Periodisation of Training | OCR A-Level Physical Education (H555)
Periodisation of Training
- 42 questions
- 3 subtopics
- Component 01: Physiological factors affecting performance
- Component 01
Periodisation of Training is examined in Component 01, Physiological factors affecting performance.
It covers Macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles, training phases and tapering and planning a personal health and fitness programme.
Sample questions from Periodisation of Training
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
-
Macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles
What is a mesocycle?
Show the answer
A mesocycle is a block of training lasting several weeks with one main focus. A six-week block to build maximum strength is an example. -
Macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles
What is the difference between single and double periodisation?
Show the answer
Single periodisation has one competitive phase and one peak in the year. Double periodisation has two competitive phases and two peaks. -
Training phases and tapering
Why is there a risk of losing fitness during a long competitive phase?
Show the answer
Frequent matches leave little time for hard training. Some conditioning must continue, or fitness declines through reversibility. -
Training phases and tapering
How long does a taper usually last?
Show the answer
A taper commonly lasts about one to three weeks. Longer tapers suit endurance events, and shorter tapers suit power events. -
Planning a personal health and fitness programme
How is the principle of specificity applied to a personal programme?
Show the answer
The training must match the fitness component and movements the person wants to improve. A cyclist aiming to improve endurance should train mainly on the bike. -
Planning a personal health and fitness programme
Outline a suitable aerobic programme for an inactive adult.
Show the answer
The adult could walk briskly or cycle at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes on five days a week. Duration and pace can rise gradually as fitness improves.
The 3 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles | Periodisation and why elite coaches use it, macrocycle phases, a footballer's pre-season mesocycles, microcycles and training units, single and double periodisation, and progressive overload. | 13 |
| Training phases and tapering | The preparatory, competitive and transition phases, volume and intensity in each, active recovery, tapering and why intensity stays high, how long a taper lasts, a worked swimming taper and peaking. | 14 |
| Planning a personal health and fitness programme | The UK Chief Medical Officers' 2019 guidelines, the PAR-Q, fitness testing, the FITT principle, specificity, progressive overload, reversibility, variance and recovery, and aerobic, strength and flexibility programmes for beginners. | 15 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
-
Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
-
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
-
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
OCR A-Level Physical Education Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,133 questions with their answers.