Tapering and

Peaking
for Optimal
Performance

Iñigo Mujika, PhD

University of The Basque Country

Note: This e-book reproduces the text of the printed book, but it may not include
images, tables, or figures that have restrictions on electronic distribution.

Human Kinetics
 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mujika, Iñigo.
  Tapering and peaking for optimal performance / Iñigo Mujika.
    p.  cm.
  Includes bibliographical references and index.
  ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-7484-1 (soft cover)
  ISBN-10: 0-7360-7484-8 (soft cover)
  1.  Athletes--Training of.  2.  Physcial education and training.  3.
Sports--Physiological aspects.  4.  Sports--Psychological aspects.  I.
Title.
  GV711.5.M85  2009
  613.7'11--dc22
2008054200
ISBN-10: 0-7360-7484-8 (print) ISBN-10: 0-7360-8545-9 (Adobe PDF)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-7484-1 (print) ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-8545-8 (Adobe PDF)
Copyright © 2009 by Iñigo Mujika
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Selected text previously published by the author in Journal of Sports Sciences 27(3), pages 195-202; Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 28(2), pages 251-258, and 35(7), pages 1182-1187; Olympic Coach 18(4), pages 9-11;
and Sports Medicine 34(13), pages 891-927, is included with permission.
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Nire gurasoei—To my parents
This page intentionally left blank.
 foreword  vii
preface  ix
contents
acknowledgments  xiii

part I  Scientific Bases of Tapering 1

chapter 1 Basics of Tapering 3
Aims of the Taper  4  •  Tapering Models  7  • 
Studies  9  •  Chapter Summary  14

chapter 2 Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory

and Metabolic Changes 15
Cardiorespiratory Adaptations  15  •  Metabolic Adapta-
tions  27  •  Chapter Summary  33

chapter 3 Taper-Associated Biochemical,

Hormonal, Neuromuscular,
and Immunological Changes 35
Biochemical Adaptations  35  •  Hormonal Adapta-
tions  38  •  Neuromuscular Adaptations  45  • 
Immunological Responses  52  •  Chapter Summary  55

chapter 4 Taper-Associated Psychological Changes 57

Mood State  57  •  Perception of Effort  62  •  Quality of
Sleep  64  •  Periodized Psychological Skills
Training  65  •  Chapter Summary  67

part II  Tapering and Athletic Performance 69

chapter 5 Reduction of the Training Load 71
Intensity  71  •  Volume  75  •  Frequency  78  • ­Duration
of the Taper  81  •  Environmental Factors and Taper-
ing  83  •  Chapter Summary  86

chapter 6 Designing the Taper

for Performance Improvements 89
Observed Performance Gains in Various Sports  89  •  Indi-
vidual Differences  95  •  Sex Effect  96  •  Meaningful-
ness of ­Taper-Induced Performance Gains  97  •  Chapter
­Summary  98 

chapter 7 Insights From Mathematical Modeling 99

Applying Systems Theory to Tapering Research  99  •
Fatigue and Adaptation Model  100  •  Variable
Dose–Response Model  103  •  Computer Simula-
tions  107  •  Chapter Summary  110

v
vi contents

chapter 8 Unique Aspects of Team Sport Tapering 113

Why So Little Research on Tapering and Peaking in Team
Sport?  113  •  Single and Multiple Peaking  114  •  Tapering
and Peaking for the Regular Season  115  •  Tapering and Peak-
ing for a Major Tournament  116  •  Chapter Summary  119

part III  Elite Sports Figures on Tapering

and Peaking 121
chapter 9 Tapering for Individual Endurance Sports 123
Bob Bowman
Tapering World Champion Swimmers  123
Martin Fiz
Triumphing in Eight Elite Marathons  130
Luc Van Lierde
Becoming a World Champion Triathlete  135

chapter 10 Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 139

Mike McFarlane
Tapering to Win International Sprint Events  139
Jason Queally
Training for World-Class Sprint Cycling  142
Shannon Rollason
Breaking Records in Sprint Swimming  146
Vladimir Vatkin
Peaking for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics  151
Gary Winckler
Producing Extraordinary Sprint Runners  155

chapter 11 Tapering for Precision Sports 161

Simon Fairweather
Journeying to Olympic Gold in Archery  161
José María Olazabal
Fine-Tuning for Peak Performance in Golf  166

chapter 12 Tapering for Team Sports 169

Ric Charlesworth
Achieving Gold in Women’s Field Hockey  169
Derik Coetzee, Yusuf Hassan, and Clint Readhead
Winning the World Cup in Rugby  174
Greg McFadden
Peaking for World Championships Silver in Women’s Water Polo  179
Dragan Matutinovic
Securing Silver in Olympic Men’s Water Polo  186

glossary  189
references  195
index  203
about the author  210
 foreword

High level performance may seem easy to fans of sport; athletes and coaches know that,
in fact, it is very difficult to achieve. Furthermore, maintaining high level performance
over a full season, several years, or a complete sport career is next to impossible.
Winning five Tour de France titles in consecutive years is an achievement in which
I take great pride. Obviously, I was fortunate to have a body to perform at such a high
level, and the mental toughness to train and practice to maximize that physical poten-
tial. But I also benefited from the research and knowledge of others as to how best to
prepare for major competitions.
Now even better and more extensive training information is available to athletes.
Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance is one of the finest examples of this. Author
Iñigo Mujika, one of the world’s top experts on how to taper workouts prior to events
to get the very best results in competition, presents the most recent research-based
information on the topic in a way that can be understood and used by students, coaches,
and athletes, not just scientists.
Prior to each Tour, I scaled back my training just the right amount to ensure that my
body and my mind would be fresh and ready to go at the start of the first stage. Getting
an edge in the time trials required great speed and power. Keeping the yellow jersey
meant having sufficient endurance to maintain or extend that lead in the mountains.
Effective tapering allowed me to do both.
You’ll find similar stories from world champion athletes and coaches in Tapering
and Peaking for Optimal Performance. As a group we provide pretty convincing anecdotal
evidence that what Dr. Mujika prescribes works, not just in the lab but in the most
demanding sport competitions. I recommend that you read and use this book to achieve
the results you’re seeking.

Miguel Indurain
Winner Tour de France 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Winner Giro D’Italia 1992, 1993
Individual Time Trial World Champion 1995
Individual Time Trial Olympic Champion 1996

vii
This page intentionally left blank.
 preface

The taper that immediately precedes a major competition is without doubt one of the
most important phases of the training season. The temporal proximity between the
taper and competition makes the former a key performance-determining factor within
a training plan. A well-designed taper will allow an athlete to display, when it really
counts, all the physiological, psychological, and performance adaptations that he or she
has accumulated through many months of hard training; a successful taper can even
further enhance those adaptations. Conversely, an inadequate tapering plan can make
all previous training useless, seriously jeopardizing an athlete’s possibilities of competi-
tive success.

How This Book Can Help You

Most athletes, coaches, and sport scientists are aware of the key role of the taper in the
preparation for competition, but few are certain about the most suitable tapering strate-
gies for their individual needs. In fact, this is usually the training element about which
coaches feel most insecure: When should the taper start? How much should the train-
ing load be reduced? Which is the most efficient tapering method? Will the athletes
detrain instead of peaking their performance? Because there are no simple answers
to these questions, the taper has often been planned and designed following trial and
error. As a consequence, a range of tapering strategies are used by athletes and their
support teams with a view to optimizing sport performance, although it is clear that the
most efficient methods to prepare athletes for elite-level competition are those based
on proven scientific principles.
This book compiles for the first time the available body of scientific data on tapering; its
physiological and psychological effects; how these effects relate to athletic performance;
and the experience-based practical knowledge of some of the world’s most successful
athletes and coaches.
A unique feature of this book is that we have designed it to address the concerns of
scientists and scholars, elite athletes and coaches, and all those athletes and coaches in
between who want to improve their performance. We have done this by providing a
scientific text in parts I and II as the basis for the information. But to that highly technical
text, we have added several special elements to enable those who are not interested in
the scientific details to understand the basis and conclusions of the technical informa-
tion. These include

• informational special elements that explain concepts;

• a glossary that defines terms in nonscientific language;
• At a Glance special elements that periodically summarize the scientific text,
again in language that should be clear to any athlete or coach of any level who
is interested in gaining a competitive advantage through increasing athletic per-
formance; and
• a thorough index that includes page numbers not only for general concepts but
for every term that is defined in the glossary.

Parts I and II of the book describe relevant scientific investigations in a great deal of
detail, both in the text and in figures and tables, and all the studies that are mentioned
are fully referenced, so the academic reader will not be disappointed. However, the
book also contains many features to make it fully accessible to nonscientists, such as a

ix
x preface

glossary and explanatory At a Glance elements. These elements

use nontechnical vocabulary to summarize and interpret the
scientific material and include advice on how to apply the sci-
entific conclusions to the art of coaching- and training-program
design to achieve optimal performance with the taper. More-
over, part III is written entirely by elite athletes and coaches and
narrates their personal experiences with tapering, including in
many instances their training programs and tips that they have
found to be particularly important for their own performance or
coaching. These narratives do not use technical jargon and are accessible to any who
are interested in how to use the taper in their own training and competition.

What You Will Learn From This Book

Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance is divided into three major parts, in which
scientific, performance, and practical issues are analyzed in depth.
Part I, Scientific Bases of Tapering, contains four chapters that explain what tapering
is and the physiological and psychological changes that it brings about. Chapter 1 defines
the concept of tapering and describes its aims using data from the scientific literature.
These data suggest that a successful taper should allow athletes not only to recover their
full physiological and performance potential but also to enhance this potential. Chapter
1 also describes the different tapering models and designs that are used by coaches and
athletes throughout the world. Chapter 2 deals with some of the physiological changes
associated with the taper. It presents a comprehensive compilation of cardiac, respiratory,
and metabolic effects of the taper. Chapter 3 completes the overview of physiological
changes that take place during the taper, by analyzing biochemical, hormonal, muscular,
and immunological changes that have been reported in relation to tapering programs.
Chapter 4 describes how a taper can affect the psychological state of athletes in the
lead-up to competition. The chapter also presents psychological training tips for athletes
involved in a tapering phase. The description of physiological and psychological changes
associated with the taper establishes a framework for sport scientists, students, coaches,
and athletes to better understand the performance implications of a tapering program.
Part II, Tapering and Athletic Performance, includes four chapters devoted to the
performance implications of the taper. Chapter 5 describes how reducing the different
training variables (i.e., intensity, volume, and frequency) and varying the duration of
the taper may affect athletic performance. The impact of environmental factors such as
jet lag, heat, and altitude on tapering design is also discussed. In chapter 6, observed per-
formance gains associated with the taper in various sports are described, and these gains
are put into perspective by relating them to competition outcomes. Chapter 7 provides
a detailed description of the knowledge gained from mathematical models relating to
taper design. The chapter also discusses the possibilities for further insight into tapering
strategies through computer simulations based on mathematical modeling, as well as
limitations to this approach. Chapter 8 deals with the unique aspects of tapering and
peaking for team sports, summarizing the scientific knowledge on tapering for a regular
season or for a major tournament such as the Olympic Games. The information included
in part II is key for designing the most effective taper plan for a particular athlete or team
in a specific situation, setting realistic performance goals for competition, and avoiding
negative outcomes that could be associated with a deficient taper program.
Part III, Elite Sports Figures on Tapering and Peaking, contains four chapters dealing
with practical aspects of tapering. All four chapters gather ideas, anecdotal evidence,
and detailed training information provided by successful coaches and athletes from
around the world on their tapering programs in the lead-up to major sporting achieve-
ments. Chapter 9 compiles practical examples from coaches and athletes involved in
endurance sports with different modes of locomotion (swimming, running, triathlon).
preface xi

