Tapering: Optimizing Performance for Your Goal Event

For months, you have been dedicated to training for a specific goal. You've completed all the necessary workouts and now it's time to prepare for the final push. Tapering is a recommended strategy to improve your performance, with potential gains ranging from 0.5% to 6%. In this article, we will explore what tapering entails, why it is beneficial, when it may not be suitable, and how to approach it practically.

What is Tapering?

Tapering involves reducing the training load in the period leading up to your goal event. While it may seem counterintuitive to decrease training intensity when striving for peak fitness, the purpose is to appear more rested at the start. By this point, you have already completed all the necessary training work, and the main objective is to reduce fatigue. This can be achieved by reducing training volume (time), intensity (demand), or frequency (number of sessions).

Why Should I Taper?

Your performance at the start of your goal event is heavily influenced by your stamina, which is built through training. In addition to fitness, fatigue significantly impacts your performance. This can be represented by the equation:

Form = Fitness - Fatigue

Your form reflects your current performance level. When you have trained extensively, your fitness will be high, but so will your fatigue. Consequently, you will not be able to perform at your best due to fatigue. Conversely, when you have done little training, both fatigue and fitness will be low, resulting in suboptimal performance. Tapering aims to strike the right balance, optimizing your form. After a taper period, your muscle glycogen stores will be replenished, you will have increased red blood cell production, and oxidative enzyme activity will be elevated. These factors contribute to improved performance.

How Should I Taper?

Not all methods of reducing training load are equally effective, as research suggests. The duration of the taper period can range from 3 to 28 days. For activities like cycling, which primarily involve concentric loads with minimal muscle damage, the recommended taper duration is typically 5 to 14 days. It is crucial to significantly reduce the volume of training sessions, aiming for a 40% to 60% reduction. However, the distribution of intensity and frequency should remain consistent. During workouts, strive for specificity, closely resembling the effort level required for your goal event.

Practical Considerations

Implementing the tapering strategy becomes more complex when you have multiple goals or regular races throughout the season. Tapering for two weeks before each race would lead to a substantial decrease in fitness and overall form. In such cases, prioritization becomes necessary. You and your coach must determine the most effective tapering approach, taking into account factors like adjusting to different climates, performing at altitude, or managing jet lag after long trips.

Conclusions

To maximize your performance, tapering is highly recommended. However, it may not always be feasible to follow the optimal tapering strategy. Logistical constraints or external factors can influence the planning of your taper period. Therefore, it is crucial to collaborate with your coach, identifying the most important goal and devising the most suitable tapering plan. Most importantly, trust in your condition and avoid overtraining by ending your training at the appropriate time.