To taper, or not to taper
It's May which means the 9+ months of training and racing are coming to a head. Championship regattas, and regional qualifying races are here, and I've been thinking about a topic that seems to come up each year.
Tapering.
Until I went to Oklahoma City and the US Rowing Convention, and listened as coaches passionately debated the catch - before the pin, through the pin, etc. - I thought no subject got coaches up on their feet quite like the word, "taper."
So what is tapering? In my experience, tapering comes at the end of a "push sequence," or "Supercomp." These are a week to two weeks of higher intensity practices at or above race pace/anaerobic threshold limits designed to completely tax the crews in prep for championships. They are usually the peak of your training cycle as you gear down to the big important races. These are very difficult pieces, typically short, with double the rest time of activity.
An example of a "Supercomp" practice: 12x500 @ RP+ w/ 4' rest.
So what's the taper? The taper is the last 3-5 days including or not including (depending on whom you speak with) the rest or off days. They are lighter practices, stretching the muscles and the body, and allowing the athletes to "actively" rest - resting while still accomplishing some work.
A taper workout might be: 2x30' - 3' @ 50%, 1:30' @ 75%, 30 s @ 100%.
You're still doing work - not sitting on your rear - but the workload is light allowing for quick recovery.
Fairly straightforward correct?
It does depend on whom you talk with. I've heard many coaches discuss the taper, something that I've been told is more difficult to get right than the entire training season. Taper too short, and you risk your athletes not being fully recovered in time for the races. Taper too long, and like an overly sharpened knife, you start to lose your edge. More issues with tapering involve whether or not you've stuck with some form of cycle training in the season. Did you allow your athletes time to recovery during the season, or have your created what is termed, "recovery deficit" where rather than 48-72 hours, your athletes need 96 hours or more to fully recover from the season?
It's a difficult balance. Some coaches stand by the taper or the idea behind the taper. And I've talked to coaches who refuse to taper because of it's difficulty. I wish I could remember who I heard this from or where I first heard this, but the quote I remember most about tapering is, "Tapering is the best thing in the world. Unfortunately, no one has any idea how to do it correctly." I'm paraphrasing here because I don't recall the exact quote, but what I'm understanding is that as beneficial as tapering or a planned taper might be, execution is luck at best, and after 9+ months of training for certain races, why would you tempt fate?
Do I taper? Yes and no.
My training runs in cycles depending on how long the spring season is. I start the plan in the fall and try and have three cycles of varying lengths. I usually put the earlier races aside, and use them as a training day, and lineup experimentation - I believe you can't replicate actual race situations or scenarios so why not use the real thing - and, provided we don't fall flat on our face, I don't place a lot of stock in the results. My training usually increases in intensity as we move closer to the bigger races - conference championships, regionals - and I pay more attention to the cycle that we're on. I usually try and plan at least 48 hours of little activity and 24 hours of no activity going into the races, but as for a formal taper, that's not something I see myself using.
This again is based on my experiences having gone through a few taper sequences, and having worked with coaches who don't use the taper at all. I don've have a strong opinion for or against tapering. I think more than anything, timing your rest and recovery is more important to focus on than cutting down workouts, or intensities. I'm also keenly aware that some times the crew maturity may not be that of an athlete who understand how to deal with a proper taper. Keeping the athletes hydrated, eating enough and eating right, and staying out of the sun, and taking advantage of down time - especially in college - are my primary concerns beyond simply executing a proper taper.
Addendum
Right after I posted this, I got my copy of "Rowing" in the mail and it happened to feature a small blurb about why we choose to taper by Volker Nolte.
His article mentioned two important features of tapering that I failed to bring up.
The first is the importance of the up coming race. I typically don't taper during the season until championships are around the corner. I build in rest periods, but rarely will I taper going into a regatta unless it's the crux of our season.
The second, and possibly more crucial, is the mental aspect of a proper taper. Nolte mentions the importance of keeping the mind sharp as an effect of a proper taper. Your body might be ready, but unless you're mentally ready for the races ahead, you're not going to achieve the level of success desired.
