Let’s be real, the body isn’t a big fan of any form of change on any level.

Whether it is for running a marathon, lifting exorbitant amount of weights or maintaining an optimal fitness level we all need a structured plan in order to achieve specific and measurable results unless we want to be wasting our precious time and energy doing non-sense.

On a cellular level, the body is highly adaptable and efficient at making both negative and positive changes but it does not like change that seeks to shed excess body fat or add muscle and it will protect itself by putting on more fat and resisting muscle growth.

In fact, the human body is actually quite acquiescent to growth and change and at the same time, it will fight tooth and nail against efforts to bring about said change.

So, sport or fitness periodization offers us an approach to identify the key activities that are driving the most substantial progress towards our objectives and slowly drive change.

The periodization part is the systematic planning of athletic or physical training (workouts, exercises, etc,) with the aim to reach the best possible performance.

If you are athlete this means performing at your best in the most important competition of the year or just being lean and developing excellent functional fitness skills.

The way it works is simple.

It involves progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during a specific period.
These periods can be divided into weeks, months and even years.

Conditioning programs can use periodization to break up the training program into the off-season, preseason, in-season, and the postseason for athletes or in functional blocks with fitness goals and task-oriented exercises for average people.

However, there are specific rules that need to be followed in order for the whole process to be beneficial.

In this post series, we will be talking about the first two of them.

Table of contents

1. Adaptation
2. Overload
   a. Training loads can be classified in
   b. Overloading can be achieved by following the acronym FITT (Overloading variables)
3. Highlights

1. Adaptation

Not to be confused with the biological definition of adaptation that stands for a more evolutionary related process.

Here we will refer to adaptation as the physiological adjustments that happen during the training life of the person that enhance their physical performance.

A brief example of this would be if humans move to a higher altitude, respiration and physical exertion become a problem, but after spending time in high altitude conditions they acclimatize to the reduced partial pressure of oxygen, such as by producing more red blood cells.

These conditions, often called extreme sports training, are optimal for aerobic athletes.

In a broad sense, adaptation means the adjustment of an organism to its environment.

Although these changes are momentary, which means they won’t necessarily be inhered, genetic factors play a huge impact on the ability of the individual to maximize these capacities.

2. Overload

To bring about positive changes in the body, an exercise overload should be applied.

In order to progress and improve our fitness, we have to put our bodies under additional stress.

A training adaptation of the training load takes place only if the magnitude of the training load is above the habitual level.

Repeatedly practicing a skill or a series of movements past required performance is a method of overloading where quality and quantity are used to master said skill or series of movements and to overcome and minimize error.

Skills and movements are of higher quality when fatigue does not affect the trainee’s ability to properly pattern movements.

a. Training loads can be classified in

• Stimulating: Where the magnitude of the training load is above neutral level and positive adaptation may take place.
• Retaining: Where the magnitude is in the neutral zone at which the level of fitness is maintained
• Detraining: Where the magnitude of the load leads to a decrease in performance results, in the functional capabilities of the athlete, or both.

b. Overloading can be achieved by following the acronym FITT (Overloading variables)

• Frequency: Increasing the number of times you train per week
• Intensity: Increasing the difficulty of the exercise you do. For example, running at 12 km/h instead of 10 or increasing the weight you are squatting with.
• Time: Increasing the length of time that you are training for each session. For example, cycling for 45 minutes instead of 30.
• Type: Increase the difficulty of the training you are doing. For example progress from walking to running.

3. Highlights

• Adaptation happens depending on the type and magnitude of the stress. Influenced by underlying genetic factors.
• Because the preparation of elite athletes usually lasts for 8 to 12 years, their progressive resistance training needs to be extremely demanding. However, changing workouts and intensity once every month is fine for the average person.
• Focus on one variable at a time. Trying to make lots of changes during your training can actually make things complicated and lead to confusion. Example: Either increase weight, tempo, or reps/sets
• Detraining is only used for elite athletes that truly require a rest for an excessive physical demand. For an average person the working load of an entire year may only equal to 1/10th of athlete’s yearly working load.
• Instead of detraining, slightly lower the loads once a month. This is called recovery phase or regeneration microcycle.

