Training and assessing motor skills from a non-periodized perspective

Abstract

Training periodization has reached an almost mythical status in sport: little is questioned whether the definition of a temporal organization and sequence of contents rigidly followed leads to superior sports performance than that resulting from non-periodized strategies, especially in team sports. This is a paradigm that urgently should be changed. The ability to change direction is an example of a complex motor skill, with multi pie determining factors ( e.g., technique, linear sprint speed, anthropometry, reactive strength, concentric strength and power, and muscle imbalances), which is associated with the injury risk during its execution (e.g., knee), and can be analyzed in detail in mechanical terms ( e.g., braking and propulsion forces in contacts with the ground). Each individual presents different combinations of strengths and weaknesses during qualitative (technical) and quantitative assessments in change of direction tests. Thus, it makes little sense that everyone should practice in the sarne way and follow the sarne temporal sequence of contents (i.e., periodization). ln opposition, the proposal is that the assessments provide information for training programs about this and other capacities, and that training shows which are the most important assessments to be carried out at that moment There should not exist rigid tralning periodization structures, but instead flexibility depending on individual and collective needs.