Why You Should Be Periodizing Your Training

Periodization is one of those fitness terms that sounds intimidating, but this approach to training is actually one that any member can benefit from. It just means that you’re manipulating training variables to maximize gains while minimizing the risk of overtraining.

“Periodization is a structured approach to fitness that involves dividing your training into specific phases, each with different goals and intensities,” says Sharina Reza, a Tier 3+ coach at Equinox Hudson Yards. “It’s a plan that helps optimize performance by strategically varying factors like intensity, volume, and rest throughout a training cycle.”

It’s kind of like how you’d take a big, scary goal and break it down into smaller goals so you have a more actionable plan to follow. To that end, most periodized training plans are organized into macro-, meso-, and micro-cycles.

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