What is the training technique that divides a program into smaller, progressive stages?

Periodization is the training technique that divides a program into smaller, progressive stages. This approach is strategically designed to optimize an athlete's performance by varying the intensity, volume, and type of training over specific periods of time. Each stage targets different aspects of performance and aims to prepare the athlete for peak performance at crucial times, such as competitions.

By segmenting the training cycle into distinct periods—often referred to as macrocycles, mesocycles, and microcycles—athletes can gradually build their strength, endurance, and skills while allowing for recovery and adaptation. This method reduces the risk of overtraining and injury, ensuring that the athlete progresses systematically towards their goals.

In contrast, other training techniques like cross-training, interval training, and gradual progression do not inherently involve the structured, phase-based approach that characterizes periodization. Cross-training typically refers to incorporating different types of exercise to improve overall fitness, interval training focuses on alternating periods of intense effort and rest, and gradual progression emphasizes increasing workload over time without the structured phases that periodization provides.