Training Cycles
By Tudor O. Bompa, PhD
Customarily, training cycles refer to short-term plans such as micro- and macrocycles. Some authors complicate the study of
micro- and macrocycles by suggesting 8 or more types. In this chapter, I simplify planning by concentrating on 5 types (with
some variation) of micro- and macrocycles: developmental, shock, regeneration, competition, and tapering.
Microcycle
The term microcycle is rooted in Greek and Latin. In Greek, mikros means small, and in Latin, cyclus refers to a sequence
of phenomena that succeeds regularly. In training methodology, microcycle refers to a weekly training pro gram that succeeds
within an annual program, according to the needs of peaking for the main objective (competition) of the year.
In training, a microcycle is probably the most important, functional tool of planning because its structure and content determine
the quality of the training process. Not all training lessons of a single microcycle are of the same nature. They alternate
according to objectives, volume, intensity, and methods, any of which may dominate a training phase. Furthermore, physiological
and psychological demands on an athlete cannot be steady; they must change depending on the working capacity, needs of recovery
and regeneration, and the competition schedule.
Constructing Microcycles
As a short-term plan, the microcycle
is not unique. Philostratus, the ancient Greek scholar, proposed a short-term plan he called the Tetra System, a 4-day training
cycle in this order:
Day 1: Prepare the athlete with a short and energetic program.
Day 2: Exercise intensely.
Day 3: Relax to revive the activity.
Day 4: Perform moderate exercise.
Philostratus suggested that the athletes repeat the tetrads continually. This happened in ancient
times. How far have we come? Read on.
The main criteria for a microcycle comes from the general training
goal, improving training factors and elevating athletic performance. Improving abilities closely relates to changes in various
training factors, so that a correct mix prevails. The efficiency of a lesson to develop a technical element is a function
of the type and content of the training performed previously. If the former training lesson focused on endurance or if it
used intense stimuli, the following lesson should not aim at perfecting technique since there will probably not be adequate
time for the athlete, and particularly the CNS, to recover. The reverse sequence seems to be more effective, in which developing
endurance follows a training lesson for developing speed.
The criteria for sequencing training lessons
in a microcycle includes the dominant factors or biomotor abilities specific to the sport. According to Ozolin (1971) the
optimal sequence is:
• Learn and perfect technique with medium intensity.
• Perfect technique at submaximum and maximum intensity.
• Develop speed of short duration
(up to the limit).
• Develop anaerobic endurance.
• Improve strength
using a load of 90 to 100% of your maximum.
• Develop muscular endurance using medium and low
loads.
• Develop muscular endurance with high and maximum intensity.
• Develop cardiorespiratory endurance with maximum intensity.
• Develop cardiorespiratory
endurance with moderate intensity.
Consider this sequence a general guide, and apply it according to the specifics of the sport and
the athlete's training needs. Intensity increases progressively and concludes in the middle section; endurance development
prevails toward the end.
This sequence has strong similarities to what I advocate during the main
part of the training lesson: (a) address technique or tactical elements, (b) develop speed or power, (c) develop strength,
and (d) develop general endurance.
Constructing a Microcycle
Often, an athlete must repeat training lessons
of similar objectives and content two or three times during a microcycle to have a training effect. Repetition is essential
for learning a technical element or developing a biomotor ability. The Romans used to say repetitia mater studiorum est,
"repetition is the mother of study." However, the athlete must repeat exercises to develop biomotor abilities with
varying frequencies during a microcycle. You develop better general endurance, flexibility, or strength for a large group
of muscles when you re peat the lessons every second day. Strength training large muscle groups has cardiovascular components,
which are more exhaustive and require a longer recovery than localized training for smaller muscle groups. For developing
specific endurance of submaximum intensity, three training lessons per week will suffice. However, for specific endurance
of maximum intensity during the competitive phase, plan training lessons twice a week, and dedicate the remaining days to
lower intensity training. Use two lessons per week to maintain strength, flexibility, and speed. Finally, two or three times
per week seems to be optimal for bounding exercises that develop leg power and exercises for speed performance under strenuous
conditions such as snow or sand.
