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.
I'm going to ignore the comment concerning my lack of muscles.
I think I'll try this 3 day drop dead thing before my next meet as well and see how it works out. Does that literally mean you do absolutely nothing for three days before? I don't know if I can do that, to be honest.
Thats the taper Laura has used the last two nationals....but the reality is she actually starts two weeks out by keeping yardage the same but increasing the amount of rest on intervals. Literally the last 3 days she swims till she warms up and gets out.
The taper Chris describes is similar to what I use...but I stop dryland 3 weeks out. I also stop doing starts two weeks out (and anything else that taxes my legs...even walking up stairs).
Still the biggest key tapering is your mindset...especially on a longer taper when you hit that wall about a week into it and feel like crap...so many people blow right then as they are convinced they are out of shape and fading. Ande mentioned Eddie Reece usuaing the analogy of "banking" your trianing all season and "arriving" at a taper...and I 100% agree...this is not a hit or miss thing and you MUST learn to trust your body....if you been training somehwat consistently always error on the side of more rest vs. less.
I'm going to ignore the comment concerning my lack of muscles.
I think I'll try this 3 day drop dead thing before my next meet as well and see how it works out. Does that literally mean you do absolutely nothing for three days before? I don't know if I can do that, to be honest.
Thats the taper Laura has used the last two nationals....but the reality is she actually starts two weeks out by keeping yardage the same but increasing the amount of rest on intervals. Literally the last 3 days she swims till she warms up and gets out.
The taper Chris describes is similar to what I use...but I stop dryland 3 weeks out. I also stop doing starts two weeks out (and anything else that taxes my legs...even walking up stairs).
Still the biggest key tapering is your mindset...especially on a longer taper when you hit that wall about a week into it and feel like crap...so many people blow right then as they are convinced they are out of shape and fading. Ande mentioned Eddie Reece usuaing the analogy of "banking" your trianing all season and "arriving" at a taper...and I 100% agree...this is not a hit or miss thing and you MUST learn to trust your body....if you been training somehwat consistently always error on the side of more rest vs. less.
