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.
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.
I do trust my taper -- better to say, I trust my in-season training and I trust certain taper principles (no two tapers are exactly alike) -- b/c it has been successful in the past, not necessarily b/c I test it daily DURING the taper.
Trusting your in season training is different than trusting your taper. I feel more confident in the former as I've trained hard lately. And workout monsters like yourself have to feel confident with their in season training!
I thought maybe Ande was referring more to testing the length of your taper (and maybe fidgeting with how much sprinting you might need)? That's what seems to vary a great deal depending on your individual circumstances and your events.
Does anyone feel really good at the end of taper? It seems I always hear people complaining about feeling crappy until the moment they step on the blocks. Is this an indication that they haven't tapered enough and are still in the "feeling like crap" phase of taper? Or is this just a psychological? I really haven't done enough long tapers as a master to opine on this.
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.
I do trust my taper -- better to say, I trust my in-season training and I trust certain taper principles (no two tapers are exactly alike) -- b/c it has been successful in the past, not necessarily b/c I test it daily DURING the taper.
Trusting your in season training is different than trusting your taper. I feel more confident in the former as I've trained hard lately. And workout monsters like yourself have to feel confident with their in season training!
I thought maybe Ande was referring more to testing the length of your taper (and maybe fidgeting with how much sprinting you might need)? That's what seems to vary a great deal depending on your individual circumstances and your events.
Does anyone feel really good at the end of taper? It seems I always hear people complaining about feeling crappy until the moment they step on the blocks. Is this an indication that they haven't tapered enough and are still in the "feeling like crap" phase of taper? Or is this just a psychological? I really haven't done enough long tapers as a master to opine on this.
