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Periodization Training for Sports
Sports conditioning has advanced tremendously since the era when a “no pain, no gain” philosophy guided the training regimens of athletes. Dr. Tudor Bompa pioneered most of these breakthroughs, proving long ago that it's not only how much and how hard an athlete works but also when and what work is done that determines the athlete's conditioning level. In Periodization Training for Sports , Bompa demonstrates how to use periodized workouts in order to peak at optimal times by manipulating six different training phases: anatomical adaptation, hypertrophy, maximum strength, conversion to power, maintenance, and transition. Coaches and athletes in 32 sports have at their fingertips a proven program that is sure to produce the best results. No more guessing about preseason conditioning, in-season workloads, or appropriate rest and recovery periods; now it's simply a matter of identifying and implementing the information in this book. Presented in a useful format with plenty of ready-made training schedules, Periodization Training for Sports is your best conditioning planner if you want to know what works, why it works, and when it works in the training room and on the practice field. Get in better shape next season, and see the benefits of smarter workouts in competition.
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 8, 2018
This was quite enjoyable! :) Bompa's and Buzzichelli's "Periodization Training for Sports" is my first book on periodization. I had heard a lot about Tudor O. Bompa over the years, primarily from personal trainers or coaches trying to sound smart by making me look ignorant, so when I finished "Exercise Physiology" by McArdle, Katch & Katch I decided it was time to finally read something on periodization, preferably something by Tudor O. Bompa himself.
As I was trying to narrow down my choices, I read somewhere that Bompa's and Buzzichelli's "Periodization Training for Sports" was the right pick for anyone who wants a refresher course or to learn about periodization but without all the minutiae included in some other books on that topic, including Tudor O. Bompa's classic "Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training" (BTW, the 6th Edition was published earlier this year, on 24 April 2018).
True enough: There is a lot to be learned from this book, but it is not stifling in detail. It is an informative and useful read that can be used as a quick reference guide again and again.
Reading this book was an excellent opportunity to compare my own periodization against that of professional athletes from various sports and to recognise that I use many of the principles described in the book intuitively.
I am not a professional trainer, coach or athlete, but my annual training schedule is still highly competitive, although not in the strictest sense.
As a single mom, it would be difficult for me to apply Bompa's periodization principles ad verbum. My annual schedule is a network of maternal duties/responsibilities set against personal goals/objectives, crisscrossed by numerous rails called "school", "work", "dog", "extracurricular", "meals", "chores", "reading", "social", etc.
There are so many subplots working to derail my programming that it is virtually impossible to draw up a periodization plan set on peak performance. There are certain patterns throughout the year and you develop a plan around those more or less fixed points, but I have come to accept that, when all is said and done, knowing that you did your best is all that matters.
As I was trying to narrow down my choices, I read somewhere that Bompa's and Buzzichelli's "Periodization Training for Sports" was the right pick for anyone who wants a refresher course or to learn about periodization but without all the minutiae included in some other books on that topic, including Tudor O. Bompa's classic "Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training" (BTW, the 6th Edition was published earlier this year, on 24 April 2018).
True enough: There is a lot to be learned from this book, but it is not stifling in detail. It is an informative and useful read that can be used as a quick reference guide again and again.
Reading this book was an excellent opportunity to compare my own periodization against that of professional athletes from various sports and to recognise that I use many of the principles described in the book intuitively.
I am not a professional trainer, coach or athlete, but my annual training schedule is still highly competitive, although not in the strictest sense.
As a single mom, it would be difficult for me to apply Bompa's periodization principles ad verbum. My annual schedule is a network of maternal duties/responsibilities set against personal goals/objectives, crisscrossed by numerous rails called "school", "work", "dog", "extracurricular", "meals", "chores", "reading", "social", etc.
There are so many subplots working to derail my programming that it is virtually impossible to draw up a periodization plan set on peak performance. There are certain patterns throughout the year and you develop a plan around those more or less fixed points, but I have come to accept that, when all is said and done, knowing that you did your best is all that matters.
August 2, 2013
This should be required reading for any athlete or coach, regardless of level.
April 5, 2023
Disclaimer: I'm just a computer scientist, no sports professional here.
The world is full of resources for those who want to loose weight or who want hypertrophy. This book fills the gap by using strength training to help athletes to get better on their sports, and it does it very well.
