Whether you're preparing for a marathon, a football season, or a track competition, timing your training to hit that perfect form is both an art and a science. This is where periodisation comes in. It’s the secret weapon used by elite athletes and coaches to ensure that, when it matters most, you’re stronger, faster, and performing at your best. But what exactly is periodisation, and how can you apply it to your own training?

I remember when I first truly started periodising my training plans and understood the power of periodisation. It was working with the AFLNT umpires. It was one of my first jobs as a strength and conditioning coach, and working with local football umpires was a challenge. There were three quite different disciplines (field, boundary and goals) and the ages ranged from about 10 to 70. I would carefully plan the sessions over the entire season (pre-season included) and make an abundance of alternatives. Even that didn’t stop the individual modifications I had to make each and every training session. But that was where I really cut my teeth in learning how to adapt and modify on the fly. Without that yearly plan, I would’ve been lost and the sessions wouldn’t have been anything more than one-off sessions. Instead, they prevented injuries and delivered the umpires ready to perform when it counted.

"Failing to plan is planning to fail. Periodisation ensures that each phase of your training serves a purpose, leading you to peak performance at the perfect time."

Just like in life, everything has its season. You wouldn't sprint through every aspect of your life at the same intensity day in and day out. Imagine trying to keep up that kind of pace in your career, relationships, or personal development—it would lead to burnout or injury. Training works the same way. You need periods of intense focus, strategic recovery, and phases where you build a strong foundation. Understanding when to push and when to pull back is key, both in training and in life.

The Science Behind Periodisation

Periodisation works by breaking your training into manageable phases, each designed to target specific aspects of your fitness and performance. Here’s how it breaks down:

Macrocycles: These are your long-term goals, typically spanning months to a year. This could be a season or the lead-up to a big event like a marathon or track competition. The macrocycle is your ‘big picture’ plan.

Mesocycles: These are shorter cycles, lasting 4-6 weeks. Each mesocycle has a specific focus—building endurance, enhancing speed, or working on recovery. These are the building blocks of your macrocycle.

Microcycles: These are your week-to-week or even day-to-day plans. During each microcycle, you’ll focus on the finer details, such as varying intensity, ensuring you hit both hard sessions and recovery periods.

Periodisation Phases:

Base Phase: The goal is to build a strong foundation. Think of this as laying the groundwork for future gains by increasing your aerobic capacity, building strength, and improving mobility.

Build Phase: Here, the focus shifts to increasing intensity. You’re looking to improve speed, power, and endurance while reducing volume to avoid overtraining.

Peak Phase: This is when everything comes together. Your volume decreases, and your intensity increases, allowing your body to reach its full potential.

Recovery Phase: Once you've hit your peak, it's time for rest. This phase ensures your body recovers, adapts, and prepares for the next cycle.

Periodisation is not just a buzzword—it's the roadmap to reaching your full potential. By carefully structuring your training into phases that address different components of fitness, you can train smarter, not harder. Each phase builds on the last, preparing your body to peak when it matters most, while avoiding burnout and injury. It's the strategy behind the success of elite athletes, and it can be your key to unlocking peak performance.

A Question for You

So, are you ready to stop guessing and start structuring your training for peak performance? How will you use the power of periodisation to achieve your goals?