Periodization of sports training as a method for complex development of students' physical abilities at university-based military training centers

The problem of concurrent training is not given sufficient attention in modern research. The simultaneous development of motor abilities, such as strength and endurance, is a complex process requiring a specific programming of different training loads (i.e. resistance and aerobic exercises). One of the areas where concurrent strength and aerobic training are considered crucial is military physical training. However, there are gaps in methodological base providing the necessary planning tools, especially in such institutions as university-based military training centers (or MTCs), where students undergo military training while studying their "civilian" profession to become career officer, meaning that they are commissioned as officers after graduation to continue their professional military service. One of the effective ways to combine various training stimuli is a principle of periodization initially developed by L.P. Matveev in the 1950s. His concept was consolidated in sports methodology as a "traditional" or "linear" periodization and introduced a new planning approach with a division of training process into such units as exercise, session, microcycle, mesocycle, periods and macrocycle. Since then the periodization theory has become an inherent tool in sports training. Soon the first critical remarks came from the theorist and methodologist community. The visible critics were Y.V. Verkhoshansky and V.B. Issurin, who claimed that traditional periodization was suboptimal and required reconsideration. Thus, the new concept of block periodization appeared. It involved a consecutive introduction into the training process of specialized blocks aimed at developing different motor abilities. However, both linear and block periodization principles were predominantly designed for use in sports training, but when it comes to military physical training, the effectiveness of the abovementioned methods is questionable. So, the compromise between traditional and block concepts may be found in another principle called non-linear or undulating periodization with two main iterations (weekly and daily). It implies a more frequent stimulus for different training components (strength and endurance) at lower levels of planning, such as micro- and mesocycles. In this way, to solve the problem of insufficient physical development of students at university-based military training centers, the article suggests using the principle of sports training periodization. Since the development of professionally relevant physical abilities, such as strength and endurance, requires a complex application of multidirectional training stimuli, the research implements non-linear undulating periodization as training load programming method. The experimental work proved effectiveness of the planning principle in question for achieving a level of physical fitness necessary to meet the requirements for commissioned officers. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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