What is the purpose of progression in periodization?

• A. To maintain a constant load
• B. To gradually increase load across macro/meso/microcycles
• C. To remove all variability in stimulus
• D. To focus only on competition week

Answer: (B)

Progression means gradually increasing the training stimulus over time to drive adaptation and peak performance. By planning how load changes across macrocycles (long-term), mesocycles (mid-term), and microcycles (short-term), you create a structured overload that the athlete can adapt to while allowing recovery. This approach builds toward higher capacity and skill just when they’re needed for competition, unlike keeping a constant load, removing variability, or focusing only on the week of competition, which would miss essential gains and timing.