Leicester Tigers Performance Forum 2019 Presentation.

1. Periodization in Academy
Rugby Players
Pete Burridge – Leicester Tigers Academy S&C Coach

2. What is Periodization?

3. Heavily influenced by the
godfathers of periodization
like Hans Selye and Tudor
Bompa from the Eastern
Bloc countries.
Based on the body adapting
to stress as more load is
placed upon it in a fairly
linear way.
Blocks build upon one
another to hopefully peak for
physical performance.
What is Periodization? The ‘Classical’ approach

4. Originating from Portugal & Spain from guys like Victor
Frade and Alberto Mendez-Villanueva, a way of piecing
together the technical-tactical alongside the physical
development.
Is at the zeitgeist of sport science at the moment with it
implemented differently in many environments whilst all
still calling it ‘tactical periodization’.
At its best it encourages a joined up multi-disciplinary
approach to training planning linked heavily to the head
coach’s game model/philosophy.
What is Periodization? The ‘Tactical Periodization’ approach

5. Arguments against Periodization
Kiely (2018)

6. What do Other People Say?
De Freitas et al. (2019)
Arguments against Periodization

7. What do Other People Say?
De Freitas et al. (2019)
Arguments against Periodization

8. What do Other People Say?
De Freitas et al. (2019)
Arguments against Periodization

9. What do Other People Say?
De Freitas et al. (2019)
Arguments against Periodization

10. Issues With an Over-Simplified Approach

11. Issues With an Over-Simplified Approach
• Why do we have to take a down week every 4th week?

12. Issues With an Over-Simplified Approach
• Why do we have to take a down week every 4th week?
• In a team sport like rugby how does it change when
there is a game every week?

13. Issues With an Over-Simplified Approach
• Why do we have to take a down week every 4th week?
• In a team sport like rugby how does it change when
there is a game every week?
• Do things like genetics, stress, and other bio-chemical
factors play a larger role in someone’s ability to adapt to
the training?
Bouchard (2001)
Responsiveness to
aerobic training in
% change in V02 Max

14. Issues With an Over-Simplified Approach
• Why do we have to take a down week every 4th week?
• In a team sport like rugby how does it change when
there is a game every week?
• Do things like genetics, stress, and other bio-chemical
factors play a larger role in someone’s ability to adapt to
the training?
• Does it need to be a little bit more reactive or agile to
how the guys are tracking?

15. Issues With an Over-Simplified Approach
• Why do we have to take a down week every 4th week?
• In a team sport like rugby how does it change when
there is a game every week?
• Do things like genetics, stress, and other bio-chemical
factors play a larger role in someone’s ability to adapt to
the training?
• Does it need to be a little bit more reactive or agile to
how the guys are tracking?
• Does every player respond the same to the training we
give them?

16. So you don’t do Periodization???

17. NO! I just take a more ‘reactive’ approach. There is still a
training plan but its WAY more fluid.
Think of the things that might change that response. Exams,
girls, life stress etc. You have to know your players, use the
overall schedule to pinpoint times of the year where you think
you know how they might respond but build fail safes into your
program to allow flexibility.
Use monitoring tools, whether that's RPE’s, questionnaires,
velocity based training, sub max bikes, jumps or the best
monitoring tool going...talking to the player!!
So you don’t do Periodization???

18. My Approach

19. What’s the Goal?

20. ‘To build the general physical
capacities, to allow athletes the
platform to express their rugby
skills and ultimately progress
through the pathway.’
What’s the Goal?

21. ‘To build the general physical
capacities, to allow athletes the
platform to express their rugby
skills and ultimately progress
through the pathway.’
What’s the Goal?

22. How do you achieve that goal?

23. How do you achieve that goal?
A Needs Analysis – where are the movement skill
gaps?

24. How do you achieve that goal?
A Needs Analysis – where are the movement skill
gaps?
Forecasting – What challenges and movement skill
problems will the player face in the future game?

25. How do you achieve that goal?
A Needs Analysis – where are the movement skill
gaps?
Forecasting – What challenges and movement skill
problems will the player face in the future game?

26. How do you achieve that goal?
A Needs Analysis – where are the movement skill
gaps?
Forecasting – What challenges and movement skill
problems will the player face in the future game?
Problem Solving – Why does the player possess this
gap?
Is it that he can’t? He won’t? Or doesn’t know how?

27. Bridging the Gap
It is our job to work out what is limiting
the player and find solutions to bridge the
movement skill gap.

28. An End Goal Approach
We must always be aware that to make a change in the
body it always carries with it a cost, we must take this
into account when making programming decisions.
When the player has progressed through the pathway
into the 1st team where fixtures are regular and
freshness is key, doing a large amount of physical
development work will steal from the player being fresh.
With this in mind more costly exercises are better
performed where there is less game pressure at the
development stage.
'You'll play at 95% today so that you can
play at 110% in the future'

29. One of the best ways of managing the cost of
training is with designated training windows
where a real focus can be put on physical
development.
This has an added positive effect because
restrictions on rugby vastly reduces the players
energy expenditure which provides a ripe
environment for growth.
How often do we see this situation with injured
players - Where they come back having put on lots
of size and got much stronger?
Why should we wait for a player to
get injured to have this in their
development plan?!
Development Blocks

30. One of the best ways of managing the cost of
training is with designated training windows
where a real focus can be put on physical
development.
This has an added positive effect because
restrictions on rugby vastly reduces the players
energy expenditure which provides a ripe
environment for growth.
How often do we see this situation with injured
players - Where they come back having put on lots
of size and got much stronger?
Why should we wait for a player to
get injured to have this in their
development plan?!
Development Blocks

31. My Utilisation of ‘Periodization’

32. My Utilisation of ‘Periodization’

33. My Utilisation of ‘Periodization’

34. My Utilisation of ‘Periodization’

35. What does it actually look like?

36. The Basics
A player needs to be robust enough to
cope with practice and competition match
loads – so before you even think of
performance improvement you have to
make sure they can tolerate the training
sessions on the field that will ultimately
make them better at rugby skills.
Develop their work capacity 1st!!!

37. Where possible you want to provide
a high potency-low cost stimuli, so
if you can pick up technical/tactical
outcomes alongside a conditioning
stimulus you’re killing two birds
with one stone.
How?
SSG & Constraints based games.
Set rules, dimensions and outcomes
that align well to rugby outcomes to
get both physiology and skill
development.
Conditioning

38. Remember rugby is king – if you can get ‘specific’
conditioning through games and rugby training
whilst still getting physiological outcomes (central
or peripheral adaptations) and even psychological
ones (tolerable discomfort capacity, grit etc.) you
should be onto a winning formula.
The time course for increases in V02 Max training
are very short – a week even! But they plateau
after about 6 months. Lactate threshold training
has a much slower course of adaptation - maybe
several years (Seiler, 2008).
Time Course of Change - Conditioning
‘Coach I need to do more
fitness sessions!! I’m not
getting picked’
‘F*#k off!! No you don’t!
You just need to get
better at rugby!!!’

39. Remember rugby is king – if you can get ‘specific’
conditioning through games and rugby training
whilst still getting physiological outcomes (central
or peripheral adaptations) and even psychological
ones (tolerable discomfort capacity, grit etc.) you
should be onto a winning formula.
The time course for increases in V02 Max training
are very short – a week even! But they plateau
after about 6 months. Lactate threshold training
has a much slower course of adaptation - maybe
several years (Seiler, 2008).
Time Course of Change - Conditioning
‘Coach I need to do more
fitness sessions!! I’m not
getting picked’
‘F*#k off!! No you don’t!
You just need to get
better at rugby!!!’
Seiler (2008)

40. Strength Training

41. Strength Training
The Big 4
• Form
• Range
• Control
• Shape

42. Strength Training
The Big 4
• Form
• Range
• Control
• Shape
Movement
Variability

43. Strength Training
The Big 4
• Form
• Range
• Control
• Shape
Movement
Variability
Progressive
Overload

44. The Big 4
• Form
• Range
• Control
• Shape
Movement
Variability
Progressive
Overload
INTENT!!!
Strength Training

45. Strength work is so important – especially at a younger age.
Why?
Time Course of Change - Strength
But
Why??

46. Strength work is so important – especially at a younger age.
Why?
• Once you’ve laid down satellite cells they stay with you for at least 15 years, if
not your lifetime (Gunderson, 2016)
Time Course of Change - Strength

47. Strength work is so important – especially at a younger age.
Why?
• Once you’ve laid down satellite cells they stay with you for at least 15 years, if
not your lifetime (Gunderson, 2016)
• It takes 1/6th of the work to maintain what you have once you’ve got it than it
does to get it. (Bickel et. Al 2011)
Time Course of Change - Strength

48. Strength work is so important – especially at a younger age.
Why?
• Once you’ve laid down satellite cells they stay with you for at least 15 years, if
not your lifetime (Gunderson, 2016)
• It takes 1/6th of the work to maintain what you have once you’ve got it than it
does to get it. (Bickel et. Al 2011)
• It equips players with the ‘master key’ to unlock multiple movement skill doors
Time Course of Change - Strength

