On this edition of the Ask Coach Parry podcast we chat to our cycling coach Devlin Eyden about the term periodization and how it can add value to our cycling program.  We look at planning the training phases leading up to an event and how long you have before your goal race.  He advises on how we should structure the training  based on which phase you need to be developing in order to give yourself enough time to adapt.  We touch on points of training phases,  such as base training, power training, strength training and that sort of thing.

Transcript

Brad Brown:         Welcome back onto this edition of the Ask Coach Parry Cycling podcast. Before we get into today’s question, I have to ask a huge favour. One of the ways we get this podcast out there is through various pod catches like iTunes or Stitcher or overcast, whatever it is and if we could ask you to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast.

Particularly on iTunes if you’re listening on an Apple device, cause that really helps us get in front of more people and helps us spread the message. If you wouldn’t mind just taking two minutes to do that, it would be hugely appreciated.

What exactly does periodization mean?

Devlin Eyden joins us once again, Devlin, a great question and it’s around the term ‘periodization’ it’s a term that’s cropped up quite often lately and Samantha says she’s heard about it, she’s not 100% sure what it is. Can you give us, in layman’s terms, what ‘periodization’ means and how can it help Samantha’s cycling?

Devlin Eyden:      Sure, so periodization is essentially planning your training. So making sure you have a structured plan that you’re working towards. And also knowing how long you have to work towards a certain event, for instance.

From a cycling point of view, it can be quite tricky to periodize properly in the sense of exercising and training throughout the year and you might be doing most of those races. Whereas, typically the old theory of periodising is you’ve got certain phases of training that you build up towards a particular event.

Prioritizing is key in your cycling training

My suggestion in this point would be exactly that. More prioritizing certain events throughout the year and working on those as your main goals. Any other smaller races or any other races throughout the year that you might be doing, use those as training events themselves.

Then when I touch on the point of training phases, we start talking things like the base training, the power training, strength training and that sort of thing.

It is important to know how long you have before your goal race. And structure the training accordingly, based on which phase you need to be developing at that time, and giving yourself enough time to adapt to that as well.

My suggestion here would purely be; get in touch with a coach or a sports scientist for instance, and let them help you from that point in planning your way forward in your training.

BB:         I could not agree more, Devlin, I was actually going to say that and Samantha, if you want to find out about the coaching packages that we offer, you can head over to coachparry.com. If you look at the top of the website, there’s a tab that says ‘Coaching Packages’, there’s one for cycling. Go check it out, Devlin is your man.

We’d love to have you on board and we look forward to chatting again soon. If you’ve got any other questions, please do pop us a message.

Until the next time here on the podcast, from the two of us, it’s cheers.