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.
on Test your taper,
during your taper you should race your actual event
much or even at all especially if it's a 200 fly
Mainly do fast 15's, 25's, & 50's
if you have records compare your in practice times to this and previous seasons
on longer events do broken swims like
50 easy speed
10 sec rest
50 easy speed
10 sec rest
50 easy speed
10 sec rest
50 easy speed
or
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
you can play with distances, effort and rest
Tapering is time to reduce yards and cut back quantity
BUT QUALITY should stay high and GET EVEN HIGHER
nothing gives you confidence like swimming very fast in practice
Fast practice times during taper are something tangible to hang your hopes on.
you don't have to get timed everytime
especially in the last week
This advice is fine...up to the point where "testing" your taper (by doing too many hard/fast swims in practice) means you don't rest enough. I wouldn't want to start doing all-out 200 fly swims every day just because I'm unsure about whether I'm holding my conditioning, even though 200 fly might be an event I'm tapering for.
on Test your taper,
during your taper you should race your actual event
much or even at all especially if it's a 200 fly
Mainly do fast 15's, 25's, & 50's
if you have records compare your in practice times to this and previous seasons
on longer events do broken swims like
50 easy speed
10 sec rest
50 easy speed
10 sec rest
50 easy speed
10 sec rest
50 easy speed
or
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
15 sec rest
100 fr
you can play with distances, effort and rest
Tapering is time to reduce yards and cut back quantity
BUT QUALITY should stay high and GET EVEN HIGHER
nothing gives you confidence like swimming very fast in practice
Fast practice times during taper are something tangible to hang your hopes on.
you don't have to get timed everytime
especially in the last week
This advice is fine...up to the point where "testing" your taper (by doing too many hard/fast swims in practice) means you don't rest enough. I wouldn't want to start doing all-out 200 fly swims every day just because I'm unsure about whether I'm holding my conditioning, even though 200 fly might be an event I'm tapering for.
