I hate the Taper

RE: I hate the Taper

Donna — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:14:20 GMT

Saturday is our 3 hour practice day. I was alone for the first hour, just me and the assistant coach Ali. Then all the young ones came in for the final 2 hours. Lot's of distance mixed with some sprints. Looked like coach wrote the workout for the older kids who he know would not be there. We had to adjust the times, since even if I were swimming SCY I would not have been able to handle the last 2 intervals without paddles and/or fins. Paddles and fins are my secret weapon for keeping up with them. Actually since I usually drag my legs, the fins make me kick to keep up with them. Believe me this 46 year old body can't keep up any other way.

RE: I hate the Taper

Former Member — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:05:56 GMT

ehoch, Dude...... enjoy your taper. Taper is wonderful. Taper is rest. Taper means speed and snap. Are you crazy?

RE: I hate the Taper

Former Member — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:23:05 GMT

I actually enjoy tapering too! Love the extra rest and the shorter workouts!

RE: I hate the Taper

Former Member — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:47:35 GMT

Are you nuts? Tapering is awesome! Of course, I'm mad right now b/c I trained for my meet this weekend in Houston and didn't get to go b/c or car trouble. Wasted a great week of tapering! :frustrated:

RE: I hate the Taper

Former Member — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:36:41 GMT

From a coaching standpoint I know the taper is effective if two weeks before the meet if my swimmers answer yes to: Are you feeling irritable and cranky. Eric sounds like you are ready to rip one!

RE: I hate the Taper

swimshark — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:40:06 GMT

Alison, I guess we are on the same schedule. I will be doing about a 2.5 week taper of sorts. Actually I think I have been doing a small taper for the earlier portion of this week, but then as of Wednesday he increased the workload again. Today was a 7500 meter workout and I am sore again. Holy cow 7500! How long are you in the water? I do 2 hour practice each time and we get up to about 5200 meters in those 2 hours. Can't wait to meet you in a few weeks! Paul, I read that article today, too. It was a good one and one I needed to read.

RE: I hate the Taper

ande — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:56:02 GMT

i'd like to add that i believe you can hit you ideal point of rest then maintain it i do a lot of very fast swims for time if i was fast yesterday and today then i'll probably be fast tomorrow i like to lift closer to meet but reduce weight reps and sets my meet starts today

RE: I hate the Taper

Paul Smith — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:28:15 GMT

Since i've been reading and psoting about Cycling and Track on the other thread i thought I would mention Chris Carmichael's excellent article on tapering in the same Bicycling magazine: "Know when to say when" Here's the opening: "Training can be a lot like drinking booze: to have a great time you need to know when to stop. In the week leading up to a race or event, athletes can do more to undermine their training than they can to enhance it. Just like that 'one more' drink, its the prospect of getting a little extra something that lands you in trouble. Mental-health professionals say that sometimes the tendancy to have 'one to many' is rooted in insecurity, and in my experiance that's exactly what drives athletes to make mistakes in the week leading to an important challenge." I can't tell you how many times I've seen swimmers "freak" during this 7-10 days out on their taper and that sluggish/slow stuff and worry that they are geetting "out of shape"...so they ramp up, break the taper and end up swimming the same as in season times or see less improvement than they could have. Keep the faith baby!

RE: I hate the Taper

swimshark — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 07:07:40 GMT

There's a couple of very good articles in this months bicycling magazine about tapering....diet during taper, etc....better stuff than i see in most swimming magazines. Bottom line is more rest is better....don't test new food/gel/recovery drinks...increase card to protein ration to 4 : 1, etc. Thanks for the heads up on the article. I got my copy yesterday and will go look for the article.

RE: I hate the Taper

Former Member — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:37:57 GMT

I don't get it. I like tapering. Maybe I'm not doing it properly, or maybe I'm not training hard enough prior to the taper.

RE: I hate the Taper

poolraat — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:53:01 GMT

I really worked it hard (for me) this last week or so averaging about 3500 meters/day and now will rest tomorrow and start bringing it down beginning Monday. I'm going to use the same taper I used for Austin since I'll be doing the same 5 events. And came home from that meet with 3 (lifetime) personal bests.

