By Jamie Kolar, Swimming World College Intern.
It’s taper time! The most exciting time of the year for all swimmers and coaches alike. Taper is when practices start to decrease in volume and intensity and the swimmer’s bodies can start to recover ever so slightly in order to peak at the most opportune moment at their championship meet. Taper is an exciting time.
However, the beginning of taper is commonly referred to as the taper blues. When you have been going hard with your training, your body gets used to the rhythm of the grind. When the rhythm is suddenly broken, it can throw your body and mind for a loop. This can have some minor effects on you in the water that may scare you for a minute. When you are starting taper, there are a few important things to remember.
Focus on the Execution, Not the Times.
Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr / Swimming Australia Ltd.
Taper is usually the time for broken races off the block. Broken races are done to mimic how the race will be done on competition day. When you are doing these broken races off the block, it is common to go faster than your best times or get close to them.
When you are at the beginning of taper and your body is still in that transition phase, your times may not accurately reflect where you think you should be. This can be discouraging at the start of taper and is a hard thing to get out of your mind. But the thing to look at is how you split the broken race, not the overall time. The times will come with rest, but keeping your splitting consistent will help you come race time.
Focus on the Changes You Have Already Made Throughout the Season.
Photo Courtesy: Linda Coan O’Kresik | BDN
Taper time is the time to focus on the changes that you have worked on throughout the duration of the season: the little things that you have worked on for months. It is not the time to be making any new changes to your stroke or starts.
When you’re in taper, that is the time to focus in on everything you have done during the season – the paces you have held and the changes you have made. Taper is solidifying those efforts into something permanent and comfortable so that it is second nature when it comes time to get up on the block and race. That second nature feeling is the one that allows for such great tapered swims.
Find Your Zen.
Photo Courtesy: Jonas Gutzat
Taper is all about feeling. It is about feeling the water and understanding where your body is in the water. People often are confused because they think that they are supposed to feel good the second they start tapering. This is a huge misconception that often leads to over-worrying, because you often do not feel good until it is race time. This is totally normal.
The important thing to remember is to find your place in the water. Get a feel for the water under your finger tips and between your toes. Pay extra attention to each movement you’re making and how the water feels while you are doing so. This will allow you to relax. Relaxing and trusting yourself is the most important thing when it comes to conquering the taper blues.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.