A Transition Period is the first thing you should think about when considering an extended period of training. Dividing a longer training period into phases is called periodization. Each period has a purpose. And the purpose of the Transition Period is to prepare you for the harder training ahead. When I program for a tactical athlete, I use three such periods, sometimes called mesocycles: the Transition Period (post-deployment), the Base Period (the majority of the training “year”), and the Tactical/Sport-Specific Period (the pre-deployment spin-up). With this article, my goal is to give a broad overview of how I construct a…
Author: Drew Hammond
Athletes from all sports and activities have likely come across the terms endurance, stamina, and work capacity. But what do each of these really mean? Is there even a difference between them or are we using different words to classify the same things? The purpose of this article is to create a conversation among coaches from varying disciplines. What do these terms mean to different athlete populations, and how can you go about including them in your own training?When I really sit and think about it, I feel that at some point along the way I started to create a…
One of the most important points to consider when designing a strength program is the overall load volume the athlete will experience. Load volume, for the uninitiated, is a simple calculation of the amount of weight on the bar multiplied by the amount of times the weight is lifted. For example, if an athlete squats 200 pounds for a single set of 10 reps, the load volume for that set is 2,000 pounds. If the athlete uses that same weight for three total sets of 10 reps, the load volume becomes 6,000 pounds (200 x 10 x 3). As you…
The purpose of this article is to discuss the reasons for active recovery, and give some examples of how you can be more effective in your own training with a more appropriate approach.