I enjoy working out, I love to swim, I like training for a specific meet - but I just hate tapering.
I hate not having the great feeling you get after a tough workout.
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.
I hate having to get out after 1/2 or 2/3 of the practice.
I don't want to worry about what and how much I eat, when I usually have to make sure I eat enough.
I dread hitting the taper low -- for me about 1 week into the taper and it can last up to 1 week -- your arms feel tired and sore when you know you have done nothing to cause this.
I don't like the waiting for feeling good in the water - day after day - probing your body during the short workout.
I hate the questions that go through your head - even after having done this so many times. Did you train enough - will the taper be too long - too short - can you really taper when you swim so much less ?
And then one day (hopefully before the meet) I jump in the pool and it starts to click. I feel good in warm up and the build sprints feel even better. I swim a pace 50 that feels effortless and just get a little smile on my face when I hit the wall in a time that would have required an all out sprint just 2 weeks ago. Finally the taper is over and the meet can start ....
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:
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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!
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:
