Tapering towards high performance

Tapering towards high performance

All athletes train to compete. More importantly, they train to win at every opportunity. Why else would they dedicate hours of training each day simply to qualify or play second fiddle to someone else?

Whether the athletes’ season consists of one competition or several, it is imperative that they deliver their best performances at the highest levels and emerge victorious. One way coaches and support staff can help ensure athletes are physically and mentally prepared is by implementing a ‘taper phase’, something that has not always been taken seriously due to ignorance or lack of knowledge. One of the major aspects of performance is the combination of tapering and recovery for peak performance at the right time.

A taper is a period in an athlete’s periodised programme during which intensity, volume, and frequency are adjusted to stimulate performance gains. During a taper period, the goal should be to maintain high levels of game adaptation while minimising fatigue as competition approaches.

The average improvement for a trained athlete who is given appropriate tapering is zero to six per cent, depending on the sport and skill. Elite athletes, being closer to their ‘performance ceiling’, tend to experience slightly smaller percentage improvements (ranging from half a per cent to three per cent).The tapering phase of a periodised programme should begin two to three weeks before competition. Here are a few key essentials to consider when developing a competition taper:

Volume refers to the amount of work done (sets, reps, distance, time, etc.). An expert on recovery and performance, Inigo Mujika, suggests a 40 to 60 per cent reduction in volume over two to three weeks. It is important to note that there should be an accumulation of volume throughout the training plan to allow for meaningful reductions. Failing to accumulate sufficient volume can result in decreased performance when tapering by the suggested 40-60 per cent. If you reduce volume too much from an already low volume of work, the training stimulus may be insufficient.

Intensity refers to the percentage of effort in relation to themaximum rep. Over the course of a training cycle, intensity should gradually increase until the taper period. Maintaining stable intensity while reducing volume during the taper can help achieve the goal of minimising fatigue while preserving and enhancing strength and power.

Frequency denotes how many training sessions an athlete performs within a set timeframe. During a competition-tapering phase, frequency, like intensity, should remain relatively consistent, provided the athlete can manage it (with a maximum reduction of 15-20 per cent if necessary). For example, elite athletes often undertake 10 or more training sessions per week, while others may train six or more sessions weekly. Reducing frequency by a couple of sessions may be more suitable for elite athletes than for those already training at lower frequencies.

Training age refers to the accumulation of training time over an athlete’s career and is also considered a component in this tapering equation. It does not mean that athletes with low training ages are necessarily young athletes.

The fundamental idea is that greater training age generally produces better athletes compared to those with lower training ages. Here, chronological age is irrelevant.

A useful analogy is to compare two identical hypercars: one operating at 90-100 per cent capacity and the other at 40-50 per cent capacity. The car with higher work capacity places greater stress on its components than the lower-capacity car, resulting in significantly different performance. The higher-capacity car also requires more maintenance, recovery, and fuel to sustain its performance. The same principle applies when comparing elite athletes to novice athletes.

Athletes in their 20s who have trained for only a few months have a lower training age than a 19-year-old who has been training consistently for two to three years, despite being older chronologically. Athletes with lower training ages are more likely to be further from their genetic potential.

Each athlete responds differently to volume, intensity, and frequency adjustments. While the general guidelines are suitable for most athletes, outliers may require tailored modifications to their tapering plans. Coaches must adjust these components based on individual needs.When is an athlete best positioned to achieve peak performance? If tapering begins too early, the athlete may peak prematurely, leading to a decline in performance. Conversely, if tapering begins too late, the athlete may still be fatigued, which can negatively impact performance.

Coaches and athletes should carefully determine the optimal timing for tapering, taking into account volume, frequency, and intensity, to ensure peak performance at the right time. Since every athlete is unique, it is essential for both coach and athlete to identify the combination that works best for them.

Published on Feb 10, 2025