Chapter 10 presents similar information relating to speed and power events, including
sprint swimming, sprint cycling, sprint running, and gymnastics. Chapter 11 provides
information pertaining to precision sports like archery and golf. Chapter 12 deals with
team sports, presenting the ideas and programs of successful coaches in field hockey,
men’s and women’s water polo, and rugby. The information included in part III adds
practical value to parts I and II. I expect that part III will be particularly appreciated by
coaches, athletes, and students.
The purpose of this book is to summarize the scientific evidence and experience-based
anecdotal knowledge on the physiological, psychological, and performance consequences
of various tapering strategies, with the aim of helping athletes, coaches, and sport sci-
entists face this important time of the season with increased security and confidence.
Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance does not intend to answer all questions
regarding the taper, but I hope that the information presented will be of interest to the
readers and will contribute to their knowledge and their ability to apply this knowledge
in a practical athletic setting.
This page intentionally left blank.
 acknowledgments

In writing this book, I have been fortunate to interact with a lot of colleagues and
friends, sport physiologists, coaches, and athletes, whose help I gratefully acknowl-
edge. I am particularly indebted to the athletes and coaches who contributed their
time, knowledge, and experience to complete part III of the book. I am sure it is these
contributions that make this book special. The following people were instrumental in
making contact with some of the contributors to part III: Unai Castells, Xabier De la
Fuente, Jackie Fairweather, Warwick Forbes, Andrew “Scott” Gardner, Sergio Gómez,
Peter Hespel, Bojan Matutinovic, Timothy Noakes, and Cathy Sellers.
Thanks are also due to Pruden Indurain for his help in getting the forward organized;
and of course, to the great cycling champion, Miguel Indurain, for doing me the great
honor of writing it. Thanks to Jesús Flores, Daniel Márquez, and Darío Rodríguez of
Finisher Triatlón magazine for their permission to use the part opener photographs; and
to triathletes Hektor Llanos, Eneko Llanos, and Ainhoa Murua for allowing me to use
their image in those photographs, and for the great privilege and amazing experience
that working with them all these years has been for me.
I would also like to thank Human Kinetics for their interest in Tapering and Peaking for
Optimal Performance when it was nothing but a project and for all their support to make
the project come true. Editorial advice from John Dickinson, Elaine Mustain, and Melissa
Zavala has been particularly helpful throughout the preparation of the book.
Finally, I would like to warmly thank Sara for her help, care, understanding, patience,
and support throughout the long process of writing this book.
Parts of this book first appeared in the form of scientific articles, which have been
compiled, updated, and adapted.

xiii
This page intentionally left blank.
 part I

Scientific Bases
of Tapering

HEKTOR LLANOS emerges

from the ocean at the head of
the pack at the 2007 Lanzarote
Ironman in the Canary Islands,
Spain. Llanos placed 7th in a field
of more than 1,000, despite a derail-
leur malfunction that resulted in several
stops and ultimately forced him to ride
the majority of the 180 km bike leg of the
triathlon in only one gear. Llanos’ coach is Iñigo
Mujika.
uez
Márq
Daniel

1
2 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Because the taper is the final phase of training prior to a major competition, it is of
paramount importance to an athlete’s performance and the outcome of the event.
However, there is no training phase during which coaches are more insecure about
the most suitable training strategies for each athlete, and they have often relied almost
exclusively on a trial-and-error approach. Although this approach has resulted in many
innovative training strategies in the past, it also presents two major limitations, namely
the ample possibility of error inherent in this hit-or-miss technique, and the impreci-
sion of a “shotgun approach” by which several training-related factors are simultane-
ously changed in an attempt to obtain the ideal training program. But in case of success,
it becomes almost impossible to identify the real reason behind that success (Hawley
and Burke 1988). A more scientific approach to planning a tapering program, based on
our knowledge about the most important factors behind effective tapering strategies
and athlete adaptations, should improve the success of individual programs. The four
chapters included in part I of this book present

• a thorough description of the scientific knowledge about tapering strategies and

models used by sport scientists, coaches, and athletes around the world;
• the physiological and psychological effects that the taper usually has on an ath-
lete; and
• how these effects relate to tapering-induced changes in competition perfor-
mance.

Readers of part I will gain a solid understanding of what tapering is and how it affects
the athlete’s body and mind. With this knowledge, readers will be able to design the
most efficient taper programs for optimal performance.
 chapter 1
Basics of Tapering

Athletes, coaches, and sport scientists around the world are increasingly pushing the
limits of human adaptation and training loads with the aim of achieving top ­performances
at major sport competitions. In many competitive events, these top performances are
associated with a marked reduction in the athletes’ training load during several days
prior to the competition. This segment of reduced training is generally known as the
taper (Mujika and Padilla 2003a).
Understanding what tapering is and what it implies in terms of training strategy and
training contents is the initial step toward improving the quality of the tapering programs
designed by coaches and performed by athletes. Defining the taper is therefore a good
starting point in this journey to optimal performance.
In the past few decades, the taper has been defined in various ways by researchers
and practitioners working with athletes in different parts of the world. Here is a chrono-
logical sample:

• A decrease in work level that the competitive swimmer undergoes during practice
in order to rest and prepare for a good performance (Yamamoto et al. 1988)
• A specialized exercise training technique that has been designed to reverse
training-induced fatigue without a loss of the training adaptations (Neary et al.
1992)
• An incremental reduction in training volume for 7 to 21 days prior to a champion­
ship race (Houmard and Johns 1994)
• A progressive, nonlinear reduction of the training load during a variable amount
of time that is intended to reduce the physiological and psychological stress of
daily training and optimize sport performance (Mujika and Padilla 2000)
• A segment of time when the amounts of training load are reduced before a com-
petition in an attempt to peak performance at a target time (Thomas and Busso
2005)
• A time of reduced training volume and increased intensity that occurs prior to a
competition (McNeely and Sandler 2007)

A few key points emerge from a close look at these definitions, including the necessity
to decrease the training load, the idea of allowing an athlete to rest so that accumulated
fatigue can be reduced, the “shape” and the duration of reduced training, and the final
goal of any taper program, which is of course to enhance an athlete’s performance in a

3
4 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

given competition. These concepts are important because they have major implications
for an efficient design of tapering strategies.
Newly available scientific knowledge indicates that a taper is—or should be—a time of
reduced training load in the lead-up to a major competition; the load should be reduced
progressively, mainly at the expense of training volume and for a variable segment of
time that depends on individual profiles of adaptation. The taper is intended to reduce
accumulated physiological and psychological fatigue, enhance training adaptations, and
optimize sport performance.

AT A Glance Planning a Taper

Key points to consider when planning a taper are these:

• Reduction of the training load

• Management of fatigue and physiological adaptations
• Type of taper (i.e., taper mode)
• Taper duration
• Performance goals

The most up-to-date scientific and practical knowledge about these key points is dis-
cussed in depth in various chapters of this book. Indeed, when research-based, widely
accepted scientific training principles are combined with the experience-based practical
knowledge of successful coaches and athletes, sport-specific training recommendations
for success often emerge (Hawley and Burke 1988).

Aims of the Taper

The previously cited definitions of the taper indicate that the main aim of this training
phase is to reduce the negative physiological and psychological impact of daily train-
ing. In other words, a taper should
eliminate accumulated or residual
fatigue, which translates into addi-
tional fitness gains. To test this
Positive influence assumption, Mujika and colleagues
(PI) (1996a) analyzed the responses to
three taper segments in a group of
national- and international-level
Performance

swimmers by means of a math-

ematical model, which computed
fatigue and fitness indicators from
the combined effects of a negative
Negative influence and a positive function represent-
(NI) ing, respectively, the negative and
positive influence of training on
performance (figure 1.1). As can
be observed in figure 1.1, NI (neg-
Time ative influence) represents the ini-
Training
bout tial decay in performance taking
place after a training bout and PI
Figure 1.1  Schematic representation of the negative (positive influence) a subsequent
influence (NI) and the positive influence (PI) of training
phase of supercompensation.
on performance after a training
E4493/Mujika/fig bout.
1.1/330387/KE/R3-alw The mathematical model indi-
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, T. Busso, L. Lacoste, et al., 1996,
“Modeled responses to training and taper in competitive swimmers,” cated that performance gains
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 254. during the tapering segments
Basics of Tapering 5

were mainly related to marked 100

reductions in the negative
99
influence of training, coupled
with slight increases in the 98

Positive influence (PI)

positive influence of training 97
(figure 1.2). The investigators
suggested that athletes should 96
have achieved most or all of the 95
expected physiological adapta-
tions by the time they start 94
tapering, eliciting improved 93
performance levels as soon as
accumulated fatigue fades away 92
E.S. Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
and ­performance-enhancing a Taper 1 Taper 2 Taper 3
adaptations become apparent.
The conclusions of Mujika E4493/Mujika/fig 1.2a/330388/KE/R2-alw
and colleagues (1996a), drawn 3.5
from real training and compe-
tition data from elite athletes 3.0
but attained by mathematical
Negative influence (NI)

procedures, were supported 2.5

by several biological and psy-
chological findings extracted 2.0
from the scientific literature **
on tapering. For instance, in 1.5
*
a subsequent study on com-
petitive swimmers, Mujika and 1.0
colleagues (1996d) reported a
significant correlation between 0.5
E.S. Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
the percentage change in the b Taper 1 Taper 2 Taper 3
testosterone–cortisol ratio and
the percentage performance E4493/Mujika/fig 1.2b/330389/KE/R2-alw
improvement during a 4-week 100
** **
taper (figure 1.3). Plasma con-
centrations of androgens and cor- 98
tisol have been used in the past
(% of personal record)
Actual performance

as indexes of anabolic and cata- 96

bolic tissue activities, respec-
tively (Adlercreutz et al. 1986). 94
Given that the balance between
anabolic and catabolic hormones 92
may have important implica-
tions for recovery processes 90
after intense training bouts, the
testosterone–cortisol ratio has 88
E.S. Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
been proposed and used as a c Taper 1 Taper 2 Taper 3
marker of training stress (Adler-
creutz et al. 1986, Kuoppasalmi Figure 1.2  Early season (E.S.), pretaper, and posttaper
E4493/Mujika/fig 1.2c/330390/KE/R2-alw
and Adlercreutz 1985). Accord- means (± SE) of (a) positive influence of training on perfor-
ingly, the observed increase in mance (PI), (b) negative influence of training on performance
the testosterone–cortisol ratio (NI), and (c) actual performance. Significant differences were
during the taper would indicate found between pretaper (*p < .01) and posttaper (**p < .01)
values. NI and PI are expressed in the same unit as that used
enhanced recovery and elimi-
for performance.
nation of accumulated fatigue.
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, T. Busso, L. Lacoste, et al., 1996,
This would be the case regard- “Modeled responses to training and taper in competitive swimmers,” Medicine
less of whether the increase in & Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 257.
6 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

6 the testosterone–cortisol ratio was

the result of a decreased cortisol
concentration (Bonifazi et al.
5
2000, Mujika et al. 1996c) or an
∆ Performance during taper (%) increased testosterone concentra-
4 tion subsequent to an enhanced
pituitary response to the preced-
ing time of intensive training
3 (Busso et al. 1992, Mujika et al.
1996d, Mujika et al. 2002a).
2
Other biological indexes of
reduced training stress and
increased recovery have been
1 reported in the literature as a
r = 0.81
P < 0.05 result of tapering segments.
N=8 Different research groups have
0
-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
shown increments in red cell
∆ TT/C ratio during taper (%)
volume, hemoglobin levels,
and hematocrit as a result of
Figure 1.3  Relationship between the percentage the taper (Shepley et al. 1992,
improvement in swimming performance and the percent- Yamamoto et al. 1988), and
age changes in the total testosterone–cortisol ratio (TT:C) these hematological indexes
during 4 weeks of E4493/Mujika/fig
tapering in a 1.3/330391/KE/R1
group of elite swimmers. have been shown to be related
With kind permission from Springer Science + Business Media: European with taper-induced performance
Journal of Applied Physiology, “Hormonal responses to training and its
tapering off in competitive swimmers: Relationships with performance,”
improvements (Mujika et al.
vol. 74, 1996, p. 364, I. Mujika, J.C. Chatard, S. Padilla, et al., figure 3 1997). In line with these results,
(top panel). serum haptoglobin has been
shown to increase significantly
during the taper (Mujika et al. 2002a). Haptoglobin is a glycoprotein that binds free
hemoglobin released into the circulation to conserve body iron. Because of a rapid
removal of the haptoglobin–hemoglobin complex from the blood by the liver, its levels
are often below normal in highly trained endurance athletes, suggesting a chronic
hemolytic condition (Selby and Eichner 1986) that would be reversed during the taper.
Increased reticulocyte counts have also been observed at the end of tapering segments
in middle-distance runners (Mujika et al. 2000, Mujika et al. 2002a). Taken as a whole,
the results indicate that tapering segments in trained subjects are associated with a
positive balance between erythropoiesis and hemolysis in response to the reduced train-
ing stress (Mujika and Padilla 2003a).