What do you think?

If you are an ambitious professional or entrepreneur looking to get in shape click here for more info (you'll find links to my website, contact and social media).

🟢Upvote, follow me and resteem it with your fitness buddies
🟢Next: Soy: An Unbiased Reality

🟢Earn crypto with these browsers
⚪Brave
⚪CryptoTab
🟢The best cold storage wallets for crypto
⚪Ledger
⚪Trezor
⚪KeepKey
🟢Freelance and get paid in BTC
⚪Cryptogrind
🟢Online shopping with BTC
⚪Bitify
🟢Buy crypto
⚪Binance
⚪Coinbase

🟢Support my content
⚪BTC: 1FHztiqtUiAjNVfAGo1uQXe6hYHNTmnj9 | BTC QR Code
⚪ETH: 0xed3ef7a6665e094694c574aeacf5190fd8cc5402 | ETH QR Code

🟢Shout out to my favorite witnesses: @xeldal , @good-karma , @roelandp , @yabapmatt , @actifit , @blocktrades , @themarkymark , @gtg , @someguy123 , @aggroed , @timcliff , @ocdb , @therealwolf , @anyx , @curie , @drakos , @lukestokes.mhth , @steempress , @emrebeyler , @pharesim , @liondani , @steempeak , @stoodkev , @abit , @busy.witness , @steemhunt , @arcange , @wise-team , @blockbrothers , @kevinwong , @holger80 , @jackmiller , @helpie , @firepower , @guiltyparties , @neoxian , @steemitbloggers , @steemitboard and @steemgigs

Have an epic one!
Edward Casanova, Fitness Coach at ZenFit

Bibliography:

1. (n.d.). Adaptation - Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptation
2. (n.d.). Muscle Soreness and Muscle Growth (“BROSCIENCE” REVEALED!) - YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0BIRPLzohs
3. (n.d.). Progressive Overload – HSC PDHPE. Retrieved from https://www.pdhpe.net/factors-affecting-performance/how-does-training-affect-performance/principles-of-training/progressive-overload/
4. (n.d.). Sports periodization - Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_periodization
5. (n.d.). Scientific Principles of Strength Training - Juggernaut Training Systems. Retrieved from https://www.jtsstrength.com/scientific-principles-strength-training/
6. (n.d.). The Principles of Training | S-cool, the revision website. Retrieved from https://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/pe/training-for-sport/revise-it/the-principles-of-training
7. (n.d.). Scientific Exercise Training Principles. Retrieved from https://www.verywellfit.com/the-6-scientific-rules-you-must-follow-to-get-fit-3120111
8. (n.d.). 7 Principles of Exercise and Sport Training. Retrieved from https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Triathlon/News/Blogs/Multisport-Lab/2012/August/28/7-Principles-of-Exercise-and-Sport-Training
9. (n.d.). Principles of Training – HSC PDHPE. Retrieved from https://www.pdhpe.net/factors-affecting-performance/how-does-training-affect-performance/principles-of-training/
10. (n.d.). The Four Principles Of Training | realbuzz.com. Retrieved from https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/fitness/article/the-four-principles-of-training/
11. (n.d.). Principles of training - Edexcel - Revision 1 - GCSE Physical Education - BBC Bitesize. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zxhxnbk/revision/1
12. (n.d.). Principles of Training - TeachPE.com. Retrieved from https://www.teachpe.com/training-fitness/principles-of-training
13. (n.d.). The 5 Principles of Training: Why We Do What We Do. Retrieved from https://business.fit/5-principles-training/
14. 1. Amazon.Com. https://www.amazon.com/Science-Practice-Strength-Training-Second/dp/0736056289.

The health information on this site is provided as an information resource only and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient nor client education does not create any patient-coach relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your health care provider, before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. Edward Casanova shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. This is a curated article made from different sources, always do your own research to shape your truth