Periodization of training - Theory Flashcards
Define a coach according to Cote and Gilbert (2009).
A coach is someone who consistently applies integrated professional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal knowledge to improve an athlete’s competence, confidence, connection, and character in specific coaching contexts.
What are the three components of the coaching model?
The three components are knowledge, outcomes, and contexts.
Describe the three types of knowledge a coach utilizes.
- Professional knowledge: Skills, attitudes, behaviours; encompasses physiology, biology, and other academic knowledge, as well as certifications and licenses.
- Interpersonal knowledge: The ability to translate and coordinate conversations with athletes, parents, and others, which is critical.
- Intrapersonal knowledge: The ability to reflect on and internalize experiences, learning from sessions or cycles, and apply these reflections to future outcomes.
Detail the four C’s of athlete outcomes that a coach aims to improve.
Competence: The athlete’s level of competence, measured through performance indicators like strength, agility, balance, and power, assessed from a space and time perspective.
Confidence: Significantly influenced by the relationship between the coach and the athlete.
Connection: The medium through which citizenship qualities are learned, strengthening the athlete’s relationship with the community.
Character: Developing the athlete’s integrity and their ability to be a constructive and caring member of a team and society.
What are some key aspects to consider when defining the ‘contexts’ of coaching?
Contexts include:
- The level of sport (Recreational / Developmental / Elite).
- The context of the performance itself.
- Employment and compensation (paid or volunteer).
- The specific role of the coach.
- The employer or organization.
Define a scientist in the context of this lecture.
A scientist engages in the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding by following systematic methodologies based on evidence.
What are some limitations of science and experimental inquiry discussed in the lecture?
Limitations include:
- The technology available to observe and measure what the study proposes.
- The necessary political will to support research.
- The funding required to conduct the proposed research.
- The size and scope of the research imagination in crafting research questions and methodologies, particularly the potential exclusion of human variability.
What dictates the ultimate success of a training plan?
The ultimate success of a training plan is dictated by its ability to manage adaptive and recovery responses to the specific activities contained within the plan.
What is Periodization?
Periodization is the logical integration and sequencing of training factors (i.e., volume, intensity, training density, training frequency, training foci, exercise selection, and mode) into mutually dependent periods of time designed to optimize specific physiological and performance outcomes at predetermined time points.
Name some classic periodization models.
Classic, linear, and undulating periodization models.
What is the role of progression in periodization, and what is an ‘unloading week’?
Progression involves manipulating volume, frequency, and even workload, which is a strong predictor of success. An unloading week (often visually represented in black) is when the workload drops significantly, allowing for recovery.
What insights can monitoring training load provide, particularly for female athletes in sports like triathlon?
Monitoring total training load can give insight into overtraining risk and risk of injury.
What happens if training focuses too much on one area, and what needs to be considered as an athlete’s training age increases?
Focusing on one area may lead to diminished returns in another. As training age increases, it’s crucial to worry about maintaining all important areas throughout the year and avoid accommodation.
Why is planning variations important in training?
Planning variations is important because humans are always in a state of flux, and unforeseen things happen that cannot be accommodated for without adjustments.
Distinguish between short-term responses and long-term adaptations to training.
Short-term responses: Acute responses to a single stimulus or a collection of planned sessions, typically occurring within 3-6 weeks.
Long-term adaptation: Linked to the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), representing more sustained changes in fitness due to managed stress and fatigue over time.
Explain the fitness-fatigue model and its components.
The fitness-fatigue model describes the more acute responses to training, where changes in performance are a combination of fitness after-effects (positive, take longer to develop and dissipate slowly) and fatigue after-effects (negative, largest immediately after stimulus and taper off quickly). The net effect dictates performance.
What is the main goal of a trainer regarding adaptation and periodization?
The main goal as a trainer is to maintain adaptation. The real goal of periodization is to monitor progress and make changes effectively, ultimately trying to find windows of optimization to achieve the best performance at the right time.
