Module 15 - Periodization & Program Development

Question 1

What is at the core of any effective training program?

Answer 1

Structure

Question 2

What does periodization involve to get an individual to peak performance level by a particular date or time?

Answer 2

Periodization involves a progression of several cycles of training periods to get an individual to peak performance level by a particular date or time.

Question 3

What is the key element of periodization?

Answer 3

The key element of periodization is that each training period builds on the prior training period.

Question 4

What is general adaption syndrome (GAS)?

Answer 4

General adaptation syndrome (GAS) is a description of the process of how your body responds to stress.

Question 5

What are the 3 stages of GAS?

Answer 5

Alarm, resistance (also called adaption), exhaustion

Question 6

What happens in the alarmed stage of GAS?

Answer 6

When alarmed, the body immediately responds to fight or flight, shifting its resources to muscular and emotional needs.

Question 7

What happens in the resistance/adaption stage of GAS?

Answer 7

The body adapts to stressful situations and becomes stronger.

Question 8

What happens in the exhaustion stage of GAS?

Answer 8

If high-stress levels persist for too long, the body will begin to break down.

Question 9

When does overtraining occur?

Answer 9

Overtraining occurs when an individual continues to stress the body without adequate rest.

Question 10

What are the two primary things to consider to calculate when an athlete should have an off day?

Answer 10

1. Intensity and/or distance of the training session
2. Recovery rate of the athlete

Question 11

The harder the intensity or the longer the distance of a training session, the ________ required rest.

Answer 11

more.

Question 12

How does the fitness level of an athlete influence the recovery rate of an athlete?

Answer 12

The better conditioned an athlete is, the faster the recovery rate will typically be.

Question 13

What is the death zone analogous to regarding exercising/training?

Answer 13

The death zone is analogous to maintaining too high a volume/intensity based on an athlete’s fitness level i.e placing to much stress on the body.

Question 14

The classic periodization model is based on wat kind of schedule?

Answer 14

It’s based on a one-year schedule with typically one peak.

Question 15

What cycles are a year cycle broken down into?

Answer 15

Microcycle, mesocycle, and marcocycle

Question 16

What is a microcycle?

Answer 16

A microcycle represents a week

Question 17

What does a mesocycle consist of?

Answer 17

A mesocycle consists of two to six microcycles

Question 18

What does a macrocycle refer to and what three phases is it broken down into?

Answer 18

A macrocycle refers to the annual training program which is broken into three phases - preparation, competition, and transition (off-season).

Question 19

What are the 7 areas of classic periodization?

Answer 19

General conditioning, base fitness, build fitness, peak fitness, taper, goal event, recover

Question 20

What is the trend that occurs in a classic/linear periodization-based program?

Answer 20

overall volume steadily decreases throughout the program while intensity steadily increases.

Question 21

What training cycles fit into the preparation phase of a macrocycle?

Answer 21

General conditioning, base fitness, and build fitness -

Question 22

What training cycles fit into the competition phase of a macrocycle?

Answer 22

Peak fitness, taper, goal event - this the the weeks leading up to the goal event.

Question 23

What training cycles fit into the transition phase of a macrocycle?

Answer 23

Recovery - This is the off-season

Question 24

Classic periodization is appropriate for who?

Answer 24

Beginner to intermediate athletes, but not elite/advanced athletes

Question 25

How can a block periodization be characterized?

Answer 25

Block periodization is characterized by a series of connected groups or “blocks” (essentially mesocycles). Each block has a primary focus.

Question 26

What three blocks is the block periodization model broken down into?

Answer 26

Accumulation, transmutation, and realization.

Question 27

Regarding the block periodization model, what is the focus of the accumulation phase?

Answer 27

The accumulation phase is similar to base training, which is 2 - 4 weeks long and consists of low-intensity and high-volume training.

Question 28

Regarding the block periodization model, what is the focus of the transmutation phase?

Answer 28

During the transmutation phase, the focus is on high intensity, typically focused on developing a singular energy system.

Question 29

Regarding the block periodization model, what is the focus of the realization phase?

Answer 29

The realization phase (7-14 days) or more commonly referred to as the ‘taper’ phase, is where the primary focus is on low volume and rest, with small doses of high-intensity workouts.

Question 30

Periodization is based on what principles?

Answer 30

Periodization is based on the principles of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS).