In threads where training philosophy comes up, discussions of TRIMPS and TSS and other training models occasionally intrude. These models are not very well known, and even more poorly understood, so probably SolarEnergy, qbrain and I are just talking to each other and killing threads in those conversations. In any case, I figured I would present a brief overview of what it is that we're talking about when this terminology starts showing up.
Best case, this will introduce these models to the subset of swimmers (or coaches) who would be interested enough to use them, but didn't previously know enough to do so.
Plus, even if you're not the type to be interested in quantifying your training, it can be useful to think about workouts in this general framework.
And, at the very least, this might serve as a place to discuss some of the details without worrying about driving those other threads too far off-topic.
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There is a common belief among swimmers and swim coaches that more muscular people need longer tapers. For a similar reason, women are often supposed to need a shorter taper than men.
The belief might not be correct, of course, but if it is then it implies that the time constants are related to muscle mass.
True. But older swimmers are supposed to need longer tapers, too, right? So it may be individual, but it must not purely be muscle mass.
Could the primary benefit of a long taper be the full repair of all muscle damage? The amount of damage (muscle size indicator) or the rate of repair (age indicator) would then define the ideal length of the taper.
There is a common belief among swimmers and swim coaches that more muscular people need longer tapers. For a similar reason, women are often supposed to need a shorter taper than men.
The belief might not be correct, of course, but if it is then it implies that the time constants are related to muscle mass.
True. But older swimmers are supposed to need longer tapers, too, right? So it may be individual, but it must not purely be muscle mass.
Could the primary benefit of a long taper be the full repair of all muscle damage? The amount of damage (muscle size indicator) or the rate of repair (age indicator) would then define the ideal length of the taper.
