A Guide to Swimming Tapering

In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks and tips on swimming tapering, which is a period of training, rest and preparation to help a swimmer compete at their optimum at a major championship.

Planning the swimming tapering

The swimming tapering process is unique to the individual swimmer. Therefore, it’s important that before commencing with the swimming taper, both the swimmer and the coach formulate an individual swimming tapering plan.

The general principals of swimming tapering

Balancing training volumes and intensity versus rest and recovery

The key to successful swimming tapering is establishing the correct balance, between its two main requirements, training volumes and intensity, and rest and recovery.

1. Training too hard will hinder the swimmer’s recovery. While not training hard enough could have an effect on the swimmer’s fitness.
2. Not resting enough to allow the swimmer’s body to recover sufficiently from the rigours of training, against resting for too long which can start to have an affect the swimmer’s fitness.

Length of taper

A swimming taper should last from between 1 to 4 weeks. Some swimmers adjust the length of their taper according to the level of the championship. For example, they may have a two-week taper for a county championship, a three-week taper for a regional/state championship and a four-week taper for a national championship.

Training frequency

During the swimming tapering process, swimmers should maintain their usual training frequency, as this will help them maintain their feel for the water.

Decrease training volume and intensity

A key part of the swimming tapering process is to gradually reduce the training volume and intensity. Swimmers should still perform high-intensity sets, but these need to have fewer reps and longer rest intervals.

Listed below are some tips and suggestions for reducing swimming volumes for different types of swimmers.

Distance swimmers with a training volume of 5000m per week. They may plan to reduce their volume by 12% per week over a 4-week swimming tapering period. Swimmers should still perform distance training, with some speed endurance work. Any sprint work should stop during the last week of the taper.

A middle-distance swimmer specialising in 200m events, with a training volume of 4000m per week. They may plan to gradually reduce their volume by 15% per week over a 3-week swimming tapering period. Swimmers should still perform volume training, with some speed endurance work. Any sprint work should stop during the last week of the taper.

A sprint swimmer with a low training volume may plan to gradually reduce their volume by 20% per week over a 3-week swimming tapering period. Sprinters should still perform high-intensity sets, but these need to have fewer reps and at least double their usual rest intervals. Sprinting at maximum intensity and speed should stop during the last week of the taper.

Trust the taper

Swimmers react to swimming tapering differently. Some find it an easy process and enjoy the feeling of gaining extra strength and power as the tapering process begins to work.

However, some inexperienced swimmers can feel uncomfortable and nervous in the lead up to a major championship.

• To combat this nervousness and anxiety some swimmers practice swimming self-talk.
• Swimming self-talk is a psychological self-motivational technique used by many of the world’s top swimmers.
• They use it to help them cope in tough and pressurised situations.
• Swimming self-talk helps to build their confidence, by replacing any negative thoughts with positive ones.
• This enables them to focus on their performance, in a more controlled and determined manner.

Related article on the benefits of swimming self-talk

We have produced a related article on the benefits of swimming self-talk. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming self-talk.

Swimmers should take comfort in the fact that swimming tapering works. Most swimmers who undertake tapering show an improvement in their competitive performance.

Therefore, during the swimming tapering process, swimmers should resist the urge to train harder. This will undermine the purpose of the swimming taper, which requires the swimmer to balance their training with the appropriate rest and recovery.

Maintaining technique

During the swimming taper process, swimmers should focus on fine-tuning their technique. It’s certainly not the time to change a swimmer’s technique or try something new. At major competitions, a swimmer needs to focus on their race and not focus on a new technique.

Starts turns and finishes

Reducing the training volume during the swimming taper allows the swimmer to fine-tune their starts, turns and finishes.

Swimming race tactics

The swimming tapering process should be the opportunity to fine-tune a swimmer’s race tactics. It’s also a great opportunity for the swimmer to swim in their competition suit, goggles and cap, especially if they are new. A major competition is not the place to find out that a swimmer’s new goggles leak!

Related article on swimming race tactics

We have produced a related article on swimming race tactics. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming race tactics.

Monitoring the swimming tapering process

As the swimming tapering process is unique to the individual swimmer, it may take an inexperienced swimmer a few tapers to get it right. Therefore, both the swimmer and the coach should record the training sessions during the swimming tapering process.

This information should be stored in a swimmer’s swimming log. This information can be so important when evaluating the effectiveness of the tapering process and can be crucial when used to plan future tapers.

Related article on setting the benefits of keeping a swimming log

We have produced a related article on the benefits of keeping a swimming log. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming log

Dryland/Land training

During the swimming tapering process swimmers should still maintain their dryland/land training sessions. However, swimmers should gradually reduce their weight exercises by between 15%-20% per week. They should also shift the focus to bodyweight and stretching exercises.

Invisible training

Invisible swimming training is a series of disciplines to help ensure that swimmers receive the correct levels of nutrition and hydration, in combination with rest, recovery, relaxation and sleep. This is especially important during the swimming tapering process.

Related article on the benefits of invisible swimming training

We have produced a related article on the benefits of invisible swimming training. Which you can view by clicking this link: invisible swimming training.

Related articles on swimming nutrition and swimming hydration

We have produced related articles, on swimming nutrition and swimming hydration. Which you can view by clicking these links: swimming nutrition | swimming hydration.

Practice swimming visualisation

Visualisation are mental imagery, mental rehearsal and meditation techniques. These are used by most of the world’s top swimmers, to condition their brain to help them become faster, this is especially important during the swimming tapering process.

Related article on the benefits of swimming visualisation

We have produced a related article on the benefits of swimming visualisation. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming visualisation.

Takeaways

The swimming tapering process is unique to the individual swimmer. Therefore, it’s important that before commencing with the swimming taper, both the swimmer and the coach formulate an individual swimming tapering plan.

The key to successful swimming tapering is establishing the correct balance, between its two main requirements, training volumes and intensity, and rest and recovery.

It may take an inexperienced swimmer a few tapers to get it right. Therefore, both the swimmer and the coach should record the training sessions during the swimming tapering process.

This information should be stored in a swimmer’s swimming log. This information can be so important when evaluating the effectiveness of the tapering process. It can be crucial when used to plan future tapers.

Swimming resource library

We have provided a swimming resource library, containing links to all of our publications and blog articles. To access any article simply click on the attached page link: Swimming resource library