Androgens and Testosterone

Androgens are natural or synthetic compounds that stimulate or control the growth,
development, and maintenance of male sex characteristics. Testosterone is the pre-
dominant testicular androgen or male sex hormone, essential for spermatogenesis
as well as for growth, maintenance, and development of reproductive organs and
secondary sexual characteristics of males.

Among other biological markers, blood levels of creatine kinase have also been
used as an index of training-induced physiological stress. Creatine kinase con-
centration in the blood usually decreases in highly trained athletes as a result of
the reduced training load that characterizes the tapering segments (Millard et al.
1985, Yamamoto et al. 1988). These and other biological changes associated with
the taper are discussed in chapter 3.
 Basics of Tapering 7

Tapering phases are often associated with performance-enhancing psychological

changes such as reduced perception of effort, reduced global mood disturbance, reduced
perception of fatigue, and increased vigor (Hooper et al. 1999, Morgan et al. 1987, Raglin
et al. 1996). The taper has also been associated with an improvement in the quality of
sleep in competitive swimmers (Taylor et al. 1997). These psychological changes, fur-
ther analyzed in chapter 4, can be interpreted as indexes of enhanced recovery from
the daily training stress.
It has been proposed that the changes associated with the taper are the result of both
a restoration of previously impaired physiological capacities and an enhanced capac-
ity to tolerate training and respond effectively to the training undertaken during the
taper (Mujika et al. 2004). In a theoretical study of taper characteristics to optimize
performance, Thomas and Busso (2005) examined the training factors that could affect
taper efficiency using simulations from a nonlinear mathematical model of the training
effects on performance (see also chapter 7). Training responses were simulated from data
obtained in a group of subjects involved in a laboratory training program. Thomas and
Busso (2005) concluded that simply reducing accumulated or residual fatigue, without
simultaneously enhancing adaptations through the training performed during the taper,
could be insufficient to reach the best possible performance by the end of the taper.
Therefore, adjustment of a taper program should correspond to the optimal compromise
between the reduction of fatigue and the continuation, not just the preservation, of
positive training adaptations (Thomas and Busso 2005).
Certain hormonal, hematological, biochemical, and psychological markers indicate
reduced stress. These are as follows:
• Hormonal: Increased testosterone, decreased cortisol, and increased testosterone–
cortisol ratio
• Hematological: Increased red cell volume, increased hematocrit, increased
hemoglobin, increased haptoglobin, and increased reticulocytes
• Biochemical: Decreased blood creatine kinase
• Psychological: Decreased perception of effort, decreased mood disturbance,
decreased perception of fatigue, increased vigor, and improved quality of sleep

Aims of the Taper AT A Glance

The performance enhancement that usually takes place with the taper is related to
recovery of physiological capacities that were impaired by past training and to restora-
tion of the tolerance to training, resulting in further adaptations during the taper (Mujika
et al. 2004, Thomas and Busso 2005). Or, to put it another way, the key objectives for
an effective taper are to
• maximally reduce accumulated physiological and psychological stress of daily
training and
• restore training tolerance and further enhance training-induced adaptations.

Tapering Models
The term taper is now well known by all those who prepare elite athletes for competi-
tion, and it is widely used throughout the world in reference to the final training phase
leading up to a major race or competition event. But is everyone who speaks of taper-
ing talking about the same training concept? The scientific literature indicates they are
not. Houmard (1991) clearly differentiated between the concepts of reduced training and
tapering. This author indicated that reduced training occurs when training duration,
frequency, intensity, or some combination of these elements is reduced by a constant
degree. During tapering, on the other hand, these variables are decreased in a system-
atic, progressive fashion (figure 1.4).
 8 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Reduced training Taper

100 10000
Total distance Total distance
Intervals Intervals
Training distance (km/week)

Training distance (km/week)

80 8000

60 6000

40 4000

20 2000

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 Normal 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
a Normal training (weeks) Reduced training (weeks) b training Days of taper

Figure 1.4  Examples of (a) reduced training and (b) tapering regimens.
E4493/Mujika/fig
Reprinted, by permission, 1.4a/330392/KE/R2-alw
from J.A. Houmard, E4493/Mujika/fig
1991, “Impact of reduced training on performance in endurance athletes,”1.4b/330393/KE/R2-alw
Sports Medicine 12: 381.

100
Lin
90 ea
rt
ap
er
Exp

80
o
ne

70
nti
% of normal training

al
Normal training

tap

60
er

lo
(s

50 w
de
ca
y)
40

30 Ex
Step taper po
(i.e., reduced training) nen
20 ti al ta
per (fa
st decay)
10

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Days of taper

Figure 1.5  The different types of tapers: linear taper, exponential taper with slow or fast time
constant of decay of the training load, and step taper (also referred to as reduced training).
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika and S. Padilla, 2003, “Scientific bases for precompetition tapering strategies,”
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 35: 1182-1187.
E4493/Mujika/fig 1.5/330394/KE/R2-alw

Four training designs or tapering models have been described and used in the past in
an attempt to optimize sport performance. These are shown in figure 1.5.
The training load during the taper is usually reduced in a progressive manner, as implied
by the term taper. This reduction can be carried out either linearly or exponentially. As
shown in figure 1.5, a linear taper usually implies a higher total training load than an
exponential taper. In addition, an exponential taper can have either a slow or a fast time
constant of decay, the training load being usually higher in the slow decay taper. Non-
progressive standardized reductions of the training load have also been used (figure 1.5).
This reduced training procedure, which often maintains but may even improve many of
the physiological and performance adaptations gained with training (Mujika and Padilla
2003a), is also referred to as step taper (Banister et al. 1999, Mujika 1998, Zarkadas et al.
1995).
 Basics of Tapering 9

Tapering Models AT A Glance

It is clear that planning a taper implicitly requires reducing the training load. The follow-
ing three models are most commonly used to achieve this reduction:
• Linear taper: the training load is reduced in a systematic, linear fashion
• Exponential taper: the training load is reduced in a systematic, exponential
fashion, either slowly (slow decay) or suddenly (fast decay)
• Step taper: the training load is suddenly reduced by a constant amount

Studies
Sport scientists have made solid efforts to investigate the efficacy of the different taper-
ing models. The most relevant findings eliciting from those efforts are described in this
section.

Observational Studies
Some coaches and athletes may have used step tapers to prepare for competition in the
past. However, very few studies that have used step tapers in well-trained athletes have
been reported in the literature. Martin and colleagues (1994) studied the effects of a
2-week step taper, combining a reduction in training intensity, volume, and frequency,
on cycling performance and isokinetic leg strength in a group of well-trained cyclists.
These authors found that peak improvements in cycling performance occurred after
the first week of taper (8%), whereas improvements in the quadriceps muscle strength
(8-9%) peaked at the end of the taper. Houmard et al. (1990a), on the other hand,
observed that a 3-week step taper maintained, but did not improve, endurance training
adaptations and 5K racing performance in distance runners.
Despite the popularity of both the progressive and nonprogressive approaches to
tapering, only one intervention research has compared the performance consequences
of these approaches in highly trained athletes. Such an investigation was performed on
a group of highly trained triathletes (Banister et al. 1999, Zarkadas et al. 1995). After 1
month of intensive training, the participating triathletes were asked to perform either a
10-day taper in which the training load was reduced exponentially or a step taper of the
same duration. The exponential taper brought about a 4.0% improvement in an all-out
5K criterion run and a 5.4% increase in peak power output measured in a ramp cycling
test to exhaustion. In contrast, the step taper produced nonsignificant improvements of
1.2% and 1.5%, respectively.
After six additional weeks of intensive training, subjects were asked to perform a 13-day
exponential taper, in which the time constant of decay in training volume was either fast
( = 4 days) or slow ( = 8 days). The fast exponential taper resulted in 6.3% and 7.9%
improvements in the previously mentioned criterion performance measures, whereas
improvements with the slow exponential taper were 2.4% and 3.8%. The authors con-
cluded that an exponential taper was a better strategy to enhance performance than a
step taper and that the fast-decay protocol (i.e., low-volume taper) was more beneficial to
performance than the slow-decay protocol (Banister et al. 1999, Zarkadas et al. 1995).

Results of Observational Studies AT A Glance

Progressive tapering techniques (in which the training load decreases in a stepwise
manner) seem to have a more pronounced positive impact on performance than step
taper strategies (in which the training load is suddenly reduced by a fixed amount),
although step tapers can also improve performance.
10 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 1.1 Effect of the Tapering Pattern on Overall Effect Size for Taper-Induced
Changes in Performance
Overall effect size, mean
Pattern of the taper (95% confidence interval)  n    p
Step taper 0.42 (–0.11, 0.95)   98 .12

Progressive taper 0.30 (0.16, 0.45) 380 .0001

Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance:
A meta-analysis,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

Meta-Analysis
In a recent meta-analysis investigation to evaluate the effects of tapering on performance,
Bosquet and colleagues (2007) indicated that the way in which the training load is
decreased can influence the outcome of a taper, whether it is a single stepwise reduction
or a progressive exponential reduction with a fast or eventually a slow decay. According
to the reported data, in competitive athletes, maximal gains are obtained with a tapering
intervention in which the training volume is exponentially decreased (table 1.1).
Because the pattern of training reduction is not always precisely detailed in the stud-
ies included in their meta-analysis, Bosquet and colleagues (2007) gathered linear and
exponential tapers together into one single pattern called a progressive taper. The results
shown in table 1.1 agree thoroughly with the results of Banister and colleagues (1999),
as described earlier, who measured higher performance improvements after a progres-
sive taper when compared with a step taper. Similarly, in their study on competitive
swimmers, Yamamoto and colleagues (1988) concluded that the observed taper-induced
positive physiological changes could be attained in about 7 days of taper, as long as the
mean workout distance decreased progressively.

What Is a Meta-Analysis?
A meta-analysis is a statistical procedure that combines the results of previous
studies that deal with a set of related research questions. This technique intends
to address the limitations of reduced statistical power in studies with small sample
sizes. When the results of several studies are pooled together and analyzed
descriptively and inferentially, more accurate data analysis is possible and certain
hypotheses can be tested.

