What is Periodisation and How Can It Help You?

Periodisation is a systematic approach to training that involves breaking down your fitness plan into different phases, each with specific goals, to optimise performance and recovery. As a personal trainer, I use periodisation to help my clients work toward their fitness goals in a structured and effective way. It’s not just about exercising harder but exercising smarter.

What's the idea?

The key idea behind periodisation is to vary the intensity, volume, and type of exercise over time. This approach allows your body to adapt to different training demands while minimising the risk of injury or burnout. Instead of pushing yourself at full throttle year-round, periodisation builds in periods of peak effort, active recovery, and strategic adjustments to keep your body progressing. Whether you aim to build muscle, improve cardiovascular fitness, or enhance athletic performance, periodisation is a tool that works for all fitness levels.

So, how does periodisation actually help?

It prevents overtraining by alternating between high-intensity training and recovery phases. This ensures that your body has enough time to recover and grow stronger between intense sessions. It also keeps your workouts fresh and challenging, which helps you avoid the dreaded plateau that can occur when your body adapts to the same routine over and over again.

Incorporating periodisation into your training makes your progress measurable and sustainable. This method is commonly used by athletes, but it's just as effective for everyday fitness enthusiasts who want to see steady improvement over time.

In the following articles, I’ll guide you through the three main components of periodisation — macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles — and show how you can apply these concepts to your training plan for long-term success. Let’s take your fitness journey step by step, and build a program that helps you hit your goals.

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Join my private 1-on-1 personal training client list at Core Fitness Personal Training Studio.

I’ll help you to progress towards your fitness goals.

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