periodisointia

Periodisointi, or periodization, is a systematic approach to planning training and workloads over time to optimize performance and manage fatigue. It structures time into cycles with specific objectives and loading patterns. The core levels are macrocycle (the overall timeframe, such as a season or year), mesocycles (intermediate blocks usually weeks to months), and microcycles (short blocks, often one week). Training phases commonly include preparation, base, build, peak, and competition, with occasional transition or recovery periods between cycles.

Periodization theory emerged from mid-20th-century sports science and was popularized by coaches and researchers such as Tudor Bompa. It builds on principles of progressive overload, variation, and tapering to achieve peak performance at critical moments.

It is widely used in endurance, team, and skill-based sports, as well as other fields seeking staged workload management. Practitioners tailor macro-, meso-, and microcycles to the athlete’s sport, experience, and season calendar, adjusting training volume and intensity to elicit adaptation while allowing recovery and injury prevention. A typical cycle may involve increasing intensity while reducing volume as a major competition approaches (taper).

Variations such as daily undulating periodization and block periodization have expanded the approach. Critics note that fixed cycles can be too rigid for individuals and real-world interruptions, underscoring the need for ongoing monitoring and flexibility. While evidence supports performance benefits in many contexts, success depends on accurate needs assessment and proper implementation.

See also: periodization, tapering, training load, athlete development, Tudor Bompa.