Post 15: Block Periodization - Why It's Better.

          In post 4, "Linear Periodization & My Issues With it" I really only spent all my time ranting about why it's so miserable, and really only left a couple of clues as to an alternative method. For that I apologize and present to you, "Block Periodization - Why It's Better." With linear periodization and progressive overload, we have one body trying to develop several different physical qualities in the same time frame, this just simply can't be done with any degree of quality.

          Israeli Dr. Vladimir Issurin is credited with the importing of Block Periodization to the U.S. and North America. As such, he is an authority on the subject and has published a few books and there are videos of his lectures online. Anyways, the principles behind the method are geared towards providing a much higher concentration of work for a smaller set of skills or target abilities. These are things that we plan to develop more explicitly than a linear type mesocycle which might have hypertrophy and endurance in the same block, c'mon.

          In Dr. Issurin's work on Block Periodization, there are only three main mesocycles, and this is what made block so much different than anything else of it's kind when it was first introduced. Early periodization models did not allow for athletes to have more than one, two, or three single peaking periods throughout the competitive season. With block, coaches are now afforded the luxury of peaking their athletes for multiple events or competitions in the same season, which is what athletes have isn't it?

         The three types of mesocycles in Block Periodization are: Accumulation, Transmutation, and Realization, but you can tailor them to your needs. Accumulation targets the development of what fundamentally makes an "athlete," developing neuromuscular efficiency, coordination, muscular endurance, GPP, and functional movement. Transmutation is then generally when a component of specificity is introduced to supplement the benefits of the Accumulation phase. In Transmutation, the athlete is working to develop the type of strength that is relevant to performance of their position in their sport. Are they required to have better than normal endurance, strength-speed, speed-strength? This second mesocycle is characterized by highly concentrated work on just developing the type of athlete required to be successful. The last phase, "Realization" is focused on general physiological recovery to prepare for competition. During this last phase, only the most sport-specific skills are performed in training, at a much lower volume, higher intensity, and at competition speed.

          The beauty of this model of organization is in it's pure simplicity. The clear-cut goals of each mesocycle afford the coach an easier time with exercise selection. In addition, these types of goals will provide the opportunity for training sessions to have "themes" for example, all realization days are going to involve fast movement and execution. This makes coaching cues easy and helps give a greater sense of purpose and face-validity to your training program, not only to your athletes, but to everyone else that is working with them. When people begin to buy into what you're doing, is when it comes full circle and really starts to take a positive effect.

-Alex