Training Factors and Training Phases

Introduction

The last article introduced the concepts that specialisation towards peak performance is facilitated through a ‘periodised program’. The article also indicated that despite this process being complex it is not just the domain of elite shooters but should also be considered by the club shooter wishing to increase their club scores. This is because a ‘periodised program’ develops a foundation from which training sessions can be purposefully constructed. So what are the considerations of a periodised program? The first is that of the competition calendar. You need to develop your trainings program around this calendar. Otherwise you will be making major technique modification the week before a major competition. Not a good idea! The second major consideration is to develop the training factors that will assist you in increasing your scores. Training factors are generally broken into four areas. These factors are intrinsic to any training program and are interrelated. However, the relative emphasis placed on each is dependant upon the strength and weaknesses of the individual athlete and the level of preparation or phase of training.

Physical and technical preparation is the basis from which performance is built. Physical Fitness should be your foundation as it takes physical fitness to stand perfectly still! Technical preparation is the cornerstone of your technique development. If you are not prepared to fine tune your technique then increasing your scores may be difficult to achieve. Tactical preparation (yes, there are tactical consideration in shooting) becomes an important training factor as the shooter develops an understanding on ‘how’ to shoot their best scores. For example, you may identify that on certain ranges it is best to shoot later in the morning avoiding the rising sun. Finally, a shooter must be psychological prepared so that they are able to shoot their best scores at any given time.

The four key training factors form a pyramid as depicted in the diagram below:

Physical Preparation

Is the foundation on which all sports performance is built. Physical preparation is usually sub-divided into two areas. The first being General Physical Preparation which is exactly what the terms implies – being generally fit. This is usually achieved through form of cross training and or taken part in a regular exercise activity. Specific Physical Preparation combines the performance of the skill with the physical training and places them under similar conditions to those as experienced in competition. An example of specific fitness preparation would be exercises such as ‘holding’. In addition, technique is a function of physical preparation as physical fatigue will affect your technique! Many shooters don’t fully consider this.

Technical Preparation

Your technique must be developed in such a way that you have the capability to cope with the complex situations that constantly arise in competition. That is technical performance under pressure on demand. Most shooters tend to spend most of their trainings time within this trainings factor and tend to neglect the other key training areas. Shooters need to realise that improvement and perfection of one’s technique also has to be dynamically linked to one’s physical, tactical and psychological preparation. This is because physical, tactical and psychological preparation impacts on ones technique! This is something that many athletes/coaches have not yet fully understood.

Tactical Preparation

Tactics is a function of one’s technique and that of physical and psychological preparation. Match planning should be a prime component of your tactical preparation. Sometimes tactical preparation can be as simply as avoiding shooters who are always negative with their comments. For example you get to the range and you meet someone from the previous detail who generally will always tell you how things went wrong “I was shooting well until the foresight fell off” or “I was just about to brake grade when I had a non-allowable malfunction”.

Psychological Preparation

Psychological preparation is an integral part of physical, technical and tactical preparation. Psychological preparation must involve goal setting and specialised mental training techniques such as directive affirmations and visualisation. The application of these techniques are dependant upon the mind set of each individual athlete.

Time Out – List your Training Factors

Before reading on I would like you to identify and list the training factors that you believe are important to you in acquiring increased performance levels in your matches. Then try and prioritise these so that you can get a more complete picture on the type of training you need to do to achieve increased competition success.

Training Phases

As previously stated the main objective of training is to reach your optimum performance level at the day of the competition. Periodised training is a method by which training’s programs are developed into manageable segments so that peaking can occur. The duration of training’s phases is dependant upon the competition calendar. Training’s periods are usually developed around a mono cycle (one peak per year) or a bi-cycle (two peaks per year). Training periods are then further divided into three main phases that being the preparation phase, competition phase and transition phase. Finally, both the preparation and competition phase are then further sub-divided in two sub phases (specific preparation and pre-competition). Phases are generally divided into monthly workloads (macro cycles: 4-5 weeks of work) and weekly workloads (micro cycles). The training’s loads are varied by a combination of the intensity, frequency and duration of a particular training modality or training session.

Summary:

Preparation Phase

General Preparatory (Establishes the training foundation)
Specific Preparatory (The aim is to develop technique levels)

Competition Phase

Pre – Competition (Athletic shape should gradually be reached during this phase of training through progressive competition intensity.
Competition (The aim is to produce the optimal performance of the training year and it establishes the criteria by which the program’s success will be judged)

Transition Phase

Assists in recovery

Conclusion

By investigating the key four training factors you will develop a more rounded approach to your training and by developing your trainings program into phases you will be able to be far more systematic in the planning of your program. To be able to do this properly I recommend that you spend some time with your club coach. I still tend to see a lot of shooters trying to self-coach themselves or asking other shooters about how to work on various techniques. Often these shooters are novices themselves and have not had the training or expertise to assist you properly. Training is a complex business even for a club shooter but by doing it systematic and properly the enjoyment of participating in the sport increases tenfold. So, come on – ask your coach and or attend a NSWAPA coaching seminar. After all, shooting should not only be fun but also should be s sport whereby you can increase your general understanding of sport performance.

I wish you well and good shooting

Dieter Wilhelmi MSP.S., BSc.