However, the choice of a given tapering pattern based on the results of Bosquet and
colleagues (2007) is complicated by the fact that the majority of available studies used a
progressive decrease in training load, resulting in a difference in the number of subjects
in the meta-analysis (n = 98 for step tapers and n = 380 for progressive tapers). Indeed,
lower statistical power makes step taper performance gains nonsignificant, even though
the overall effect is bigger than that of progressive taper. These authors concluded that
future investigations should test the predictions of this meta-analysis with similar subject
numbers per tapering pattern.
Another interesting feature of the meta-analysis study by Bosquet and colleagues
(2007) is their attempt to identify ideal tapering patterns for different modes of loco-
motion. Available data allowed these investigators to describe the influence of the
tapering pattern in swimming, running, and cycling. As shown in table 1.2, swimmers
and runners obtained better performance outcomes when they performed progressive
tapers, but mean effect size was bigger with step tapers for cyclists. However, these
results should be interpreted with caution, because they arise from small and unequal
athlete samples.
Basics of Tapering 11

Table 1.2 Effect of the Tapering Pattern on Overall Effect Size for Taper-Induced
Changes in Swimming, Running, and Cycling Performance
Swimming
Pattern of the taper Mean (95% confidence interval)  n
Step taper 0.10 (–0.65, 0.85)   14
Progressive taper 0.27 (0.08, 0.45)* 235
Running
Pattern of the taper Mean (95% confidence interval)  n
Step taper –0.09 (–0.56, 0.38)   36
Progressive taper 0.46 (0.13, 0.80)*   74
Cycling
Pattern of the taper Mean (95% confidence interval)  n
Step taper 2.16 (–0.15, 4.47)   25
Progressive taper 0.28 (–0.10, 0.66) +
  55
*p < .01. p < .10.
+

Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance:
A meta-analysis,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

Bosquet and colleagues (2007) also pointed out that strategies other than simple
step, linear, and progressive tapers are being tried by athletes in different sports. One
of these alternative strategies consists of an advanced reduction in the training load,
followed by a subsequent increase in the lead-up to competition. The rationale behind
this tapering design is that the athlete takes advantage of reduced fatigue levels to
enhance training tolerance and respond effectively to the training undertaken during
the taper, as suggested in the previous section. The relevance of an increase in training
load at the end of the taper is corroborated anecdotally by the progressive improvement
in performance often observed in an athlete from the first round of a competition to
the final. Even though experimental data are not available regarding the suitability
of this tapering mode in highly trained athletes, a recent simulation based on math-
ematical modeling suggests that this may be a suitable alternative to classic tapering
designs (see also chapter 7).

Meta-Analysis Results AT A Glance

According to a recent meta-analysis (Bosquet et al. 2007), maximal performance gains
can be expected when the training volume is reduced progressively, particularly in swim-
ming and running, but step tapers may be suitable to enhance cycling performance.
Alternative strategies such as initially reducing and then increasing the training load at
the end of the taper could also be beneficial to performance, but this possibility needs
to be experimentally tested.

Other Studies
The purpose of the study by Thomas and colleagues (in press) was to use a nonlinear
mathematical model to determine whether a two-phase taper is more effective than a
simple progressive taper. Reponses to training were simulated from the model param-
eters previously determined in competitive swimmers (Thomas et al. 2008). For each
participant, the optimal progressive taper after a simulated 28-day overload training
12 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

120 segment was compared with

OT
a two-phase taper of the same
duration and the same reduc-
100
NT tion in training load, except
for the last 3 days. In the final
3 days, the training load varied
Training load (% NT)
80
in a linear manner to elicit the
*, † best possible individual per-
60 formance. As the authors had
hypothesized, the highest per-
formance was achieved after a
40
moderate increase in the train-
ing load during the last 3 days of
20 the taper. The optimal variation
in the training load during the
final 3 days of the two-phase
0 taper was an increase from
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Weeks of taper
35% ± 32% to 49% ± 46% of
normal training in the swim-
Figure 1.6  Changes in the training load during the mers (figure 1.6).
normal training segment (NT), the
E4493/Mujika/fig overload training seg-
1.6/330397/KE/R1 Interestingly, for one of the
ment (OT), and the optimal two-phase taper in a group of
swimmers, the optimal train-
elite swimmers. Values are mean ± SE and are expressed
in percentage of NT values. *Significantly greater than the
ing load continued to decrease
final value of the first phase of the two-phase taper (p < during the last 3 days of the
.05); †significantly greater than the final value of the optimal two-phase taper but decreased
linear taper (p < .05). less quickly than during the
first phase and during the linear
taper. This observation is a clear indication that not all athletes respond in the same
manner to the training undertaken during the taper, which emphasizes the necessity to
individualize the tapering strategies in accord with each athlete’s adaptation profile.
During the optimal linear taper, the swimmers’ simulated performance increased from
the end of the 4-week overload segment by 4.0% ± 2.6%. The maximal performance
reached with the optimal two-phase taper was slightly better by 0.01% ± 0.01% than
with the optimal linear taper (figure 1.7). This slight difference was explained by a bigger
gain in the positive influence of training during the two-phase taper than during the
linear taper, given that the negative influence of training (i.e., accumulated or residual
fatigue) was removed completely in each participant at the end of both tapers.
The major finding of the model study by Thomas and colleagues (in press) is that
a moderate increase in training during the last 3 days of the taper does not appear to
be detrimental to competition performance. A benefit of a two-phase taper could be
expected in comparison with a simple linear taper because of additional adaptations that
did not compromise the removal of fatigue. These findings should also be considered
when preparing for competitions consisting of multiple rounds over several days, given
that the successive qualifying rounds should increase the training load in the lead-up
to the final (Thomas et al. in press).
Another example of an alternative tapering design was reported by Mujika and col-
leagues (2002b). In an observational investigation on the final preparation of swimmers
before the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, these authors provided a graphical representa-
tion of a typical 16-week training cycle prior to the Olympic Games for a member of the
Australian Olympic swimming team, consisting of approximately 800 km of swimming
(mean 55 km/week; range 40-80 km/week). During the 3-week taper that preceded
the Olympic Games, the training volume was reduced systematically from about 10 km
to 2 km of swimming per day (figure 1.8a). However, a close look at the daily training
volume during the taper (figure 1.8b) shows a saw tapering pattern, alternating between
high-volume and low-volume training days.
 104

103

102
Performance (% NT)

101
NT
100
OT Optimal two-phase taper
99 Optimal linear taper

98
103.55

97

96
0 1 2 3 4 103.5

Performance
a Weeks of taper

E4493/Mujika/fig 1.7a/330398/KE/R1 103.45

Figure 1.7  Changes in performance during the normal training segment
(NT), the overload training segment (OT), and the optimal taper in an elite
swimmer. The end of the taper segment was enlarged on the right graph to
distinguish the difference in performance between the optimal linear and two- 103.4
phase tapers. Performance was expressed as a percentage of its level during 26 27 28 29 30
normal training (%NT). b Days of taper

E4493/Mujika/fig 1.7b/330399/KE/R1

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
material can be found in its original source. From I. Mujika, S. material can be found in its original source. From J.A. Houmard,
Padilla, and D. Pyne, 2002, “Swimming performance changes B.K. Scott, C.L. Justice, et al., 1994, “The Effects of taper on
during the final 3 weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 performance in distance runners,” Medicine & Science in Sports
Olympic Games,” International Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 583. & Exercise 26(5): 624-631.
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne, Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne,
2002, “Swimming performance changes during the final 3 weeks of 2002, “Swimming performance changes during the final 3 weeks of
training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” International training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” International
Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 583. Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 583.

Figure 1.8  (a) Weekly training volume (in kilometers) for a typical Australian swimmer in the 16-week preparation for the
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. (b) Daily training volume (in kilometers) for a typical Australian swimmer in the 18 days prior
to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

13
14 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Results of Other Studies

A moderate increase in the training load in the days before competition may be
beneficial for some, but because not all athletes respond equally to the training
undertaken during the taper, tapering strategies must be individualized.

AT A Glance Summary of Research Results

Research indicates that progressive tapering techniques seem to have a higher positive
impact on performance than do step tapering designs. Investigators should examine
whether these differences are related to differing total training load and whether different
tapering models are better suited for particular sports and individual athletes. In addition,
the suitability of alternative, less well known tapering designs to optimize competition
performance should be experimentally analyzed and, if proven to be effective, tried by
coaches and athletes in different athletic settings.

Chapter Summary
Preparation for a major competition usually finishes with a segment of reduced train-
ing known as a taper. When planning a taper, coaches and athletes should consider by
how much they need to reduce the training load, for how long, and in what manner
(progressively or suddenly) to eliminate accumulated fatigue but continue adaptation
to training. Performance gains during the taper are mostly the result of decreasing
accumulated fatigue, but research also suggests that further performance-enhancing
adaptations can be achieved during the taper.
Performance-enhancing adaptations include a positive hormonal environment (e.g.,
more testosterone and less cortisol), more red blood cells (i.e., improved oxygen-carrying
capacity), less muscle damage, and a better psychological preparedness to face training
and competition.
Research suggests that the most efficient way to reduce the training load is to do so
progressively, in a gradual manner, rather than suddenly and by a fixed amount. How-
ever, the latter technique may also have a beneficial effect on performance, particularly
in cycling. Recent theories suggest that progressively reducing the training load and then
increasing it in the final days before competition, when the athletes are well rested and
thus can carry out quality training, may also be an efficient tapering approach.
It is likely that an ideal tapering model does not exist and that coaches and athletes
should adopt different taper designs to suit each athlete’s individual adaptation profile.
 chapter 2
Taper-Associated
Cardiorespiratory
and Metabolic Changes

As discussed in chapter 1, in the hopes of improving athletic performance in competition,

sport scientists have done a fair amount of research to design different tapering models,
describe their aims, and analyze their effects and suitability. Performance improvement
is the ultimate goal of an efficient taper, but for that gain to occur physiological changes
must take place in an athlete’s body.
Unfortunately, the physiological mechanisms underlying the observed performance
changes are not yet completely understood. With the exception of two reports by Mujika
and colleagues (Mujika 1998, Mujika et al. 2004), published reviews dealing with the
physiological changes associated with the taper in athletes date back to the late 1980s
and early 1990s (Houmard 1991, Houmard and Johns 1994, Neufer 1989). Nevertheless,
considerable efforts by various sport science groups in the past few years have shed light
on the physiological changes associated with the taper and the mechanisms responsible
for the observed improvements in performance. Some of the most relevant changes
that take place during the taper occur at the cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic levels,
allowing the athlete to provide the working muscles with more oxygen and fuels and to
use them more efficiently. The aim of this chapter is to compile and synthesize current
knowledge on tapering-induced cardiorespiratory and metabolic changes in athletes
and to assess the possible relationships between these changes and the performance
benefits of the taper.

Cardiorespiratory Adaptations
Given the role that the cardiovascular and respiratory systems play during exercise
training, they should respond to tapered training with considerable structural and
functional changes, despite the relatively short duration of the taper typically performed
by well-trained athletes. These changes and their potential effects on sports performance
are described next.

