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Cycle Training
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Article
By: Tonie Campbell, Olympian
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The method
of cycle training (variable effort training) is to adopt the principles
of "diminish and return" whereas
the elite level athlete can not train at maximum efficiency levels
day in and day out. By varying the workload based on an athlete's
ability to recover, the training regiment can produce maximum
efforts without need to curtail quantity or quality.
Specific
workouts are rated on a scale on 1 - 10, 10 being the most difficult.
The philosophy is that an athlete can not repeat equal levels
of training regiment on subsequent days. Therefore workouts, training
weeks and training months vary in intensity allowing a period
of recovery before attempting an elevated level of training.
| Example: |
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| Level
10 |
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The
hardest training day, week or month in the cycle. |
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Downgrade
to...
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| Level
5 |
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The
third hardest training day, week or month in the cycle. |
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Upgrade
to...
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| Level
7 |
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The
second hardest training day, week or month in the cycle. |
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Downgrade
to...
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| Level
3 |
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The
second easiest training day, week or month in the cycle. |
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Downgrade
(in quantity only) to...
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| Level
1 |
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The
easiest training day, week or month in the cycle. (Usually this
period is used for race preparation, simulation and focus on
high quality). |
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As you can see, the idea
is to allow the athlete to physically recover without having to
sacrifice quality in the training cycle. By downgrading, the athlete
can recover physically while not jeopardizing his mental focus.
The downgrade is then followed by an upgrade, which is less than
the hardest level of the cycle. Here we are allowing maximum potential
for quality and assuring a respectable quantity level to be accomplished.
The entire cycle thus
degrades to the lowest level of the training regiment, which is
generally the lightest workload but would allow the highest level
of quality. This is based on a five-day, week and month training
cycle.
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