Periodization

“My thoughts on season preparation”

“Quotes that sound good”

▪ “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin

▪ “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” ― Abraham Lincoln

▪ “When you are designing your plan, think not in terms of what you need to do, think in terms of what you need to achieve.” ― T. Jay Taylor

Periodization Defined

▪ Period of Training (When athletes should be doing what type of specific training)

▪ Macrocyle vs. Microcycle (Overall vs. specific)

▪ Mesocycles (Blocks of Training)

Periodization Chart

Jake Shewbert’s Periodization

XC Periodization

▪ XC Periodization is Divided into 3 phases (mesocycles)

1. Summer (June to July)-Preparation

2. Early Season (August to Mid-September)- Transition

3. Late Season (Mid September to Early-November) –Competition

a. Pre-competition (Mid-September to Mid-October)

b. Competition (Mid-October to Early-November)

Track Periodization

▪ Track Periodization is divided into 3 phases (mesocycles)

1. Winter (December & January)-Preparation

2. Early Season (February & March)- Transition

3. Late Season (April & May) – Competition

a. Pre-competition (Late March to Mid-April)

b. Competition (Late April to May)

Snapshot of a XC Mesocyle

Snapshot of a track MesoCycle

Snapshot of Jake Track MicroCycle

Tests for Fitness I use

▪ 1 hour Test for Aerobic Power

a) 85% Run…(Whole Presentation this afternoon)

▪ Kosmin Test

a) Predictor of 1500 (Vigil recommended)

a) 1500m test

I. The athlete runs flat-out for 60 seconds and the distance covered is measured. The athlete then takes a three-minute recovery.

II. The athlete runs flat-out for another 60 seconds and the distance covered is measured. The athlete now takes a two-minute recovery.

III. The athlete again runs flat-out for 60 seconds and the distance covered is measured. The athlete now takes a one-minute recovery.

IV. The athlete runs a final 60-second effort and the distance covered is measured.

V. The four distances are added and the total is used to estimate 1500m performance.

▪ Flying 30 meter Test

a) Maximum velocity test used to indicate 800 potential

One Last Tidbit on My Periodization

Muscle Physiology Basics

▪ Muscle tissue contains an array of type I and type II fibersA. Type I fibers include slow-twitch fibers or red muscle

1. Red muscle fibers specialize in long-duration, low-intensity movement. Red fibers fatigue slowly and dominate muscle composition in the human body.

2. Because red fibers contribute to all muscular contractions, they are easier to target with exercise.

3. Because red fibers contribute to all muscular contractions, they are easier to target with exercise.

B. Type II fibers are also known as fast-twitch fibers or white muscle

1. White muscle fibers create high-intensity actions lasting fewer than 30 seconds, such as jumping and lifting loads greater than 70 percent of your maximal ability

2. You can improve type II fiber fitness with heavy resistance training and ballistic exercise such as fast, yet controlled, weightlifting