Thursday, October 23, 2008

The Death of Periodization?

Good article. The bottom line: plan with a blunt pencil that is equipped with an eraser and extra lead. And the writing never stops...

Bye Bye Bompa, Bompa Bye Bye….the death of periodisation.
By Wayne Goldsmith In Coaching Tips

First let me say I have total, 100% complete admiration and respect for Bompa himself - a true pioneer of the sports coaching and the sports performance industry. This article is in no way a criticism of him personally but rather a proclamation that PERIODISATION as a concept is now officially dead and buried.

Periodization - that is, the traditional sports training planning model involving long blocks (cycles or phases) of training which emphasise specific aspects of training is 20 years past the use by date and it’s time we all moved on to something more relevant and more effective for the training and preparation of athletes in this century.

The popular version of periodisation was developed in the Eastern block, 40 years ago, for senior athletes: another time, another system, another world - and totally inappropriate for today’s athletes.

Today’s athletes - the Generation Y athletes - demand programs which are:

  • Unique - not contrived - not a “one size fits all” solution to performance
  • Specific - to them as individuals
  • Responsive - to change and to their day to day (and even session to session) needs
  • Individualised - to match each athlete’s unique recovery abilities
  • Integrated - to take into consideration the overall mental, emotional, cultural and even spiritual needs of the athlete as a unique individual.

So what’s the alternative to periodisation?

Full article here

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