At Imani, we believe that achieving your fitness goals should seamlessly fit into your life, allowing you to enjoy precious time with your loved ones. Our 12-month training periodisation plan is structured into quarterly cycles, aligning with the Victorian school holidays. This approach features four distinct training phases, each lasting 10 to 11 weeks, followed by a well-deserved two-week deload or training break.
Each year’s schedule may vary slightly and will be updated accordingly. Typically, the first phase of training begins on the first Monday after the Australia Day holiday (January 26th). This timing allows ample recovery from the Christmas and New Year holidays before starting fresh.
While most deloads or training breaks last two weeks, the final deload of the year is usually longer, spanning approximately five weeks to allow for extended rest and recovery during the summer holidays. This includes complete rest during Christmas and New Year’s week, with personal training sessions resuming on the Monday following New Year’s Day. For example, in 2025, the final deload break will run from December 20th, 2025, to January 28th, 2026, aligning with the end of year summer holidays.
For our online members, we personalise the training periodisation based on your time zone and location, ensuring the plan fits smoothly into your lifestyle, no matter where you are in the world.
What is Periodisation?
Periodisation is a systematic approach to training that involves dividing your training program into distinct phases or cycles. Each phase has specific goals, focuses on different aspects of fitness, and varies in intensity and volume. This method helps prevent plateaus, reduces the risk of injury, and optimises performance by ensuring that your body is constantly adapting to new challenges.
Why is Periodisation Important Over 12 Months?
Over a 12-month cycle, periodisation is crucial for several reasons:
1. Adaptation and Progression: Periodisation allows your body to adapt progressively to increasing loads and challenges, leading to continual improvements in strength and muscle growth.
2. Prevention of Burnout: By incorporating deloads and recovery phases, periodisation helps mitigate the risk of physical and mental burnout, keeping you motivated and engaged in your training.
3. Flexibility: A well-structured periodisation plan accommodates seasonal changes and personal commitments, allowing you to plan training and holidays effectively without sacrificing your progress.
4. Goal-Oriented Training: Periodisation ensures that your training aligns with specific goals, whether it’s building muscle, increasing endurance, or improving overall fitness, making your efforts more effective and rewarding.
Each training block in our program is meticulously designed to promote muscle growth and optimise how you LOOK (body shape, fat loss, muscle building, and composition), FEEL (mood, energy, and vitality), FUNCTION (strength, mobility, pain-free movement, and metabolism), and LONGEVITY (quality of life, health, and well-being) through progressive overload principles, enabling you to recover effectively during the school holidays. Our deload breaks are not just an opportunity to rest; they are your chance to rejuvenate and recharge without compromising your training. We encourage all members to plan and book family holidays around these deload periods, ensuring you can create lasting memories while still staying on track with your fitness journey.
By embracing this structured approach, you’ll maximise your training results while enjoying essential recovery periods. You’ll return from each break feeling stronger, more focused, and ready to take on the next phase of your training. At Imani, we’re committed to helping you balance your fitness aspirations with the joy of family time!
Training Schedule:
Block 1: January 27th – April 4th, 2025 (Q1: First Quarter, Term 1)
• Weeks 1-10: Hypertrophy training
• Focus: Volume accumulation, progressive overload
• Intensity: Moderate to high, focusing on building muscle mass
• De-load Break: April 5th – April 21st, 2025 (2-week break aligns with Term 1 Autumn break holidays)
Block 2: April 22nd – June 27th, 2025 (Q2: Second Quarter, Term 2)
• Weeks 11-21: Hypertrophy training continues
• Focus: Introduction of new exercises to avoid adaptation, maintaining high volume
• Intensity: Maintain progressive overload with moderate intensity
• De-load Break: June 28th – July 13th, 2025 (2-week break aligns with Term 2 Winter break holidays)
Block 3: July 14th – September 19th, 2025 (Q3: Third Quarter, Term 3)
• Weeks 22-32: Hypertrophy training
• Focus: Emphasis on muscle hypertrophy, can introduce more isolation movements
• Intensity: High volume and intensity, working towards peaking
• De-load Break: September 20th – October 5th, 2025 (2-week break aligns with Term 3 Spring break holidays)
Block 4: October 6th – December 19th, 2025 (Q4: Fourth Quarter, Term 4)
• Weeks 33-43: Final hypertrophy block
• Focus: Refinement, addressing weak points, peaking for strength and body shape
• Intensity: Moderate to high, working on maxing out hypertrophy benefits
• De-load Break: December 20th, 2025 – January 28th, 2026 (aligns with Term 4 Summer break holidays)
Summary:
Each block focuses on hypertrophy, utilising progressive overload principles. The de-loads (or complete breaks) are set during Melbourne’s school holidays to allow recovery and avoid burnout. This setup ensures that training intensity is high during the school terms while breaks happen during natural holiday periods, maximising both muscle gain and recovery.
