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, again its tough to answer questions being so far removed from the situation. For me if i was healthy and had a solid base and was training for the events you've listed I would do something along the lines of:
- 3 weeks out stop dryland. Keep number of days in the water the same or add additional days where you get in and only do a light warm-up (for me that can be less than 500). I would be doing speed work 3x a week, lots of rest with longer recovery stuff in between sets. This would be the last week I would do dives. Every aspect of each workout would focus first on perfect turns and technique and continue the whole taper..harder than you think as you will find if you don't do it on a regular basis the concentration is a challenge.
- 2 weeks out yardage stays the same. I would still do speed work 3x a week (recovery days every other day) but nothing over a 50...lots of variables, a few 50's at 200 pace...hypoxic pull sets.
- 7 days out stop pulling, yardage drops to about 1500 max. warm up until I feel good..lots of fartlek swimming/turns
- 3 days out no more than about a 1000...or warm up till I feel good. speed play 25's & a couple of pace 50's.
Note...almost all my 25's are done as no-breeathers and I do a lot of hypoxic recovery swims.. know some people are not convinced that hypoxic does much but I'm a believer.
Fort, again its tough to answer questions being so far removed from the situation. For me if i was healthy and had a solid base and was training for the events you've listed I would do something along the lines of:
- 3 weeks out stop dryland. Keep number of days in the water the same or add additional days where you get in and only do a light warm-up (for me that can be less than 500). I would be doing speed work 3x a week, lots of rest with longer recovery stuff in between sets. This would be the last week I would do dives. Every aspect of each workout would focus first on perfect turns and technique and continue the whole taper..harder than you think as you will find if you don't do it on a regular basis the concentration is a challenge.
- 2 weeks out yardage stays the same. I would still do speed work 3x a week (recovery days every other day) but nothing over a 50...lots of variables, a few 50's at 200 pace...hypoxic pull sets.
- 7 days out stop pulling, yardage drops to about 1500 max. warm up until I feel good..lots of fartlek swimming/turns
- 3 days out no more than about a 1000...or warm up till I feel good. speed play 25's & a couple of pace 50's.
Note...almost all my 25's are done as no-breeathers and I do a lot of hypoxic recovery swims.. know some people are not convinced that hypoxic does much but I'm a believer.
