PERFORMANCE POINT
DIAPHRAGM BREATHING FOR PERFORMANCE MARCH 2012
By Bruce Pinel, Ph.D., CSC Pacic Mental Performance Consultant
POWERING PODIUM PERFORMANCES
CSCPACIFIC.CA
PERFORMANCE PLANNING
Quantifying the ytP — Modelling and Monitoring the training load
By David Hill, Director of the National Coaching Institute of BC
PERFORMANCE POINT
CANADIAN SPORT CENTRE PACIFIC’S BI-MONTHLY SPORT RESOURCE PUBLICATION
Simon Whiteld, Triathlon. PHOTO: Triathlon Canada
One aspect of the training plan that many coaches struggle
with is quantifying the training loads throughout an annual
cycle. Table 1 below outlines both the benets and
challenges of planning and monitoring volume and
intensity. By modelling the training plan the coach
creates a “roadmap” that is sign-posted by things like fatigue,
recovery, intensication, and load. The journey down the
training road is then monitored to provide feedback to
the coach and athlete on the training response where
adaptation, regeneration and training stimulus can be
factored into subsequent mesocycles (eg. 4 weeks).
Best practice would suggest that many experienced
coaches really only quantify the training plan one mesocycle
at a time. This said, modelling the training load throughout
the year is advantageous for peak performance and nding
optimal training conditions based on the yearly calendar.
ADVANTAGES CHALLENGES
Periodized training assists in creating optimal stimulus
and recovery
Volumes and intensities will uctuate within every week
Informs total amount of training including sport specic
practice, conditioning and other training.
Quantication of training plan will change depending
on athlete adaptation to training
Provides a model that can show windows of optimal
training throughout a year
Individualizing training volume and intensity for groups
of athletes
Table 1
DEFINING VOLUME INTENSITY AND LOAD
In order to help determine the modelled training it is important to dene the dierent characteristic for quantifying
the training plan. These include volume, frequency, intensity and load. Table 2 identies some of the key elements
used to quantify training in the yearly training plan.
See following page for Table 2.
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TERM DEFINITION AND CONSIDERATIONS
Load Load is the combination of Intensity, Volume and Frequency. One principle in periodization is block loading where
training loads progressively increase over 2 to 4 weeks with a recovery week where the training load is decreased. (See
gure 1. – green bars)
Frequency Frequency is the number of training sessions. In most annual plans the frequency of training will usually be the
number of sessions in a given week or microcycle.
Volume Volume is the total duration of training. Typically the training volume in the annual plan includes frequency in order
to calculate the weekly (microcycle) volume. More specically training volume can be measured within a training
session as the product of the number of sets multiplied by the number of repetitions. It is best to try to be as specic
as possible when measuring volume which is dicult over a microcyle if there are multiple types of training. (EG.
Running distance versus strength training). Hence the total training time is used by many coaches to determine the
training volume. (See gure 1.– blue line)
Intensity Intensity is the eort that is required during the training. In the modelled annual training plan intensity is at best
a guess of the average exertion during the microcyle (training week). While training intensity can be accurately
measured by heart rate or resistance (eg. power output), it is dicult to accurately quantify the total intensity of a
given session let alone a week of training. (See gure 1. – red line) Hence, intensity could be quantied as an athlete’s
perception of “how hard” they worked in a training session and can be measured by asking the athlete’s RPE (rate of
perceived exertion).
Table 2
MODELLING THE TRAINING RELATIVE VOLUME AND INTENSITY
Perhaps the easiest way to model the training year is to identify the relative percentage based on training maximums, whether
based on the highest total training (volume), or the week with the greatest magnitude of competition (intensity). The table below
identies a method for calculating modelled training. (See text box below on Page 5 for Team Sport solutions)
The method described in Table 3 allows the coach to easily model a training year where relative percentages can be put into a spreadsheet
and generate a graph depicting the training (See gure 1).
Table 3: Calculating the modelled training volume, intensity and load
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MONITORING THE TRAINING TRIMP
Whether in team or individual sports it is absolutely essential to monitor the actual training in order to make
adjustments to the ongoing plan. One method of doing this is through TRIMP scores, a method created for
monitoring TRaining IMPulses. This method has been validated in studies examining the relationship of perceived
versus actual training intensities, and when combined with training volume, is a useful predictor of actual training
load. The method for using TRIMP scores is described in Table 5.
