Coaches Symposium ICF

Warsaw
27.02-1.03.2009

Block Periodization as an
Alternative Approach to
Preparation of High-Performance
Canoe/Kayak Paddlers
Vladimir B. Issurin,
Ph.D., Professor

Israel

Plan
Traditional theory
criticism and restrictions
Alternative approach:
basics, facts and background
Applications to practice:
recommendations

Classic versions of annual

periodization

Traditional Model Typical

Stroke
Changes
100%

Rate

VO2max

90%

Force
Muscle
mass

AnT

80%

Pre-Season

Mid-Season End-Season

Sergei Bubka:
Performance trend
in season 1991
620
610
600
590
580
570
560
0

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep18

Source: Suslov, 2003

Marion Jones:
Performance trend
in season 1998
102
101
100
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92

Running

Long jump

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

11

Sep

Source: Suslov, 2003

Typical multi-peak preparation

of high-performance canoekayak paddlers
World
ContinentalChampionship
Main
Competitions
International
Competitions

Championship

Domestic
trials

Winter
Cup

National
Cup

National
Selection

World Cup Series

1st 2nd 3rd

National
Ch-p

National
Competitions
Tests & Small
Competitions
Months
Weeks

10

11

12

48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Peakperformances

Canoe kayak: general trends in top-level paddlers

preparation
Annual time expenses for training
1975-85
1986-92
Actually
600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

Hours

Total number of days for competitions

1975-85
1986-92
Actually
15

18

21

24

Days

27

30

33

Basic limitations of
traditional model
Deficiency of mixed training
Conflicting physiological
responses
Excessive fatigue accumulation
Inability to take part in many
competitions

Important

Questions
Should many abilities be
trained at the same time?
What is the optimal sequence
of these abilities development in
a season?

Facts:
Simultaneous development
of many abilities decreases
effectiveness of training
Body cannot simultaneously
adapt to many training
stimuli

Basic principle
Do not train concurrently;
train in sequence
Follow the sequence :
basic abilities more specific
abilities tapering

Are new approaches

reasonable ?
Competitions
Total workload
Pharmacology
Development

Previously

Now

less
more
liberal
mainly

more
less
hard limitation
mainly

simultaneous

consecutive

Terminology
Block training cycle of highly
concentrated specialized workloads

Earliest attempts to
implement Block
Periodized training

Anatoli Bondarchuk,
track and field, hammer
throwing
Block Periodized system that includes:
developmental mesocycle,
competitive mesocycle,
restoration mesocycle;
duration of training stage 9-10 weeks
Preparation outcomes - gold-, silver-,
and bronze-medals attained at the
1988 Olympic Games
Publication: Bondarchuk, 1986,1988

Gennadi Touretski,
swimming
Block Periodized system that
includes: general, specific, and
competitive mesocycles;
duration of training stage 6-10
weeks
Preparation outcomes numerous
gold medals of Alexander Popov
and Michael Klim attained at the
Olympic Games and World
Championships
Publication: Touretski, 1993, 1998

Vladimir Issurin &

Vassili Kaverin,
Canoe-Kayak
Block Periodized system that includes:
accumulation, transformation and
realization mesocycles;
duration of training stage 6-10 weeks
Preparation outcomes 3 gold and
3 silver medals of USSR National
Team at the Seoul Olympic Games;
8 and 9 gold medals at World
Championships of 1989, 1990
Publication: Issurin, Kaverin, 1985,1989

The principal methodic demands to

BP training were almost identical:
1) mesocycles-blocks where focused on
minimal number of targets;
2) the total number of proposed blocks
is relatively small (three);
3) the single mesocycle-blocks duration
ranges within two-fore weeks;
4) joining of single mesocycles forms
training stage;
5) a number of training stages forms
annual cycle

Block Periodization
vs. Traditional Theory
CT

BP

Simultaneous development of
motor abilities and skills
Medium (low) concentration
of training loads
Focus training periods
Background cumulative
training effect

Consecutive development of
motor abilities and skills
High concentration of training
loads
Focus blocks-mesocycles
Background cumulative and
residual training effect

The cornerstones of
Block Periodization

high training loads concentration

residual training effects

consecutive development
training blocks taxonomy
peaking

High training
loads
concentration

Facts:
In qualified athletes highly
concentrated training loads only
provide sufficient training stimuli
In elite athletes 60-70% of total
training time is devoted to minimal
number of targeted abilities

Residual
training
effects

Prof. James Counsilman

great coach and scientist

Prof. James Counsilman

great coach and scientist

Terminology
Residual training effect:
- retention of changes in the
body state and motor abilities
after the cessation of training
beyond certain time period

Force decrease after strength training

cessation
100%

Large
force decrease

Small

90%

force decrease
80%
2

10

12

Weeks
Adapted from Mujika & Padilla, 2000

VO2max decrease after endurance

training cessation
65
60

highly trained

55

Decrease 4-5%

50
recently trained
45

Decrease 5-8%

40
0

10

12

Weeks of detraining
Adapted from Allen a.o.,1989; Coyle a.o.,1985; Pivarnik, 1986; Wibom a.o.,1992

Residual training effects

Aerobic endurance
Maximal strength
Anaerobic endurance
Strength endurance
Alactic speed
ability
Maximal

10

20
Days number

30

40

Consecutive
development

Refreshing
Do not train concurrently;
train in sequence
Follow the sequence :
basic abilities more specific
abilities tapering

Sequencing of training
targets
Blocksmesocycles

Competition

Basic abilities Sport-specific Tapering

abilities

Training stage

Training
blocks taxonomy

Taxonomy of blocks-mesocycles
Types
Accumulation

Transmutation

Realization

Abilities-targets
Basic motor and technical abilities:
aerobic endurance, muscular
strength, basic coordination
Specific motor and technical
abilities: anaerobic endurance,
strength endurance, proper
technique
Integrative preparedness: maximal
speed and quickness, event specific
readiness

Peaking

Terminology
Peaking - obtaining the best athletic
conditions at a particular moment

Superposition of Residual
Training Effects Timing
Blocksmesocycles
Accumulation

Competition

Transmutation Realization

8-14 days

Residuals
12-25 days
12-30 days

Annual Preparation Chart Block Approach

Winter
Trials

Spring
Trials

Transmutation

A
Accumulation
Stage I

Trials

Realization

Stage II

Stage III

Preparation period

Targeted
competitions

Stage IV

Stage V

Competition period

Annual Training Plan

Canoe-Kayak Team of ________

Coach: X Y
Advisor: Y X
Main
Competitions
International
Competitions

Domestic
trials

Winter
Cup

National
Cup

National
Selection

Version from ______

World
Continental Championship
Championship
World Cup Series
1st
2nd
National
Ch-p

National
Competitions
Tests & Small
Competitions
Months
Weeks

10

11

12

48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Competition
Taper
Transmutation
Mesocycle
Accumulation
Mesocycle
Active Rest
Stages
Training
Camps

Medical
Check-Ups
General examination

Current exam

Current exam

Biological background
of Block Periodized
Training

Classic theory
of

homeostasis
Claude
Bernard

maintaining
the constancy
of bodys
internal
milieu

Walter
Cannon

Homeostasis

Homeostatic regulation is a predominant

mechanism for developing basic sport
abilities like cardiorespiratory fitness, general
neuro-muscular coordination, and
morphological and organic adjustment of the
musculoskeletal system.
Therefore, homeostatic regulation serves as a
dominant mechanism of adaptation to training
in the accumulation mesocycle-blocks.

Stress adaptation

Highly intensive anaerobic glycolitic

exercises produce a pronounced secretion
of stress hormones i.e. adrenalin, cortisol,
corticotropin and endorphin (Viru,
1985,1995; Lehman, Keul,1981 a.o.) .
In terms of BP this training specified as
transmutation mesocycle-blocks.

Classic theory
of
mechanisms
Hans
Selye

of stress and
general
adaptation

Stress adaptation

" major pathway involved in the stress

mechanism is carried through the
catecholamines liberated under the
influence of an acetylcholine discharge

The Nature of Stress

by Hans Selye

Interaction of homeostasis and stress reactions

Preparation that entails the use of both types of training

concurrently leads to conflicting physiological
responses. Stress reactions become stronger; they
suppress homeostatic responses and has a deleterious
effect on workloads intended to develop basic athletic
abilities. This conflict leads to a decline in general
aerobic abilities, a reduction in muscle strength and
cases of overtraining.
BP model proposes separation of the workloads
exploiting homeostatic and stress responses; this
allows to avoid such conflicting physiological
responses.

So what?
Recommendations
and
rationales

Recommendation:
The optimal duration of blocks-mesocycles
varies from 2-6 weeks

Rationales:
The maximal rate of the certain abilities
improvement occurs in the initial part of the
developing program;
the short-term mesocycles exploit the most
sensitive phase of the training stimulation

Gain and improvement rate of the maximal

strength in elite female kayakers

Gain of maximal strength,%

12
10

Gain

8
6

Optimal
duration

4
2

Improvement rate
0
2

4.5

6
Weeks

12

16

20

Recommendation:
Take into account that participation in competition
reduces the training residuals

Rationales:
The physiological and emotional stress increases
the catabolic processes, affects the loss of muscle
mass, and shortens residuals of strength ability;
the highly intensive competitive activity with
pronounced anaerobic metabolism reduces
cardiorespiratory fitness and aerobic capacity

Fact:
Emotional strain and
competitive activity shorten
the training residuals
(Issurin & Lustig, 2004)

Recommendation:
The mesocycles' duration in competitive period is
usually shorter than their duration in the
preparation period

Rationales:
The blocks-mesocycles of the preparatory period
take more time to accomplish the morphological
and physiological changes after the partial loss of
adaptation in the transition period;
competitive stress shortens the training residuals,
which should be renewed in the subsequent
mesocycle

Recommendation:
The residual effect can be prolonged by
means of inclusion of the supporting miniblock of highly concentrated workloads

Rationale:
The supporting mini-block produces strong

stimulus to reduced ability and prevents its

further decrease and partial detraining

Conclusion
Block Periodization as an alternative
training approach is worthy for learning
and implementation in the preparation
of high-performance athletes

Improvement

Neverof
before
the coaches
receive
Improvement rate
the
certain
such practical and useful
ability over the block-mesocycle
information on training
methodology and enhancement of
athletic mastery. Using this
knowledge the coaches and
athletes will be able to reach new
heights and greater success. There
is no science fiction everything is
absolutely realistic.

Ivan Klementiev
Olympic champion,
seven-time world champion,
member of national parliament
Weeks
of Latvia

I use this opportunity to express my appreciation of

methodological recommendations of Prof. Issurin that have
assisted me greatly in my work. Prof. Issurin belongs to
category of scientists, who know and understand the needs of
coaches and his work has expanded our knowledge and
enriched our coaching abilities allowing us to strive and reach
better results.

Oreste Perri
Two-time world champion, personal
coach of a number of Olympic and
World champions. Head coach of
Italian canoe-kayak national team.

Dawn over the Hula Valley

Thank you
for your
attention

Thank you
for your
attention

Blocks-mesocycles followed by
inclusive mini-blocks
Competition

Strength and
Aerobic
Endurance

Strength
Endurance
Anaerobic
Endurance

15-25

15-25

12-18 days

Velocity
Tactics