Reading this, I now recall my first introduction into tapering. I was working at Pacific Rowing Club, and we were prepping for Youth Nationals with our lightweight 8. With 2.5 weeks left to go, we started our Supercomp which carried on for 8 or 9 days including one rest day. We began tapering with roughly 5-6 days left before our heat in Cincy. We gradually reduced the workload while still maintaining intensity, and then increased the length of practice, but dropped the workload substantially. With three days left till we flew out, we eased off even more, and by the time the boat was in Cincy, the athletes were ready to explode from the energy build up. We put in a couple solid days of work to adjust to the time change and humidity, and then the boys went out and won their heat, and finished 3rd in Grands. Perfect or proper taper? I'm not sure, but that is the example I've used with my tapers.
One final thought
One final thing on my opinion of tapering. Having now worked on both end of the spectrum - highly motivated athletes willing to do whatever the coaches ask vs. unmotivated athletes - I believe that as a coach, you must be careful in how you discuss your Supercomp and taper with your athletes.
The last two years, I worked with athletes who seemed to believe that a Supercomp would be a "cure-all" where I as the coach, could unleash some magical workouts and that they would make up for months of inactivity or low motivation. I've experienced this before, when crews feel that a Supercomp/taper will make them from an also ran to a medal contending crew.
This of course is absolutely not the case, and it can be difficult to get the athletes to understand that there isn't a "magical" number or type of practice that we can run that will make up for a less than spectacular work ethic throughout the year. They hear what a Supercomp is supposed to do - help build the Vo2 Max, push the lactic levels - and ignore what it can't do.
My rules of thumb when deciding to run Supercomp and taper are this: What is there to be gained from executing a Supercomp? Are we even at a physical fitness point that a Supercomp/taper will be effective?
If Boat A has been beating a crew by 2-3 seconds every race this year, and my boat is in solid shape, then I feel that this could be useful. If boat A has been doing horizon jobs on us all year, and the boat simply isn't there in terms of fitness, a Supercomp/taper, in my opinion, will simply run down the boat to a point where they won't be able to recover in time to have a respectable time in their heat. My reasoning behind that is because the less fit you are, the longer it will take you to recover, and moreover, the less fit you are, the less helpful high intensity pieces will be - as fitness goes, the technique typically goes resulting in a lot of bad rowing where the chances of an injury or equipment damage increases exponentially.
I'm rambling here, but that's my take on tapering - I realize that I mentioned Supercomps as much as tapers, but I believe those run hand in hand - and ultimately it's up to you the coach to know your crew, know your schedule and to execute a proper taper.
Tapering.
Until I went to Oklahoma City and the US Rowing Convention, and listened as coaches passionately debated the catch - before the pin, through the pin, etc. - I thought no subject got coaches up on their feet quite like the word, "taper."
So what is tapering? In my experience, tapering comes at the end of a "push sequence," or "Supercomp." These are a week to two weeks of higher intensity practices at or above race pace/anaerobic threshold limits designed to completely tax the crews in prep for championships. They are usually the peak of your training cycle as you gear down to the big important races. These are very difficult pieces, typically short, with double the rest time of activity.
An example of a "Supercomp" practice: 12x500 @ RP+ w/ 4' rest.
So what's the taper? The taper is the last 3-5 days including or not including (depending on whom you speak with) the rest or off days. They are lighter practices, stretching the muscles and the body, and allowing the athletes to "actively" rest - resting while still accomplishing some work.
A taper workout might be: 2x30' - 3' @ 50%, 1:30' @ 75%, 30 s @ 100%.
You're still doing work - not sitting on your rear - but the workload is light allowing for quick recovery.
Fairly straightforward correct?
It does depend on whom you talk with. I've heard many coaches discuss the taper, something that I've been told is more difficult to get right than the entire training season. Taper too short, and you risk your athletes not being fully recovered in time for the races. Taper too long, and like an overly sharpened knife, you start to lose your edge. More issues with tapering involve whether or not you've stuck with some form of cycle training in the season. Did you allow your athletes time to recovery during the season, or have your created what is termed, "recovery deficit" where rather than 48-72 hours, your athletes need 96 hours or more to fully recover from the season?
It's a difficult balance. Some coaches stand by the taper or the idea behind the taper. And I've talked to coaches who refuse to taper because of it's difficulty. I wish I could remember who I heard this from or where I first heard this, but the quote I remember most about tapering is, "Tapering is the best thing in the world. Unfortunately, no one has any idea how to do it correctly." I'm paraphrasing here because I don't recall the exact quote, but what I'm understanding is that as beneficial as tapering or a planned taper might be, execution is luck at best, and after 9+ months of training for certain races, why would you tempt fate?