The book is packed with useful information on how to plan your trainings and match your target sport's routine with strength training during the year. It's actually too much information and variables to take into account for an amateur (I'll have to revisit it all the time), but the book is easy to read on the other hand. It was a real eye opener for me. If you find yourself facing injuries or reaching plateaus, this book is a no brainer.
To make things easier, some training plans suggestions are given for many sports, which you can use a guideline.
As as downside for an amateur, some variables are left to the "coach experience" and there's a focus on becoming an elite athlete by starting at an early age. If this doesn't describe your profile, you'll have to fill the gaps and adapt it yourself.
The world is full of resources for those who want to loose weight or who want hypertrophy. This book fills the gap by using strength training to help athletes to get better on their sports, and it does it very well.
The book is packed with useful information on how to plan your trainings and match your target sport's routine with strength training during the year. It's actually too much information and variables to take into account for an amateur (I'll have to revisit it all the time), but the book is easy to read on the other hand. It was a real eye opener for me. If you find yourself facing injuries or reaching plateaus, this book is a no brainer.
To make things easier, some training plans suggestions are given for many sports, which you can use a guideline.
As as downside for an amateur, some variables are left to the "coach experience" and there's a focus on becoming an elite athlete by starting at an early age. If this doesn't describe your profile, you'll have to fill the gaps and adapt it yourself.
November 5, 2024
Top 5 book of all time. It does a perfect job of blending accurate information that’s backed by science and use of imagery and examples to provide specific solutions to every athlete. Every single athlete should read this book, and anybody working in athletics should be able to quote it by memory. Truly a revolutionary work of literature.
February 16, 2017
The most enjoyable book i have ever read.
March 26, 2018
Mostly sport based plans, not that useful to non sports players
September 12, 2019
Helpful, very inclusive in terms of sport variations each thoroughly treated. There is A LOT of information, thankfully one can focus on a specific sport.
September 12, 2022
pretty informative
was hoping it dived a little more in depth to the individual muscles but overall satisfied with the information it provided
was hoping it dived a little more in depth to the individual muscles but overall satisfied with the information it provided
August 1, 2023
For serious athletes only-very technical but quite insightful
December 8, 2025
Someone recommended this when I was looking for hockey training inspiration for roller derby. It's probably great it you're like a serious athlete or a coach? For folks like me that literally want some training outline inspo for a group of punks on skates it might be a bit too serious. Low-ish rating reflects my incompatibility with the book rather than anything else.
February 11, 2016
Disclaimer: I'm just a computer scientist, no sports professional here.
The world is full of resources for those who want to loose weight or who want hypertrophy. This book fills the gap by using strength training to help athletes to get better on their sports, and it does it very well.
The book is packed with useful information on how to plan your trainings and match your target sport's routine with strength training during the year. It's actually too much information and variables to take into account for an amateur (I'll have to revisit it all the time), but the book is easy to read on the other hand. It was a real eye opener for me. If you find yourself facing injuries or reaching plateaus, this book is a no brainer.
To make things easier, some training plans suggestions are given for many sports, which you can use a guideline.
As as downside for an amateur, some variables are left to the "coach experience" and there's a focus on becoming an elite athlete by starting at an early age. If this doesn't describe your profile, you'll have to fill the gaps and adapt it yourself.
The world is full of resources for those who want to loose weight or who want hypertrophy. This book fills the gap by using strength training to help athletes to get better on their sports, and it does it very well.
The book is packed with useful information on how to plan your trainings and match your target sport's routine with strength training during the year. It's actually too much information and variables to take into account for an amateur (I'll have to revisit it all the time), but the book is easy to read on the other hand. It was a real eye opener for me. If you find yourself facing injuries or reaching plateaus, this book is a no brainer.
To make things easier, some training plans suggestions are given for many sports, which you can use a guideline.
As as downside for an amateur, some variables are left to the "coach experience" and there's a focus on becoming an elite athlete by starting at an early age. If this doesn't describe your profile, you'll have to fill the gaps and adapt it yourself.
November 29, 2014
As a NSCA-CPT/CSPS certified trainer, I've always got a new S&C book or program on the go.
Tudor Bompa is a pioneer. That rare breed of trainer/programmer that's not only coached - but has himself been a high caliber athlete.
His work is groundbreaking and I'm always surprised it's not more mainstream and well known. This man refined and developed some of the most powerful strength training methodologies used today (like periodization).
This one's a must read if you're responsible for training athletes. Be warned this is a complex model/training style utilized by many pros, so if you're looking to just squat and bench, this one may not be your cup of tea.
