At what point do I stop lifting weights for my taper for naionals? I have heard everything from 2-3 weeks prior to gradually decreasing reps and weight load to doing a "speed lift" week 2 weeks out. I suppose I am a sprinter, if that makes any difference. (longest swim will be the 200 IM)
The real test is that of your confidence. If you have been training consistently with weights and swimming, you will lose nothing in strength if you stop even 4 weeks out (too late now). Then you could concentrate on technique and speed work in the water while your muscles repair and rest.
If you are like most self tapered people, use max weights up to the last possible moment and taper for 2 days. No, no, don't do that.
The taper is about rest, lots of it, speed work, and technique tinkering. No weights are necessary or desired. Also no need to taper off of weights. Do them or stop. You will not encounter withdrawal pains. You also do not need paddles or fins, you need to be at one with the water. And leave on the interval, OK? Starting 3 seconds early doesn't fool anyone.
The biggest drawback to a taper is the guilt of thinking that you should be doing "something". Nothing is farther from the truth. What you should be doing is resting and psychologically preparing yourself for the races at Nationals. You have spent months and months swimming and lifting, what makes you think that 10 more days of either will somehow help? Not only will they not help, they will be the absolute reason that you do not swim your very fastest times.
Ask some of the fastest sprinters what they did a week before nationals and most will say,"nothing". Excellent advice.
This is not for those who choose to compete in distances longer than 200 yards. They need to keep a feel for pace. They still don't need weights other than for warmups a month out.
The real test is that of your confidence. If you have been training consistently with weights and swimming, you will lose nothing in strength if you stop even 4 weeks out (too late now). Then you could concentrate on technique and speed work in the water while your muscles repair and rest.
If you are like most self tapered people, use max weights up to the last possible moment and taper for 2 days. No, no, don't do that.
The taper is about rest, lots of it, speed work, and technique tinkering. No weights are necessary or desired. Also no need to taper off of weights. Do them or stop. You will not encounter withdrawal pains. You also do not need paddles or fins, you need to be at one with the water. And leave on the interval, OK? Starting 3 seconds early doesn't fool anyone.
The biggest drawback to a taper is the guilt of thinking that you should be doing "something". Nothing is farther from the truth. What you should be doing is resting and psychologically preparing yourself for the races at Nationals. You have spent months and months swimming and lifting, what makes you think that 10 more days of either will somehow help? Not only will they not help, they will be the absolute reason that you do not swim your very fastest times.
Ask some of the fastest sprinters what they did a week before nationals and most will say,"nothing". Excellent advice.
This is not for those who choose to compete in distances longer than 200 yards. They need to keep a feel for pace. They still don't need weights other than for warmups a month out.
