Sport specific subphases refer to the selection of what is focused on during the subphases of competition in order to cater specifically for the relevant sport. Subphases refers to the meso and microcycles that combine in order to achieve the larger goals of the athlete or team. Each sport has specific components of fitness, skills tactics and other variables that need to be focused on throughout the year of training.
For example, a triathlete will always have a larger focus on cardiovascular endurance than a 400m sprinter, or a basketball or netball player. This is because it is more specific to the sport. A netball player will need to have micro and mesocycles that will focus on the skills of catching, passing and shooting, along with fitness components of speed, agility and power. These differences in sports require sport-specific subphases to be developed by trainers and coaches in order to best prepare the athlete for competition.
Sport-specific subphases will change throughout the year as training moves through the different phases of competition. During the pre-season there is often a general conditioning mesocycle that will focus on cardiovascular endurance for most sports as well as strength and size for sports that require it, such as rugby league. As the year progresses in the specific preparation phase, the differences in sport requirements in training grow and sport-specific subphases are developed.
This is further emphasised during the competition phase, as sports such as football will maintain cardiovascular endurance, speed and agility, while focusing on skill development and team strategies and tactics. However, a rower may still spend plenty of time further developing their cardiovascular endurance and need spend only a smaller amount of time on synchronisation with other rowers and stroke technique.
Further differences also arise as each athlete is catered for within their sport. Each athlete may have their own sport-specific subphase in order to develop aspect of their game or skills that are lacking compared to others.