TRIMP INSTRUCTIONS
Table 5: TRIMP Scoring instructions
Figure 1: Example modelled training volume, intensity and load
CALCULATING TRIMP EXAMPLE
The example below would be based on a modelled week where the expected training volume is 12 hours and the
relative intensity is high (80%+). The training load is monitored per session by multiplying the rate of perceived
exertion by the number of training minutes. This will provide a measure of Training Impulse Units for the actual
week. In order to compare this to an actual training load in the model plan, TRIMP Units can be divided by 50 to
provide a relative comparison to the planned training load. In order assist with ongoing monitoring, the use of
athlete training logs is critical. This information can then be summarized and inputted back into the YTP.
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Table 6: Example calculation of TRIMP scores related to modelled load units
SUMMARY
By modelling and monitoring the training plan, the coach is able to understand all aspects of training that will
aect optimal athlete performance. Furthermore, by monitoring training using TRIMP scores the coach can further
individualize training and help the athlete assess gaps between planned and actual training loads.
VIDEO TUTORIAL – QUANTIFYING THE YEARLY TRAINING PLAN
The following thumbnails below are short video tutorials that will help you to quantify and create a modelled graph in
you excel template YTP. Click through the series for more information.
[Video 1 – Introduction – Using Excel]
[Video 2 – Setting up the planning template]
[Video 3 – Creating formulas]
[Video 4 – Creating a Graph]
[Video 5 – Modifying the Graph]
[Video 6 – Modelling the plan]
Norris, S.R. & Smith, D.J. (2002) Planning, periodization, and sequencing of training and competition: The rationale for
a competently planned, optimally executed training and competition program, supported by amultidisciplinary team.
In M. Kellmann (Ed.), Enhancing recovery: Preventing underperformance in athletes (pp. 121- 141). Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics.
Smith, David J. (2003) A Framework for Understanding the Training Process Leading to
Elite Performance; Sports Med; 33 (15): 1103-1126
Manzi, V; Iellamo, F; Impellizzer, F; D’Ottavio, S; Castagna, C. (2009) Relation between Individualized TrainingImpulses
and Performance in Distance Runners. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise:
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 41(11):2090-2096, November 2009.
Foster, C; Florhaug, J; Franklin, L G; Hrovatin, L.A.; Parker, P.D.; Dodge, C (2001) A New Approach to Monitoring
Exercise Training: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: 15(1), 109-115.
Trent Stellingwer (2012), Template notes. Canadian Sport Centre Pacic.
References
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INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN TEAM SPORT SOLUTIONS
Certainly the more objectively based the sport (swimming, rowing etc.), the easier it is to accurately model training volume,
intensities and load. This said, the method described in this performance point may be relevant in team sports where
there is a combination of sport-specic practices monitored by the coach and supplemental training which may be done
independently by the athlete. In this circumstance the coach may be able to model the training volume based on a
combination of sport specic practice and supplemental training (conditioning). For example, a training week with a volume
of 75% based on a maximum 16 hours of training (12 hrs) can be allocated to sport specic training (7.25 hrs) which could
include 3 practices (1.75 hrs) and 1 game (2 hrs). The remaining time (4.75 hrs) could be allocated to supplemental training and
could include 3 strength sessions (1 hrs) and other 2 training sessions (50 mins) of general conditioning or recovery training (i.e.
hydrotherapy). Hence, in this example the ratio of sport specic to supplemental training would be 60% to 40%.
When determining sport-specic intensity, many team sport coaches are able to adjust the practice design in order to elicit
higher or lower intensities of training. The table below identies some descriptors of low, medium and high intensity training
which coaches can use as a template for designing dierent training sessions depending modelled intensity in the YTP.
FACTOR LOW INTENSITY
<4 RPE
MEDIUM INTENSITY
57 RPE
HIGH ITENSITY
810 RPE
Scrimmage Un-Opposed Semi-Opposed Fully Opposed
Contact None Mod (Player-Ground) Full (Player - Player)
Speed of Execution Slow (Walk) Moderate (Jog) Fast (Sprint)
Skill Complexity One 2-3 >4
# of Decisions One Few Many
PERCENT 50-70% 70-90% 90 + %
Table 4: Factoring intensity into team sport training models
To some degree the combination of sport-specic and supplemental training activities may assist the team sport
coach in individualizing the training plan by prescribing individualized microcycle plans for each athlete based on
the overall modelled volume and intensity.
