Athletes are always trying to find the perfect balance between their training and recovery. (After all, no one wants to spend time resting that could be otherwise spent making progress.)
But, of course, ample recovery time is a non-negotiable aspect to your progress, and it’s essential to tie into your training plan. That’s why some training methods like periodization training purposefully integrate recovery into their core structure.
A periodized plan alternates between training and recovery based on a specific, tiered structure of training cycles. Each layer of training comes with particular benefits and focuses that ultimately allow your muscles to adapt more effectively through your progression.
In today’s blog, we’ll be covering the basic structure of periodized training and the 3 main types of periodization plans that endurance athletes can benefit from.
Let’s review.
Basic Structure for Periodized Training
There are three main cycles in a periodized training schedule: macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles. Each cycle represents a certain period of time in the context of your complete training plan, and they are nested within each other, rather than segmented as individual portions of your progression.
To start, your macrocycle is the largest cycle of your plan: it encompasses the big picture, typically an entire training season. One macrocycle consists of multiple mesocycles, which are the second largest “chunks” of your training schedule. Mesocycles can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the full timeline of your plan, and they usually focus on a particular phase of training (e.g., strength or speed). Lastly, each mesocycle is built up of microcycles — these are the smallest unit of periodized training structures, usually encapsulating your standard training week. This is where the plan will lay out specific workouts for your day-to-day training.
But, the cycles aren’t the only piece of the periodized puzzle! There are also some foundational training “phases” that you’ll find in most periodization plans:
- Transition Phase
- Preparation Phase
- Base Phase
- Build Phase
- Peak Phase
- Taper Phase
- Race Day
(If you want to learn about the distinctions between each phase, check out our other blog that overviews the primary structures of periodization training.)
The Different Types of Periodized Training Plans
Although there are standard components of periodization, the structure itself can’t be set in stone. Every athlete is built differently, and the way your training is structured will also vary depending on your sport, athletic caliber, and overarching goal that you’re training for.
So, just like any other effective training method, periodization is still completely malleable to your training needs. They each follow the basic macro-, meso-, and microcycle structure, but you can customize how much emphasis is placed on specific training aspects to gain unique benefits.
Blocked Periodized Training
As the name suggests, this method of periodization utilizes “training blocks” to target specific attributes of your training.
Each training block is usually a few weeks long, so they fit quite naturally into the structure of mesocycles. The focus of each block varies greatly depending on what goal you’re working towards, but some common examples include strength development, VO2 max, aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, or more sport-specific training.
As you progress from one training block to the next, you will likely transition to workouts that require lower volume but higher intensities. (Some resources refer to this progression in 3 phases: accumulation, transmutation, and realization.)
One of the biggest benefits to blocked training is that you get several weeks to really dial into each training component. Your body has ample time to adapt to each new training style, and you can ensure that you master each block before transitioning into the next.
That being said, not every athlete enjoys focusing on one training aspect for multiple weeks in a row. Some athletes struggle with the lack of training variety, which can potentially affect motivation and diligence in sticking with the complete training plan.
Undulating Periodized Training
On the complete flip side, you have undulating periodization — which is exactly what it sounds like! Rather than attributing specific training aspects within a mesocycle, an undulating training plan emphasizes the importance of variation, and you will focus on different training aspects in a “less structured” manner.
There’s a lot of malleability when it comes to undulated training. You have more freedom to switch up the kind of workouts you perform, when you do them, how long you do them, and what kind of training focus you want to highlight. Some athletes follow programs that change on a daily basis, whereas others still stick to one or two week chunks.
The bottom line being: there’s no set time limit for when you start or stop a specific phase of training.
Many athletes will find that they hit peak performance (or close to it) several times within one full macrocycle.
Undulating training is a great way to keep yourself on your toes, and it can boost your motivation to continue training with new workouts always on the horizon. Plus, you don’t have to feel locked in to any one type of training to feel like you’re progressing.
What’s tricky is that you still, of course, need some degree of structure for true progress. When you’re new to the process, it can feel a bit overwhelming or even disorganized to not have set timelines or thresholds to dial into. It can also make it more difficult to establish the necessary movement patterns for optimal training if you’re switching focuses frequently.
But, hey: what works for some athletes won’t work as well for others, right?
Linear Periodized Training
If undulated training feels a bit too unpredictable, linear periodized training goes in the opposite direction by assuring steady progress.
Your focus is to progress forwards and upwards, just as a linear chart would. Each phase of your training will increase in intensity and decrease in volume, and you will likely include more specific workouts the closer you get to your end goal.
Many athletes are introduced to periodized training with a linear plan. They’re the most straightforward and easy-to-understand training structures, and people will almost always see positive results if it’s planned out thoroughly. (No one said that training had to be complicated to be effective, right?)
Another reason why linear training is so popular is because it comes with clear progress benchmarks. Through your entire program, you are consistently progressing forward.
For some athletes, linear training isn’t quite challenging enough, and it can feel a bit rudimentary. Although your workouts do get more difficult as your body adapts to the training, linear progress doesn’t always yield the right amount of training stimulus for your end goal.
Find What Works for You — Period
Ultimately, as with any method of training, periodization takes time to structure, and it may take a bit of trial and error to find that sweet spot between progress and challenge.
Be sure to work with a coach or trainer who specializes in your sport to ensure that you can keep your plan as sport-specific as possible! Having an external source of support will allow you to establish a much more concrete progression (and, they can help with accountability).
Go forth and train, athletes!
