Plan your base training part 2
In this section, we explain which components a foundational training should include and how these can be planned to bring you closer to the goals you have set. If you haven't already read part 1 in this series on foundational training, we recommend starting there.
How should you structure your training?
To succeed in reaching your goals, a lot of training is required first and foremost, but you also need to work on many different abilities. For example, threshold, VO2 max, sprint, technique, tactics, mental aspects, etc. To create order in this chaos, training should be planned into different phases for performance improvement to occur. This is why many athletes and coaches choose to divide the season into several phases so that they can focus on different aspects during the different phases.
These phases can be described in slightly different ways and vary a bit between sports, coaches, and countries, but often include the following over the course of a year:
- Recovery period/offseason -> 2-6 weeks
- Preparation period -> 2-8 weeks
- Foundational training -> 2-6 months
- Specialized training -> 1-2 months
- Competition preparation -> 1 month
- Peak performance -> 2-8 weeks
We now assume that your competition season and recovery period are completed and that you are now in the preparation phase and will soon begin foundational training.
What do you fill the base training with and when do you implement what?
In the past, it was common for athletes to train according to a linear strategy, and many still do. This means that base training starts with a high volume and lower intensity, and as the competition season approaches, the intensity increases while the volume decreases.
However, recently both elite athletes and researchers have pointed out that undulating or polarized training is more effective. Polarized training means that the base consists of a lot of low-intensity training time, around 85-95%, while only a small part, 5-15%, consists of training in the higher intensity zones. Simply put, training is either easy and long or very hard and short. In the figure to the right, you can see an example of a year of polarized training and how Vo2max changed over the year. The athlete has different intensity weeks, but the low-intensity training is almost always in the majority.
Train polarized for 4-6 months and everything will be fine... Or?
Not quite, the planning is still to come. That part is coming now. To make several months up to a year of training schedule more manageable, you can divide it into Macro, Meso, and Microcycles.
- Macrocycle: A period that spans several months. For example, the base training leading up to the competition season. The macrocycles should be based on the goals you set earlier. Here you plan the Mesocycles and, for example, training camps. But also life events that will impact your training, such as weddings, vacations, changed work situations, moves, and so on.
- Meso-cycle: This period often lasts between 2-12 weeks. Here you plan which training forms will be the focus. For example, threshold or volume. These periods can be good to try to plan in connection with the Macrocycles. Dare to trust your plan as training adaptation takes time.
- Microcycle: Finally, the short-term day-to-day and week planning. What are you training on Thursday? Here you go down to the detail level, how many interval sessions, which intervals, when do you go to the gym etc. These cycles can be beneficial to plan closely together, week by week, as it becomes easier to adjust according to life's circumstances and how worn/fresh your body feels. You base it on your Mesocycle and thus know where the focus should be when planning your week and your days.
Below in the table is an example of what these cycles can look like.
Macrocycle - Overall months & years
|
Recovery period |
Preparation period |
Base training |
Special training |
Competition preparation |
Peak performance |
|
Rest mentally & physically |
Work on injury prevention and start structured training |
The training that will prepare you to achieve your set goals |
Base training but starting to become more specific towards your goals |
Refine techniques and abilities that have a quick adaptation |
The last weeks of the month for optimal performance |
Meso-cycle - about 2-12 weeks
|
w1 |
w2 |
w3 |
w4 |
w5 |
w6 |
w7 |
w8 |
|
Base week |
Threshold |
Threshold |
Recovery |
Vo2max |
Volume |
Volume |
Recovery |
Micro-cycle - Daily planning often one week
|
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
Rest |
Intervals 4x4 min |
Distance 2h |
Max strength 1h |
Intervals 4x8 min |
Distance 2-4h |
Distance 2h + Strength 1h |
Training Forms
In order to fill these cycles/training periods, it can be helpful to know how different training forms affect the body and how long it takes to see results from these various training types. This makes it easier to schedule when different blocks and sessions should be planned.
- Volume/distance training: This is the foundation of all endurance training. The volume provides a good base for tolerating more high-intensity training, while also developing work efficiency and movement economy. This training can be performed to a large extent and can easily be incorporated as a supplement after, or in conjunction with high-intensity training.
- High-intensity training/intervals: Intervals at threshold or Vo2max aim to improve threshold and oxygen uptake. The adaptation from this training takes a medium amount of time, and research shows that the best effect is achieved over 4-12 weeks before a plateau is often reached. For example, you could execute an 8-week mesocycle focused on Vo2max and then follow it with two 4-week mesocycles focusing on volume, before returning to more intensive competition-preparatory periods.
- Anaerobic training: Training over 100% of oxygen intake becomes anaerobic, which means the body is working without, or with insufficient amounts of oxygen. This training is important for responding to attacks, sprints, and technical speed increases in many sports. Anaerobic training occurs above the threshold, and it provides rapid adaptations but also rapid regression if not maintained. It places a significant strain on the body and is often scheduled closer to the competition season.
- Strength training: Strength training, and largely maximal strength, has strong evidence in research showing that increased explosiveness and strength in the gym translates to very good performance results in running, cycling, or skiing. However, be sure to have a period where you acclimate the body and find the right technique. Keep in mind that strength and high-intensity training cause greater wear and tear on the body, and both of these forms should be performed with a fresh body for optimal results. It is therefore often the case that interval sessions and strength training are scheduled first, and then distance training fills in between these sessions. For example, it can be tough to have good intervals in the morning after a heavy strength session the night before.
- Alternative training: Base training also allows for training alternatives, partly for motivation but also for injury prevention. However, be aware that some alternatives may increase the risk of injury due to unfamiliarity. If, for example, you are a cyclist or skier and start running more as alternative training, take it a bit cautiously at first. The closer you get to your goals, the less time should be spent on alternative training as you want to train specifically for optimal adaptation when your form needs to sharpen.
With this information and your goals from part 1, you should be able to start sketching out a plan. In the last part of this series, we will go into practical tips and how to adapt the basic training to real life so that you can achieve your optimal performance. Read part 3 here.
//Team Umara