Wave Training

coachsherwood · #1 7th Feb 07, 12:34 PM

This subject has been the source of considerable debate on other websites.

As an alternative to standard periodisation, I have a number of athletes using the WAVE system for middle distance running.

Instead of progressing through the general/ specific/ precomp/ competition phases to peak fitness over say.. a 30 week periodisation...training sessions are STAMINA based in week 1; STRENGTH based in week 2 and SPEED based in week 3. The cycle is repeated every 3 weeks with an increasing training load of between 5-7% per week.

Training is non linear and is easily ajusted and tweeked to suit the progress of the athlete.

Traditional several weeks up loading with 1 week downloading (eg 2:1; 3:1; 4:1 ratios) to help recovery and aid adaption are not necessary since the recovery is inbuilt and adaption maximised by a 2 week rest interval before each of the three specific training sessions are repeated

I find this particularly effective with junior athletes at ages where periodisation is not recommended and where training is general (ref Istvan Bayli and LTAD training groups FUND/ L2T/ T2T/ T2C etc).

I welcome your comments and is there anyone else out there using a similar system?

coachsherwood

UKA 4 Childen in Athletics
UKA 3 Endurance
UKA 2 Sprints
BAAB SEnior Club Coach