Periodization: A Beginner's Guide to Training Cycles and Progression

Periodization is a training approach that involves the systematic planning and organization of training sessions and cycles in order to optimize performance. It is often used in sports, including boxing, to help athletes progressively improve their fitness and performance over time.

One common assumption about periodization is that it is only relevant for high-level athletes who are training for specific competitions or events. However, this is not necessarily the case. Periodization can be used by boxers at any level, and can be an effective way to structure training in order to gradually build up fitness, prevent burnout and injury, and improve overall performance.

Another assumption about periodization is that it only involves the manipulation of training volume (the number of reps or sets performed) and intensity (the amount of weight lifted or the level of difficulty of the exercise). While these variables are certainly important, periodization can also involve the manipulation of other factors such as training frequency (the number of training sessions per week), exercise selection, and rest periods.

In the context of boxing fitness, periodization can be particularly important for developing the various physical qualities that are necessary for success in the sport. These qualities include strength, power, endurance, speed, agility, and flexibility, among others. By systematically organizing training cycles around the development of these specific qualities, boxers can progressively improve their overall physical preparedness and performance.

What is the structure of a training programme aligned with the principles of periodization? Athletic training is typically divided into three seasons where the overall goal for the athlete is to reach peak performance in time for competition:

  • Pre-season is a period of general fitness training used to prepare the athlete for competition.

  • In-season is a period of intense, sport-specific training to prepare the athlete for maximum performance during competition.

  • Off-season is a period of training to allow the athlete to recover from fatigue and transition to the next cycle.

An athlete facing two competitions in the year may have a training plan that looks like this:

Annual Plan

Period 1

  • January: Pre-season (Preparation)

  • February: Pre-season (Preparation)

  • March: In-season (Competition)

  • April: In-season (Competition)

  • May: Post-season (Transition)

  • June: Post-season (Transition)

Period 2

  • July: Pre-season (Preparation)

  • August: Pre-season (Preparation)

  • September: In-season (Competition)

  • October: In-season (Competition)

  • November: Post-season (Transition)

  • December: Post-season (Transition)

Not everyone is an athlete facing competition. Nevertheless, anyone interested in fitness should follow the same principles of training, periodization being one of them. Periodization is the principle stating that all training should be structured in training periods or cycles, each of which focused on some component of fitness, such as strength, speed or stamina. There are three types of cycles:

  • Micro-cycle: a week of training made up of training days.

  • Meso-cycle: a month of training with a specific objective.

  • Macro-cycle: a planned year(s) of training.

As these cycles repeat, the volume and intensity of the training may increase.

An Annual Training Plan may look like this:

2022 Macro-cycle

January Mesocycle - Strength

  • Week 1 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 2 Micro-cycle - Strength

  • Week 3 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 4 Micro-cycle Strength

February Mesocycle - Speed

  • Week 5 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 6 Micro-cycle - Speed

  • Week 7 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 8 Micro-cycle - Speed

March Mesocycle - Stamina

  • Week 9 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 10 Micro-cycle - Stamina

  • Week 11 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 12 Micro-cycle - Stamina

April Mesocycle - Strength

  • Week 13 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 14 Micro-cycle - Strength

  • Week 15 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 16 Micro-cycle - Strength

  • Week 17 Micro-cycle - Skill

May Mesocycle - Speed

  • Week 18 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 19 Micro-cycle - Speed

  • Week 20 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 21 Micro-cycle- Speed

June Mesocycle - Stamina

  • Week 22 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 23 Micro-cycle - Stamina

  • Week 24 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 25 Micro-cycle - Stamina

July Mesocycle - Strength

  • Week 26 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 27 Micro-cycle - Strength

  • Week 28 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 29 Micro-cycle - Strength

  • Week 30 Micro-cycle - Skill

August Mesocycle - Speed

  • Week 31 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 32 Micro-cycle - Speed

  • Week 33 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 34 Micro-cycle - Speed

September Mesocycle - Stamina

  • Week 35 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 36 Micro-cycle - Stamina

  • Week 37 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 38 Micro-cycle - Stamina

  • Week 39 Micro-cycle - Skill

October Mesocycle - Strength

  • Week 40 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 41 Micro-cycle - Strength

  • Week 42 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 43 Micro-cycle - Strength

November Mesocycle - Speed

  • Week 44 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 45 Micro-cycle - Speed

  • Week 46 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 47 Micro-cycle - Speed

  • Week 48 Micro-cycle - Skill

December Mesocycle - Stamina

  • Week 49 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 50 Micro-cycle - Stamina

  • Week 51 Micro-cycle - Skill

  • Week 52 Micro-cycle - Stamina

Mesocycles may also layer several components. For example:

  • Month A: Meso-cycle - Strength

  • Month B: Meso-cycle - Strength-Speed

  • Month C: Meso-cycle - Strength-Speed-Stamina

Micro-cycle or training week may be structured in training days, as follows:

  • Monday - Training, Moderate Intensity 60 minutes

  • Tuesday - Training, Moderate Intensity 60 minutes

  • Wednesday - Training, Moderate Intensity 60 minutes

  • Thursday - Training, Moderate Intensity 60 minutes

  • Friday - Training, Moderate Intensity 60 minutes

  • Saturday - Recovery

  • Sunday - Recovery

Alternatively:

  • Monday - Training, High Intensity 30 minutes

  • Tuesday - Training, High Intensity 30 minutes

  • Wednesday - Training, High Intensity 30 minutes

  • Thursday - Training, High Intensity 30 minutes

  • Friday - Training, High Intensity 30 minutes

  • Saturday - Recovery

  • Sunday - Recovery

Each training day may focus on a particular type of training, such as resistance training or cardiovascular training.

Finally, a single training session is structured as follows:

  1. Warm-up: Cardiovascular

  2. Dynamic Stretches and Movement Preparation

  3. Main Workout: e.g. Resistance Training

  4. Cool Down: Cardiovascular

  5. Static Stretches

In fact, we may even go further and think of the cycle between exercise and rest as the smallest unit of training, exercise being measured in either the number of repetitions and sets, and/or duration.

Overall, periodization is an important and highly effective approach for optimizing boxing fitness and performance, and can be used by boxers at any level to structure their training in a way that challenges assumptions and promotes progress.


References

Bompa, T. and Buzzichelli, C., 2015. Periodization Training for Sports, 3E. HUMAN KINETICS.

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