I would've given it an easy 5 stars, but it was a little muddled to navigate and jumped around quite a bit.
Highly recommended for professional s&c coaches, or athletes looking to add a little depth to their training.
Tudor Bompa is a pioneer. That rare breed of trainer/programmer that's not only coached - but has himself been a high caliber athlete.
His work is groundbreaking and I'm always surprised it's not more mainstream and well known. This man refined and developed some of the most powerful strength training methodologies used today (like periodization).
This one's a must read if you're responsible for training athletes. Be warned this is a complex model/training style utilized by many pros, so if you're looking to just squat and bench, this one may not be your cup of tea.
I would've given it an easy 5 stars, but it was a little muddled to navigate and jumped around quite a bit.
Highly recommended for professional s&c coaches, or athletes looking to add a little depth to their training.
November 13, 2014
This book along with Tactical Barbell are the pillars of my strength training. This book is the gold standard of training for strength development as it relates to athletic performance. If you're primarily interested in bodybuilding or powerlifting look elsewhere. The only complaint I have about this book is the layout. It can get a little muddled and mixed up and you have to jump from one section to a completely different area of the book to piece together certain approaches. Still, the content and knowledge contained make me feel comfortable in giving it 5 stars. If you're an athlete, I highly recommend you read this book.
April 8, 2015
Many other great books on sports training use Tudor Bompa's books as template for programming a training schedule. Once you read this book, you will understand why. Joe Friel of The Cyclist's Training Bibles admits so. The book is really good. It is no where near as complicated as some people claim.
"Tactical Barbell: Definitive Strength Training for the Operational Athlete" is another great book which picks off from this book in a really great way.
This book is so good that so many other best sellers are born out of this. If you want to be coach you can not miss this book.
If you are a sports person who like to train with a purpose in a non-random way, this is the book for you.
"Tactical Barbell: Definitive Strength Training for the Operational Athlete" is another great book which picks off from this book in a really great way.
This book is so good that so many other best sellers are born out of this. If you want to be coach you can not miss this book.
If you are a sports person who like to train with a purpose in a non-random way, this is the book for you.
April 24, 2015
Ottimo libro per atleti e istruttori, scritto da un trainer di fama mondiale in modo chiaro e pratico. Purtroppo io sono venuto a conoscenza di questo libro cercando qualcosa che mi aiutasse a strutturare una periodizzazione per un regime da bodybuilder; sotto questo punto di vista, il libro non ha fatto al caso mio. Ad ogni modo, è ottimo per chiunque voglia migliorare le proprie prestazioni nelle varie discipline sportive.
Read
March 18, 2023This was a somewhat challenging read and I will be rereading some sections in the future once my background knowledge has developed. This book is marked with highlights and notes to make it simple to refer back to but I would say the most essential part of this book is in the illustrations of the needs different sports have based off their competition schedule and how to appropriately periodize to accommodate their needs.
November 3, 2011
This is a MUST READ for anyone planning their own training season for competitions. There are many practical recipes well tried out on top athletes with significant results. For those interested in more details I recommend the book "Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training" by the same author.
June 10, 2015
If you are even a little bit serious about strength training/skills development in relation to your sport, you need to read this book. It'll show you how to train various attributes, strength, power, muscular endurance, and how to schedule that training in relation to your training season/yearly schedule.
This book is the real deal.
This book is the real deal.
June 2, 2015
If you're an athlete and you haven't read this book, your knowledge is incomplete. Bompa is the godfather of many modern day training techniques. The principles in this book are game changing. This is how the big boys train.
June 2, 2019
Un libro FONDAMENTALE per chiunque si occupi di preparazione atletica e programmazione dell'allenamento. Un libro da leggere più volte per la quantità enorme di informazioni trasmesse. Raccomandatissimo!
December 6, 2021
Extremely detailed book! You have every step from designing a program (for any Olympic sport or for the average Joe) to more unique details of training.
Highly recommended, especially for coaches!
Highly recommended, especially for coaches!
June 27, 2012
Must read for any coach planning a training program for competitive athletes. I keep it nearby when doing any sort of planning for the season.
August 12, 2015
This is the seminal volume for the linear periodization model. A must-read for all athletes and people that want to be strong and in-shape.
July 4, 2016
Excellent book .. must have for every coach. This is the kind of book I will refer to frequently to fine-tune my training programs. Also includes practical examples for different sports.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews