Talent ID, Periodization, and Training Cycles Explained

• Talent Identification ensures the selection of appropriate players fairly and equitably.
• It predicts an individual's future performance capacity by assessing physical, physiological, technical, psychological, cognitive, and social skills.
• A talent identification program should prioritize long-term potential over short-term tournament success.

Sports Training Cycle (Periodized Training)

• Works by overloading and allowing the body to adapt, gradually building fitness.
• Structuring the season helps with building and recovering adequately for optimal adaptation.
• Periodization divides an annual training plan into specific time blocks with particular goals.
• It facilitates recovery and develops different physiological abilities during training phases.
• Base training focuses on developing aerobic and muscular endurance.
• Periodization promotes the training effect, which is changes in the cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems that result in greater speed and endurance.
• Effective training programs require understanding the foundation of periodization.

Three Cycles of Periodization

• Macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles are the building blocks for periodization

Macrocycle

• The longest cycle encompassing the entire season (52 weeks).
• Includes all four stages of a periodized training: endurance, intensity, competition, and recovery.
• Divided into four periods: preparation, pre-competition (optional), competition, and transition.
• The preparation phase is broken into general (aerobic base) and specific (proper form) preparation.
• The competitive phase can involve multiple competitions leading to a main event.
• The Transition phase is important psychologically and provides time off after a year of training.
• Macrocycles facilitate long-range planning, such as preparing for a national championship.
• Changes can be made to the macrocycle due to its length.

Mesocycle

• A specific training block within the season such as the endurance phase.
• Designed to accomplish a particular goal within the macrocycle
• May include three weeks of threshold intervals followed by a week of recovery.

Microcycle

• The shortest training cycle, typically lasting a week.
• Focuses on facilitating a concentrated block of training.
• Consists of very hard workouts for two or three days followed by an equal amount of recovery.
• Aims to improve key physiological abilities like lactate threshold and aerobic capacity.
• Three or four microcycles form a mesocycle.

Overall Training

• Maximizing training requires understanding and utilizing each of the three cycles to peak for important events.
• Training in sports should be specific, systematic, and scientifically based to improve performance.
• Activities require specific physical fitness components and training methods.
• Different sports require different levels and types of strength, which can be improved through training.
• Strength is measured in pounds or Dynes.

Types of Strength

• Static Strength (Isometric): The ability to act against resistance without movement (e.g., arm wrestling, powerlifting).
• Dynamic Strength (Isotonic): The ability to act against resistance with movement.

Isotonic Exercises

• Tone the muscles and make them flexible
• Activities such as Jumping, running, and Weight lifting are examples of isotonic exercises
• Divided into concentric and eccentric exercises.

Isometric Exercises

• Length of muscles remains the same during workouts
• There is no external movement but tension is created inside the muscle.
• Examples are pushing a wall, lifting heavy weights, or arm wrestling.

Isokinetic Exercises

• There is movement with continuous tension in both the flexor and extensor muscles.
• Muscles contract throughout the range of movement at a constant speed, developing both flexor and extensor muscles simultaneously.
• Speed of contraction can be adjusted.
• Improves explosive strength and strength endurance.
• Examples include swimming and uphill cycling.

Endurance

• The ability to sustain or continue an activity.
• The ability to resist fatigue for a longer period.
• Required for almost all major sports like middle/long-distance races, football, and basketball

Types of Endurance

• Speed Endurance: High-speed, high-intensity activity for 30-60 seconds (e.g., medium-distance races).
• Strength Endurance: Powerful, forceful activity for 2-3 minutes, generally performed without oxygen (e.g., wrestling, boxing).
• Basic Endurance: Long-duration, slow-intensity activity that delays fatigue (e.g., long-distance running, cycling).

Continuous Training Method

• Running for long periods without rest
• Speed remains slow to accommodate longer duration
• Develops a very high level of endurance.

Types of Continuous Training

• Slow: workout is 1-2 hours, distance is 10-20km for long-distance runners.
• Fast: workout is 15-40 minutes, distance covered is 5-10km for middle-distance runners.

Interval Training Method

• Follows the principle of effort and incomplete recovery.
• High-intensity workouts followed by incomplete rest.
• Load is controlled through various factors to provide incomplete recovery.
• The total workout is done in small parts with incomplete rest between each workout.
• Effective method for endurance development.

Fartlek Training Method

• Fartlek means speed play
• A combination of continuous and interval training
• Athletes use a natural environment for the workout
• Speed is not pre-planned and can change based on surroundings.
• Athletes choose their path and can take rest.

Speed

• The capacity to move a body with the greatest possible velocity.

Types of Speed

• Reaction Time: The time taken to respond immediately after a stimulus.
• Acceleration Ability: The time taken to reach maximum speed; depends on explosive strength, technique, and flexibility.
• Speed of Movement: The time taken to perform a complete action.
• Locomotor Ability: The ability to maintain maximum speed for maximum distance.
• Speed Endurance: The ability to perform movements with high speed under conditions of fatigue.

Other Speed Training Methods

• Pace Races: Running the whole distance at a constant speed.
• Speed affected by muscle length, ligaments, and tendons.

Flexibility

• Helps in preventing injuries, improving posture, making joints healthy, and improving balance.

Types of Flexibility

• Active Flexibility and Passive Flexibility

Coordinative Ability

• The ability to perform movements with perfection and efficiency.
• Executes sequences smoothly and accurately.
• Requires proper combination of strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility during movement.

Types of Coordination

• Differentiation Ability
• Orientation Ability
• Coupling Ability
• Reaction Ability
• Balance Ability
• Rhythm Ability
• Adaptation Ability

Circuit Training

• A form of body conditioning, endurance training, or resistance training using high intensity.
• Targets strength-building or muscular endurance.
• Involves performing a series of moves with minimal rest in between.
• Can rotate between stations or cycle through a series of moves using any form of resistance.
• Includes sprints or plyometric moves to increase heart rate and improve cardiovascular fitness.
• A form of metabolic resistance training (MRT) that combines intense resistance exercises with very little recovery time.
• Increases metabolism to burn fat while building strength and lean muscle mass.

Types of Circuit Training

• Strength Circuit Training: Uses strength-centric, weight-bearing exercises.
• Cardio Circuit Training: Uses quick succession of cardio moves to make a workout more interesting.
• Cardio and Strength Training Circuit: Combines cardio with strength training to burn up to 10 calories per minute.
• Sport-Specific/Running Circuit Training: Designed for athletes to enhance performance in a specific sport.
• Competition Circuit Training: A timed circuit where the performer completes maximum repetitions of an exercise in a set time.
• Repetition Circuit Training: Ideal for large groups with different fitness levels.

Key Aspects Of Circuit Training

• Involves aerobic exercises mixed with resistance training for a high-intensity workout.
• Exercises are performed one after the other in a circuit with minimal rest.
• Can improve endurance, aid in muscle gain, and develop a toned body.

Benefits of Circuit Training

• Combines strength training and cardio for an effective workout.
• Workouts can be short but effective (25-30 minutes).
• Increases metabolism and enables the body to burn more calories.
• Results in faster muscle definition and weight loss.

Maximum Strength

• The greatest force possible in a single maximum muscle contraction
• or one single effort.

Explosive Strength

• The ability to apply strength along with high speed.

Isometric Exercises

• A type of muscle workout where muscle contraction occurs without changing length or movement.
• Neither lengthens nor shortens muscle fibers but strengthens them.

Endurance (Reiterated)

• Includes the ability to do sports movements with the speed and quality under fatigue.
• Fartlek training is essential for developing endurance.

Fartlek Training (Reiterated)

• Pace is changed. Usually done by runners during runs.
• The duration of this training lasts for 45 minutes or more.
• It is followed by walking to sprinting and from rigorous exercises to recovery phases.
• It is suited to improve cardiovascular endurance.

Fartlek Training - Methods to Develop Endurance

• Developed by Dr Van Aaken
• Continuous running without rest or pause
• Long-distance running at a stretch

Interval Training - Methods to Develop Endurance

• Enhances speed and endurance ability
• Exercises are followed by a period of rest in between sets for recovery

Speed (Reiterated)

• The ability to cover distance in minimal time.

Methods of Speed Development

• Acceleration Run - Develop speed indirectly by improving explosive strength, technique, flexibility, and movement frequency.
• Pace Races- Running the whole distance of a race at a constant speed. Develops explosive strength and endurance, running long distances without fatigue.

Physiological Factors Determining Speed

• Reaction Speed - Respond to a stimulus quickly.
• Movement Speed- Single movement in minimum time.
• Acceleration Speed - Achieve maximum speed quickly.

Flexibility (Reiterated)

• The ability of a joint to perform an action through a range of movements.

Flexibility Types

• Active Flexibility - Movement is done with muscular force, no external movements.
• Passive Flexibility - Movement is done with external support (equipment or assistance)

Coordinative Ability

• Involves the nervous system. The ability to perform smooth and accurate movements with different parts of the body.

Coordinative Ability Types

• Differentiation ability - Fine-tuning or harmony of individual movement phases and body part movements.
• Orientation Ability - The ability to change the position and movements of the body in different types or situations.
• Coupling Ability - Coordinate body parts movements with one another (hand, feet, trunk, etc.).
• Reaction Ability- React quickly and effectively to a signal.
• Balance Ability - Maintain body equilibrium in static and dynamic conditions
• Adaptation Ability. Adjust or change movement according to the changing situation.

Isometric Exercises (Reiterated)

• Introduced by Hettinger and Muller, 1953. Creates tension without moving the limb.
• Examples are pushing a wall, lifting heavy weight, pulling a rope in tug-of-war, etc.

Isotonic Exercises (Reiterated)

• Developed by De Loone (1954).
• Muscles contract; movement is visible, and Repeatedly muscles develop strength and endurance.
• Muscles change in size i.e shortens and lengthens during action.
• Concentric movement of muscles where lifting dumbbells and overcomes the weight (shortens).
• Eccentric - Muscles Lengthens like lowering the dumbbells down (Lengthens) opposed by a weight.

Isokinetic Exercise (Reiterated)

• Developed by Perrine in 1968.
• Movement of muscles throughout the range of the joint with a constant speed
• examples are pedaling in cycling and arm stroke in swimming.

Strength Training in Wrestling (Application)

• Isometric Training methods develop static strength. The muscles should act against resistance from the opponent player.

Interval Training (Application)

• Method involves continuous running/exercise without rest. An interval involves exercises with rest for recovery.

Fartlek Training (Application)

• Procedure includes warm-up, aerobic walking to sprinting, uphill climb. Followed by recovery phase and cooling down.