Do I taper? Yes and no.
My training runs in cycles depending on how long the spring season is. I start the plan in the fall and try and have three cycles of varying lengths. I usually put the earlier races aside, and use them as a training day, and lineup experimentation - I believe you can't replicate actual race situations or scenarios so why not use the real thing - and, provided we don't fall flat on our face, I don't place a lot of stock in the results. My training usually increases in intensity as we move closer to the bigger races - conference championships, regionals - and I pay more attention to the cycle that we're on. I usually try and plan at least 48 hours of little activity and 24 hours of no activity going into the races, but as for a formal taper, that's not something I see myself using.
This again is based on my experiences having gone through a few taper sequences, and having worked with coaches who don't use the taper at all. I don've have a strong opinion for or against tapering. I think more than anything, timing your rest and recovery is more important to focus on than cutting down workouts, or intensities. I'm also keenly aware that some times the crew maturity may not be that of an athlete who understand how to deal with a proper taper. Keeping the athletes hydrated, eating enough and eating right, and staying out of the sun, and taking advantage of down time - especially in college - are my primary concerns beyond simply executing a proper taper.
Addendum
Right after I posted this, I got my copy of "Rowing" in the mail and it happened to feature a small blurb about why we choose to taper by Volker Nolte.
His article mentioned two important features of tapering that I failed to bring up.
The first is the importance of the up coming race. I typically don't taper during the season until championships are around the corner. I build in rest periods, but rarely will I taper going into a regatta unless it's the crux of our season.
The second, and possibly more crucial, is the mental aspect of a proper taper. Nolte mentions the importance of keeping the mind sharp as an effect of a proper taper. Your body might be ready, but unless you're mentally ready for the races ahead, you're not going to achieve the level of success desired.
Reading this, I now recall my first introduction into tapering. I was working at Pacific Rowing Club, and we were prepping for Youth Nationals with our lightweight 8. With 2.5 weeks left to go, we started our Supercomp which carried on for 8 or 9 days including one rest day. We began tapering with roughly 5-6 days left before our heat in Cincy. We gradually reduced the workload while still maintaining intensity, and then increased the length of practice, but dropped the workload substantially. With three days left till we flew out, we eased off even more, and by the time the boat was in Cincy, the athletes were ready to explode from the energy build up. We put in a couple solid days of work to adjust to the time change and humidity, and then the boys went out and won their heat, and finished 3rd in Grands. Perfect or proper taper? I'm not sure, but that is the example I've used with my tapers.
One final thought
One final thing on my opinion of tapering. Having now worked on both end of the spectrum - highly motivated athletes willing to do whatever the coaches ask vs. unmotivated athletes - I believe that as a coach, you must be careful in how you discuss your Supercomp and taper with your athletes.
The last two years, I worked with athletes who seemed to believe that a Supercomp would be a "cure-all" where I as the coach, could unleash some magical workouts and that they would make up for months of inactivity or low motivation. I've experienced this before, when crews feel that a Supercomp/taper will make them from an also ran to a medal contending crew.
This of course is absolutely not the case, and it can be difficult to get the athletes to understand that there isn't a "magical" number or type of practice that we can run that will make up for a less than spectacular work ethic throughout the year. They hear what a Supercomp is supposed to do - help build the Vo2 Max, push the lactic levels - and ignore what it can't do.
My rules of thumb when deciding to run Supercomp and taper are this: What is there to be gained from executing a Supercomp? Are we even at a physical fitness point that a Supercomp/taper will be effective?
If Boat A has been beating a crew by 2-3 seconds every race this year, and my boat is in solid shape, then I feel that this could be useful. If boat A has been doing horizon jobs on us all year, and the boat simply isn't there in terms of fitness, a Supercomp/taper, in my opinion, will simply run down the boat to a point where they won't be able to recover in time to have a respectable time in their heat. My reasoning behind that is because the less fit you are, the longer it will take you to recover, and moreover, the less fit you are, the less helpful high intensity pieces will be - as fitness goes, the technique typically goes resulting in a lot of bad rowing where the chances of an injury or equipment damage increases exponentially.
I'm rambling here, but that's my take on tapering - I realize that I mentioned Supercomps as much as tapers, but I believe those run hand in hand - and ultimately it's up to you the coach to know your crew, know your schedule and to execute a proper taper.
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