| A term used often in cycling is periodization. | | | | you plan on doing your most important race in. |
| Surprisingly though many people do not have a | | | | Number of Weeks 6-8 Build |
| concrete understanding of what it means. In this post | | | | Next is the build period. This is where you will want to |
| we will attempt to eliminate any ambiguity surrounding | | | | begin increasing the intensity of your workouts in |
| the term and demonstrate how you can utilize | | | | conjunction with decreasing the length. In addition you |
| periodization in your weekly training. | | | | will want to spend quite a bit of time improving any |
| Periodization means just as it sounds, it is the | | | | weaknesses that might come up in a race situation. |
| structuring of your training season into periods or | | | | Number of Weeks 1-2 Peak |
| zones. Each period is designed to specifically benefit a | | | | The peak period is used to get rested for the |
| certain part of your overall fitness, and usually later | | | | upcoming races. Here you still want to incorporate high |
| periods depend upon success in earlier periods in order | | | | intensity workouts so that your body does not lose |
| to be of value. A general periodization of a season | | | | any fitness, but you want to greatly reduce the |
| often looks something like this: | | | | volume. |
| Number of Weeks 4-6 Preparation | | | | Number of Weeks 1-3 Race |
| In the first four to six weeks you are getting prepared | | | | After tapering you should be ready for up to three or |
| for the battering your body is going to take over the | | | | four weeks of racing. |
| next four to six months. This often consists of weight | | | | That is really all there is to periodization. There are a |
| room training and possibly cross training with swimming | | | | few different forms of periodization that are not linear |
| or running. | | | | like the one listed above, but very few athletes prefer |
| Number of Weeks 8 -12 Base | | | | to use them. The linear periodization described above |
| The next eight to twelve weeks is called the base | | | | is used by many of the worlds top runners, cyclists, |
| period and is spent increasing your endurance. By the | | | | and swimmers, and when used correctly and with a |
| end of the base period you will want your longest ride | | | | goal in mind it will greatly improve your season. |
| of the week to be at least the same duration as what | | | | |