Tapers

Some random thoughts, hopefully something will help: -- Pure yardage is not always a reliable metric, I can see a taper that would consist of nearly the same amount of yardage that you normally do but that is more restful or has a different focus. (For example, I'll often do 3000 or more during one day of a meet...though a lot of that is easy swimming.) -- You didn't mention what you do with your cross-training during taper. Since that appears to be a good part of your normal exercise routine, you obviously need a taper plan for that too. Since the goal is to swim fast, I would venture to say that a good part of your taper may even be cutting back on and eventually eliminating your cross-training. -- If sprinting is what taxes you the most, you definitely need to cut back on it. Personally, I wouldn't do lactate work the week before your meet. Good luck. Hi Chris, Thanks for your suggestions. I do cut back on all cross training - that feels like the most important part of tapering for breaststroke swims -conserving the legs, so I do no strength workouts for 2 weeks, I try to "coach" rather than all-out teach my classes, and no running. I do sometime walk the dog here and there and garden...What I can't change is that I'm standing several hours a day training people... I will say the best meet I ever had was one where I was injured and did pretty much only easy swimming for a couple of weeks and no breaststroke at all. I did keep the yardage up over 2000 until a few days out, though.

Some random thoughts, hopefully something will help: -- Pure yardage is not always a reliable metric, I can see a taper that would consist of nearly the same amount of yardage that you normally do but that is more restful or has a different focus. (For example, I'll often do 3000 or more during one day of a meet...though a lot of that is easy swimming.) -- You didn't mention what you do with your cross-training during taper. Since that appears to be a good part of your normal exercise routine, you obviously need a taper plan for that too. Since the goal is to swim fast, I would venture to say that a good part of your taper may even be cutting back on and eventually eliminating your cross-training. -- If sprinting is what taxes you the most, you definitely need to cut back on it. Personally, I wouldn't do lactate work the week before your meet. Good luck. Hi Chris, Thanks for your suggestions. I do cut back on all cross training - that feels like the most important part of tapering for breaststroke swims -conserving the legs, so I do no strength workouts for 2 weeks, I try to "coach" rather than all-out teach my classes, and no running. I do sometime walk the dog here and there and garden...What I can't change is that I'm standing several hours a day training people... I will say the best meet I ever had was one where I was injured and did pretty much only easy swimming for a couple of weeks and no breaststroke at all. I did keep the yardage up over 2000 until a few days out, though.