By Katie Seaton, Swimming World College Intern
TAPER. It’s the seven to 14 days (depending on how long you taper) all swimmers hold out and train months for. The light at the end of the tunnel. The period of time when every swimmer LOVES swimming. The time when we take advantage of doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. The time when swimmers everywhere are jumping for joy and actually staying awake in all are classes.
But we cannot waste that extra energy on daily activities when we are saving it all up for our upcoming championship meet.
To our parents, friends, and onlookers, here are 8 signs your swimmer is on taper:
1. “Let’s take the stairs.” Let’s Not.
Friends, you can take the stairs, but I am going to slide into this elevator over here. Sorry mom, you are going to have to drop me off in front of the grocery store. I can’t walk that far. You want me to ride my bike around school? No way, I am tapering. Who wants to drive me to class?
2. SO. MUCH. ENERGY.
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“Wow you have so much energy, we should hang out tonight. Let’s do something fun,” says your non-swimmer friend.
Yes, I have more energy. No, I am not going to waste it on “something fun.” Hello? I’m tapering.
3. I am so excited for practice! Swimming is awesome!
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Words that would only come from the mouth of a swimmer on taper who is doing half the amount of yardage they completed during a mid-season practice, and bases that are reminiscent of their cool down set. Practices full of fast starts, turns, and technique focus- does it get any better than that?
4. Daily Chores
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To the parents whose swimmers still live at home, this is a time of rest and recovery, meaning us swimmers do not feel we should lift a pinky. Swimmers, clean your room before you start tapering, because once you start your taper, the motivation to do anything that does not involve swimming goes out the window.
5. That is all you’re eating? Are you okay?
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Yes. I am practicing half the amount of time I used to, therefore I do not feel the need to eat a full cow after practice. With tapered practices come tapered eating habits. Swimmers will begin to grab for less and what they do grab will typically be healthy. Do not be alarmed. Your swimmer is okay and their appetite still exists.
6. “Cough, cough.” STAY AWAY FROM ME SICK PEOPLE.
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I have a meet coming. I am tapering. And I do not have time for your sickness! Even you, Dad. I cannot get sick. During taper, swimmers will naturally develop a phobia of those with the sniffles and other cold-like symptoms.
7. Recovery
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Rest. Rest. Rest. We aren’t tired when we hit the sack at our normal bedtime hour, but we must find a way to sleep. We may seem like we have an overabundance of energy, but taper is about resting those sore muscles that have been fighting all season. It is a time when we finally feel we can put our feet up and watch TV- not because we are exhausted, but because we have trained so hard for this time of rest and recovery.
8. Strengthening the Mental Game
This close to a championship meet you may find your swimmer tucked away in their own mind more often. Don’t be concerned. During taper swimmers will spend their free time over-thinking their feeling for the water and prepping mentally for the competition ahead.
During this two-week period we tend to stay more cooped up visualizing in our minds and searching for the perfect meet playlist. On taper, the game becomes more mental. Now that all the physical work is done, swimmers spend the remaining days fine-tuning their technique and mentality.
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Be patient with us swimmers during taper. We have been pouring our heart and souls into our season for this very moment. Do not get upset with us when our excuse is “but I’m tapering.”