49. Strength work is so important – especially at a younger age.
Why?
• Once you’ve laid down satellite cells they stay with you for at least 15 years, if
not your lifetime (Gunderson, 2016)
• It takes 1/6th of the work to maintain what you have once you’ve got it than it
does to get it. (Bickel et. Al 2011)
• It equips players with the ‘master key’ to unlock multiple movement skill doors
• Young athletes from a hormonal perspective are basically juiced up they have
that much testosterone in their system
Time Course of Change - Strength

50. Strength work is so important – especially at a younger age.
Why?
• Once you’ve laid down satellite cells they stay with you for at least 15 years, if
not your lifetime (Gunderson, 2016)
• It takes 1/6th of the work to maintain what you have once you’ve got it than it
does to get it. (Bickel et. Al 2011)
• It equips players with the ‘master key’ to unlock multiple movement skill doors
• Young athletes from a hormonal perspective are basically juiced up they have
that much testosterone in their system
• Gives players a coat of armour to withstand the rigours of professional rugby
Time Course of Change - Strength

51. Strength work is so important – especially at a younger age.
Why?
• Once you’ve laid down satellite cells they stay with you for at least 15 years, if
not your lifetime (Gunderson, 2016)
• It takes 1/6th of the work to maintain what you have once you’ve got it than it
does to get it. (Bickel et. Al 2011)
• It equips players with the ‘master key’ to unlock multiple movement skill doors
• Young athletes from a hormonal perspective are basically juiced up they have
that much testosterone in their system
• Gives players a coat of armour to withstand the rigours of professional rugby
• It takes TIME to put on good quality muscle mass, they probably don’t have
this at the 1st team end.
Time Course of Change - Strength

52. Take Home Messages

53. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports

54. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports
• Be aware that there are LOADS of factors that can
change someone's response to the training plan

55. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports
• Be aware that there are LOADS of factors that can
change someone's response to the training plan
• You cannot account for someone’s state of readiness to
train from an emotional, psychological & even
physiological perspective 6 weeks in advance!

56. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports
• Be aware that there are LOADS of factors that can
change someone's response to the training plan
• You cannot account for someone’s state of readiness to
train from an emotional, psychological & even
physiological perspective 6 weeks in advance!
• Embrace the fluidity of coaching developing athletes

57. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports
• Be aware that there are LOADS of factors that can
change someone's response to the training plan
• You cannot account for someone’s state of readiness to
train from an emotional, psychological & even
physiological perspective 6 weeks in advance!
• Embrace the fluidity of coaching developing athletes
• Take opportunity to develop physical capacities when
players are young and the games don’t mean as much

58. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports
• Be aware that there are LOADS of factors that can
change someone's response to the training plan
• You cannot account for someone’s state of readiness to
train from an emotional, psychological & even
physiological perspective 6 weeks in advance!
• Embrace the fluidity of coaching developing athletes
• Take opportunity to develop physical capacities when
players are young and the games don’t mean as much
• Embrace the principles of reversibility and underpinning
physiology when making programming decisions

59. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports
• Be aware that there are LOADS of factors that can
change someone's response to the training plan
• You cannot account for someone’s state of readiness to
train from an emotional, psychological & even
physiological perspective 6 weeks in advance!
• Embrace the fluidity of coaching developing athletes
• Take opportunity to develop physical capacities when
players are young and the games don’t mean as much
• Embrace the principles of reversibility and underpinning
physiology when making programming decisions
• Have a plan but don’t be married to the plan

60. Take Home Messages
• ‘Classical’ periodisation is probably too linear for team
sports
• Be aware that there are LOADS of factors that can
change someone's response to the training plan
• You cannot account for someone’s state of readiness to
train from an emotional, psychological & even
physiological perspective 6 weeks in advance!
• Embrace the fluidity of coaching developing athletes
• Take opportunity to develop physical capacities when
players are young and the games don’t mean as much
• Embrace the principles of reversibility and underpinning
physiology when making programming decisions
• Have a plan but don’t be married to the plan
The
Periodized
Plan
The
Adaptive
Plan

61. What is Periodization?

62. References
• Kiely J. Periodization theory: confronting an inconvenient truth. Sports
Med. 2018;48(4):753–764.
• Bouchard C, Rankinen T. Individual differences in response to regular physical
activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33(6 suppl): S446–51; discussion S452–3
• Bickel, CS, Cross, JM, and Bamman, MM. Exercise dosing to retain resistance
training adaptations in young and older adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43: 1177–
1187, 2011.
• de Freitas MC, de Souza Pereira CG, Batista VC, et al. Effects of linear versus
nonperiodized resistance training on isometric force and skeletal muscle mass
adaptations in sarcopenic older adults. J Exerc Rehabil. 2019;15(1):148–154.
• Gundersen K. Muscle memory and a new cellular model for muscle atrophy
and hypertrophy. J. Exp. Biol. 2016; 219: 235-242