"Micro-dosing: A Conceptual Framework for use as Programming Strategy for Resistance Training in Team Sports" [Article Review

This article presents a comprehensive conceptual framework for micro-dosing as a resistance training strategy in team sports, addressing both theoretical and practical aspects relevant to modern sport performance environments.

Introduction: Why the Research Was Conducted

The research was driven by the rising popularity and emerging debate among strength and conditioning professionals about the use and definition of micro-dosing in resistance training for sport performance. Though micro-dosing originated in clinical research and psychedelic studies, the concept has been adopted in sport as a way to divide total training volume into more frequent, shorter sessions within a micro-cycle. The intent of this review was to clarify the distinction between micro-dosing and similar concepts (such as minimum effective dose), address misconceptions, and highlight how micro-dosing may be best suited to address challenges in fixture congestion, acute and chronic programming, motor learning, and the need for individualization in team sport contexts. Clarifying and systematizing this approach is important for practitioners seeking to optimize training, minimize fatigue, and sustain athlete development during tightly scheduled competition periods.​

Key Takeaways and Results

The review identifies four key domains where micro-dosing may benefit team sport athletes:

• Competition Scheduling: Micro-dosing can help maintain strength and power by distributing training loads more evenly during periods of dense fixtures, minimizing performance decrements associated with reduced training frequency during competition.​

• Programming Strategies: The flexibility of microdosing supports integration with advanced programming models like block periodization, phase potentiation, and emphasis periodization, potentially allowing athletes to maintain or even enhance specific physical qualities with less accumulated fatigue.​

• Acute/Chronic Programming: Leveraging methods like post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) and resistance priming, microdosing can increase training intensities in well-trained athletes and maintain adaptation stimuli during in-season play, while also offering benefits to athletes with lower training status via increased learning opportunities and manageable fatigue levels.​

• Motor Learning and Individualization: Higher frequency and lower duration sessions may enhance skill acquisition through spaced or distributed learning, allow better supervision, increase feedback, and facilitate program adjustments for developmental, health-related (e.g., menstrual cycle), and motivational needs. Micro-dosing is particularly beneficial for youth development, rehabilitation, and personalized approaches for female athletes.​

Conclusion: Practical Application for Sport Performance

For practitioners in sport performance, micro-dosing provides a valuable, adaptable approach for managing the competing demands of skill maintenance, performance development, and athlete health—especially in the context of congested competition schedules. By distributing training volume across shorter, more frequent bouts, coaches can minimize fatigue, improve compliance, individualize stimulus, and facilitate motor learning without sacrificing overall training objectives. This flexibility is particularly useful for teams with diverse training backgrounds, decentralized setups, or unique athlete needs (e.g., return-to-play, youth development). The strategy can readily be integrated into existing periodization frameworks to address both acute performance and long-term athletic development goals.

Overall, while further research is needed for certain populations and contexts, micro-dosing stands out as a compelling programming option for modern sport performance environments.

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