Do you rest for meets?

Kirk, I only rest for big meets, i.e Nationals. I don't rest for other meets and usually swim a Friday morning practice for Sat (or all weekend) meets and swim Sat practice for Sunday meets. Since I started in September, I have participated in a total of 7 meets and only rested for SCY Nats. If I can get back into a 3-4 day a week practice routine where I am consistently getting good work in, then I might consider resting more but I also plan on competing more this year in USA-S meets.

These days I probably average about six competitions a year total. Do you think it's going to affect my overall training if I'd rest a couple days before some of these? I think you should back off 1-2 days before most meets. That isn't the same as a full-blown taper. (If tapering doesn't produce better results than 1-2 days rest, then something is wrong with the taper.) Meets usually involve some travel and expense and inconvenience; I don't think you should treat any of them like some glorified practice. They are dress rehearsals for the big meets. For non-taper meets, I will usually ease up on (or skip entirely) one lifting session and one swim practice. Maybe slightly more if it is a big meet. It is more a matter of making sure I am not completely broken down at the meet -- it is no fun racing that way -- rather than truly resting or tapering.

I rest some for every meet, a few days up to a week. I usually cut back yardage and don't lift or run the week of a meet, although I did for my last one 2 weeks ago. Don't swim in that many meets (usually about 6, like you) and, as Chris notes, have no desire to be completely broken down or treat them as glorified practices. I'd say I do a 2 week taper 2x a year or so. I have completely shed the "one big one" mentality of my youth and like to race reasonably fast "in season," especially since I don't usually go to Nats. I don't think resting a few days for non-taper meets will effect your overall training much at all.

Kirk, I do a fair amount more racing than you (we're talking 13 meets for the 07-08 SCY season + 2 SCM during that time) and swim through all but nationals. I think getting up to race frequently helps me, but to a point - racing when burnt out just sets you back even further at the end of the year. Anyways, to your question, I'm beginning to be of similar mind myself. Was talking with the parent of a young lad (mid distance) who completed his first year at 'bama and she was saying he realized that he needs to swim faster in season than he has been used to doing through USAS and HS. I did my first USAS meet (that wasn't distance only) in February, and relaxed a little the two practices prior. The rest + fastskin = times that ended up as season bests in everything, and included a then-lifetime best performance in my 100 back. None of us are in HS/College anymore, but may still train and think like we are. If you're getting tired of that mindset and workset, a change may be the best thing that happens to you. I am going to be looking for a meet in Feb/March to have a brief rest period again. For me, it was a great confidence booster and a good start to a long, heavy training period.

Resting too much interferes with the training cycle. (S)he, I have no problem with your philosophy but I have to disagree with what may be the sentiments behind this particular statement. Resting is a critical component of any training cycle (stress-recover-adapt). Maybe I am misreading your message. I would agree with the sentiment that too much rest is not efficient training. Neither is not enough rest. One can view meets as a form of training, maybe even one of the most important forms. How often do we really give absolutely 100% in swims in practice, in the same way as in meets? I started keeping a training log this year (first time ever). I just went to a meet in a trials-finals format and was surprised that, when I added up the yardage, the daily distance at the meet surpassed my usual daily workout distance. Granted, much of the distance was race prep or recovery, but it was still surprising to me.

Right, by resting I'm talking about cutting back for a day or two. A taper is a more full-blown affair lasting at least a week and probably considerably longer. My thinking is starting to change to what Chris suggested: resting a day or two for most meets. For years I'll admit I've considered it sort of weak to rest for meets, but my caveman mentality is changing :)

Yes, "resting" will mean different things to different people. I guess my question is are you training differently immediately before meets than you would otherwise? Traditionally I haven't. I've worked out exactly the same as if I weren't going to the meet at all.

Right, by resting I'm talking about cutting back for a day or two. A taper is a more full-blown affair lasting at least a week and probably considerably longer. I'm to the point where I cut back 2 to 3 days before "less important" meets so I have at least an opportunity of making the swim(s) count for the long term.

I only race a few times a year so every meet is a "big" meet for me. I don't taper for all of them, but I'll ease up a bit for 1-2 practices before non-taper meets.

I rest/ taper for one big event a season. This LC season it was the 25K. It's great to learn how to swim tired. Sometimes you can surprise yourself with best times when "tired." It's a great confidence booster. Resting too much interferes with the training cycle. Technically, I thought resting and tapering were two different things as well. Resting is cutting down a bit of yardage a day or two before a meet. Tapering lasts longer - less yardage/ more rest between sets and such. Right?