To get the best results for your clients from the training that you do with them, it’s vital that you plan it correctly. Experts recommend creating short-term as well as a long-term plan, in other words one for every week as well as one for your goals for that year. One of the best methods of accomplishing this is by applying periodisation.
Periodisation 101
Depending on who you are, periodisation will mean different things. Says certified personal trainer Keats Snideman:
“In basic English, periodization is simply the organization and planning of training. In sport, this planning is usually based upon achieving maximum physical abilities (strength, speed, power, etc..) for a given competition or period of competitions. In bodybuilding, the training might be organized around a specific bodybuilding contest.”
Why should you practise periodisation?
Periodisation organises you and helps you to achieve your fitness goals.
For example, if it’s your goal to lose weight, you can’t just do cardio because someone told you that running on the treadmill for hours on end would help you achieve this. Yes, cardio is extremely important for weight loss however you also need to include weight training in your workout routine as the more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn as muscle burns calories even when you’re at rest.
Also, periodisation will help you plan your weight training routine properly so that you don’t overexert a particular muscle group and cause it to become injured.
How should periodisation be practised?
Periodisation is broken down into three phases:
- Preparation, in which you work on your general strength and endurance,
- Competition, during which – if you’re training for a particular competition – you do exercises that are particular to your particular sport, and
- Transition, which allows your body time to recover after the high-intensity competition phase.
Each of the above three phases are further broken down into the:
- Macro-cycle, which can last up to a year,
- Meso-cycle which is between four and six weeks, and
- Micro-cycle which lasts a week.
No matter what your clients’ goals are – whether they are training for the Arnold’s Classic or are just wanting to lose weight before their wedding day – periodisation is a great method of making sure that everything is kept on track and that their goals will be met!
On Trifocus Fitness Academy’s Personal Training Diploma – which is the most advanced personal training diploma on the market – you’ll learn about advanced personal training skills (such as periodisation) which will make you the best personal trainer out there! Follow this link to learn more.