1 Resistance Overreaching Training Program Used in Study (26)