An Idea on Periodization Set Up.

Expert Discussion Planning and Periodization
1

On a boring summer day, after completing today’s workout, I thought about something. Since my actual outdoor track season starts in march. I started my GPP this week, its going to be 6-8 weeks long. Why start so early? Because I want to make it to state, and the earlier to start the better I will be by March. Now I know about the set ups like

GPP
SPP
Pre Comp
Comp

but since my plan is really long i wondered If I could do this…

GPP
SPP
and once I get those 2 things situated I could do this.

Specific Speed Development-this would be a phase where I only work on speed development like lengths of 30-60 meters and would only occasionally introduce speed endurance like once a week or every other week, and what not.

SPecific Speed Endrance Development–just like specific speed development exceptthe main focus in speed endurance and i would only do speed like once a week.

then after them it would go

Pre-Comp
Comp

I think I would put Special Endurance in the speed development phase.

out of 32 weeks it owuld go like this

GPP-6
SPP-8
Speed Phase-5
Speed End. Phase-5
Pre Comp-8

any thoughts will be greatly appreciated. thank you.

2

I don’t know if the earlier you start, the better you will be by March is really true, because the earlier you start, the more chances you have to peak too soon.

As for the setup, instead of adding weird stages like you did, you could just do this:

AA: 4 weeks
GPP: 8 weeks
SPP: 8 weeks
Pre-Comp: 8 weeks
Competition

Here is the thought process:

AA - No speed training, plyos or anything. Just weightlifting, hills, grass runs and anything non-track related. Just get your body in shape and ready to go for the rigors of training to come. Stay off the track as much as possible and try to do tempo runs on grass. The weightlifting is also in an AA type format.

GPP - Start introducing Acc. Dev. and plyos. Go 1 day a week on Acc. Dev. while maybe doing Int. Tempo one day and Hills on the third hard day while Ext. Tempo is everyday between. By the end of this phase you should be able to roll and start doing speed work. Also, if you want, make your weightlifting hypertrophy-based doing two 3-1 cycles of it.

SPP - Lock and load and get ready to roll. Acc. Dev. turns into speed work (reps of 40-60m) and you can start introducing speed endurance 1x a week or every other week if you choose. I personally am doing split runs during this phase as a speed/speed endurance setup workout (confusing?). Workouts like this:
250/30sec./3x60m
200/30sec./2x60m
150/30sec./60m
Kitkat uses these and in the HSI…10x600 thread he explains all about them on the last two pages. These are some definite gut-work workouts and will pay great dividends to get you ready for speed endurance and Special I. Ext. Tempo between everyday and by the end of this phase you will have reached your tempo “peak” and from now on tempo volumes will go down so efforts can be focused on CNS work.

Pre-Comp. - Now you start doing MaxV (60-80m reps) along with speed workouts all together with speed endurance/special I. So Monday and Friday you could do speed/MaxV and Wednesday you could do speed endurance/special I depending on your choice. Ext. Tempo is going down now to make room for real workouts.

Then competition you obviously know about.

The split runs…the first rep could be run at about 85-90% max effort with the supplementary runs at full speed w/ walk back rest.

If you want you could probably repeat a meso (3-1) of GPP or SPP depending on you. Make sure you do tests and see how you are progressing so you can make changes.

That is my 2cents for now. Does anyone else want to add anything to or bash my ideas?

3

hmm interesting thoughts 400 stud. I now realized that I coukd use this

GPP-8 Wks
SPP-12 Wks
Pre-Comp-12 wks
Comp

peaking too early? Man now you got me scared to start this early lol.

4

It’s alright because I was crapping my pants making my plans because I am trying to avoid messing something up and peaking too early. In fact, I start training Monday and I am still working on my plans!!!

You won’t peak too early if you set things up right. Don’t just go jumping into workouts. Let your body grow and adapt and you’ll be fine.

5

alright thanks. I am not really going to do the AA phase, I only had a week off and that was due to being out of state on vacation.

I plan on using my GPP to improve what I have been lacking through out the season so I am going to gradually introduce some speed endurance to my GPP Workouts starting wiht distances I can handle and increase the distances gradually. I am also going to do some speed in there as well.

6

I wish you the best of luck and hey, you never know, maybe we’ll both qualify for Jr. Natl’s next year and get to face each other :smiley: .

Talk to you later. Have fun training!

7

haha thanks and you too 400stud. hey would it be alright to replace hill running with 2 laps of jog-sprinting? I live in ohio but my luck I also live in the lowest elevated place in ohio:mad:

so far i have gathered infor and for my 2nd week of gpp phase (this week has been mostly tempo since we have been havin a delige this week)

monday-speed
tues-tempo
wednesday-intensive tempo
thursday-tempo
friday-speed/jog-sprint
saturday-tempo

8

By jog-sprinting I assume you are referring to fartlek jogs? That might be alright, though it is an aerobic workout. Maybe try some triples on that day for strength. Or a lot of stadiums? Just a thought.