Hi I am looking for help. I want to know how masters swimmers plan out their Taper before competition. How long is it ? How much do you reduce the distance and intensity of your workouts ?
How effective has it been? Do you Taper at all?
I have found through my own swimming that the Taper for masters swimmers is not the same as for elite swimmers. I don't think that we need the same taper as we are not doing 50,000 + meters a week ! All of the research out there is written for elite swimmers. If anyone knows of an article dealing with taper for masters swimmers then please tell me.
I am thinking of writing a paper on this if I can get enough info. If you could say how you plan your Taper, what your weekly volumes are and the events you swim then I would be eternally thankfull.
There are few things in swimming that will garner as many diverse responses than tapering. Bottom line is that tapering is at once a very personal thing and requires a lot of awareness of your body, yet at the same time there are some "basic" principles that always seem apply:
- more quality in your workouts; speed work is essential
- more rest time on intervals; however you don't necessarilly
need a big reduction in yardage.
- mental prepration; often overlooked
- stop lifting, eat less/better, sleep more
- more practice on starts and turns; practicing perfect makes
perfect
- the last few days rest your legs as much as possible; avoid
stairs, stop practicing starts, massage, etc.
There are few things in swimming that will garner as many diverse responses than tapering. Bottom line is that tapering is at once a very personal thing and requires a lot of awareness of your body, yet at the same time there are some "basic" principles that always seem apply:
- more quality in your workouts; speed work is essential
- more rest time on intervals; however you don't necessarilly
need a big reduction in yardage.
- mental prepration; often overlooked
- stop lifting, eat less/better, sleep more
- more practice on starts and turns; practicing perfect makes
perfect
- the last few days rest your legs as much as possible; avoid
stairs, stop practicing starts, massage, etc.
