Nancy and I discuss our upcoming periodization training program.
In this podcast, Nancy Arnold and I (Bud Gibson) discuss our upcoming periodization training program (Quicktime, 6.3 MB; Google Video, no download). Periodization is a new thing for us and indeed is somewhat infrequently used in bodybuilding.
So, what is periodization? Simply stated, it is a way of varying your training program so that you optimize your sports performance. Of course, optimization implies you are working toward a goal. In Nancy's sport of bodybuilding competition, the goals are all aesthetic: how large are your muscles; how defined are they; etc.
How does one define these kinds of aesthetic goals into a periodization program? Well, the key is to understand that a goal like large muscles translate into lifting heavier weights, and a goal like increased definition coincides with increased endurance. What these realizations have led to for us is a program we found in Planet Muscle. The program includes mass building and power lifting for gaining strength and muscle mass. There are also endurance phases.
Additional Links
- Our particular program from Planet Muscle is not online, but this program provided by Beverly International gives a good outline of what we intend to undertake.
- Periodization can be applied to many sports, and this book provides some solutions as well as theory. It is written by Tudor Bompa, the leading authority on the topic.
- Varying your workout based both on objective and subjective measures of performance can help avoid injury.
