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
Did you mean to say "you should NOT race your actual event?" It makes more sense in the context of your post.
Broken swims are absolutely a great way to prepare for 100s and 200s, trying to get a feel for the proper pace. A large part of my own taper is geared towards this goal and broken swims play a big part of that.
I wouldl say that, during much of my own taper, almost everything is one of the following:
-- broken swims, mostly 50s, at either 200 or 100 pace ("pace" means for 50s other than the first 50 of the race).
-- fast 25s from the blocks, especially concentrating on starts and breakouts, and fast turnover
-- hypoxic work to work on high efficiency swimming and to increase HR without tiring the muscles much. (Oddly, it is often these hypoxic swims that reassure me about my conditioning. Again, mind games.)
-- aerobic swims to maintain fitness, but nothing hard at all (well below LT). Some of these are with paddles to maintain strength.
If I were focusing on distance events, I'd probably do a fair amount of pace 100s at goal race pace.
Does anyone feel really good at the end of taper?
Sure. I feel good for the 2nd half of my taper, once past the dreaded "blahs." I also feel very antsy, like I have too much energy, and a huge desire to blow off my taper and get back to training.
I have this image that, when you step on the block, you should be bursting with energy, like a frisky race horse in the stall before the race. Of course, you need to harness that energy intelligently with a good race strategy.
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
Did you mean to say "you should NOT race your actual event?" It makes more sense in the context of your post.
Broken swims are absolutely a great way to prepare for 100s and 200s, trying to get a feel for the proper pace. A large part of my own taper is geared towards this goal and broken swims play a big part of that.
I wouldl say that, during much of my own taper, almost everything is one of the following:
-- broken swims, mostly 50s, at either 200 or 100 pace ("pace" means for 50s other than the first 50 of the race).
-- fast 25s from the blocks, especially concentrating on starts and breakouts, and fast turnover
-- hypoxic work to work on high efficiency swimming and to increase HR without tiring the muscles much. (Oddly, it is often these hypoxic swims that reassure me about my conditioning. Again, mind games.)
-- aerobic swims to maintain fitness, but nothing hard at all (well below LT). Some of these are with paddles to maintain strength.
If I were focusing on distance events, I'd probably do a fair amount of pace 100s at goal race pace.
Does anyone feel really good at the end of taper?
Sure. I feel good for the 2nd half of my taper, once past the dreaded "blahs." I also feel very antsy, like I have too much energy, and a huge desire to blow off my taper and get back to training.
I have this image that, when you step on the block, you should be bursting with energy, like a frisky race horse in the stall before the race. Of course, you need to harness that energy intelligently with a good race strategy.
