I was able to watch some of the swimming from the Olympics while attending the Long Course Nationals in Savannah - GREAT meet by the way- and although I was impressed by many of the swims, I couldn't help but wonder if the trials were held too close to the Games and as a result compromised the taper of the US swimmers?
The competition at the trials was fierce. Many world records were set. Many had the swim of their lives at trials (I was lucky enough to attend several sessions). But there was only one month after trials until the games. For that elite level it seems to me that many of the swimmers would be into a four week taper following the trials. But inorder to swim their best to make the team in Long Beach, they would have had to taper for trials. Look at Brendan Hansen with two world records or come from nowhere Katie Hoff.
My understanding is that if you hit your taper you can expect (about) a 2% drop in time. Did anyone do that in Athens? My question is why do we have trials so close to the Games? Seems to me we should have had trials two or three months before the Games.
Any comments?:)
Parents
Former Member
One additional point to remember about the preparation for a big meet (or meets) is that it isn't just the decrease in volume/yardage that is part of the taper. It is also the increased focus on intensity in the weeks leading up to the meet, meaning more practice swimming at race pace and more work on the little things, like starts, turns, breakouts, etc.
All of these components fit into an intelligently-designed training schedule, whereby a swimmer should be able to peak for a competition "season" that may last 4-6 weeks, not just the traditional few days of one big meet.
One additional point to remember about the preparation for a big meet (or meets) is that it isn't just the decrease in volume/yardage that is part of the taper. It is also the increased focus on intensity in the weeks leading up to the meet, meaning more practice swimming at race pace and more work on the little things, like starts, turns, breakouts, etc.
All of these components fit into an intelligently-designed training schedule, whereby a swimmer should be able to peak for a competition "season" that may last 4-6 weeks, not just the traditional few days of one big meet.
