Callum Walsh

When periodizing a team's plan, it is important to start with the end in mind. Work on a 6-12 week block and think about what their worst case scenario would be. Plan how to get from A to B in a progressive manner by taking into account total distance, high speed running, and sprint distance. As needed, use additional training outside of normal practice to hit the desired metrics.
 
Transcript: "So, I think the really important thing to think about is when we're looking at periodizing a team's plan is looking at what they're used to and a starting point and then looking at where you want to get them to in the end. So, the end is almost a worst case scenario and that might be looking at two games per week, three games per week in different sports. It might be slightly more condensed, might be slightly longer. Also, you really have to start thinking about the game model that you're thinking about and then how you break that up and periodize that over a period of time. So, you always want to start with the end in mind. So, work on a six or an eight or a twelve week block and think, right, what is our worst case scenario? So, our worst case scenario is that, for example, players have to cover 55 kilometers in a seven day period. On average now, they're covering about 25 kilometers on each seven day period. So, how in a progressive manner can we get from A to B? And that would be from total distance, high speed running and also sprint distance. So, try and periodize those in every single week and if it can't be done through the actual training, no matter how well it is designed, sometimes it doesn't always hit that note, then that's where you can do it as additional top up outside, particularly with things like high speed running or sprint metrics."

The starting point for periodization is always where you currently are and where your goal is. Plan out a structured approach to gradually build up in order to avoid any major spikes in performance metrics.
 
Transcript: "The starting point for periodization is always where you're currently at and where the goal is. So if we're looking at what's the starting point and then what your worst case scenario is, and then gradually building through that process in a structured manner to not get any major spikes in any metrics, that's being at the gym or on the pitch. So always take a look at where you are and where you want to be and not have a rush with it and plan it through so that you can be aggressive but be strategically progressive."

Periodization enables consistent performance and reduces the risk of injuries by providing a stable training plan and preparing players for worst case scenarios.
 
Transcript: "Periodization just allows you to produce consistent performances. So in a game that there's so many factors outside in terms of opposition, the schedule, form, confidence, it's by having a consistent periodization that you can take the physical factor out of it so that players can't come at the end of the week and effectively say, hey we did too much, we did too little. Or you can have a base of wanting to work harder one week because you may need to do some extra tactical work. The other impact of periodization is you can reduce injuries because you can stabilize certain things throughout the week and throughout the month and you can also start to prepare them for worst case scenarios. So particularly in soccer when we're looking at factors like the Christmas period or the Easter period that you might have two games in three days or two games in four days, that you can start to look at what is required from those and you can build it over a period of time to hopefully make some of those players more robust to deal with it because they've been there and dealt with it before as opposed to coming in at a really low level, having a big jump and then hoping that they'll survive."

A challenge coaches face is not understanding the physical and mental demands of their training methodology and how to get from point A to point B. It's important to build a relationship between coach and sports scientist to build on current conditions and reach desired goals while understanding the game and training model requirements.
 
Transcript: "The biggest challenge that a coach faces, particularly sports specific coaches, is they don't actually know the demands of their training methodology. So what do their sessions require physically and mentally? And they don't always necessarily understand that, so they don't understand how to get from point A to point B. So a clear idea of what your game model is and what it requires and how does your training link to that is usually where there's a gap. The other fact is that often when sometimes sports scientists are looking to help the coach, is that we can come a little bit too hard and say, do this, don't do this. So it's really important to try and bring that relationship together and work together to build from where they're at to where they want to go with clear understanding of what the game model and training model requires."