Maximal Oxygen Uptake

The most widely used. index of cardiovascular and respiratory fitness is the maximal
.
oxygen uptake or V  O2max. Research has shown that   O
V 2max can increase or remain
unchanged during tapering before competition in highly trained athletes. This is a
.
relevant finding, given that a decrease in   O
V 2max during the taper would most likely

15
16 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

.
What Is V
  O2max?
The use of energy fuels by the body depends on oxygen (O2) availability and
produces carbon dioxide (CO2) and water. The amount of O2 and CO2 used or
released by body tissues can be determined by measuring respiratory O2 and CO2.
By measuring the volume and gas concentrations of the inspired air going into the
lungs and the expired air coming out of the lungs, we can calculate the volume of
O2 consumed. The energy required . by the body increases with increasing
. exercise
intensity, and so does O2 uptake (V  O2). At a given exercise intensity,   O
V 2 does not
increase any further despite increasing exercise intensity,. indicating that. the subject
has reached his maximal ability to keep . increasing his   O
V 2. This peak   O V 2 value is
known as maximal oxygen uptake or   O V. 2max. Successful aerobic (i.e., endurance)
performance is associated .with a high   O
V 2max and with an athlete’s ability to sustain
a high percentage of her   O
V 2max for the duration of an endurance event.

indicate a poorly planned tapering strategy in endurance athletes. Many of the relevant
studies are described next, and they as well as additional studies are summarized in
table 2.1. .
Recent investigations have reported   O
V 2max enhancements of 6.0% in cyclists reduc-
ing their weekly training volume by 50% during 7 days. This change was concomitant
with a 5.4%. improvement in a simulated 20 km time trial. On the other hand, neither an
increase in   O
V 2max nor a simulated performance gain was observed in cyclists reducing
training volume by 30% or 80% during a 7-day taper (Neary et al. 2003a). The same
.
group also reported an increase in   OV 2max (2.5%) and simulated performance (4.3%)
in cyclists who maintained training intensity but reduced training volume. In contrast,
cyclists maintaining training volume but reducing intensity only showed statistically
.
nonsignificant improvements in   O V 2max (1.1%) and simulated performance (2.2%)
(Neary et al. 2003b). These results are in agreement with previous reports indicating
that training intensity is a key factor for the maintenance or enhancement of training-
induced adaptations and optimization of sports performance (Mujika and Padilla 2003a)
(see chapter 5).
In line with
. these results, Jeukendrup and colleagues (1992) reported a 4.5% increase
in cyclists’   O
V 2max at the end of 2 weeks of reduced training (i.e., step taper, consisting
of a nonprogressive standardized reduction in the training load), accompanied by a 10%
higher peak power output and 7.2% faster 8.5 km outdoor time trial. Well-trained tri-
.
athletes can increase   O
V 2max by 9.1% and criterion laboratory running (1.2-6.3%) and
cycling (1.5-7.9%) performances after 2 weeks of taper (Banister et al. 1999, Zarkadas et
.
al. 1995). Margaritis and colleagues (2003) recently observed 3% gains in both V   O2max
and simulated duathlon performance during a 14-day taper in .long-distance triathletes.
However, several investigators have observed unchanged   O V 2max values as a result
of a taper, but this did not preclude athletes from improving their performance (table
2.1). In a study with high school swimmers tapering for either 2 or 4 weeks, both
.
groups improved their swimming time trial performance by 4% to 8% but   O V 2max was
unchanged (D’Acquisto .et al. 1992). Shepley and colleagues (1992) reported similar
findings of unchanged   O V 2max values but enhanced treadmill performance in male
cross-country and .middle-distance runners, as did Houmard and colleagues (1994), who
observed a stable   O
V 2max but a 2.8% gain in a 5K treadmill time trial run and a 4.8%
longer time to exhaustion in a progressive run on the treadmill in tapered distance run-
.
ners. Harber and colleagues (2004) saw no changes in   O V 2max in runners tapering for 4
weeks, but they tended to improve 8 km performance by 1.1% nonetheless. In a study
of male cyclists who tapered by reducing their training frequency by 50% for 10 days,
 Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 17

.
Table 2.1  Effects of the Taper on Maximal Oxygen Uptake (V
  O2max)
Taper
duration, . Performance
Study (year) Athletes days V
  O2max Performance measure outcome, %

Van Handel et Swimmers 20 ↔ NR NR

al. (1988)

Houmard et al. Runners 21 ↔ 5K indoor race ↔

(1990a)

D’Acquisto et al. Swimmers 14-28 ↔ 100 m, 400 m time 4.0-8.0 impr

(1992) trial

Jeukendrup et Cyclists 14 ↑ 8.5 km outdoor time 7.2 impr

al. (1992) trial

Shepley et al. Runners  7 ↔ Treadmill time to 6-22 impr

(1992) exhaustion

McConell et al. Runners 28 ↔ 5K indoor race 1.2 decl

(1993)

Houmard et al. Runners  7 ↔ 5K treadmill time trial 2.8 impr

(1994)

Zarkadas et al. Triathletes 14 ↑ 5K field time trial run 1.2-6.3 impr

(1995) and Incremental maximal 1.5-7.9 impr
^Banister et al. test
(1999)

Rietjens et al. Cyclists 21 ↔ Incremental maximal ↔

(2001) test

Dressendorfer et Cyclists 10 ↑ slightly 20 km simulated time 1.2 impr

al. (2002a,b) trial

Margaritis et al. Triathletes 14 ↑ 30 km outdoor duath- 1.6-3.6 impr

(2003) lon

Neary et al. Cyclists  7 ↑ 20 km simulated time 5.4 impr

(2003a) trial

Neary et al. Cyclists  7 ↑ 40 km simulated time 2.2-4.3 impr

(2003b) trial

Harber et al. Runners 28 ↔ 8 km outdoor race 1.1 impr

(2004)

Coutts et al. Triathletes 14 ↔ 3 km run time trial 3.9 impr

(2007b)
decl = decline; impr = improvement; NR = not reported; ↑ indicates increased; ↔ indicates unchanged.
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, D. Pyne, et al., 2004, “Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper
in athletes,” Sports Medicine 34: 894.

.
Dressendorfer and colleagues (2002a, 2002b) observed small improvements in   O V 2max
(2.5%) and a simulated 20 km time trial (1.2%). Van Handel and colleagues (1988)
.
also reported stable   O
V 2max values (65.4 pretaper vs. 66.6 ml·kg–1·min–1, posttaper) in
college-aged swimmers (including Olympic medal winners) tapering for 20 days leading
up to the U.S. National Championships. Unfortunately, performance outcomes were not
.
reported in this investigation. Similarly, there were no improvements in   O
V 2max or peak
18 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

power output in a study in which trained cyclists underwent a step taper consisting of
either continuous training or intermittent training (Rietjens et al. 2001) or in runners
during a 3-week (Houmard et al. 1990a, 1990b) or 4-week step taper (McConell et al.
1993). .
Collectively, these studies show improved or stable   O
V 2max and performance gains after
a taper, particularly where training intensity has been maintained (see chapter 5).

Economy of Movement
The economy of movement is defined as the oxygen cost of exercise at a given submaximal
exercise intensity. Economy has been assessed before and after taper in runners,
swimmers, and cyclists. Results of economy studies have been disparate, with the
discrepancies probably related to factors such as differences in the training and tapering
programs and the caliber of the athletes.
Houmard and colleagues (1994) assessed the submaximal energy expenditure in a group
of 18 male and 6 female distance runners performing a progressive 7-day run or cycle
taper where total training volume was reduced by 85%. The authors reported a 7% (0.9
kcal/min) . decrease in calculated submaximal energy expenditure when participants ran
at 80%   O
V 2peak on a treadmill. This magnitude of improvement in running economy
was evident in seven of the eight subjects performing the run taper but not in those per-
forming the cycle taper (figure 2.1). The investigators suggested that an elevation in the
muscle’s mitochondrial capacity, along with neural, structural, and biomechanical factors,
could explain improvements in economy with the taper (Houmard et al. 1994). These
observations confirmed an earlier investigation by the same group that also described
a lower oxygen cost of running after a 3-week segment of reduced training (Houmard
et al. 1990a).
More recently, Harber and colleagues (2004) failed to observe any change in running
economy at 16 km/hr in university-level cross-country runners following a 4-week taper.
This difference may be related to the 25% training volume reduction during the taper,
because studies suggest that a 41-60% reduction in training volume is required for a
taper to achieve optimal results for most athletes (see chapter 5).
Improvements in economy of movement have also been reported in swimming, but
these gains appear to be inversely related to the caliber of the athletes. High school–
level male and female swimmers tapering for 2 or 4 weeks showed downward shifts in
.
their   O
V 2–velocity curves (i.e., economy) between 4.9% and 15.6% and between 8.5%
and 16.7%, respectively, at a range of different swimming velocities (D’Acquisto et al.
1992). The authors suggested that changes in economy were dependent on reductions
in training volume and, like Houmard and colleagues (1994), speculated that the taper
had a beneficial effect on biomechanics, allowing the swimmers to develop better stroke
mechanics (D’Acquisto et al. 1992). Johns and colleagues (1992) also reported declines of
5% to 8% in the oxygen cost of swimming after 10 or 14 days of taper in inter­collegiate
swimmers. In contrast, Van Handel and colleagues (1988) failed to observe any tapering-
induced changes in the economy curves of swimmers of much higher caliber, who were
described as considerably more economical than less skilled swimmers.
In cycling, Dressendorfer and colleagues (2002a) failed to observe a marked improve-
ment in economy at a power output of 200 W in male cyclists tapering for 10 days,
when values were compared with the previous two training phases characterized by
high volume and high intensity, respectively. Nevertheless, the oxygen cost of cycling at
that power output remained lower after the taper (2.82 L/min) than at baseline (2.95 L/
.
min). Houmard and colleagues (1989) reported unchanged submaximal   O V 2max after a
10-day taper in runners. Rietjens and colleagues (2001) did not observe any changes in
either the oxygen cost of cycling at 165 or 270 W in cyclists before and after a 3-week
step taper, nor did McConell and colleagues (1993) after a 4-week step taper in runners
.
at 65%, 85%, or 95%   O V 2max.
 Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 19

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material
can be found in its original source. From I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne, can be found in its original source. From I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne,
2002, “Swimming performance changes during the final 3 weeks of train- 2002, “Swimming performance changes during the final 3 weeks of train-
ing leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” International Journal ing leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” International Journal
of Sports Medicine 23: 583. of Sports Medicine 23: 583.
J.A. Houmard, B.K. Scott, C.L. Justice, et al., 1994, “The Effects of taper J.A. Houmard, B.K. Scott, C.L. Justice, et al., 1994, “The Effects of taper
on performance in distance runners,” Medicine & Science in Sports & on performance in distance runners,” Medicine & Science in Sports &
Exercise 26(5): 624-631. Exercise 26(5): 624-631.

Figure
. 2.1  (a) Absolute oxygen consumption and (b) calculated energy expenditure during the submaximal treadmill runs (80%
  O
V 2peak) before (white) and after (gray) the 7-day experimental taper segments in each group. *Significantly different (p < .05)
from pre.

Muscle Oxygenation 200

T50

Neary and colleagues (2005) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 AR PR

0
used near-infrared spectroscopy Distance (km)
(NIRS) to examine the effects of -200
a taper on muscle oxygenation
-400
Tissue Hb/Mb-O2 (Abs, mV)

during cycling. NIRS is a non­

invasive optical technique based -600 *
on the differential absorption
properties of hemoglobin and -800
myoglobin in the near-infrared -1000
(700-1,000 nm) range. These
authors examined muscle oxy­ -1200
genation of the right vastus -1400
medialis during a simulated
20 km cycling time trial be­ -1600
fore and after a 7-day taper -1800 Pretaper
consisting of either a 30%, a *
Posttaper
50%, or an 80% reduction in -2000
weekly training volume. Mean
tissue oxygenation during the Figure 2.2  Group mean (± SD) tissue oxygenation (Hb/
cycling test was significantly Mb-O2; absorbency, mV) during the simulated 20 km time
greater (i.e., increased muscle trial performance ride pre- and posttaper in the group that
deoxygenation) following the reduced weekly training volume by 50%. *Significance (p
E4493/Mujika/fig 2.2/330405/KE/R3-alw
50% training volume reduction < .05) between pre- and posttaper trials.
taper (figure 2.2). In addition, Reprinted from J.P. Neary, D.C. McKenzie, and Y.N. Bhambhani, 2005,
there was a moderately high “Muscle oxygenation trends after tapering in trained cyclists,” Dynamic
Medicine 4:4. © 2005 Neary et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Distrib-
correlation between the change uted under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://
in tissue oxygenation and 20 km creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0).
20 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

600 time trial performance (figure

2.3), which suggests that
400 metabolic changes that occur
in the vastus medialis muscle
200
are in part responsible for
-150 -100 -50 0 50 100 150
Delta tissue Hb/Mb-O2 (mV)
0 performance changes at the
whole-body level. In other
-200 words, the taper induced
increased oxygen extraction,
-400
which was associated with
-600 increased performance (Neary
et al. 2005).
-800

-1000
y = 3.7435x - 249.32
R2 = 0.6804
Cardiac Function
r = 0.82 and Morphology
-1200
Athletic training implies the
-1400 activation of most or all of
Delta 20TT taper performance time (sec) the human body’s muscles.
When we talk about muscular
Figure 2.3  Relationship (r = .82) between the change (delta) training, we tend to think
in tissue Hb/Mb-O2 (mV) versus 20TT taper performance time
of the skeletal muscles but
(minutes) for all subjects combined (N = 11) after tapering.
Note that a negative value for performance time indicates
often forget about the most
E4493/Mujika/fig 2.3/330406/KE/R2-alw
an improvement in performance (i.e., faster 20TT ride). Delta important muscle of all, the
scores were determined by posttaper minus pretaper values. cardiac muscle. The heart is
Each symbol represents a different taper group (circle T30; deeply involved in all training
square T50; triangle T80). activities that an athlete per­
Reprinted from J.P. Neary, D.C. McKenzie, and Y.N. Bhambhani, 2005, “Muscle forms, no matter what the
oxygenation trends after tapering in trained cyclists,” Dynamic Medicine 4:4. athletic event, the training in­
© 2005 Neary et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/
tensity, or the duration might
licenses/by/2.0). be. The heart responds to
the training solicitations and
adapts by selectively modifying its functions and dimensions. This is true during times
of intensive training and also during the segments of taper and peaking in preparation
for competition.

