Periodization For Strength Training
By Chris Gellert, PT, MMusc &
Sportsphysio, MPT, CSCS, C-IASTM
Introduction
Strength training is something that
all individuals need to do, but as a personal trainer, do you know the science
behind the training? This article will the fundamental principles of
periodization training as it relates to strength training.
Foundation of Periodization Training
Why is it important to understand
periodization training? Periodization training is the cornerstone of training any client, athlete or individual post
therapy, assisting them in reaching their optimal health and desired goals.
Understanding and then applying these core principles with program design will
provide the personal trainer with the abilities to help a client reach their
goals systematically. Any strength-training program should apply the five basic
laws of training to ensure adaptation occurs and avoidance of injury.
The
Five Basic Laws of Strength Training
Tudor Bump, PhD is a pioneer in the field of strength & conditioning, program design
and periodization training. Through his research and experience, he has created
the five basic laws of strength training. These laws have not only proved to be
essential for athletes, but through extensive evidenced based research
(randomized controlled trials (RCT) and various studies), have shown they are
essential for proper development and to avoid injury. In this next section, the
five basic laws are explained.
Law Number One: Develop Joint Flexibility
- Most strength training
exercises use the range of motion of major joints. Proper joint
Flexibility prevents stress to the weight bearing joints,
prevents injuries and pain.
Law
Number Two: Develop Tendon Strength
· Muscle
strength improves faster then tendon and ligament strength. Tendons and
Ligaments
grow strong through anatomical adaptation. Without proper anatomical
Adaptation,
vigorous strength training can injure the ligaments and tendons. Training
tendons and ligaments causes them to enlarge in diameter, increasing their
ability to withstand tension and shearing.
Law Number Three: Develop Core
Strength
· The arms
and legs are only as strong as the trunk. Strength training programs
Should first strengthen the core muscles
before focusing on the periphery: arms and legs. Weak core muscles fail in
these essential roles, limiting an individual or athlete to perform optimally.
According to the research, muscles
of the spine are comprised of Type I
slow-twitch (ST) fibers because of their supporting role to the arms and
legs.
Law Number Four: Develop the Stabilizers
·
Prime movers work more efficiently with strong stabilizing
muscles. Stabilizers contract, primarily isometric ally, to immobilize a limb
so that another part of the body can act. A weak stabilizer inhibits the contracting
capacity of the prime movers.
·
Improperly developed stabilizers may hamper the
activity of major muscles. At the shoulder,
the supraspinatus and infraspinatus assist
with lifting and rotating the arm.
· The research has shown
the difference among men and women indicating that
women possess weaker gluteus medius and
glute minimus muscles.
· Men
typically those who play sport develop tight external rotators (piriformis) and
glute maximus muscles. Therefore,
stretching the tight postural muscles (piriformis)
and strengthening the weaker phasic
muscles such as glute medius will provide
increased stability at the hip.
Law
Number Five: Train movements, not Individual Muscles
·
Athletes should resist training muscles in isolation as in bodybuilding.
Athletic skills
involve the
contraction of synergistic muscles that perform the movement. For example, a
takeoff to catch a ball has the following kinematic chain motion: hip
extension, the knee extension and finally ankle plantar flexion enabling the
feet to apply a force against the ground to lift the body. Therefore, training
the movement of the athlete instead of specific muscle only is essential for
optimal performance by the athlete.
Periodization Training Phases
When it comes to Periodization
Training there are three main phases that an individual or athlete goes
through. This includes the Preparatory Phase, Competitive Phase and Transition Phase
1.
Hypertrophy Phase (Preparatory Phase)
·
Occurs during the early stages of
the Preparatory Phase and is usually the longest
Phase within an annual plan
· The major emphasis within
this period is to develop a general
framework/base level of conditioning in order to increase tolerance for
more intense training. This phase begins with training at low intensity and
high volume. The goals are to develop and promote hypertrophy, improve
neuromuscular activity, increase connective tissue strength and increase lean muscle mass, which will be
utilized later in the training cycles.
The
specific objectives of training are
as follows:
· To
acquire/improve general physical training
· Improve
the biomotor abilities of a given sport
· To
develop, improve or perfect technique/to teach the athlete the theory and
methodology of training
2. Basic Strength Phase (Preparatory Phase
Continued)
·
This phase emphasizes to continue to
develop/ increase muscular strength of the
muscles that is
required for sport-specific activity. Utilization of multi-joint exercises to
allow recovery time between exercises.
·
This
period also serves to strengthen articular cartilage. This phase begins
training
at an increased intensity
as well as moderate volume overall.
3. First Transition Phase
·
Is just like it sounds, a “transition”
where the individual or athlete is beginning
to
change not only intensity, but also total volume and effort with each rep.
4. Power Phase (Late Preparatory Phase)
·
In essence, the goal is to develop muscular power
with increased intensity and to
continue sport-specific training
with increased intensity and reduced training volume. Skill technique and game
strategy are of primary importance as well as exercise prescription in
plyometrics, speed drills, sprinting technique, etc.
Strength Training
Effectiveness
In order for strength training to be
effective, the body must experience a specific load. The overload
principle is one of the seven big laws of fitness and training. Simply put,
the overload principle states that you have to increase the intensity,
duration, type, or time of a workout progressively in order to see adaptations
within the body.
General
guidelines of strength training during the Strength Phase of training:
- The training cycle typically lasts
8-12 weeks
- Intensity: 80-90% of 1 RM
- Volume: moderate
- Sets/reps: 3-6 sets at 6-8 reps
- Rest period: 2-3 minutes
- Training frequency: 2-3x week
- Application: develop stabilizers
through exercises such as lunges, multidirectional lunges, multi-joint
exercises
Summary:
Strength training is something that
everyone can benefit from. Understanding the
fundamental principles of
periodization training can provide you the personal trainer to help your client
achieve his/her goals.
Chris Gellert, PT, MMusc
& Sportsphysio, MPT, CSCS, C-IASTM
Chris is the CEO of Pinnacle Training &
Consulting Systems(PTCS). A continuing education company that provides
educational material in the forms of evidenced-based home study courses,
ELearning courses, live seminars, DVDs, webinars, articles and teaching
in-depth, the foundation science, functional assessments and practical application
behind Human Movement. Chris is both a dynamic physical
therapist with 19 years experience, and a personal trainer with 20 years
experience, with advanced training, has created 16 home study courses, is an
experienced international fitness presenter, writes for various websites and
international publications, consults and teaches seminars on human movement.
For more information, please visit www.pinnacle-tcs.com.
References
Baechle, Thomas., Earle,
Roger, 2000. Essentials of Strength and Conditioning. 2nd edition.
Human Kinetics. pp. 30-32, 309-310, 428-431,
482-484, 496, 502-504, 514-518.
Bompa, Tudor, 1999. Periodization: Theory and
Methodology of Training. 4th edition.
Human kinetics. pp. 15, 214-224.
Bompa, Tudor, 1999. Periodization: Training for
Sports. Programs for peak strength in 35 sports.
Human Kinetics. pp. 10-13, 84-130, 171-173,
334-335, 370-371.
Bompa,
T., and Claro, F. 2009. Periodization in
Rugby. Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd.