Alternate work with regeneration when planning a microcycle. Plan
work to an athlete's limits no more than twice a week; plan active rest of low-intensity relaxation once a week. The days
for active rest should follow a lesson that demands maximum effort from an athlete.
Repetition may
also be valid for microcycles themselves, especially during the preparatory phase. Throughout a macrocycle, you can repeat
a microcycle of the same nature (Le., content and methods) two or three times, following which you may observe a qualitative
improvement based on the athlete's adaptation. The nature of the microcycle can be constant, but the volume and in tensity
of training should increase for each cycle, especially for advanced athletes.
Structural Considerations
Although
an organized coach would use long-term plans to extract macro- and microcycle plans, he or she should not prepare a detailed
training program more than two microcycles into the future. It is difficult to foresee the dynamics of improvement. The coach
could compile an athlete's macrocycle and be flexible in applying it, considering that the last microcycle would be a guideline
for making necessary alterations according to the improvement rate.
Consider many factors in constructing
a microcycle, among which these are primary:
• Set the microcycle's objectives, especially for
the dominant training factors.
• Set the training demand (number of lessons, volume, intensity,
and complexity) .
• Set the level of intensity for the microcycle-how many peaks and alternations
with less intensive training lessons.
• Decide the character of training, referring to the kind
of methods and means of training to use per lesson.
• Set training or competition days (if applicable).
• Start a micro cycle with low- or medium-intensity training lessons and progress with increasing
intensity.
• Before an important competition, use a microcycle with one peak only, which the
athlete should reach 3 to 5 days before the competition.
Along with these factors, determine whether an athlete should perform
one or more training lessons per day, and the time and content of each lesson. Precede each microcycle with a short meeting
between coach and athlete.
During the meeting, discuss objectives for each training factor; performance
standards to reach during the microcycle; methods to achieve the objectives; the program details, such as time of each lesson,
volume and intensity of training, difficulty and priority of lessons; special notes for individual athletes; and miscellaneous
information. If the microcycle ends with a competition, give athletes all the details and motivate them to meet goals for
the competition.
Following the last training lesson of a microcycle, conclude with a short meeting.
Analyze whether the athletes achieved the objectives and negative and positive aspects of the athletes' training behavior
and motivation. Athletes comment on the past microcycle. Outline changes to consider for the future that may appear in the
following microcycle.
Meetings where everything is directly and honestly stated are a practical communication
vehicle. Coaches and athletes learn about their athletic endeavors, and help each other make changes for future athletic improvements.
Classifying Microcycles
Use these criteria in structuring microcycles; however, particular circumstances could lead to variations.
Additionally, the dynamics of a microcycle depend on the training phase and the priority of training factors (whether technical
or physical factors prevail). More importantly, they must reflect the athlete's progress and training capacity. Thus, the
coach should eliminate standardization and rigidity. Flexibility allows for alterations that include information the coach
gathers regarding the progress of athletes and opponents.
You can structure a microcycle according
to the number of lessons per week. The number of lessons depends on the athlete's preparation and whether he or she follows
a club program or participates in a camp. Training time availability plays an important role. Figure 7.1 illustrates a microcycle
with eight training lessons that maximize the athlete's free time on the weekend. The T symbol suggests when training takes
place, and the diagonal line illustrates a rest time.
In a camp situation or during holidays, alter
the structure according to the time available and the athlete's training potential. Figure 7.2 illustrates a 3 + 1 structure
that suggests the athlete train successively in 3 half days, with the fourth half day for rest.
Consider
a slightly altered design for athletes whose training potential meets a more demanding microcycle. A 5 + 1 (five lessons followed
by 1/2 day rest) and a 5 + 1 + 1 (five lessons plus 1/2 day rest, followed by 1/2 day of work) are illustrated by figures
7.3 and 7.4 respectively.
