Macrocycle
The full plan, from a few months to a year, spanning several mesocycles toward a bigger goal: a season, a competition, a bulking or cutting phase. It is the top-down view — where you want to be in a few months, and which blocks get you there.
In practice
A typical macrocycle: six months to arrive in shape for a competition or the summer, made of a volume block, a cutting block and a final peaking phase — each one a mesocycle. It is the map that says where you want to be and which blocks get you there.
How to use it in a plan
Set the date and the end goal first, then work backwards: how many blocks fit before then, and what each one does. Without this top-down view the mesocycles drift, and it is easy to repeat the same phase without progressing.
FAQ
How long is a macrocycle?
Usually a few months to a year. Shorter than that and it is essentially one mesocycle; much longer and it loses its link to a concrete goal.
Can I chase several goals in one macrocycle?
Yes, but in sequence, not at once — one block gaining muscle, another gaining strength. Chasing everything simultaneously tends to give slow progress at everything.