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Tapering

Training Plan
Training Program
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Most endurance athletes accept that tapering before a competition is

beneficial, but few understand why.

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A trial was conducted back in the 1990's by a group of Canadian researchers

[1]
at the McMaster University in Ontario (Shepley et al. 1992) . The trial was
conducted for a one week period, with a group of experienced endurance
athletes who all run approximately 50 miles a week in training. The athletes
were split into 3 groups, with each group working a different training program
for the week. At the end of the week, the performance improvement for each
group was checked. The results were as follows:

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Group

Training program

% reduction
in
training load

%
improvement

No training

100%

0%

18 miles (easy running)

64%

6%

6 miles (500 metre sessions

at max effort)

88%

22%

As it can be seen from the table, group 3 achieved the best improvement in
their performance (22%). In addition group 3 enjoyed four advantages over
the other groups

More glycogen in the leg muscles

Increased density of red blood cells
Increased blood plasma
Increased enzyme activity in their leg muscles

Similar tests have also concluded that as well as achieving the above
advantages there is also an improvement in the neural system. The result is
that the athlete has an improved ability of a better rested nervous system to
control and co-ordinate better rested muscles at faster running speeds. These
are all very desirable in an athlete's preparation for a major competition.

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5K Run Training
Weight Training
Whattodo
If your total mileage is less than 50 miles a week and your event is less than
one hour then:

taper for 7 to 10 days

reduce the total mileage by 80%
training intensities high interval sessions (90% VO2 max)
reduce frequency of training by 20%

If your total mileage is greater than 50 miles a week and your event is greater
than one hour, then taper for 14 to 20 days otherwise use the same strategy.

Taperingintraining
If tapering in this way can have this effect on your performance then perhaps
you should consider including tapering weeks in your season's training
programs. With all my athletes, I use a four week cycle, where the fourth
week is an active rest and test week. In this fourth week the training load is
reduced by 70%, 2 or 3 tests at max effort are performed and light sessions
are included between tests. The tests are used to monitor progress made in
the proceeding three weeks of training and the results are considered in the
planning of the next 4 week cycle.
The following are examples of taper programs:
5k taper program
10k taper program

References
1. SHEPLEY, J.D. et al. (1992) Physiological effects of tapering in highly
trained athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 72 (2), p. 706-711

RelatedReferences
The following references provide additional information on this topic:
ZARAS, N. et al. (2014) Effects of tapering with light vs. Heavy loads on
track and field throwing performance. Journal of strength and
conditioning research/National Strength & Conditioning Association
SPILSBURY, K. L. et al. (2014) Tapering strategies in elite British
endurance runners. European journal of sport science, p. 1-7

 Toubekis, A. G. et al. (2013) Competitive Performance, Training Load

and
Physiological
Responses
During
Tapering
in
Young
Swimmers. Journal of human kinetics, 38, p. 125-134.

PageReference
If you quote information from this page in your work then the reference for
this page is:
MACKENZIE, B. (2000) Tapering [WWW] Available from:
https://www.brianmac.co.uk/tapering.htm [Accessed 22/10/2016]

RelatedPages
The following Sports Coach pages provide additional information on this topic:

Articles on Planning
Planning the Training
Tapering for Competition
Training Programmes
Personal Exercise Plan
Sports Massage

AdditionalSourcesofInformation
For further information on this topic see the following:
BEASHEL, P. and TAYLOR, J. (1996) Advanced Studies in Physical
Education and Sport. UK: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd.
BEASHEL, P. and TAYLOR, J. (1997) The World of Sport Examined. UK:
Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd.
BIZLEY, K. (1994) Examining Physical Education. Oxford; Heinemann
Educational Publishers
DAVIS, B. et al. (2000) Physical Education and the Study of Sport. UK:
Harcourt Publishers Ltd.
GALLIGAN, F. et al. (2000) Advanced PE for Edexcel. Oxford;
Heinemann Educational Publishers
McARDLE, W. et al. (2000) Essentials of Exercise Physiology. 2nd ed.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

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