So today I'm going to talk about something forgotten in program design and maybe not explained correctly when anyone is starting a fitness program. There are different types of periodization such as fitness/fatigue theory, undulating model, and repeated mesocycle model. For today I am going to talk about a classic or traditional periodization.
A macrocycle is typically a years worth of training and is broken down even further into mesocycles. The theory of General Adaptation Syndrome or GAS is the body's ability to adapt to a variety of stress that comes with exercise. For example cardio training strength training and interval training that occur in one of the phases of a macrocycle.
Exercise
Phase 1: Commonly referred to as the shock and alarm or foundation phase. Depending on ones fitness level or ability this phase is primarily adapting neurologically to stress placed on the body. Your foundation is the introduction of new compound exercises and is the building blocks to any good workout program. This phase is also sometimes referred to as a structural phase. If you don't have a good foundation on your house you are not going to have a proper built home in the end. This phase typically lasts 3-4 weeks.
Phase 2: Super Compensation stage. The body will progressively adapt to exercise stress in the form of physiological adjustments (the body is under no stress). This includes skeletal, biochemical, muscular, cardiovascular and connective tissue changes. This phase is usually broken up into 4 parts, Functional training, Hypertrophy training, Strength and Power training.
Functional Training- Involves weighted exercises that are targeted at the core muscles. Functional training adapts and develops exercises that allow one to perform daily activities free of stress and injury.
Hypertrophy Training- Is the increase of muscle mass through the body's adaptation to resistance training. This phase is the preparation for more intense training by performing resistance training with high volume. (3 to 6 sets of 10 to 20 reps, low intensity 50% to 75% of your 1 rep max, 3 to 5 times per week). This lasts about 4 to 6 weeks.
Strength Training- After you have reached your peak in the hypertrophy phase one can introduce static to dynamic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or PNF, plyometric training and an increase of intensity. PNF is an advanced form of flexibility training that includes stretching and the contraction of targeted muscle groups. (3 to 5 sets, 4 to 8 repetitions, 80% to 90% of 1 Rep max). Plyometrics is training designed for strong fast movements to help improve the functions of the nervous system. Muscle is loaded and the contracted in a rapid sequence. More advanced exercises such as power cleans occur over a 4 week period.
Power Training- Training becomes lower volume. (90% to 95% of 1 Rep max, 2 to 4 times per week). The goal in this phase is to reach ones highest peak performance. If you are an athlete this stage would be to get the most strength and power required for his or her sport. All other activities in this stage are also preformed at higher intensity such as aerobic, plyometric, flexibility and speed.
Phase 3: Endurance or active recovery stage. This stage is the active rest stage in which one typically rests from heavy weight-bearing exercises and recovers with low intensity cardiovascular and non weighted movements. The recovery stage lasts about 2 to 4 weeks depending on one's ability and recovery.
Aerobic activity can be preformed in all stages at the same level and intensity as each Phase suggests.
I know it was long but I hope it gives you a better understanding of how a workout program should be designed. Your program should change and it should follow the proper changes usually forgotten or left out because we find and phase we enjoy. This is probably the most common reason for the "Plateau" problem many people face.
Be safe and enjoy your workouts
JJ Confalone
Exercise Periodization
JJ Confalone ICON Health and Fitness
http://www.howsgym.com
http://www.iconhealth.ca
See Also : Exercise Workouts What to do to lose weight