October 15.

2010

Rowing Coaches Clinic

Block Periodization:
Scientific Concept and Implementation

Vladimir B. Issurin,
Ph.D., Professor

Israel

Plan
Traditional theory criticism and restrictions Alternative approach: basics and outcomes Biological background and conclusions

Traditional theory scope and criticism

Classic version of annual periodization (Matveyev,1964 et al.)

Annual performance trends of great athletes

Marion Jones:
Performance trend in season 1998
102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92

Running

Long jump

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

11

Sep

Source: Suslov, 2003

Typical multi-peak preparation of high-performance canoekayak paddlers

World ContinentalChampionship
Main Competitions International Competitions National Competitions Tests & Small Competitions Months Weeks Domestic trials

Winter Cup

National Cup

National Selection

World Cup Series 1st 2nd 3rd

Championship

National Ch-p

10

11

12

48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Peakperformances

Traditional Model Typical Changes

100%

VO2max
Muscle mass

90%

AnT

80%

Preparation period

Competition period

Multi-targeted mixed training sad outcomes:

Excessive workloads, Accumulated fatigue, High stress indices, Conflicting physiological responses, High risk of overtraining

Mixed training produces mixed results Stegeman,1981

Question
Should many abilities be trained at the same time?

Facts:
Simultaneous development of many abilities decreases effectiveness of training Body cannot simultaneously adapt to many training stimuli

Past and Present in High-Performance Rowing

General volumes of annual preparation

Gymnastics-R Running-MD Fencing Wrestling Volleyball Synchro.Swimming Rowing Kayaking Swimming

1991-2000 1980-90

800

900

Hours

1000

1100

1200

1300

Annual volumes of exercises in endurance sports (thousands km)

1980-90 1995-2009

Swimming Kayaking Rowing Cycling-R

2.5-3.5 5.5-6.3 6.3-7.3 35-45

2.0-2.5 4.5-5.3 5.5-6.5 30-35

Total number of competition days per year

Cycling-Road Running-MD Fencing Wrestling Judo Sailing Rowing Kayaking Swimming
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 1991-2000 1980-1990

Number of days

Past and Present in HighPerformance Training

Past
Competitions Total workloads Pharmacology Development less more liberal mainly simultaneous

Present
more less hard limitation mainly consecutive

Basic limitations of traditional model

Low stimulation producing by mixed training Conflicting physiological responses Excessive fatigue accumulation Inability to take part in many competitions

Alternative approach: blocks and stages

Terminology
Block training cycle of highly concentrated specialized workloads

Earliest attempts to implement Block Periodized Training

Anatoli Bondarchuk,
track and field, hammer throwing
Block Periodized system that includes: developmental mesocycle, competitive mesocycle, restoration mesocycle; duration of training stage 9-10 weeks Preparation outcomes - gold-, silver-, and bronze-medals attained at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games Publication: Bondarchuk, 1986,1988

Gennadi Touretski,
swimming
Block Periodized system that includes: general, specific, and competitive mesocycles; duration of training stage 6-10 weeks Preparation outcomes numerous gold medals of Alexander Popov and Michael Klim attained at the Olympic Games and World Championships Publication: Touretski, 1993, 1998

Igor Koshkin
Swimming
Block Periodized system that includes: speed/technique, strength, aerobic conditioning, taper and competition, restoration; duration of training stage 10 weeks Preparation outcomes three gold medals of Vladimir Salnikov; numerous medals attained by other swimmers in European and World Championships

Adopted from Gullstrand, 2001

Vladimir Issurin & Vassili Kaverin,

Canoe-Kayak
Block Periodized system that includes: accumulation, transformation and realization mesocycles; duration of training stage 6-10 weeks Preparation outcomes 3 gold and 3 silver medals of USSR National Team at the Seoul Olympic Games; 8 and 9 gold medals at World Championships of 1989, 1990 Publication: Issurin, Kaverin, 1985,1989

The principal methodic demands to BP training were almost identical:

1) mesocycles-blocks where focused on minimal number of targets; 2) the total number of proposed blocks is relatively small; 3) the single mesocycle-blocks duration ranges within two-fore weeks; 4) joining of single mesocycles forms training stage; 5) a number of training stages forms annual cycle

Block Periodization vs. Traditional Theory

TT
Simultaneous development of motor abilities and skills Medium (low) concentration of training loads Focus training periods Background cumulative training effect

