Program Periodization and Planning Flashcards
6 cards from real CSC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Program Periodization and Planning flashcards as text
In block periodization (Issurin model), what is the correct sequence of training blocks for a strength-power athlete?
Answer: Accumulation → Transmutation → Realization
Block periodization follows Accumulation (building volume/foundation) → Transmutation (converting to sport-specific strength/power) → Realization (competition peaking with reduced volume) sequence.
What is the primary rationale for including a 'potentiation' microcycle before a key competition in advanced periodization?
Answer: To sharply reduce volume while maintaining intensity to dissipate fatigue and allow fitness to emerge
A potentiation (or taper) microcycle reduces volume while preserving intensity, allowing accumulated fatigue to dissipate so that underlying fitness gains become fully expressed at peak performance.
Which of the following best describes 'progressive overload' as a fundamental training principle?
Answer: Systematically increasing training demands over time (load, volume, density, or complexity) to continue driving adaptation
Progressive overload requires systematically increasing training stimuli over time through any of several variables (load, volume, frequency, complexity) to continue challenging the body beyond its current capacity.
How does training age affect the recommended rate of progression in a strength program?
Answer: Beginners progress slowly; advanced athletes can progress rapidly
Beginners can add load nearly every session (novice progression), intermediate athletes progress weekly, while advanced athletes may take months to achieve meaningful strength gains, reflecting diminishing returns with training experience.
What does 'training density' refer to in program design?
Answer: The amount of work performed per unit of time (volume relative to rest periods)
Training density refers to the amount of work accomplished relative to total training time — increasing density by shortening rest periods is a key method for progressing program difficulty without adding load.
Which programming variable is most closely associated with muscle hypertrophy outcomes in resistance training?
Answer: Total weekly training volume (sets × reps) across the muscle group
Research consistently identifies total weekly volume — the total number of sets performed per muscle group — as the primary driver of hypertrophy, within a wide range of intensities.