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What are the four phases within the Macrocycle and within a typical mesocycle?

Clinic notes presented by Dr. Michael H. Stone who is an internationally know expert in resistance training discussed the four phases:

1. Preparation Phase:
This phase consists of high volume, low intensity training and is used as base training. The preparation phase is designed to increase exercise endurance, positively alter body composition and increase tissue size and tensile strength, anatomical balance resulting in a lower injury potential and can be used to increase basic strength. The preparation phase should be used to increase "sport specific fitness". Typically, the preparation phase can be divided into general and specific parts.

For example, in a sport requiring relatively high levels of strength and power, such as American football or perhaps rugby; initially the preparation phase (general preparation) would concentrate on four important aspects, 1) improving high intensity exercise endurance, 2) changing body composition, especially increasing muscle mass, 3) decreasing injury potential and 4) increasing maximum strength. For the weight training portion of this general preparation phase, typically higher repetitions (8-12) and as many as 5 sets can be used to promote adaptation.

The later portion of general preparation would include a lower volume of training with an emphasis on strength development. Typically, the early portion of general preparation would last 2-5 weeks and the later portion emphasizing strength training may last up to 8 weeks. The length of time spent in general preparation depends upon the sport, training status and the level of athlete.

Large muscle mass, multi-joint exercises should make up the majority of the exercises used in this phase (as with all phases) as these have the greatest efficiency and carryover. In many sports exercise selection, especially during general preparation, may include remedial exercises designed to "balance" flexors and extensors and to strengthen stabilizer muscles.

Special preparation involves a transition from preparation to the competition phase and may last up to 8 weeks. Depending upon the sport different aspects of training may be emphasized.

2. Transition Phase:
As originally termed by Matveyev this phase was a short period of active rest between meso or macrocycles.

Some authors use the first transition meaning a phase linking the preparation and competition phases. The first transition phase can also be considered a "Special Preparation Phase". Special preparation is typically a relatively high to moderate volume phase in which the exercises used become more specific to sport performance and is therefore a transition between general preparation and competition phases. It is in this phase that "conversion" begins to take place. Conversion is a term used to describe the transition between one form of training adaptation to another. For example, power athletes should first train to increase maximum strength, then begin to train for more power oriented exercises as part of a special preparation.

3. Competition Phase:
This phase is used to improve or stabilize technique and bring performance to optimum or peak levels. Within this phase the volume decreases and intensity of training increases. Importantly, the proportion of technique oriented rises across this phase.

4. Peaking or Maintenance Phase:
A peaking phase is use to prepare athletes for peak performance during the most important competitions of the macrocycle. The combination of appropriate high intensity technique oriented training coupled with a training taper can provide an appropriate peaking stimulus for most strength sports. Peaking for power sports is generally characterized by an increase in emphasis on technique oriented exercises, increased exercise intensity coupled with a decrease in training volume and intensity. Some data and the observation of coaches and athletes suggest that peak performance can only be held for about 3 weeks. For sports with a definite season, such as baseball or volleyball, in which every game should be won, bringing the athletes to a peak is counter-productive because once a peak is reached it is quickly lost. After peaking it is possible that performance can fall to relatively low levels even though training after peaking can potentiate overtraining. Thus, a maintenance phase of moderate intensity and low volume should be used in sports with a definite season order to maintain reasonable levels of sports specific and performance.

5. Transition - Active Rest
After a peaking phase or after a maintenance program accompanying a sports season, both physiological and psychological recovery may be necessary. It has been noted that athletes moving immediately back into typical training are more likely to experience overtraining symptoms, experience injury and generally do not progress well. Additionally, athletes not performing any type of training may not progress well through the next mesocycle because they have lost much of there "Fitness" for a specific sport. Thus, recovery from a mesocycle should take the form of "Active Rest" in which the volume is kept low and the intensity of training is low to moderate. Often the athlete will benefit by working on technique flaws. This form of active rest will allow some maintenance of technique and skill. In some cases after a macrocycle is complete it may be beneficial for the athlete to participate in some other sport, but at a recreational level.