Planning or Periodisation

It is said periodisation is dead in the world of athletics.  My question would be how so?

During my courses and study in Australia, we were taught about the periodisation style of Matveyev and popularised by Tudor Bompa.  Critics of periodisation sight these gentlemen with arguments that sports do not have one peak.  This maybe a valid argument, Bompa counters that the model of periodisation is not about biomotor abilities but a concept to develop the athlete to be in the best performance shape (these are my words not Bompas)

Periodisation is, basically, planning, with the result being the athlete is in shape to perform.

As a former thrower, I found I could perform at a reasonably high level of my personal best 3 or 4 times a year.  As a coach, I take this approach into my planning with an expectation that my sprinters can perform at personal best levels 2 or 3 times a year and my middle distance athletes 2 times a year.

Considering the athletic season in Australia starts in Late October and finishes March or April, performing a personal best level 3 times is achievable if managed correctly.

By personal best level, I don't necessarily mean they get a personal best at the same event each time.  For a 400m runner, they are in personal best shape for the 100m in November, 200m in Late January and 400m in March/April.

The middle distance runners may take an 800m personal best in November/December and 1500m in March/April.

Conversely the personal bests may happen in the reverse to what is described above, by the philosophy of short to long, long to short and concurrent is for another post.

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