The Essentials of Periodisation

Periodisation is widely accepted by coaches and sports scientists as a central concept underpinning the development of athletes. Careful inspection of these authors’ perspectives reveals several significant issues that have resulted in a misrepresentation of the classic literature and display a significant lack of knowledge about the constructs that underpin the actual processes associated with the development of periodised training. One of the major sources of confusion about periodisation is a misunderstanding of the classic literature on the topic and the terminology often used in contemporary literature. In order to understand periodisation, it is important to classify the primary goals of a periodised training plan. Specifically, all periodised training plans target the elevation of performance at pre-determined time points, or to maintain performance capacity for an individual athlete or team throughout the course of a sport’s competitive season.