A microcycle is the shortest unit of planning: a group of sessions, usually of one week, with a specific objective. Several microcycles form a mesocycle and several mesocycles a macrocycle. How these higher levels are organized we explain in periodization: macrocycle and mesocycles. Here we focus on microcycle types and week examples.
Rapid response: The most common types of microcycle are adjustment (introductory), load, shock, recovery (download), approach, competition and transition. Each has a different objective: to prepare, load, load a lot in a timely way, assimilate, get fresh, compete or rest. The classification changes according to the author, but the idea is always to alternate load and recovery (Issurin, 2010).
The 7 types of microcycle
| Type | Objective | When used |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustment or introduction | Prepare the body for higher loads | When you start a block or come back from a stop |
| Load (ordinary) | Generate adaptation in a sustainable way | Most weeks of preparation |
| Shock or impact | A high point load | Only with athletes prepared and followed by recovery |
| Recovery or download | Assimilating work and reducing fatigue | After several weeks of loading or a shock microcycle |
| Approach | Getting fresh to the competition | Weeks prior to target (tapering) |
| Competition | Surrender Key Day | The Week of the Race |
| Transition | Rest physically and mentally | At the end of the season or after a big target |
Week examples for a runner
Guidance examples for a runner who trains 5 days a week. Attach them to the level, to the sport and to the life of each athlete.
| Day | Load | Recovery | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest | Rest | Rest |
| Tuesday | Series (quality) | Short smooth rolling | Smooth + progressive rolling |
| Wednesday | Soft Rolling + Strength | Mobility or rest | Short session at race rate |
| Thursday | Controlled pace (quality) | Soft rolling + technique | Rest |
| Friday | Rest | Rest | Very short activation |
| Saturday | Soft rolling | Short smooth rolling | Race |
| Sunday | Long throw | Softer and shorter long throw | Very soft rolling or resting |
In the load microcycle, most of the volume remains low, with one or two quality sessions (Seiler, 2010).
How to chain microcycles
- Load and download: several weeks of loading followed by a recovery is a widely used scheme. The number of weeks depends on the athlete.
- Shock, always with recovery behind: accumulating high load without absorbing it increases the risk of overload and, in the long run, overtraining (Meeusen et al., 2013).
- Approach before target: reduce volume and maintain intensity (explained in tapering).
- Check and adjust: No scheme is universal. Planning works best when adapted to each athlete's response (Kiely, 2012; Mujika et al., 2018).
How to know if the microcycle works
- How the athlete feels: sleep, tiredness, a desire to train.
- If you complete quality sessions with good sensations.
- The evolution of the load: you can follow it with CTL, ATL and TSB.
Plan your microcycles in TrainingForever
In TrainingForever the coach mounts every week on the calendar, reuses it as a template and sees how the load evolves. To mount a complete block plan, look at the free training plan. With TrainingForever, your coach has all the features free up to 5 athletes; from there, 0.99 € per active athlete per month, with a maximum of 49 €/month. For the athlete it's always free.
What a Coach Says
«A crash microcycle only makes sense if one comes after a real recovery. If not, it's just a tougher week." — Marc Bañuls, coach with more than 15 years of experience
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of microcycle are there?
Depends on the author. The most common are adjustment, load, shock, recovery, approach, competition and transition.
How long does a microcycle last?
Usually a week, because it fits the life of the athlete, although it can last a few days or so.
What is the difference between microcycle and mesocycle?
The microcycle is a week or a few days; the mesocycle groups several microcycles with a common objective for a few weeks.
How often do you have to download a week?
There is no figure valid for everyone: it depends on the load, the level and how the athlete responds. Many coaches place it after several weeks of loading.
Sources
- Issurin VB. New horizons for the methodology and physiology of training periodization. Sports Med. 2010;40(3):189-206.
- Kiely J. Periodization paradigms in the 21st century: evidence-led or tradition-driven? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2012;7(3):242-50.
- Mujika I, Halson S, Burke LM, Balagué G, Farrow D. An integrated, multifactorial approach to periodization for optimal performance in individual and team sports. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2018;13(5):538-61.
- Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in duration athletes? Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2010;5(3):276-91.
- Meeusen R, et al. Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the overtraining syndrome (ECSS/ACSM consensus). Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2013;45(1):186-205.