Deload Break: A planned and structured period within a training program where the intensity, volume, or both are intentionally reduced to allow the body to recover from accumulated fatigue, without completely stopping physical activity. Deloads are essential for long-term progress, as they prevent overtraining and burnout, reduce the risk of injury, and give the muscles and nervous system time to fully recover, all while maintaining a moderate level of activity.
During a deload week, you might:
• Reduce the weight lifted to 50-60% of your normal working weight.
• Cut the volume by performing fewer sets or reps.
• Lower the training frequency, with fewer workouts than normal.
• Focus on recovery, incorporating activities like stretching, mobility work, or lighter cardio.
The goal is to lower physical stress, enabling the body to recover and rejuvenate while staying active.
Complete Training Break with Active Recovery (Family-Friendly)
In contrast to a deload, you may opt for a complete training break where you take time off from formal workouts, yet remain active through light, enjoyable activities. This is perfect for holidays, and involving family makes it even more fun while ensuring you continue to move.
Family-Friendly Active Recovery Examples:
Walking or Hiking:
Organise family walks or hikes in parks, along beaches, or through nearby trails. This light activity keeps you moving while providing an opportunity for everyone to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature. For kids, make it a scavenger hunt or explore interesting areas to keep them engaged.
Swimming:
If you’re vacationing by the water, swimming is a great low-impact, full-body activity that’s both refreshing and fun for everyone. You can incorporate light swimming or playful activities, like water tag or races, into your family time.
Cycling:
Rent bikes and go for a leisurely family ride around scenic spots like city streets, lakesides, or countryside paths. This is a low-intensity way to keep active and enjoy the surroundings with family. For kids, cycling can be a great adventure as you explore new places together.
Play Sports Together:
Organise lighthearted family games like soccer, basketball, tennis, or frisbee. Keeping the pace low ensures you’re getting some exercise while everyone has fun. This allows for bonding and participation from all ages, creating memorable moments while staying active.
Yoga or Stretching Sessions:
Invite the family to join you for morning yoga or stretching routines, whether inside or outdoors. It helps everyone relax, improve flexibility, and feel refreshed. This could be a fun, relaxing activity that balances physical activity with calm, mindful movements.
Dancing:
Turn on music at family gatherings and have a spontaneous dance-off! Dancing is an enjoyable way to stay active, whether in the living room or outdoors at barbecues or picnics. It can be as intense or relaxed as you like.
Paddle Boarding or Canoeing:
If your holiday is near a lake or beach, paddle boarding or canoeing offers light cardiovascular activity while enjoying the water. It’s fun for families and works on core strength and balance. It can be done at a leisurely pace to ensure the activity is relaxing and enjoyable for all.
Exploring Local Attractions:
Spend time walking around local attractions, whether it’s sightseeing, visiting amusement parks, or exploring historical sites. This kind of movement keeps you active without feeling like a workout and is perfect for holiday time with family.
Summary:
Both deload breaks and complete training breaks with active recovery are essential tools for long-term health and fitness. A deload focuses on reducing training intensity while still engaging in structured activities. A complete training break allows you to step away from the gym while staying active through enjoyable, family-friendly activities. During holidays, choosing active recovery options that involve the family ensures you stay physically engaged while creating meaningful memories.
Recommendations for Deload Breaks:
1. Prioritise Recovery: Focus on nutrition and sleep.
2. Engage in Active Recovery: Yoga or swimming help with blood flow without overloading muscles.
3. Listen to Your Body: Take a complete break if needed.
4. Reassess Goals: Use this time to reflect and refocus.
5. Maintain Movement: Keep moving, even with lower intensity.
6. Mindset Shift: Deloads aren’t setbacks—they’re essential for long-term progress.
By embracing this structured approach to training, you’ll maximise results while maintaining the balance between fitness and family life. Ready to start your journey with Imani? Let’s make 2025 your best year yet!
