Program Design and Periodization
Periodization:
Overall Goal: Get more sport specific closer to the season
Off season:
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Focus is GPP (General Preparatory Phase)
o Building the Engine
o General Muscle Hypertrophy and Conditioning
o 4-6 resistance training sessions per week
Typically includes a Hypertrophy/ Strength Endurance Phase
o Increase Lean Body Mass
o Develop Muscular and Metabolic Endurance
Objective Testing: General Strength (ex: pull-ups, 1RM bench press, 1RM power clean)
Preseason:
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Decrease Frequency to 3-4 resistance training sessions per week
Progressively Reduce Volume throughout the preseason
SPP (Specific Preparatory Phase)
Typically includes a Basic Strength Phase
o Increase Strength of primary muscle groups for the sport
Objective Testing: Sport Specific Qualities (ex: Vertical Jump, 300-yard shuttle run, MB Throw)
First Transition (late Preseason)
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Daily variations in training load to facilitate recovery
o 30-85% 1RM in the late preseason!
Shift from increasing Strength to Increasing Power
o How quickly can the athlete express strength
In-season:
• “Competition work”
• 1-3 resistance training sessions per week
• Peaking phases Low Volume (typically 1-3 sets of 1-3 reps)
o Peaking typically only for 1-2 weeks
o Reduces fatigue to obtain supercompensation
• Maintenance phases 2-5 sets of 3-6 reps (this looks a lot like preseason training)
o Prevent detraining (necessary for long seasons)
o High Intensity (85-93% 1RM)
Key points for all phases:
*Generally adjust volume no more than 5-10% per week
This maintains an acute to chronic workload ratio of less than 1.3 (research has shown above 1.5 to
increase risk of injury)
*Allocate volume appropriately across muscle groups
• Muscle protein synthesis response decreases after about 5-8 sets per muscle group
o 10 sets of squats is not necessarily more effective than 5 sets even in a hypertrophy
phase
Program Design Examples:
Sprinter:
Post Season: Active Recovery
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Yoga, up to 1 mile runs, Prehab/ Rehab work such as strengthening lateral hip musculature
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Phase typically no longer than 4 weeks
Off Season:
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Runs up to 400m, low intensity plyometrics such as double leg bounding and hopping, basic
resistance training ex: squats, bench press, pull ups
Pre Season:
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Interval Sprints, Specialized Plyometrics, Single Leg Training
In Season:
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Speed, reaction time, plyometrics, technique drills, etc.
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