No person can sustain a "pedal to the metal" pace of training for 52 weeks per year.  An effective training plan allows for times of increased load, as well as for recovery.  A given year or season must incorporate encouragement of varying physiologic processes, some of which should not be trained concurrently with others.  The concept of "Periodization" is what allows for a training plan which is complete and goal-oriented.

In this episode, we discuss the rationale behind Periodization and the various methods for employing this practice in your training.