What is the true strength of a sequential periodization model?
The true strength lies in its ability to manipulate training factors so that recovery-adaptation can be stimulated, resulting in performance elevations.
What considerations are important when blending different fitness components in training (concurrent training)?
It’s crucial to know how different fitness components negatively or positively impact each other to minimize the risk of interference and capitalize on successive effects.
What is a recommended approach when starting to increase fitness levels?
Start by increasing fitness slowly, changing one parameter at a time to better understand the effects and avoid negatively impacting other components due to fatigue.
Describe the concept of ‘wave oscillations’ in training load.
Wave oscillations characterize load dynamics in both relatively small (microcycles) and more prolonged (stages, periods) phases of the training process.
Explain the biological hypothesis of Symmorphosis.
Symmorphosis suggests that no more structure is formed or maintained than is required to satisfy functional demands. Structure and function are closely related, and the biological system adapts based on the demands placed upon it.
What is the concept of a biological reserve in the context of Symmorphosis?
Biological systems tend to maintain a reserve (capacity exceeding the usual load or even exercise load) to handle environmental changes or unexpected demands.
Define ‘transfer of training’ in the context of improving performance.
Transfer of training involves taking improved physical fitness qualities and turning them into improved performance in the desired activity. This is a crucial aspect of the art of coaching.
When is it typically appropriate to initiate and maximize transfer of training within a periodized plan?
- Initiate transfer: Often starts somewhere in the Specific Preparation Phase (SPP) after a base of fitness has been established.
- Maximize transfer: The goal is to have maximized transfer of training occurring right at the time of performance.
Describe a ‘summated microcycle’ pattern.
A summated microcycle involves a pattern of escalating workloads (volume and/or intensity) over several microcycles, typically followed by an unloading or recovery microcycle to manage fatigue and promote adaptation.
Why is it generally recommended to modulate only one training variable at a time, especially when starting out?
Modulating a single variable (intensity or volume) allows for a clearer understanding of its impact on adaptation. Changing multiple variables simultaneously can confound the results, making it difficult to determine the cause of any observed changes.
Define ‘training monotony’ and explain what it indicates.
Training monotony is a scientific value that provides insight into the variability of daily training loads. It’s calculated as the daily training stress divided by the average of the standard deviation of the weekly training load. High monotony may indicate an increased risk of overtraining, while low monotony suggests a lack of variability.
What are some key rationales for employing periodization and planning training variations?
Rationales include:
- Acknowledging the constantly changing demands of the organism.
- Managing involution or detraining in less emphasized components.
- Addressing diminishing returns as training age increases.
- Accommodating the constant state of flux in human physiology and external factors.
- To ultimately improve fitness and performance, ensuring the best performance at the right time.
Briefly describe the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) and its relevance to periodization.
GAS describes the body’s response to stress over time (alarm, resistance, exhaustion). Periodization aims to manage stress (training load) to stay in the resistance phase and avoid exhaustion, promoting long-term adaptation.
What is the concept of sequential development in training, and why is it considered important?
Sequential development involves emphasizing one fitness quality before another, with the idea that the first can positively influence the development of the second. It can be more powerful than just minimizing interference and allows for capitalizing on successive effects.
What is the goal of ‘peaking’ in a periodized training plan?
Peaking aims to bring an athlete to their optimal performance at the right time, typically for a key competition. This requires careful planning and management of training variables.
What are the basic temporal divisions of a training plan in periodization?
- Macrocycle: The longest duration, typically a year or more.
- Mesocycle: A block of training within the macrocycle, potentially further broken down into blocks.
- Microcycle: A shorter cycle, usually 7-10 days of training.
When analyzing a microcycle, what are some key questions to consider?
Key questions include: What is the priority of the microcycle? Is there concurrent training? What muscle groups are being targeted? What is the rationale behind the exercises and variables? Are there any potential issues or observations?