You may also structure
a micro cycle according to available time and the kind of training. Figure 7.5 illustrates a supplementary training lesson
(ST) organized during early morning. with the main training of the day in the evening, followed by a weight-training (WT)
program.
Training dynamics
through a microcycle are not uniform, but vary intensity or training demand depending on the training character, type of microcycle.
climate. and environmental temperature. For intensity dynamics. there is an alternation between high (H) or 90 to 100% of
maximum, medium (M) or 80 to 90%, and low (L) or 50 to 80%, often followed by rest (R) on Sundays. An intensive microcycle
may have one, two, or occasionally three peaks of high intensity.
Follow the principle of load progression when increasing intensity and planning the
number of peaks of intensity and high training demand. Altitude, temperature, long travel, time difference, and climate also
influence the intensity and number of peaks in the training program of a microcycle. In high altitudes or after long travel
involving 5 to 8 hours of time difference, plan a peak only in the second microcycle; the first is for adaptation. In a hot,
humid climate, plan one peak at the beginning of the week when the athlete has more vigor.
Methodically,
you should plan only one peak in a microcycle for one of the three middle days of the week, or you could place two peaks toward
the two ends of the cycle linked by 1 or 2 days of regeneration. An exception may occur when using model training, in which
two peaks may occur on adjacent days to simulate a competitive situation.
Before the examples of microcycles,
some comments are necessary. Although the examples refer to intensity, I really mean total training demand. In the past, I
made micro cycles to show how volume and intensity vary per week (other authors still do the same). However, contemporary
sport is more complex, and one sport is very different from the others. Some sports are speed-power dominant (sprints, jumps,
and throws in track and field; diving; ski jumping; fencing; and weightlifting); others are endurance dominant (mid-and long
distance events in track, speed skating, and crosscountry skiing). Some sports, such as most team sports, are too complex
regarding skills and strategies to just refer to volume and intensity. Each sport has psychological and social stress, qualities
often overlooked in planning. Therefore, figures 7.6 through 7.12 do not refer to volume and intensity as separate identities
but rather to total training demand.
In the past, I also
attempted to classify microcycles and training phases into 22 categories. I have found this to be ridiculously complicated
and a source of great confusion to most of my audience. I have tried to simplify these examples as much as reasonably possible.
The reader is invited to adapt the examples presented to specific individual situations and training needs.
The microcycle has to be functional and, therefore, as simple as possible. Figure 7.13 shows a plan from the competition phase.
The plan should specify the date, objectives, and content for each training lesson. Express the content briefly, citing the
major items of each training lesson.
The structure of
a microcycle depends on the overall training objective, and as such is training phase dependent. From this point of view,
we could classify microcycles as follows:
• Developmental microcycle: specific to the preparatory phase. The objective
is to improve skills and develop specific biomotor abilities. Such cycles could have two or three peaks of high demand. Use
either the step- or the flat loading method, depending on the athlete's classification.
• Shock microcycle:
suddenly increases training demands beyond those previously experienced. Typical for the preparatory phase, a cycle may have
three or four peaks of high training demand. The objective is to break the ceiling of adaptation achieved in a previous phase,
so the athlete pushes to a superior homeostasis. A microcycle is taxing physiologically and psychologically. You should not
plan it immediately before competitions or testing dates. Also, because the shock microcycle results in a high level of fatigue,
it is advisable to follow with a regeneration cycle.
• Regeneration microcycle: removes fatigue from the mind and
body and restores energy. Low-intensity aerobic compensation training is best suited for these goals. An atmosphere of fun
and enjoyment relax the mind in preparation for the taxing cycles to come. Organize regeneration microcycles following a series
of important competitions or after a shock training cycle. These cycles restore the athlete's previous potential and prevent
overtraining.
• Peaking and unloading microcycles: manipulate training volume and intensity to facilitate the best
performance for a major competition. Visible decrease in training demands facilitates supercompensation before competition,
setting up the body and mind for a good performance.
FROM: Chapter 7 of PERIODIZATION, Fourth Edition
