Microcycle

College Women’s Basketball Summer Microcycle

            Before I was able to design a microcycle for a college women’s basketball team during the summer, I needed to have an idea of what a macrocycle would entail.  Basically, the macrocycle would include the Preparatory Phase, First Transition, Competition Phase, and Second Transition.  Each of these phases would be broken down into mesocycles, which would then be broken down into microcycles.  The preparatory phase would begin in April and go through September.  The main goal during this phase is to establish a base level of strength and conditioning. The mesocycles of the Preparatory Phase would include the Hypertrophy/Endurance Phase, Basic Strength Phase, and the Strength/Power Phase.  The last mesocycle of the Preparatory Phase would be followed by the First Transition Phase.  After laying out this basic overview, I was able to design a microcycle that would take place around mid-July to August (pre-season).  This microcycle covers the first week of the Strength/Power Phase. 

Microcycle Overview

End of July/Beginning of August – Strength/Power Phase

Duration = 1 Week

Pick-Up Games twice a week – Monday/Wednesday

5 Sessions/Week

The goal of the Strength/Power Phase is to begin training near the intensity of the sport while developing the strength and power of the athlete. Training intensities are high, which means that training volume loads are lighter.  Training 5X a week during this period, around pick-up games, is typically not ideal because the amount of actual Basketball activities should be increasing.  This will be accounted for in the timing of certain lifts, intensities, and amount of volume being trained.  Below is a graph representing the training intensities for each day during the microcycle. 

Microcycle Details

Monday:

Training Intensity = Moderate

Training Volume = Moderate

Resistance Training: Total Body

Plyometrics: Lower Body (Low-Mod Intensity and Volume)

Dynamic Warm-Up

Main Lifts:

Hang Clean Progression (70% 1RM):

RDL – 3X8

Power Shrug – 3X3

High Pull – 3X3

Hang Clean – 3X3

Snatch (70% 1RM) – 4X3

Backsquat (77% 1 RM) – 4X4

Plyometrics (1:7 work to rest ratio):

            Double-Leg Tuck Jump – 30X

            Backward Skip – 30X

            Split Squat Jump – 30X

            Lateral Barrier Hop – 30X

Assistance/CORE Exercises:

Hyperextensions, MB Sit-Ups, Incline DB Press, MB Toe Touches, Chin-Ups, MB Russian Twists

Pre-hab/Re-hab:

            TKE’s, Manual Neck Front/Back

Tuesday:

Training Intensity = Moderate

Training Volume = Moderate

Conditioning Focus: Anaerobic Threshold Training

Dynamic Warm-Up

400-m < 1:50      3X     5:30 Rest Interval (RI)

200-m < :50        4X     2:30 (RI)

Static Stretches

Wednesday:

Training Intensity = High

Training Volume = Low

Resistance Training: Total Body (Lower Body Emphasis)

Agility Training: High-Intensity, Low-Volume

Dynamic Warm-Up

Main Lifts:

Box Squat – 10/8/5/5/5/5+ (Last set at 85%)

Deadlift – 3/3/3/3+

Standing Military Press 4X4

Agility Training:

Depth Jump w/ Lateral Movement – 12 Total

Double Leg Zig Zag Hop – 30 Total Hops

Single Leg Zig Zag Hop – 10/leg

Assistance/CORE Exercises:

            Lateral Lunges, Plank Series, Y-T-W’s, Glute Ham Raises, Grip, Neutral Grip Pull-Ups

Pre-hab/Re-hab:

            Ankle Work, Sidelying Glute Meds, Hurdle Duck-Unders

Thursday:

Training Intensity: Low

Training Volume: High

Conditioning Focus: Lactic Acid Threshold

Dynamic Warm-Up

800-m < 3:30

400-m Easy Jog (RI)

Repeat 3X

Static Stretching

Friday

Training Intensity: Moderate (Higher than Monday)

Training Volume: Moderate

Resistance Training: Total Body (Upper Body Emphasis)

Plyometrics: Moderate-High Intensity (Upper Body Only)

Main Lifts:

Bench Press – 10/8/5/5/5+

Clean and Split Jerk – 4X3

Push Press 4X3

Plyometrics:

MB Power Drops         :15/:45 (Work/Rest) 3X

Explosive Push-Ups     :15/:45 (3X)

Assistance/CORE Exercises:

TRX Pikes, TRX SL Squat, Spread Eagle Sit-Ups, TRX Obliques, SB Leg Curls, Band Tricep Extensions

Pre-hab/Re-hab:

            Ankle Work, Glute Med Band Walks, Manual Neck Side/Side

Band Stretch

Static Stretch

Explanation

            As a College Strength and Conditioning Coach, I will ultimately be an assistant to the Head Coach of the sport as well as all of their Assistant Coaches.  Therefore, I will have to work my training plans around their schedules and their desires for what they want included in their athlete’s strength and conditioning training.  For this assignment I was given a scenario from which I had to create a microcycle.  The scenario was as follows:

            Women’s Basketball

            Summer

            Pick-Up Games on Monday/Wednesday

            5X/Week

I chose to create a microcycle during the Strength/Power Phase of the Preparatory Period.  Basketball is a sport characterized by short periods of high intensity followed by periods of lesser intensity.  According to an article recently published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, Preseason Preparatory Training for a Division III Women’s College Basketball Team, studies have shown that “training protocols that stimulate anaerobic glycolytic pathways and increase the body’s ability to maintain maximal efforts despite relatively high blood lactate concentrations are advised.”  It’s important to consider the specifics of the sport when creating training programs for athletes.  In regards to conditioning for basketball, it’s essential to incorporate lactic acid tolerance training, anaerobic tolerance training, and phosphate system training.  Another important aspect to consider is specific movements performed during the sport.  Playing basketball involves forward, backward, and lateral movements so it is important to include agility training as well.  Of course, with the quick changes of directions and the jumping, knee injuries are going to happen.  Especially among female basketball athletes, ACL injuries are common.  Thus, I incorporated several pre-hab exercises into the program as well as exercises to strengthen core stability, hamstrings, vastus medialis oblique stability, gluteus medius stability, and quadriceps specifically during the eccentric phase – all of which are contributing factors to ACL injuries in females athletes. 

            The most difficult part of planning for a college athletic team is not deciding which exercises to utilize, but deciding when to incorporate everything that needs to be done while minimizing fatigue and working around extra practices and pick-up games.  During the summer, pick-up games are played on Monday and Wednesday.  When developing this microcycle, I kept this in mind.  Because athletes generally are physically prepared after a weekend off and pick-up games are held on Mondays, I decided to make Monday a moderate intensity workout, followed by moderate conditioning on Tuesday.  Wednesday is a high intensity workout, which is not ideal because of the pick-up game on the same day.  However, I tried to prime the athletes with the moderate conditioning on Tuesday and follow-up the high intensity workout with a low-intensity conditioning on Thursday in order to maximize recovery and minimize fatigue.  Friday will end the week with a slightly higher moderate intensity workout followed by two days of recovery.