ABSTRACT

Periodisation is an important planning paradigm used to guide the training practices of athletes. This planning paradigm can be used to help implement a long-term athlete development model via the use of targeting key training attributes at specific time points along the young athlete’s journey, from early foundational activity towards high-performance training during their later stages of development. The ability to prioritise and individualise young athletes’ development using periodisation models together with established long-term athletic development models has the ability to enhance effectiveness of the athlete’s training. This chapter seeks to establish a working understanding of the key concepts related to periodisation, as well as demonstrate how periodisation theory can be interlinked with long-term athletic development models.