Build Period Overview

I’ve received several suggestions for blog topics from readers recently. Thanks for that. While I really enjoy researching and writing about training-related issues there are often times when I draw a blank. So your ideas are much appreciated. Keep them coming.

One such suggestion was for a post on the Build period as a follow-up to those I wrote on Base training a while back (here and here). 

The athlete who suggested this topic noted that he and others would have their first A-priority races of the 2011 season in April. And since the Build period typically starts about 12 weeks prior, now is the time to plan for it.

It’s a bit more difficult to describe the details of the Build period than it is the Base period. In Base there is a lot of similarity between training plans regardless of the race distance and sometimes even the sport. Typically, the focus then is on accumulating general fitness by working on the basic abilities of aerobic endurance, muscular force and speed skills along with the advanced ability of muscular endurance. But this isn’t always the case. There are exceptions. The general rule is that the training in Base is not specific to the targeted event. That changes significantly in the Build period.

In the Build period there is a definite training shift. The workouts become increasingly like the race you’re preparing for. This is the underlying theme of all successful periodization.

A common misconception I hear of is the idea that in the Build period the intensity of training must increase while the volume decreases. While that may be the case when training for a bike road race or criterium, or for a sprint or Olympic-distance triathlon, it isn’t always so. If you’re preparing for an Ironman triathlon or ultra-distance race of any sort the volume of training may increase as the intensity decreases in the Build period. There is a trend right now, especially among Ironman triathletes, to refer to this as “reverse” periodization. But it’s really not. Such a training pattern still closely follows the major principle of linear periodization, indeed of all periodization: Training becomes more like the race. By definition reverse periodization would mean that the training is becoming less like the race. That’s essentially detraining. What a disaster that would be on race day!

With this principle in mind then, what should training be like in the Build period? To answer that question you have to first determine what the demands are of the race you are training for and compare them with your known strengths and weaknesses. This is the concept of “limiters” that I describe in my Training Bible books. 

In terms of training and racing there are 6 abilities described in the Training Bibles. Four were mentioned above (aerobic endurance, muscular force, speed skills and muscular endurance). The other two are anaerobic endurance and sprint power. I’m not going to go into detail on what each is about here. You can refer to a copy of one of my Training Bible books for your sport for all of the details with examples of workouts in the appendix.

Here are the common abilities by sport to focus on in the Build period. How much of your training is devoted to these abilities depends on the exact nature of your event (primarily duration and course profile) and your limiters (race-specific weaknesses).

Road cycling

            Muscular endurance

            Anaerobic endurance

            Sprint power

Bicycle time trial

            Muscular endurance

            Anaerobic endurance

Mountain bike

            Muscular endurance

            Anaerobic endurance

Short-course triathlon

            Muscular endurance

            Anaerobic endurance

Long-course triathlon

            Aerobic endurance

            Muscular endurance

If following a standard, “classic” periodization program (I will write about “block” periodization soon) you will also need to do maintenance workouts for those abilities you initially developed in the Base period. For example, doing a speed skills set (such as a bicycle pedaling drill) once a week or so during a warm-up or cool down will help to maintain that ability.

It’s common in the Build period to combine abilities within a single workout. For example, a road cyclist may do a single workout with anaerobic endurance intervals followed by a muscular endurance set and culminating in power sprints. That would be similar to the demands of the race. This follows the underlying theme of all training in Build — race specificity.

One other concept to bear in mind is that many weekly workouts by this time in the season are physically and mentally challenging. If you aren’t frequently tired then you simply aren’t training hard enough. This means that easy days must be just that – easy. A common mistake in Build is to make the “easy” sessions moderately hard thinking this will improve fitness. It won’t. The potential for fitness is improved during the hard workouts. Fitness gains are realized during rest and recovery. So the harder the hard workouts, the easier the easy ones must be. Otherwise everything becomes moderate and progress ceases.

I’ve only touched on the most basic concepts of Build period training here. You probably have lots of unanswered questions. I’d strongly suggest that if so you do an index search in your Training Bible. You can also do a search on the home page of my blog (for those receiving this as an RSS feed the URL is www.joefrielsblog.com). Please start with one of these sources before firing off a detailed question to me in the Comments section below. Just like you I also have very busy days. I wish I could answer everyone’s questions but I also have to pay the mortgage. I’m sure you understand.

Comments

[Nathan]

In your Cyclists training bible you mention that in build 2 that the workouts should be either hard or easy, but you have also mentioned that Aerobic Threshold rides should be done once every 10 days, I think. So since AeT rides are moderate, should I omit them in Build 2 (or even the peak periods) or continue to do them occassionally? Thanks!

