How many people are familliar with this method of periodization? Seems like a little discussion. You may also know it as Vertical Integration. I believe it’s the best way to train athletes. Some would be surprised how similar it can be to the conjugate method, assuming the needs of the client are partly strength oriented.
I’ll add more info if interest is there. Or perhaps an artcle topic to consider?
If I remember correctly, this would be what Charlie Francis uses with his athletes?
Not exactly. Francis uses a more Reverse Periodization system where he starts with quality at low distances and then tries to extend that quality over longer distances.
His arguement is a sound one in that you wouldn’t train a sprinter to jog as in a normal linear scheme. Start out with techinique and speed at short distances, drill the technique and the form, then extend it out over larger distances.
There are definitely aspects of integration in his system, but I believe the Reverse Model would outline his techniques a little more closely.
I’ll post more info on Integration this weekend when I have a few minutes.
I’m think this has been burried due to lack of interest and lack of my lazy ass posting anything.
Anyway, the integrated method invloves assessing the needs of each individual and making the necessary adjustments to how the general componenents of conditioning fit together.
So if you have an athlete that has been working on the Westside template for a year or two, their strength wouldn’t be an issue. After assesing them, you may find a few nagging injuries, lack of flexibility or range of motion and general conditioning that falls short of what standards for their level of competition are.
As a result, you’d set priorities. If flexibility is the priority, you have to plan how flexibilty affects the other components of conditioning. So you place flexibility at the top of the list and make the strength work rotate around it as the two components are quite deletirious to each other.
On the flip side, if you had an athlete that lacked speed and was maximally very strong, you may do short max work and then speed work once the CNS is firing fully. Complex training could also be used because it takes advantage of maximal strength by transfering it into speed and explosiveness.
It’s all a matter of assessing needs and then making sure the components of conditioning are properly space to allow for progression in all the aspects of conditioning. Certain things like flexibility and sport specific endurance fit togehter well. On the other side of the coin, Strenght, power/speed and hypertrophy go together well and enhance one another.
If you can prioritize and fit everything into a week of training in proportions that reflect the athlete’s needs, they can progress at all components of conditioning.
Ratios would change as you progress towards competition, but nothing is every dropped from the program. In my opinion it’s the best way to periodize.
I can’t spell it with an ‘s’ until I finally get my hands on Supertraining.