Resting Heart Rate

Few reports are available on the effects of tapering on athletes’ resting heart rate (HR),
but the general consensus of investigators is that resting HR does not appear to change
during this phase of training (table 2.2). Haykowsky and colleagues (1998) reported
unchanged mean resting HR values of 57 and 59 beats/min before and after tapering
for 2 weeks, respectively, at an altitude of 1,848 m and reported 59 and 56 beats/min
at 1,050 m. Unchanged resting HR values were also observed by Flynn and colleagues
(1994) before and after 3 weeks of taper in collegiate cross country runners (51 vs. 52
beats/min) and collegiate swimmers (54 vs. 55 beats/min). In line with these results,
stable resting HRs were observed in a group of international-level swimmers tapering
for 2 weeks (Hooper et al. 1999), in elite weightlifters tapering for either 1 or 4 weeks
(Stone et al. 1996), and runners undergoing a 4-week step taper (McConell et al. 1993).
In contrast with these reports, Jeukendrup and colleagues (1992) described a decrease
from 54 to 51 beats/min in the sleeping HRs of their group of cyclists after 2 weeks
of reduced training. However, these subjects were purposely overreached before the
taper, a condition that may have elicited abnormally high resting HRs (Achten and
Jeukendrup 2003).
 Table 2.2  Effects of the Taper on Heart Rate (HR)
Taper duration, Resting Maximal Submaximal Performance Performance
Study (year) Athletes days HR HR HR measure outcome, %

Costill et al. (1985) Swimmers 14 NR NR ↔ 46-1,509 m competition 2.2-4.6 impr

Houmard et al. (1989) Runners 10 NR ↔ ↔ Incremental maximal test ↔

Houmard et al. (1990a) Runners 21 NR ↑ slightly ↔ 5K indoor race ↔

D’Acquisto et al. (1992) Swimmers 14-28 NR ↓ ↔ 100 m, 400 m time trial 4.0-8.0 impr

Jeukendrup et al. (1992) Cyclists 14 ↓ ↑ ↑ 8.5 km outdoor time trial 7.2 impr

McConell et al. (1993) Runners 28 ↔ ↑ slightly ↔ 5K indoor race 1.2 decl

Flynn et al. (1994) Runners 21 ↔ NR ↔ Treadmill time to exhaustion ↔

Swimmers ↔ NR NR 23 m, 366 m time trial ≈3 impr

Houmard et al. (1994) Runners  7 NR ↔ ↑ slightly 5K treadmill time trial 2.8 impr

Stone et al. (1996) Weightlifters 7-28 ↔ NR ↔ Competition 8.0-17.5 kg impr

Haykowsky et al. (1998) Swimmers 14 ↔ NR NR NR NR

Hooper et al. (1999) Swimmers 14 ↔ ↑ slightly NR 100 m time trial ↔

Martin and Andersen (2000) Cyclists  7 NR ↑ slightly ↔ Incremental maximal test ≈6 impr

Rietjens et al. (2001) Cyclists 21 NR ↔ ↔ Incremental maximal test ↔

Dressendorfer et al. (2002a) Cyclists 10 NR NR ↔ 20 km simulated time trial 1.2 impr

Neary et al. (2003a,b) Cyclists  7 NR NR ↔ 20 km simulated time trial 5.4 impr

decl = decline; impr = improvement; NR = not reported; ↓ indicates decreased; ↑ indicates increased; ↔ indicates unchanged.
Reprinted, by permisison, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, D. Pyne, et al., 2004, “Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper in athletes,” Sports Medicine 34: 897.

21
22 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Overreaching Versus Overtraining

According to Halson and Jeukendrup (2004), athletes experience minor fatigue and
acute reductions in performance as a result of the normal training process. When an
imbalance between training stress and recovery takes place, it is thought that over-
reaching and possibly overtraining may develop. Overreaching normally occurs as a
result of intensified training, and it could be considered a normal training outcome
for elite athletes. Recovery from overreaching should take a relatively short time
(several days or weeks), and this recovery should result in a super­compensatory
effect. Overtraining, on the other hand, should be considered a pathological out-
come of long segments of excessive training and insufficient recovery, resulting in
a long-term reduction of performance capacity. The time needed to recover from
the overtraining syndrome can be months or years.

Maximal Heart Rate

Results from investigations addressing the effects of taper on maximal HR are not
consistent, and values have variously been shown to decrease, remain constant, or
increase after a taper (table 2.2). For instance, D’Acquisto and colleagues (1992) reported
lower maximal HR in swimmers after tapers lasting two (187 vs. 192 beats/min) or four
(185 vs. 194 beats/min) weeks. Maximal HR did not change during taper in runners
performing a progressive treadmill run to exhaustion (Houmard et al. 1994, Houmard
et al. 1989) or in a group of cyclists performing an incremental cycling test to exhaustion
(Rietjens et al. 2001). In contrast, maximal HR was slightly increased after 1 week of
taper in cyclists (Martin and Andersen 2000), 2 weeks of taper in swimmers (Hooper et
al. 1999), and 3 (Houmard et al. 1990a) and 4 (McConell et al. 1993) weeks of reduced
training in runners. In an overreaching–recovery protocol, maximal HR increased from
178 to 183 beats/min, but this posttaper value was similar to that measured before
undertaking the intensified training (Jeukendrup et al. 1992). Reduced maximal HR
after intensified training is related to catecholamine depletion and is indicative of the
neuroendocrinologic nature of an athlete’s overreached or overtrained status (Lehmann
et al. 1991; Lehmann et al. 1992). A possible explanation for the inconsistent findings
could relate to opposite effects on maximal HR of blood volume expansion and the level
of catecholamine depletion that may have been incurred during the preceding phase of
intense training. (For a discussion of catecholamines, see page 44.)

Submaximal Heart Rate

Most of the available literature on the effects of taper on submaximal exercise HR
indicates few changes across a range of different athletic activities (table 2.2). No change
in HR was observed by D’Acquisto and colleagues (1992) when swimmers were required
to swim at submaximal velocities ranging from 1.0 and 1.3 m/s before and after 2 or 4
weeks of taper. Costill and colleagues (1985) reported unchanged postexercise HR after
an evenly paced 200-yard (182 m) swim at a speed representing 90% of individual
season’s-best performance after 1 and 2 weeks of taper. A 10-day taper did not elicit
a change in HR when participants ran at 265 m/min or 298 m/min (Houmard et al.
1989). Similarly, a 3-week taper did not affect HR of collegiate runners while running
.
at 75%   O
V 2max (161 beats/min before taper vs. 163 beats/min after taper) (Flynn
.
et al. 1994), nor did a 3-week step taper at 65% and. 85%   O V 2max (Houmard et al.
1990a) or a 4-week step taper at 65%, 85%, or 95%   O V 2max (McConell et al. 1993).
Submaximal HR while cycling at a power output of 200 W was unchanged after a 10-
day taper in male cyclists when compared with the preceding high-intensity interval
training phase, even though HR was lower than at baseline (137 vs. 152 beats/min,
respectively), indicating a positive training adaptation (Dressendorfer et al. 2002a).
Similarly, no changes in HR at power outputs of 165 and 270 W were reported before
Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 23

and after 3-week continuous or intermittent training step tapers (Rietjens et al. 2001).
In line with these results, Martin and Andersen (2000) observed identical HR–power
output slopes before and after a 1-week taper in male collegiate cyclists, but these slopes
were markedly shifted to the right when compared with baseline values. Neary and
colleagues (2003a) reported that HR during a simulated 20 km time trial was identical
before and after taper in a group of male cyclists, but the O2 pulse increased from 23.1
to 24.8 ml O2/beat in those subjects reducing weekly training volume by 50% during
the 7-day taper, who also improved their simulated performance by 5.4%. Submaximal
exercise HR values were also unaffected by 1 or 4 weeks of taper in weightlifters (Stone
et al. 1996).
In contrast, HR was elevated during an all-out 5K treadmill run after participants
performed both a running taper and a cycling taper. Heart rates were also 4 to 6 beats/
.
min higher during a submaximal run at   OV 2peak, but this change did not attain statistical
significance (Houmard et al. 1994). The overreaching–recovery protocol of Jeukendrup
and colleagues (1992) induced a clear increase in submaximal HR measured during
an 8.5 km outdoor cycling time trial after the taper. These changes were thought to be
related with the level of neuroendrocrine fatigue in the pretaper condition.

Blood Pressure
I am aware of only three published reports on the effects of taper on resting blood
pressure (BP), and all of them failed to show any substantial effect of tapering on BP.
Flynn and colleagues (1994) reported pre- and posttaper systolic BP values of 112 and
114 mmHg in eight male runners, respectively, and 118 and 116 mmHg in five male
swimmers. Diastolic pressures were 73 and 74 mmHg for the runners and 76 and 78
mmHg for the swimmers. In swimmers, Hooper and colleagues (1999) reported modest
declines of 3.4% and 2.2% in systolic and diastolic pressures during taper, with standard
deviations of 12.5% and 12.2%, respectively. In terms of a power sport, the results of
Stone and colleagues (1996) indicated no tapering-induced changes in the resting BP
of elite weightlifters.

Cardiac Dimensions
The only study on the effects of a taper on cardiac dimensions assessed the effects of a
2-week swimming taper at moderate altitudes—1,050 m and 1,848 m (Haykowsky et al.
1998). The taper consisted of a progressive 73% reduction in training volume coupled
with a slight increase in the percentage of high-intensity training. The investigators
observed no marked change in diastolic or systolic cavity dimensions, ventricular septal wall
thickness, estimated absolute or relative left ventricular mass, stroke volume, cardiac output,
cardiac index, or fractional shortening. The authors concluded that 3 weeks of altitude
training or control training followed by 2 weeks of taper training was not associated
with alterations in structural and functional aspects of cardiovascular dynamics
(Haykowsky et al. 1998). Although more studies are needed before definite conclusions
can be drawn about the effects of the taper on cardiac dimensions, it is unlikely that
these dimensions would be affected, in view of the limited duration and the relatively
high training demands of taper programs, in contrast with times of complete training
stoppage (Mujika and Padilla 2001).