[Joe Friel]

Nathan--Once every couple of weeks is _probably_ ok in Build for AeT.

[Ryan]

Hi Joe! I’m riding in a 120 mile hilly sportive which has 3 long climbs in the first week of June. I’m still in base 1 at the moment. In your book you say that by the end of base 3 the longest workout should be at least as long as your longest race. Based on my performance last year, I envisage this to be over 7 hours. With my annual training hours at 500, in base 3 I would be using up half the weekly hours in one day. Do I need to be doing this or will a shorter (more realistic) 4-5 hours suffice? Do I continue with this length during the build stage and at what intensity should I be working at during this stage and on race day? Lastly, am I correct in thinking that my main priorities are Endurance, Muscular endurance and force?

[Joe Friel]

Ryan--Good question. There are certainly limits to how long the longest ride should be relative to your race. If someone was doing RAAM they certainly would not do an 8-day workout. Shorter is fine for your event. Good luck.

[Martin-S]

Hi Joe, excellent post again and right on time. I'm currently in the base period preparing for an ultra-distance cylcing-event in june. My weekly training hours so far are roughly based on your chart in the Training bible with reduced volume and increased intensity later in the build period. Now if you recommend doing so called “reverse periodization", in which amounts would you increase the weekly training hours in the build period? And does this also affect the peak period?
Thanks!

[Joe Friel]

Martin--In Build the intensity should begin to more closely resemble that of the targeted race. In Peak the intensity would be the highest you anticipate in the event (hills? wind? etc).

[John Biron]

I'm a 51 yr old Cat 1 mtbiker who regularly podiums and occasionally wins. I’ve worked hard the last few years to increase my aerobic endurance and have good muscular endurance. I’m looking to improve my top end and win or at least be there at the end more often. I feel I need to improve both anaerobic endurance and power, but I have trouble recovering from more than two high intensity workouts a week. Is it ok to train these abilities once a week each or is it better to focus on one for a block and then turn to the other?

Thanks, JB

[Joe Friel]

John--Excellent question and one I will write more on at a later date. I think that for advanced athlete focusing on 1 of these in a 3-4 week block is more effective. But it's also a bit tricky as you don't want to lose fitness gained in one ability when you move on to the next.

[Tim]

Hey Joe

When doing the build period M.E intervals for triathlon, do they need to be done in the aerobars or can you just do them in the standard road dropbars?
I was just wondering whether the different positions work different muscle groups?

thanks

[Joe Friel]

Tim--The closer in time that you get to your race, the more like the race the workouts must become.

[Rod]

Hello Joe.
Could you please explain a little more about S5 form sprint training in the build period.It says power/rpe should be in zone 5b i assume only for the 15 second sprint,followed by 5 minute recovery,would the recovery be in the 1,2,zones as it says on page 144 of CTB fig9.1 that this workout is of low intensity.
Thanks for your help Joe.

[Frank]

Joe,

Do you offer 7 week Build-Peak-Race training plans? My targeted A race is in April of this year. Thanks.

[Joe Friel]

Frank--I do. See them here by sport- http://tinyurl.com/29t3q6m

[Frank]

Thanks Joe- I see the 11 week plans. I guess I can tailor them to fit a 7 week target.

[jonw9]

Hi again Joe,
I am starting my first build period this week. Following your bible, I am not doing Anaerobic Workouts during my first year of MTB training. I believe this is to prevent/reduce burnout.

My question is, since I am skipping AnE, with what do I fill this training time with? Should I continue to include Speed and Force workouts, (which appear to be typically in base periods) or should I just include more Muscular Endurance and Power workouts, or both?

Thanks

[Joe Friel]

jonw9--You'll get a lot of benefit from musc endur training now.

[Tim]

Hey Joe
What are the optimum heart rate zones to train in for olympic distance racing for both the bike and the run? And what pacing zones for the swim?

Thanks

[Joe Friel]

Tim--It depends on your race goal/ability. Mostly 4 zone but for a 4h race we're talking 3 zone probably.

[Tim Racette]

Hi Joel, the way my calendar works out I'm looking at a 10 week build period is there a benefit to breaking that up into 3 build periods as apposed to two 5-wk build periods? Thanks for the advice.

[Joe Friel]

Tim R--(I should stop answering questions for people who call me "Joel" but I won't.) How long your build blocks are depends on how often you need to recover. There is no one answer here that fits everyone.

[Tim]

Oh man, that's embarrassing. My apologies Joe. I appreciate all of your research.

[Joe Friel]

Tim--No problem. Just kidding you. I've almost gotten used to it.