Taper time!!!!!

RE: Taper time!!!!!

hlopez84 — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 01:19:24 GMT

I haven't had to do a full blown taper in a while, but when I did I stopped all strength and conditioning exercises about 3 weeks before the meet. I substituted the strength and conditioning with alot of stretching and daily massages to stay loose and relaxed. If you are going to remove body hair consider getting waxed rather than shaving. Shaving body hair can be one of the most furstrating and exhaustive endeavors before a swim meet. Drink plenty of water, avoid caffine and get plenty of rest (atleast 8-9 hours of sleep a night). From a swimming perspective start dotting the "i's" and crossing the "t's" in practice. I do agree that you should stay of your feet a day before and during the meet, but a week before a meet seems excessive.

RE: Taper time!!!!!

Water Rat — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 03:18:09 GMT

The last week of a taper: - I sleep in and skip morning practices, opting for the evenings instead, the last week of a taper. - I avoid stairs at all costs. - No weights

RE: Taper time!!!!!

dt28 — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 11:38:10 GMT

From my experience with taper, I find people can over think things. Traveling is tiring and if not done properly can affect your taper. But if you plan out your travel and give yourself enough time to relax once you get to your destination, your taper doesn't need to be blown by a day of travel. Drinking lots of water definitely helps! When I travel I just try to relax and not let anything get to me. There will be delays, there will be people who upset you and you will get tired. What helps me the most is that I forget about swimming while I am traveling, I try to not think about the meet till I get to my hotel and then I refocus and work on getting my body feeling good again. Relaxing your brain is the most important part of traveling on taper. Yes you still need to care for your body, but try to shut negative thoughts out and not worry about your body feelings till you have arrived at your destination. Enjoy the process and laugh as much as you can, this has a relaxing affect on your body and mind :)

RE: Taper time!!!!!

__steve__ — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 04:00:43 GMT

Yes you still need to care for your body, but try to shut negative thoughts out and not worry about your body feelings till you have arrived at your destination. Enjoy the process and laugh as much as you can, this has a relaxing affect on your body and mind :) My best meet was done when stress was low and spirits were high

RE: Taper time!!!!!

knelson — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 03:24:43 GMT

Travel isn't going to "blow" one's taper. Sure, you might be a little groggy after spending a few hours in a car or airplane, but you're still tapered. I've flown to Nationals several times and swam events on the same day with no noticeable negative impact on my performance. Traveling internationally where there's a significant time change is going to complicate things, but you're still going to benefit from tapering. You just need to (ideally) arrive a few days before the competition to rest and give your body time to acclimate.

RE: Taper time!!!!!

Debugger — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 03:51:08 GMT

It always seems that when I go to a taper meet, I have to walk for miles at the airports.I always think that I have blown my taper(I am pretty paranoid about tapers and am always sure I have blown my taper.When we had the shiny suits I was convinced that the struggle to put on the suit blew my taper.) I find that if I do an extra long,but very slow, warm up the day before the meet that I am usually loose and ready for the meet. Thanks Allen! Great to know that I'm not alone. Usually it's a long trip to the meet when I spend most time sitting that makes me tired and affects my performance most of all. In best case I try not to compete at the day of arrival, just come for warm up and swim about 2000m easy pace with many drills same as you do and then spend most time in the bed. In such case I feel refreshed and perform well on the next day. But in some cases I have overnight trip and have to compete after arrival. That's unpleasant because the first day is hard and even if I have a good sleep after first competition day I cannot perform as good as I can on the next day too. Is attending a meet when you're not near ideal conditioning worthwhile? Would you still taper for it? My coach told if you taper without conditioning the only thing you get is even worse conditioning. If you work on conditioning too late you get tired and perform loaded - bad if you want to show good performance. From my experience it's better to continue to work on basic endurance and to do speed work but without building lactate. This might help for 50 and 100, but 200 or 400 without conditioning most likely will be painful.

RE: Taper time!!!!!

knelson — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 12:30:53 GMT

Use the ladder to exit the pool as much as possible. Especially during the meet you're climbing out of the pool a lot.

RE: Taper time!!!!!

knelson — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 10:05:05 GMT

If you expect possibility of such situation is it better not to taper? I don't think so. Your body is still rested and that's really what you're attempting to do with a taper.

RE: Taper time!!!!!

Debugger — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 10:00:04 GMT

RE: Taper time!!!!!

Allen Stark — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:38:39 GMT

Is attending a meet when you're not near ideal conditioning worthwhile? Would you still taper for it? I tried that for the Pacific Zone SCM Championships.I was not happy with my performance.

RE: Taper time!!!!!

__steve__ — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 03:12:38 GMT

Is attending a meet when you're not near ideal conditioning worthwhile? Would you still taper for it?

RE: Taper time!!!!!

Allen Stark — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 02:28:25 GMT

Guys, imagine situation that you are tapered you feel easy but then day or two before the meet you had a hard day. Just a realistic situation you have a long exhaustive trip to the meet driving or in the bus. After that you feel like you didn't taper. Your actions? If you expect possibility of such situation is it better not to taper? It always seems that when I go to a taper meet, I have to walk for miles at the airports.I always think that I have blown my taper(I am pretty paranoid about tapers and am always sure I have blown my taper.When we had the shiny suits I was convinced that the struggle to put on the suit blew my taper.) I find that if I do an extra long,but very slow, warm up the day before the meet that I am usually loose and ready for the meet.

RE: Taper time!!!!!

dt28 — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 08:15:44 GMT

Stairs are a swimmers kryptonite during taper time!!!!!!

RE: Taper time!!!!!

Allen Stark — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 08:13:46 GMT

I walk as little as possible during taper.As a breaststroker, having fresh legs is very important.I especially hate to walk at the meet,and more particularly don't want to walk upstairs.I don't understand how some people can be fine about sitting at the top of the bleachers if they have to walk up and down them several times during the meet. At pools like Federal Way and Indy I always take the elevator.