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Continuing on with our training focused blogs recently, we have this one on periodisation. If you're not sure what it is, or ever wondered what your coach means when they talk about different blocks then this will surely clear that up for you a bit. As is most often the case, this one is written by James Kennedy.  Periodisation: What is it and how does it work? When you begin working with a powerlifting, strongman or weightlifting coach, you will probably hear them talk about the training plan or training blocks. Hopefully, your plan will be different to other people's plans, specific to your needs and goals. Why? And what does it all mean? The variations in training plans between athletes will depend on numerous factors: their training goals, their training history, their experience and their distance from competition. Relying on all these factors, a coach will select a periodisation strategy. In this article, we will outline three common periodisation strategies used in strength sports - linear periodisation, block periodisation and undulating periodisation. First though, some definitions. When we talk about periodisation, we are simply referring to how training is organised. Within the periodisation framework, training is broken down into the macrocycle, mesocycle and microcycle. The macrocycle refers to big picture training cycles - for example, if you were planning to compete in 6 months, your big picture training macrocycle would be the training you do between now and the competition. Within that 6-month macrocycle, your training will probably be broken down into smaller chunks of 4-6 weeks. This is the mesocycle. Finally, the mesocycle itself would be broken down into shorter periods - usually a week of training, known as a microcycle. Obviously, within this structure there is a considerable amount of variation and different approaches, and, in reality, good programming usually uses some aspects from a variety of periodisation approaches. Within this article, we will outline three common types of periodisation - linear, undulating and conjugate - and how they may be combined to build a complete training programme through a series of macro-cycles. Overview of different types of periodisation - Linear, Undulating, Conjugate Firstly, Linear Periodisation. Linear periodisation is the simplest form of periodisation - as the name applies it involves a linear approach to changing training variables from session to session. This approach is commonly used with beginners - for example, the Starting Strength programme popularised by Mark Rippetoe. This approach utilises no changes in exercise from session to session, with the exercises progressively overloaded each session. This can be done by either increasing the weight on the bar - for example, adding 2.5kg to the bar - or by adding more reps - for example doing 5 reps in session 1, 6 in week session 2 and so on. This contrasts with an undulating periodisation approach. Within undulating periodisation, exercises are kept the same, however volume (sets and reps) and intensity (percentage on the bar). So, an undulating approach might have you squatting three days a week, working in a variety of rep ranges: * Day 1 - 5 x 5 x 75% * Day 2 - 4 x 3 x 80% * Day 3 - 4 x 2 x 88% The final type of periodisation is conjugate periodisation. Conjugate periodisation revolves around changing exercise selection every microcycle but hitting the same sets and reps at each exercise. Within a conjugate approach, intensity is kept the same - but the actual weight will change depending on the exercise used. A conjugate approach might look something like this: * microcycle 1 - front squats * microcycle 2 - high bar squats * microcycle 3 - low bar squats Now, often people talk about these approaches as if they are mutually exclusive. However, most training programmes utilise all three approaches over varying time scales. A typical microcycle may have you squatting two to three times a week. However, if you are doing *different* squat variations each workout an undulating periodisation approach is being used from session to session. If you then increase the weight used from micro-cycle to micro-cycle then linear periodisation is being used on a micro-cycle scale. If every mesocycle you rotate exercises to address specific weak points and satisfy the principle of variation, then conjugate periodisation is being used on a mesocycle level. This type of approach - undulating periodisation from session to session, linear progression between weeks (to satisfy the principle of progressive overload (article link here)) and conjugate periodisation between macro-cycles - is inherent to structuring a good training programme. This overview of periodisation strategies has focused so far on different ways to organise training on the micro to macro-cycle scale. These macro-cycles are then organised and planned out with regard to training goals and the yearly training plan. Take an A/BPU powerlifter as an example. In January, they may sit down with their coach and plan out how to win world championships in September, in the -100kg weight class. To do this, they would need to qualify for the British Championship, then place in the top 2 at the British Championships in June to qualify for world championships in September. When planning out the year, the lifter needs to hit the qualifying total for British Championships and select a competition in March - three months away. For this athlete, we can plan out three distinct macro-cycles within the year - January to competition 1, competition 1 to competition 2, and finally competition 2 to competition 3. Within these macro-cycles, three mesocycles could be planned to enable the lifter to hit their goals on the platform. Across these mesocycles, multiple periodisation techniques will be utilised on the session to session and microcycle to microcycle time frame. However, what would we do in each mesocycle? Broadly, the mesocycles would fit into one of three phases, accumulation, transmutation and realisation. In mesocycle one, the aim would be to increase the ability of the athlete to train by improving their specific conditioning for the sport of powerlifting. This phase would focus on higher volume and lower intensity - for example, 4 to 6 sets of 5-8 reps at 60-75% of your one rep max. The second mesocycle - the transmutation phase - is where we utilise the increased work capacity and new muscle to build increased strength. Within this mesocycle, the intensity will increase and volume will decrease, with typical volumes of 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps of 75-85% RM. The final phase would be the realisation phase, where the lifter exposes their body to heavier weights to maximally express the new strength within the completion. This mesocycle would typically be shorter than the proceeding mesocycles and involve much higher intensities but lower volumes, with 1-3 sets of 1-3 reps at 85-95% RM. This basic three mesocycle plan is typically how powerlifters move through a competition macro-cycle: beginning with higher volume and lower intensity mesocycles and slowly decreasing volume as intensity increases to peak and win on the platform. Within the competition macro-cycle, the mesocycles will display elements of undulating, conjugate and linear periodisation to make sure the athlete is progressively overloaded and prepared for competition. Within this article, we have outlined the basics of periodisation (I’m not exaggerating when I say there are hundreds of books on this subject). How specifically periodisation is used will depend on the athlete and their short, medium and long-term goals. Hopefully, this article will have given you enough information to understand what’s in your programme and more importantly, why! For more on training go ahead and check out the rest of our blog. Or even get in touch with one of our many highly qualified coaches.
