About the author
Petra Valkenburg
CrossFit periodisation — the actual mechanics, not the motivational version.
I've been programming CrossFit training for myself and a small group of athletes since 2014. What started as frustration with generic 12-week templates turned into a genuine obsession with how training blocks actually interact over time.
Background & focus
Where the interest came from
I competed in local CrossFit events for several years before I started paying serious attention to periodisation as a concept. Most programming I encountered treated intensity as the only variable worth adjusting. Load sequencing, deload timing, and the relationship between aerobic base work and skill-heavy metcons were barely discussed.
That gap is what this site is built around. Every article I write starts from a specific programming question — something I've actually wrestled with in training logs, not something I constructed to fill a content calendar.
My writing draws on NSCA resources, peer-reviewed sport science, and the practical experience of athletes who've shared their training data with me. I try to be upfront about where the evidence is solid and where it's still a reasonable guess.
Topics I write about most
How this site works
Programming is specific, not universal
Accesspulsepoint doesn't sell programmes or coaching. It's a writing project — one that tries to make periodisation concepts accessible without dumbing them down. If you're a competitive CrossFit athlete, a recreational gym-goer, or a coach looking for a different angle on familiar topics, there's something here for each of those situations.
I write in depth because surface-level explanations of periodisation tend to produce surface-level results. Understanding why a training block is structured a certain way changes how you execute it and how you adapt it when circumstances shift.
Testing week — where periodisation either holds up or doesn't
Evidence first
Claims are backed by research or clearly flagged as practical observation. No pseudoscience, no vague references to "elite athletes."
Specificity over generality
Articles focus on particular phases, movements, or athlete profiles — not broad training advice that applies to everyone and no one.
Honest about limits
Periodisation improves training outcomes over time. It doesn't guarantee competition results. That distinction matters and I try to hold it consistently.
"The deload timing article changed how I structure my training year. Practical, specific, and no fluff."
"Finally a site that explains block periodisation for CrossFit without pretending one template fits every athlete."
"I use Petra's writing as a reference when building programmes for my athletes. The depth is genuinely useful."
