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
A 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:
Warm-up: Cardiovascular
Dynamic Stretches and Movement Preparation
Main Workout: e.g. Resistance Training
Cool Down: Cardiovascular
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.