Ventilatory Function
Few investigators have addressed tapering effects on athletes’ ventilatory function. Peak
ventilatory volume during a simulated 20 km cycling time trial was unchanged as a
result of a 7-day taper, but the ventilatory equivalent for O2 declined from 25.5 to 24.0
l/lO2 (l/lO2 means liters of air ventilating the lungs per liters of oxygen consumed)
in those cyclists tapering by reducing training volume by 50% (Neary et al. 2003a).
Unchanged maximal ventilation was also observed in runners after a 4-week step taper
(McConell et al. 1993). Submaximal ventilation during a 10-min treadmill run declined
24 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

by 5.4% after a 7-day taper in distance runners (Houmard et al. 1994). Similarly,
power output at the ventilatory threshold increased by 12% (28 W) in cyclists during a
high-intensity, low-volume taper eliciting a 4.3% performance improvement over a
simulated 40 km cycling time trial and by 8% (19 W) in a low-intensity, high-volume
taper that induced a 2.2% simulated performance gain (Neary et al. 2003b). The same
group observed a 12% (27 W) improvement in the ventilatory threshold after tapers
lasting either 4 or 8 days (Neary et al. 1992). A smaller improvement of 2.9% was
reported by Dressendorfer and colleagues (2002a), coupled with a performance gain
over a simulated 20 km time trial of only 1.2%.

Hematology
The amount of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood of an athlete can have a
great impact on performance during both training and competition, particularly for an
endurance athlete. Red blood cell content in the blood can be described as the balance
between red cell production (erythropoiesis) and red cell destruction (hemolysis). The
higher the red cell count in the blood, the better the oxygen-carrying capacity to the
exercising muscles. Although endurance training is most often associated with improved
oxygen-carrying capacity, intensive training can also induce a substantial hemolysis.
This, along with iron stores that are often compromised because of excessive training or
poor nutritional habits, may jeopardize the hematological status of endurance athletes.
In this section, the potential benefits of a taper in terms of enhancing an athlete’s
hematological status and iron stores are discussed.

Hemolysis Versus Erythropoiesis

The taper is a specialized training strategy that can be accompanied by a positive balance
between exercise-induced hemolysis and recovery-facilitated erythropoiesis. Intensive
athletic training can result in decreased red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, and
hematocrit (Coutts et al. 2007a, Mujika et al. 2004). These changes have variously been
attributed to a hemodilution caused by training-induced expanded plasma volume, an
imbalance between hematopoiesis and intravascular hemolysis, or iron deficiency (Hallberg
and Magnusson 1984, Kaiser et al. 1989, Weight 1993).

Terminology in Blood Breakdown and Formation

Intravascular hemolysis is the breakdown of red blood cells with release of hemo-
globin within the blood vessels, whereas extravascular hemolysis refers to the
destruction of red blood cells in the spleen and liver. Hematopoiesis refers to the
formation of blood, whereas erythropoiesis specifically refers to the production of
erythrocytes (i.e., red blood cells).

Taper-induced increases in blood and red cell volume have been reported in highly
trained distance runners. Shepley and colleagues (1992) observed a 15% increase in
total blood volume after a 7-day high-intensity, low-volume taper in runners. This
training-induced hypervolemia is possibly associated with an elevation of plasma renin
activity and vasopressin concentration during exercise and a chronic increase in the
water-binding capacity of the blood (Convertino et al. 1981, Convertino et al. 1983,
Mujika 1998, Wade and Claybaugh 1980). Shepley and colleagues (1992) also observed
a 14% increase in red cell volume and a 2.6% increase in hematocrit, possibly the
result of an increased hematopoiesis concomitant to a decreased intravascular hemo-
lysis (figure 2.4).
Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 25

6500 3000
High-intensity High-intensity
taper taper

6000
2500

Total blood volume

*

Red cell volume

*

(ml)

(ml)
5500

2000
5000

Pre Post Pre Post

a taper taper b taper taper

Figure 2.4  Total blood volume (a) and red cell volume (b) before and after a high-intensity taper
(N = 9). Values are mean ± SD. *Significant pre- to posttaper differences, p < .05.
Reprinted, by permission, from B. Shepley, J.D. MacDougall, N. Cipriano, et al., 1992, “Physiological effects of tapering
in highly trained athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology 72(Feb): 709. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance
Center, Inc. E4493/Mujika/fig 2.4a/330408/KE/R2-alw E4493/Mujika/fig 2.4b/330409/KE/R2-alw

Consistent with the previously described results, hemoglobin concentration and

hematocrit increased during the taper in competitive swimmers (Burke et al. 1982a,
Rushall and Busch 1980, Yamamoto et al. 1988) and triathletes (Coutts et al. 2007a,
Margaritis et al. 2003, Rudzki et al. 1995). These results were attributed to a decreased
hemolysis and a net increase in erythrocytes, presumably facilitated by the reduced
training load that characterizes tapering (Houmard 1991, Houmard and Johns 1994,
Mujika et al. 1997, Neufer 1989, Shepley et al. 1992). This suggestion seems to be
confirmed by the findings of Mujika and colleagues (2000), showing a 40% increase
in the posttaper reticulocyte count in a group of middle-distance runners tapering for 1
week. This change was indicative of an enhanced red cell production resulting in the
release of immature erythrocytes, with a smaller hemoglobin content and reduced
mean corpuscular hemoglobin values (Brodthagen et al. 1985, Mairbäurl et al. 1983,
Seiler et al. 1989).
Two additional indexes of a positive red cell balance during taper are increased serum
haptoglobin and decreased red cell distribution width. Serum haptoglobin is a glyco-
protein that binds free hemoglobin released into the circulation to conserve body iron.
Lower than normal haptoglobin levels have been found in middle- and long-distance
runners and swimmers (Casoni et al. 1985, Dufaux et al. 1981, Pizza et al. 1997, Selby
and Eichner 1986). These observations have been attributed to a rapid removal of the
haptoglobin–hemoglobin complex from the blood by the liver and suggest a chronic
hemolytic condition. In contrast, serum haptoglobin can increase with a 6-day taper
in middle-distance runners (Mujika et al. 2002a). This finding was in parallel with a
trend toward increased reticulocyte counts, suggesting that the reduced training load
undertaken by the athletes during the taper facilitated a positive balance between eryth-
ropoiesis and hemolysis.
26 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Plasma, Serum, and Haptoglobin

Are plasma and serum the same thing? Although they are sometimes used as syn-
onyms, plasma and serum are not the same. Plasma is the fluid ground substance
of whole blood, that is, what remains after the cells have been removed from a
sample of whole blood. Serum is blood plasma from which fibrinogen and other
clotting proteins have been removed as a result of clotting.
What does serum haptoglobin tell us about the balance between red blood cell
production and destruction? When high amounts of red blood cells are destroyed,
released hemoglobin is captured by the circulating protein haptoglobin, and the two
are quickly removed from the blood by the liver; thus, haptoglobin concentration
decreases (this occurs during heavy training). When not many red cells are being
destroyed, haptoglobin concentration increases because it circulates freely in the
blood as there isn’t much released hemoglobin to carry to the liver (this occurs
during times of light training).

In one study, the red cell distribution width decreased slightly during 12 weeks of
intensive training and 4 weeks of taper in highly trained swimmers, to attain significantly
lower values at the end of the taper (Mujika et al. 1997). Slight reductions during taper
have also been reported in runners and swimmers (Pizza et al. 1997). Decrements in red
cell distribution width are considered a positive adaptation to training, given that a high
red cell distribution width has been associated with decreased deformability, decreased
osmotic resistance, and increased mechanical fragmentation of erythrocytes (Bessman et al.
1983, Kaiser et al. 1989).
With respect to the possible influence of the observed hematological changes on
performance, Shepley and colleagues (1992) attributed part of the reported 22%
improvement in a treadmill run to fatigue after the taper to the increase in blood and
red cell volume. Mujika and colleagues (1997) observed a 2.3% mean competition
performance improvement in tapered swimmers, and a positive correlation was found
between posttaper red cell count and the percentage improvement in performance
attained by the swimmers during taper. Red cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit
increased by 3.5%, 1.8%, and 3.3%, respectively, in the swimmers for whom the taper
was most effective, whereas decreases of 2.2%, 4.3%, and 2.1% occurred in those
athletes improving less with the taper (figure 2.5). The authors suggested that the net
increase in erythrocyte values observed in the successful swimmers during the taper
could have been in part responsible for the higher performance improvement attained,
given that small percentage increases in hemoglobin or hematocrit values can result in
.
worthwhile improvements in   O V 2max and exercise capacity (Gledhill 1982, 1985).

Iron Status
Enhanced erythropoietic activity in the bone marrow associated with the taper could
jeopardize the iron status of athletes. An iron profile indicative of a prelatent–latent
iron deficiency, with normal red cell count and hemoglobin but lowered ferritin, serum
iron, and transferrin saturation and increased transferrin values (Bothwell et al. 1979,
Clement and Sawchuk 1984), has been reported in middle-distance runners at the
end of 6-day tapers. This, however, did not seem to negatively affect the athletes’
competition performance (Mujika et al. 2002a, Mujika et al., 2000). Lowered posttaper
ferritin values have also been reported in male cross country runners after a 3-week
taper (Pizza et al. 1997) and in triathletes tapering for 2 weeks (Rudzki et al. 1995) but
not in swimmers (Mujika et al. 1997).
 Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 27

6.0. 17
Posttaper red cell count (106/mm-3)

Posttaper hemoglobin (g/dl)

5.6 16

5.2 15
** *
4.8 ** 14 **

4.4 13

4.0 12
GE GLE GE GLE
a b

52
E4493/Mujika/fig 2.5a/330410/KE/R4-alw E4493/Mujika/fig 2.5b/330411/KE/R2-alw
50
Posttaper hematocrit (%)

48

46 Figure 2.5  Group comparisons for posttaper (a) red cell

44 * count, (b) hemoglobin concentration, and (c) hematocrit.
GE (group efficient) and GLE (group less efficient) swimmers
42 ** improving their competition performance with the taper by
more than 2% and less than 2%, respectively. Significant differ-
40
ences were found between groups (*p < .05 and **p < .01).
38 Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, A. Geyssant, et al., 1997,
“Hematological responses to training and taper in competitive swimmers: Rela-
36 tionships with performance.” Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry 105(4):
GE GLE 383. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
c

E4493/Mujika/fig 2.5c/330412/KE/R2-alw
Carrying Oxygen to the Muscles During the Taper AT A Glance
Changes in the cardiorespiratory
. system during the taper may include an increase in
maximal oxygen uptake (V   O2max), and this may contribute to taper-induced
. performance
gains, but enhanced performances can also occur without changes in   O V 2max. A lower
oxygen cost of exercise after the taper (i.e., a better economy of movement) can also
contribute to improved performances, but this change is more likely to occur in athletes
of a lower caliber. Resting, maximal, and submaximal heart rates do not change during
the taper, unless athletes show clear signs of overreaching before the taper. Blood
pressure, cardiac dimensions, and ventilatory function are not generally affected by the
taper, and any observed change seems to be a reflection of the athletes’ adaptation to
preceding training rather than to the taper itself.
Hematological changes strongly suggest that the reduced training loads undertaken
by athletes during the taper facilitate a positive balance between red blood cell produc-
tion and destruction, contributing to taper-induced performance improvements, but
potentially compromising the iron status of the athletes.

Metabolic Adaptations
Energy metabolism underpinning exercise performance can be altered during a
preevent taper. Decreases in training load in favor of rest and recovery lower an athlete’s
daily energy expenditure, potentially affecting energy balance and body composition.
28 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Substrate availability and utilization, blood lactate kinetics, muscle glycogen content,
and other metabolic variables may also be altered during the taper.

