To improve our body’s ability to handle stress, we need to improve a number of factors. All of my schedules are based on the concept of periodization.  One cannot train the same way every day, week, or even month and expect to get great results.  Training requires variation in type, duration, and number of workouts, following a pattern called a phase.  Each phase in the training plan works toward a different goal.  My plans utilize three phases, with each emphasizing different types of workouts.

My training schedules are color coded, helping you recognize the various workout types. Observe the legend to the right.  It indicates the colors for each type of workout in the schedule.

I break training phases up further, into mini-cycles.  A mini-cycle is an interval of time during which you build training intensity and then recover.  Most mini-cycles involve adding increasingly more stress to the body for three weeks, with a one-week recovery following. These mini-cycles repeat a few times in each phase. In most cases, each new mini-cycle is designed to stress the body more than the previous mini-cycle.