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We present a case study of the periodized training by a world-class 400-m Individual Medley (IM) swimmer (4th in 2019 World Championships) in the season leading to a bronze medal in the 2018 European Championship. The complexity of this IM preparation was based on the experiences, observations and innovations of an Olympic swimming coach. Over 52 weeks, a traditional periodization model was employed using three macrocycles. A total of 15 competitions were completed in the season increasing in frequency in the third macrocycle. The training intensity distribution (TID) followed the pattern of a traditional pyramidal model in general training and polarized and threshold models during specific training before competitions. Weekly training volume ranged from 25 to 79 km, 24 to 87 km, and 25 to 90 km in each of the three macrocyles. Altitude training comprised 23% of total training weeks. Haemoglobin [Hb] increased from 14.9 to 16.0 g/100 ml and haematocrit from 45.1 to 48.1% after altitude training. Heart rate (HR) and [La-] decreased at submaximal swimming intensities, while swimming velocity increased in the 8 × 100 m incremental swimming test in A2 (1.4%) and in AT (0.6%). Pull up power was increased 10% through the season. CITATION: Jose Maria Gonzalez-Ravé, David B. Pyne, José Antonio del Castillo et al. Training periodization for a world-class 400 meters individual medley swimmer. Biol Sport. 2022;39(4):883–888. Received: 2021-04-30; Reviewed: 2021-09-11; Re-submitted: 2021-09-14; Accepted: 2021-09-26; Published: 2021-11-10 elite athletes. Each cycle was divided into preparatory, competitive and transition following the Matveyev’s proposal, with the aim of building aerobic capacity first through a period of high-volume/lowintensity training, before reducing volume and increasing the proportion of high-intensity training. The case study of a world-class athlete can provide unique insights into the training preparation [6]. The aim of this case study was to contextualize individual medley periodization as a complex combination of training the four strokes, across three training macrocycles in one season, including regular altitude training. We also evaluated the utility of a progressive incremental swimming test and selected power and biomedical tests to monitor changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS The athlete described in this case study was a male international 400-m IM swimmer, Joan Lluís Pons Ramón (ESP), a finalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze medalist in 2018 European Championships. The swimmer joined the training program in 2014–15 O igi al Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2022.109954