We also still have a deal on for the rest of February. Sign up for Grace's Tuesday session, or the evening Olympic Weightlifting Sessions and get your first month's membership free. You just need to sign up by the 28th. More information on February deals here.
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 The blog posts are back. We've had a lot going on in the last few months and the upkeep of the blog has, unfortunately, fell by the wayside. Here, we have a post about what you should expect when you start training, and as always it's written by James Kennedy. Exercising more, losing weight, and learning a new skill or hobby are some of the most common New Year’s resolutions people commit to at the start of the year. Consequently, January is the month with the newest gym membership sales - around 11% of all new memberships start in January. Sadly, half of the new gym members quit within 6 months. Why? The reasons people give for quitting the gyms are usually similar. People feel as though they aren’t making progress and aren’t seeing the results they deserve, are worried about getting injured or have gotten injured, or don’t enjoy going to the gym because they feel judged, uncomfortable or anxious. This article explores how to get started at the gym, what to expect and how to set yourself up for long-term success! Deciding to join the gym and start training is exciting and scary. The best thing you can do on day one is to find a good coach who can help simplify the process for you. For me, getting a coach was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’d been training seriously for around 2 years, and by chance rather than design, had made some solid progress and wanted to give powerlifting a go. I found a powerlifting coach and joined a powerlifting gym. I made more progress in the following 6 months than I had made since I had since I started training. The coach, the group training environment, and the entire culture of the gym made training fun and helped me achieve new personal bests. Whilst it may seem expensive to get a coach, for me, it was effectively outsourcing a lot of my anxiety. Even after 2 years of training and compulsively reading everything I could find about lifting weights, I would second guess every exercise in a plan I wrote, changing plans and targets every few months because I was convinced I was doing something wrong. Once I started paying for a coach, I don't have to think about what exercises, what reps, or what weights to use. My coach did that for me. It was only after getting a coach I realized how much mental energy I was wasting by trying to coach myself. Once you have found a coach a lot of the concerns about joining a gym are handled. You’ll make better progress, be taught how to perform the lifts properly, and know exactly what you need to do every time you go to the gym. Having a coach will also help create a positive feedback loop. The most important part of your first day at the gym is that you enjoy it and you want to come back for a second workout. Working out is inherently rewarding - working out releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin - which are hormones that are associated with happiness. Exercise is hard but it does feel good. When you go to the gym for the first time, don’t go mad and try to do every exercise and lift every weight in the gym. Have a plan, stick to weights you can safely perform and you’ll feel great when you leave the gym on day 1 and eager to come back for day 2!! What if you feel judged? When you’re working out in a new gym, it’s common to feel as if you are being judged. In reality, you probably aren’t. Every single person who is in the gym was once a noob too - even the super jacked powerlifter with the beard, 150kg bench, and punisher tattoos (he’s called Dennis and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet). They all had to walk into a gym for the first time and start at the beginning - the same place you are. Most of the time, people at the gym want to get in, get the work done and get out of there. They don’t care what you’re doing and if they are looking at you it’s more likely that they’re thinking ‘way to go’ - the gym is one of the most supportive places I’ve ever been, and generally, the stronger someone is the more supportive they tend to be. Gym Etiquette Whilst gyms are supportive and friendly places, there is a definite list of rules and etiquette that you should follow to make sure you are safe, considerate, and not annoying the hell out of other gym members. 1. No curling in the squat rack! Whilst this may seem like a bit of a gym-bro joke - it’s important to not use equipment incorrectly, and the squat rack is not the place for curls. 2. Share the equipment This rule may be more relevant post-pandemic, but don’t hog equipment and stop other people from doing their workout. Let them work in and help with unloading and reloading the bar. It helps make the gym a friendlier, more pleasant place to train for everyone. 3. Tidy up your weights Once you’re done using the equipment, clean it up. Strip the bar, put the plates back away, and put any dumbbells you have been using away. This is important for several reasons. Firstly, if you don’t tidy your kit away other people won’t know that you've done using it. Secondly, it’s just rude to expect other people to tidy up after you. 4. Don’t be that guy Don’t be a creep. Don’t go over to a woman you don’t know mid-workout and disturb her, especially if she’s wearing headphones. Don’t mansplain and don’t try to disturb her mid-workout, especially if she’s wearing headphones. People are at the gym to work out - don’t make it awkward or uncomfortable for anyone else to do that. No stupid questions 1. What are sets and reps? A rep is performing an exercise once, for example, a push-up. A set is a collection of repetitions. For example, a workout plan might call for 3 sets of 10 repetitions (usually written as 3x10). This means you do ten reps of the exercise, three times. If you are ever confused about what you’re meant to do - ask your coach! There are no stupid questions! 2. How long should I rest? Rest periods are debated. Some people argue for very long periods - over 3 minutes, whilst others argue for closer to 45 seconds. To some extent, this varies based on what your aims are, but for most people, most of the time around the 90s is ideal. 3. What weight should I start with? A weight that is light enough for you to perform the exercise correctly, without injuring yourself. The exact number will vary depending on your previous exercise history and size. Using a coach will help take the guesswork out of this process - but start light! Learn the technique, get used to training, and add weight slowly as you get stronger. Hopefully, you’ll find this article helpful and it will help you commit to training and develop it into a habit that will change your life!  We have a Big Discount available to you Olympic Weightlifters in February. If you join up between now and the 28th you will get free membership.*
*You will still need to pay coaching fees to cover the coaches's time etc. You can sign up below. |
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