RE: I hate the Taper

Donna — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:02:46 GMT

Alison, I guess we are on the same schedule. I will be doing about a 2.5 week taper of sorts. Actually I think I have been doing a small taper for the earlier portion of this week, but then as of Wednesday he increased the workload again. Today was a 7500 meter workout and I am sore again. Coach is setting up workout for me while the kids are at Jr. Nats and up until I leave for Nationals. Next week I will be my last week of doubles and even then I will only be doing 3 of them instead of 5. So I guess taper starts Monday. I am ready.:groovy:

RE: I hate the Taper

swimshark — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:23:38 GMT

This week and the beginning of next week 3 of our swimmers will be preparing for Jr. Nats and I will be tagging along with them even though our Nats is the following week. Easy for them is still hard for me so it works out good anyway. While they are gone I will hit the end of my taper and then its Nats time, YEAH!!!!!:woot: Can't Wait!:D Donna, we're in the same boat. I'll be tapering with the kids who are getting ready for Jr Nats, too. Then I have 1 practice on my own (coach is writing it up for me) before I head to Oregon and practice with my home team. Question for all - how long is your taper? I'm used to a 2 week taper. My coach is in favor of a 10 day taper. I want to do what it right for my age.

RE: I hate the Taper

Donna — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:00:02 GMT

I am not ready to taper just yet, but the kids I swim with are all on different schedules. Part of this week was taper type workouts and the later half of the week was more hard yardage than I have done in a while. Our older group is at the state meet this weekend so I was mostly on my own with a few really young swimmers who are still learning their strokes. This week and the beginning of next week 3 of our swimmers will be preparing for Jr. Nats and I will be tagging along with them even though our Nats is the following week. Easy for them is still hard for me so it works out good anyway. While they are gone I will hit the end of my taper and then its Nats time, YEAH!!!!!:woot: Can't Wait!:D

RE: I hate the Taper

Former Member — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:32:48 GMT

My taper is pretty similiar to Paul's - maybe a little shorter overall. He has a little more "mass" that needs recovery. Not going to Nationals, even though I wanted to (and I am signed up) - so it's Regionals next weekend. That means I am just in the middle of resting trying to shake off the low -- my dive 50 yesterday was 1/10th faster than my three 50s from a push last weekend ....

RE: I hate the Taper

Former Member — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:03:55 GMT

I don't like having to swim last in my lane when I usually lead and getting asked 20 times if you I want to go ahead. OMG! I absolutely cannot stand it when this happens! People know you are faster than them but they still go ahead of you (I'm talking about non-taper days)! I'm so glad someone else said this because I was ready to explode at practice. :frustrated:

RE: I hate the Taper

Allen Stark — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:30:35 GMT

I don't hate taper,but it a weird time.Instead of reveling in exertion,I feel I have to watch every motion.The second week is always a neurotic time,legs feel like lead and I am sure they won't come around in time.:notworking:

RE: I hate the Taper

Paul Smith — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:19:16 GMT

Isn't it a bit early for a serious taper? It's eight days to the Southern Pacific regionals ... and 19+ days until the national LCM meet ... Just wondering ... You can't simply put a number of days on a taper and expect it to "fit" everyone. Each person is different and in general the older you get the more rest you typically need....and swimming LC vs. SC adds to that. For me...48 years old...weights stop 21-25 days before my main LC meet. Yardage will stay the same for 21 to about 10 days out but I will increase my rest on hard sets....do more speed work...and less kicking. 7-10 days out is a gradual reduction in yardage from about 2500-3000m a day 4-5 days a week to about 1500-2000 3 x a week and about 500 3x a week. last 3-4 days is less than a thousand a day...bestially warming up till i feel good and working on tempo/hand speed with lots of hypoxic recovery. There's a couple of very good articles in this months bicycling magazine about tapering....diet during taper, etc....better stuff than i see in most swimming magazines. Bottom line is more rest is better....don't test new food/gel/recovery drinks...increase card to protein ration to 4 : 1, etc.

RE: I hate the Taper

swimshark — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:29:03 GMT

Amen to that!! I haven't started my Nats taper yet but I know it's coming. Today the coaches were a bit lighter on us and I asked if we were tapering because I wanted an all-out practice. Sadly, I didn't get it and now I am dreading the taper I start after next week even more.

RE: I hate the Taper

james lucas — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:15:11 GMT

Isn't it a bit early for a serious taper? It's eight days to the Southern Pacific regionals ... and 19+ days until the national LCM meet ... Just wondering ...

RE: I hate the Taper

The Fortress — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:14:23 GMT

Yes!! Someone whinier than me about tapering.

RE: I hate the Taper

ande — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:58:07 GMT

excellent rant i.m so ready to start training