Tip of the Month - November 2025

About PERIODIZATION

A coach recently asked me about Periodization. Coincidentally, a few days later, I received a memo from Human Kinetics. They are based in Champaign, IL, and Windsor, ON. They are the largest sports books, periodicals, and related publications worldwide.

The memo is about periodization, obviously a ‘hot’ topic again because it requires a full understanding of the training process to facilitate an athlete's progression.

I highly recommend that you check ito this concept… And …No… I am not getting paid for recommending this… although my personal Library since 1975 is filled with Human Kinetics.

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, periodization is the structured process of planned variations within a resistance-training program throughout a training cycle. 

But do you really understand the principles of periodization and how to apply them to your workouts? Learn more about periodization and how it functions.

Periodization: What it is and how it relates to planning and programming

The idea that training practices need to be systematically organized is not a new or novel concept. In fact, historic evidence dating back more than 2,000 years reveals that ancient thinkers discussed many of the precursors of periodization. Even though periodization has a rich history and offers coaches and sports scientists an organizational framework to guide the training process, several modern sport scientists and coaches have scrutinized this construct. At the center of this debate is confusion about what periodization is, how it differs from planning and programming, and the role monitoring plays. 

Understand more about periodization and what it is In this blog article by Gregory Haff, author of Scientific Foundations and Practical Applications of Periodization.

Reference:

Human Kinetics (2025, November 26). Periodization. Champaign, IL and Winsor, ON, Canada