BP
Consecutive development of motor abilities and skills High concentration of training loads Focus blocks-mesocycles Background cumulative and residual training effect

Basic principles of BP
High concentration of the training workloads Minimal number of abilities-targets within single block Consecutive development of many abilities Compilation and use of specialized mesocycles-blocks

Important

The cornerstones of Block Periodization

high training loads concentration

residual training effects consecutive development training blocks taxonomy peaking

High training loads concentration

Facts:
In qualified athletes highly concentrated training loads only provide sufficient training stimuli In elite athletes 60-70% of total training time is devoted to minimal number of targeted abilities

Typical gain and improvement rate of the maximal strength

12 Gain of maximal strength,% 10 8 6 4 2

Gain Optimal duration

Improvement rate
0 2 3 4.5 6 Weeks 9 12 16 20

Residual training effects

Prof. James Counsilman great coach and scientist

Terminology
Residual training effect:
- retention of changes in the body state and motor abilities after the cessation of training beyond certain time period

Force decrease after strength training cessation

100%

Large
force decrease

90% 80% 2

Small
force decrease

8 Weeks

10

12

Adapted from Mujika & Padilla, 2000

VO2max decrease after endurance training cessation

65 60 55 50 recently trained 45 40 0 highly trained

Decrease 4-5%

Decrease 5-8%
2 4 6 8 10 12

Weeks of detraining
Adapted from Allen a.o.,1989; Coyle a.o.,1985; Pivarnik, 1986; Wibom a.o.,1992

Residual training effects

Aerobic endurance Maximal strength Anaerobic endurance Strength endurance Alactic ability Maximal speed

10

20 Days number

30

40

Consecutive development

Sequencing of training targets

Blocksmesocycles Competition

Basic abilities Sport-specific Tapering abilities

Training stage

Training blocks taxonomy

Taxonomy of blocks-mesocycles

Type

Accumulation
Abilities-Targets
Basic motor and technical abilities: aerobic endurance, muscular strength, basic coordination

Taxonomy of blocks-mesocycles

Type

Transmutation
Abilities-Targets
Specific motor and technical abilities: anaerobic endurance, strength specific endurance, proper technique

Taxonomy of blocks-mesocycles

Type

Realization
Abilities-Targets
Tapering: full restoration, maximal speed and quickness, event specific readiness

Peaking

Terminology
Peaking - obtaining the best athletic conditions at a particular moment

Superposition of Residual Training Effects Timing

Blocksmesocycles
Accumulation

Competition

Transmutation Realization

Residuals 12-25 days 12-30 days

8-14 days

Annual preparation of Alexander Popov towards the Atlanta Olympic Games

1st stage 2nd stage

3rd stage

5th stage 4th stage

6th stage

By Courtesy of Gennadi Touretski

Annual Training Plan 2009 Rowing

Main Competitions International Competitions Concept National Competitions Tests & Small Competitions Months Sundays
Competition Taper Transmutation Mesocycle Accumulation Mesocycle Active Rest

Version from 24.10.2008

24-25.4 Concept 30.1 2X 2000 28.2 26-27.2

WCh. Europe Poland Ch-p World Cup 18-20.8 Belarus Baniolis World Cup 12-14.7 WCh-2318-20.9 29-31.5 23-26.7 Linz 26-28.6 Maccabia

10

11

12

15 12 19 26 5 6 16 23 30 10 11 12 13 4 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 1 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 24 31 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 16 47 48 49 50 51 52 4 2 9 7 7 14 21 28 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 8 15 22 29 5 14 21 28 3 10 17 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 23 30 6 13 20 27

Stages - 26.6-10.7
Medical Check-Ups

VO2max

One more example of the BP training implemented

The 2006/2007 season was scheduled for macrocycle Traditional model 20-week (October-March) and Two ATR until the World Championship in Duisburg in August. It was the first time in the Spanish canoeing executing a program with ATR and I had serious problems to convince the technical direction and management of sport to achieve the macrocycle ATR. The results in Duisburg 2007 were not spectacular but I

used to learn a lot about the Block Periodization and convince my Head coaches to program in the 2007/2008 season five ATR until the Olympic Games.
Carlos Perez and Saul Craviotto had no qualification for the Olympic Games and we had to get it in the European Championship in Milan. They had not ever done K-2 until

