The "Taper"

The “Taper”

by Coach John Douglass
Co-Head Coach
BD/USM Swimming and Diving


In competitive swimming the end of the season is generally referred to as “taper time”. This isn’t really rocket science but there are physical changes that occur in a swimmer to ensure a swimmers peak performance.

During the season a swimmer works very hard to build up a tolerance to a certain workload level. Initially the body rebels against this extra workload, and sends the brain messages demonstrating its displeasure through stiff and sore muscles, and increased fatigue. After the body maintains that workload long enough however, the body thinks that workload is normal and is no longer rebelling against it. This adjustment takes place approximately 3-4 times per season as the workload changes. The workload gradually increases to a point where the swimmer can swim whatever distance is required in either practice or a meet. Since this workload is now the norm, the athlete now can train harder and faster than before, without the physical discomfort previously experienced.

The “Taper” comes in at the end of the season when the athlete is approaching his/her most important competitions. When the athlete needs his/her best performances of the season, the coach can lessen the athletes’ workload, leaving the body with extra energy and strength for that more important performance. The body was used to working very hard, and all of a sudden it doesn’t have to anymore, therefore the extra energy is available for that “big race”.

During this “taper” period, the athlete may seem a little more excitable and may experience an inability to sleep, simply due to the leftover energy in his/her body. This energy needs to be conserved for competition as it doesn’t last for more than a few days. It is important that the athlete’s diet is commensurate with their energy output, simply meaning with a lesser workload the athlete needs a lesser diet. Therefore, if the athlete has been on a 3000 calorie per day diet throughout the season, they should cut that caloric intake to about 2000 calories per day. Part of the reason for this dietary change is that the body is no longer processing the calories as rapidly as it did just a few days prior, therefore some of these calories are being stored less efficiently than before, and that may have a bearing on how all the energy in the body is used when that “big race” comes.

The last point, but possibly the most important aspect of the taper period, is rest. As difficult as it may seem the athlete should do nothing physical during these days. By physical I mean nothing that will tax the muscles in a different way than they are used to being taxed. Examples of potential taper-damaging activities are; snow shoveling, lawn mowing, wrestling with siblings, skating of any sort, and almost any type of physical labor. Equally as important as the physical rest is emotional rest. Emotional highs and lows should be avoided as much as possible as those types of changes take an extraordinary amount of energy.

I hope this helps you understand what coaches mean by a “taper” period in swimming. Parental assistance in this rest period can be instrumental in helping our athletes understand our sport and why intelligent decisions are important for the human body. If you have any further questions regarding this or anything else, please don’t hesitate to call.

Thank you for all you do,


Coach Douglass
(414) 540--3235 --- school
(414) 354-5441-----home
(414) 630-3250-----cell
jdouglass@usmk12.org

Coach VanLieshout
(414) 354-9514---home