About Dr. Istvan Balyi Ph.D.

Dr. Istvan Balyi is one of the world’s leading experts on planning, periodization and on short and long-term training and performance programming.
He has worked as a high performance consultant with several Canadian National teams, including athletics (middle and long distance),
alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, softball (women), soccer (men) water polo (men and women), triathlon, and water skiing. At present he
is a High Performance Consultant with the National Training Centres in Vancouver and Victoria servicing the national Basketball, Cycling,
Triathlon, Whitewater Kayak, and Wrestling Teams. He is also an internationally recognized coaching educator. His involvement is well documented
in Australia, Chile, China, England, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and of course, in Canada and the
United States. Istvan has designed, implemented and monitored High Performance Programs for Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists at various
Olympic Games and World Championships.

About the Video

The presentation will reflect upon the North American "Peaking by Friday" coaching practice and will identify the various stages of optimal
long-term athlete development. Trainability will be analyzed and described during the FUNdamental, Train to Train, Train to Compete and Train
to Win stages. The "critical" or "sensitive" periods of accelerated adaptation to training will be outlined from the perspective of periodization.
Chronological age, biological age and Peak Height Velocity will be utilized to outline the design of periodized short- and long-term training,
competition and recovery programmes for the developmental athlete. In addition some of the new aspects of preparing elite athletes for major
competition(s) will be also outlined.