May they were 2 place in Europe Championship in Milan and in August were Olympic Champions. The Block Periodization had been helpful, two peaks so high in so short time.
Jesus G. Pallares National Canoeing Coach

January 2008. In

Saul Craviotto and Carlos Perez (ESP) Olympic Champions

Biological background of Block Periodization

Classic theory of

homeostasis
Claude Bernard

maintaining the constancy of bodys internal milieu

Walter Cannon

Homeostasis

Homeostatic regulation is a predominant mechanism for developing basic sport abilities like cardiorespiratory fitness, general neuro-muscular coordination, and morphological and organic adjustment of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, homeostatic regulation serves as a dominant mechanism of adaptation to training in the early stages of long-term athletic preparation and for developing of basic motor and technical abilities in high-performance athletes. In terms of BP these cycles are specified as accumulation mesocycle-blocks.

Classic theory of mechanisms

Hans Selye

of stress and general adaptation

Stress adaptation

" Another major pathway involved in the stress mechanism is carried through the catecholamines liberated under the influence of an acetylcholine discharge, at autonomic nerve endings and in the adrenal medulla

The Nature of Stress by Hans Selye

Stress adaptation

The strong training stimuli elicited by workloads of high intensity mobilize the athletes energy resources in amounts that exceed the metabolic level necessary for homeostatic response. These increased demands trigger off profound endocrine responses, i.e., the secretion of stress hormones. Thus, highly intensive anaerobic glycolitic exercises produce a pronounced catecholamine response (Viru, 1985,1995), and the rapid secretion of cortisol, corticotropin and endorphin (Lehman, Keul,1981 ) . In terms of BP this training specified as transmutation mesocycle-blocks.

Interaction of homeostasis and stress reactions

Preparation that entails the use of both types of training concurrently demands energy needs that surpassing the limits of homeostatic regulation. Correspondingly, stress reactions become stronger. This more strained metabolic and hormonal body environment suppresses homeostatic responses and has a deleterious effect on workloads intended to develop basic athletic abilities. Such conflicting responses, which are typical of mixed training among high-performance athletes, lead to a decline in general aerobic abilities, a reduction in muscle strength and cases of overtraining. BP model allows to avoid such conflicting physiological responses and exploits the most appropriate mode of biological adaptation.

How to accomplish these knowledge?

What people are saying ?

I use this opportunity to express my appreciation of methodological recommendations of Prof. Issurin that have assisted me greatly in my work. Prof. Issurin belongs to category of scientists, who know and understand the needs of coaches and his work has expanded our knowledge and enriched our coaching abilities allowing us to strive and reach better results.

Oreste Perri Two-time world champion, personal coach of a number of Olympic and World champions. Head coach of Italian canoe-kayak national team.

Never before the certain Improvement rate of the coaches receive such practical and useful ability over the block-mesocycle information on training methodology and enhancement of athletic mastery. Using this knowledge the coaches and athletes will be able to reach new heights and greater success. There is no science fiction everything is absolutely realistic.

Ivan Klementiev Olympic champion, seven-time world champion, member of national parliament Weeks of Latvia

Improvement

It is quite easy for me to judge the Block Periodization System. Having been coached by Gennady Touretski I have never needed nor used any another system. Therefore, I highly recommend this book to every athlete, who would agree that better understanding can elicit better performance.
Alexander Popov Five-time Olympic champion, many times world and European champion , Russia

Conclusions
1.Block Periodization as an alternative training approach is worthy for learning and implementation in the preparation of high-performance swimmers

2.Basics of Block Periodization are formed by general principles of BP (1), taxonomy of mesocycles-blocks (2), and guidelines for compiling annual cycle (3)

3.Biological Background of Block Periodization is closely connected with two fundamental contributors of human adaptation: - classic theory of homeostasis, and - mechanisms of stress adaptation

Thank you for your attention

Gennadi Touretski
Personal coach of many-time world and Olympic champions Alexander Popov (RUS) and Michael Klim (AUS)

My familiarity with the study outcomes of Vladimir Issurin cover a long period of cooperation and friendship. I believe the Block Periodization will Vladimir who is searching for new sources of assist anyone B. Issurin, information on howPh.D., Professor and obtain higher to improve training achievements.

Israel