I'm planning on resting for a meet in Feb. As usual, I'm wondering what taper to use, how much to rest, etc. I don't feel like I've really hit on the "one" plan that works for me.
I know everyone has their own approach to taper and may taper for between 1-4 weeks. In every taper plan I've seen, the yardage always drops off gradually. Has anyone ever tried a "drop dead" taper? One where you continue to exercise at your regular level and then, say 7 days before the big meet, you precipitously drop the yardage down to 1500 or so with very little sprinting? Thoughts?
I'm wondering if this type of taper might work for me, as I feel (possibly falsely) like I lose conditioning if I taper too long.
Fort, how about a 2-week taper that goes like this:
Week 1: drop all cross-training. Keep your swimming yardage up, but make your fast swims REALLY fast and your slow swims slower and technique-oriented. Make sure you do (or continue to do ) starts, turns and breakouts at true race speed.
Week 2: reduce swimming yardage and do fewer sprints. Do no more than a meet warmup the last day or two.
(By the way, I also start feeling like crap after 7-10 days of taper, so I would be inclined towards either a "mini" 3-day taper or a full 3 weeks. But everyone responds differently.)
And getting plenty of sleep -- maybe throw in a massage or two -- is the best PED out there.
Hmmm .... maybe I'll try this. So no pace work during week one?
I was just wondering about the drop dead as an alternative. Maybe I'll try it, just for fun, before another meet.
Also, I really think women have to taper less than men. Smaller, less muscle mass etc. Although I do appear to have more muscle mass than Geekity.
Fort, how about a 2-week taper that goes like this:
Week 1: drop all cross-training. Keep your swimming yardage up, but make your fast swims REALLY fast and your slow swims slower and technique-oriented. Make sure you do (or continue to do ) starts, turns and breakouts at true race speed.
Week 2: reduce swimming yardage and do fewer sprints. Do no more than a meet warmup the last day or two.
(By the way, I also start feeling like crap after 7-10 days of taper, so I would be inclined towards either a "mini" 3-day taper or a full 3 weeks. But everyone responds differently.)
And getting plenty of sleep -- maybe throw in a massage or two -- is the best PED out there.
Hmmm .... maybe I'll try this. So no pace work during week one?
I was just wondering about the drop dead as an alternative. Maybe I'll try it, just for fun, before another meet.
Also, I really think women have to taper less than men. Smaller, less muscle mass etc. Although I do appear to have more muscle mass than Geekity.