Energy Balance
Margaritis and colleagues (2003) reported the daily energy intake, energy expenditure,
body mass, and body fat of 20 male long-distance triathletes during 4 weeks of overloaded
training followed by 2 weeks of tapered training. Energy intake did not change between
both training phases (13.8-15.0 vs. 13.2-15.0 MJ/day), whereas energy expenditure
decreased from a range of 16.8 to 17.0 MJ/day to a range of 12.1 to 12.7 MJ/day.
Total body mass did not change during the taper, but the percentage body fat increased
slightly from a range of 11.4% to 11.5% to a range of 11.8% to 12.1% (Margaritis et
al. 2003). Similar changes were observed in a 4-week reduced training study on 10
well-trained male distance runners, whose body fat increased from 10.4% to 11.8%
(McConell et al. 1993), and in 16 well-trained male triathletes tapering for 2 weeks
(sum of nine skinfolds increased from 63.0 to 73.5 mm) (Coutts et al. 2007a). These
results indicate that a certain level of muscle mass loss may have taken place during the
taper and suggest that athletes tapering for competition should pay careful attention
to matching energy intake in accordance with the reduced energy expenditure that
characterizes this training interval.
D’Acquisto and colleagues (1992) reported the body mass and percent body fat of
female swimmers before and after 2-week and 4-week tapers, and Izquierdo and col-
leagues (2007) did the same in strength-trained athletes during a 4-week taper. Both
groups of researchers observed that neither variable changed significantly. Additional
studies have reported stability in body mass in well-trained distance runners during a
3-week step taper (Houmard et al. 1990a, 1990b) and in collegiate cross country run-
ners and swimmers after a 3-week taper consisting of a 20% to 33% weekly reduction
in training volume (Flynn et al. 1994). Similarly, nine male cyclists maintained their
body mass during 10 days of taper consisting of resting every other day (Dressendorfer
et al. 2002a), as did collegiate swimmers preparing for the final meet of the season (Van
Handel et al. 1988). These studies, however, did not report the possible changes in fat
mass and muscle mass of the athletes.

Substrate Availability and Utilization

There are few reports on the effects of tapering on the respiratory exchange ratio (RER),
used as an index of substrate utilization during exercise. During submaximal-intensity
exercise, RER has been shown to decline or not to change after a taper. A group of
club-level cyclists showed a posttaper shift in RER from 0.99 to 0.96 while cycling at a
power output of 175 W, suggesting a higher contribution from fat to energy production
at moderate exercise intensity (Neary et al. 1992). Houmard and colleagues, on the . other
hand, reported unchanged RER values during a 10-min continuous run at 80%   O V 2peak
(Houmard et al. 1994) and during submaximal running at 265 and 298 m/min (Houmard
et al. 1989). Rietjens and colleagues (2001) also showed unchanged rates of fat oxidation
during a 90 min steady-state cycle after 7, 14, and 21 days of a step taper. Three- and
4-week step tapers elicited slight but statistically significant increases in runners’ RER at
.
65%, 85%, and 95%   O V 2max (Houmard et al. 1990a, McConell et al. 1993).
During maximal exercise, such as a simulated 20 km cycling time trial, RER values
have been shown to remain unchanged after tapering (Neary et al. 2003a). Similarly,
unchanged maximal RER values were reported during treadmill running after either
a running or a cycling 7-day taper (Houmard et al. 1994). These results suggest that
the substrate contribution to power production during maximal intensity exercise is
Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 29

not modified by a taper. This lack of change may be related to stable aerobic–anaerobic
work production and oxygen deficit during the taper (Morton and Gastin 1997).
Another explanation could relate to increased muscle glycogen concentration during
the taper, which theoretically induces higher carbohydrate use during both maximal
and submaximal exercise. Six days of taper coupled with a high-carbohydrate diet
.
increased carbohydrate oxidation and RER values during cycling at 80% V   O2max
(Walker et al. 2000).

Blood Lactate Kinetics

Along with the previously mentioned metabolic changes, blood lactate kinetics may
also be affected by a tapered training interval, during both maximal and submaximal
exercise.

Maximal Exercise
Peak blood lactate concentration after maximal exercise can increase as a result of tapering.
This change, which could be related to an increased posttaper muscle glycogen
concentration by a mass-action effect (Houmard et al. 1994), might underpin enhanced
maximal performance capabilities (Bonifazi et al. 2000, Mujika et al. 2000, Mujika et
al. 2002a). A number of studies on this matter are discussed next. Table 2.3 summarizes
these studies along with a number of others.
In a study on middle-distance runners, percentage 800 m competitive performance
change during the taper positively correlated with changes in peak postrace blood lactate
concentration (r = .87) (Mujika et al. 2000). In a subsequent study by the same group,
postrace peak blood lactate increased by 7.6%, with peak lactate correlating highly
with running performance (Mujika et al. 2002a). Statistically significant relationships
between increases in peak postrace blood lactate levels and competition performance
enhancement (r = .63) were seen in international-level swimmers during two consecutive
seasons (Bonifazi et al. 2000). Male cyclists’ peak blood lactate concentration increased
by 78% after 14 days of a step taper, concomitant with a 7.2% improvement in an 8.5
km outdoor time trial and a 10.3% increase in peak power output (Jeukendrup et al.
1992). Competitive high school swimmers increased their peak blood lactate concentra-
tion by 20% after taper programs that induced time-trial performance gains of 4% to
8% (D’Acquisto et al. 1992).
Shepley and colleagues (1992) reported modest peak blood lactate increases after
high-intensity (7.2%) and low-intensity (9.8%) tapers, whereas a laboratory-based
performance measure (time to exhaustion at 1,500 m run pace) improved by 22% and
6%. Van Handel and colleagues (1988) also showed modest changes in peak lactate
concentrations in collegiate swimmers preparing for national championships (6.9-7.5
mM). A similar trend (peak blood lactate concentration increased from 14.4 to 15.8 mM)
was observed in elite junior rowers after a 1-week taper (Steinacker et al. 2000).
In contrast, no changes in peak blood lactate values or performance were observed
in a study in which rowers performed maximal 500 m indoor rowing tests before and
after a 1-week taper subsequent to 3 weeks of overload training. The author of the
study concluded that the 25% decrease in training volume during the taper was insuf-
ficient or the length of the taper was too short for positive regenerative adaptations and
improved performance to occur (Smith 2000). Papoti and colleagues (2007) also reported
statistically unchanged peak blood lactate values in 16-year-old swimmers tapering for
11 days (peak blood lactate 6.8 and 7.2 mM before and after the taper, respectively).
These authors speculated that the taper promoted an intramuscular creatine phosphate
supercompensation (Papoti et al. 2007).
30
Table 2.3  Effects of the Taper on Blood Lactate Concentration (H[La])
Taper duration, Submaximal Performance Performance
Study (year) Athletes days Peak H[La] H[La] measure outcome, %

Costill et al. (1985) Swimmers 14 NR ↓ 46-1,509 m competition 2.2-4.6 impr

Van Handel et al. (1988) Swimmers 20 ↑ slightly ↑ slightly NR NR

D’Acquisto et al. (1992) Swimmers 14-28 ↑ ↓ 100 m, 400 m time trial 4.0-8.0 impr

Jeukendrup et al. (1992) Cyclists 14 ↑ NR 8.5 km outdoor time trial 7.2 impr

Johns et al. (1992) Swimmers 10-14 NR ↔ 46-366 m competition 2.0-3.7 impr

Shepley et al. (1992) Runners  7 ↑ slightly NR Treadmill time to exhaustion 6-22 impr

McConell et al. (1993) Runners 28 NR ↑ 5K indoor race 1.2 decl

Flynn et al. (1994) Runners 21 NR ↔ Treadmill time to exhaustion ↔

Swimmers NR 23 m, 366 m time trial ≈3 impr

Houmard et al. (1994) Runners  7 NR ↔ 5K treadmill time trial 2.8 impr

Stone et al. (1996) Weightlifters   7-28 NR ↔ Competition 8.0-17.5 kg impr

Kenitzer (1998) Swimmers 14-28 NR ↓ 14 days, 4  91 m submaximal set ≈4 impr

↑ 21-28 days

Bonifazi et al. (2000) Swimmers 14-21 ↑ NR 100-400 m competition 1.5-2.1 impr

Mujika et al. (2000) Runners  6 ↑ slightly NR 800 m competition ↔

Smith (2000) Rowers  7 ↔ NR 500 m simulated time trial ↔

Steinacker et al. (2000) Rowers  7 ↑ slightly NR 2,000 m time trial–competition 6.3 impr

Rietjens et al. (2001) Cyclists 21 NR ↔ Incremental maximal test ↔

Mujika et al. (2002a) Runners  6 ↑ NR 800 m competition 0.4-1.9 impr

Papoti et al. (2007) Swimmers 11 ↑ slightly NR 200 m time trial 1.6 impr

decl = decline; impr = improvement; NR = not reported; ↓ indicates decreased; ↑ indicates increased; ↔ indicates unchanged.
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, D. Pyne, et al., 2004, “Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper in athletes,” Sports Medicine 34: 903.
Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 31

How Blood Lactate Levels

Indicate Athlete Adaptations
When exercising muscles use carbohydrates, they produce lactic acid, which
immediately splits into lactate and hydrogen ions. Increasing exercise intensity
translates into higher lactate production. Lactate diffuses from the muscles to the
blood, and blood lactate is used by sport scientists as an index of the physiological
demands of a given exercise bout. Fatigued and carbohydrate-depleted muscles
struggle to produce power and lactate (as during times of heavy training), whereas
well-recovered muscles can work fast and push hard, producing lots of lactate (this
should happen during the taper). Measuring blood lactate after intense exercise
can therefore provide valuable information about the adaptations of an athlete to
the taper.

Submaximal Exercise
Blood lactate concentration at submaximal exercise intensity shows variable responses
after the preevent taper (table 2.3). Kenitzer (1998) described a decrease in blood lactate
concentration at 80% of maximal HR during the first 2 weeks of a taper in female
swimmers but a subsequent increase during weeks 3 and 4, leading to the tentative
conclusion that 2 weeks was the optimum taper duration. In contrast, D’Acquisto and
colleagues (1992) observed reduced blood lactate values during submaximal swimming
in high school athletes tapering for either 2 weeks (15-26% decline) or 4 weeks (26-
33% decline). These results are consistent with those of Costill and colleagues (1985),
who described a 13% reduction in submaximal lactate, in parallel with a mean 3.1%
swimming performance improvement in competition after a 2-week taper. Similarly,
an 8.0% higher posttaper power output at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mM has
been reported in rowers (Steinacker et al. 2000).
In contrast to investigators who reported higher blood lactates, Flynn and colleagues
(1994) failed to observe any change in blood lactate concentration in collegiate athletes
. .
running at 75%   OV 2max or swimming at 90%   O V 2max. Unchanged submaximal blood
lactate concentrations were also observed in runners performing either a run or a cycle
taper for 7 days (Houmard et al. 1994), in collegiate swimmers tapering for either 10
or 14 days before a major competition (Johns et al. 1992), in cyclists performing a step
taper for 21 days (Rietjens et al. 2001), and in elite weightlifters tapering for 1 or 4 weeks
(Stone et al. 1996). Van Handel and colleagues (1988) reported a subtle shift of the blood
lactate–swimming velocity curve back to the left after taper, whereas lactate recovery curves
were unaffected. McConell and colleagues (1993), on the other hand, reported a higher
.
blood lactate at 95%   O
V 2max in runners after a 4-week step taper. Inconsistent findings
may be related to the duration and the type of training performed during the taper.

Blood Lactate and the Taper AT A Glance

The findings reported here and other similar results (Chatard et al. 1988, Lacour et al.
1990, Telford et al. 1988) on blood lactate concentration after maximal exercise support
the contention that postcompetition peak blood lactate values may be a useful index
of anaerobic capacity (Lacour et al. 1990, Mujika et al. 2000) and a sensitive marker of
tapering-induced physiological changes (Mujika et al. 2000, Mujika et al. 2002a). Indeed,
higher peak blood lactate concentrations after a taper have been related to enhanced
maximal performance capabilities in swimming, running, cycling, and rowing. In contrast,
unchanged or reduced blood lactate concentrations at submaximal exercise intensities
should be expected after an efficient taper.
32 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Blood Ammonia
When the rate of muscular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis exceeds the rate of
adenosine diphosphate (ADP) rephosphorylation through either oxidative or nonoxidative
processes, ATP is resynthesized via the myokinase reaction. This process results in the
formation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP), which is then deaminated leading to
the production of inosine monophosphate and ammonia (Lowenstein 1990, Sahlin
and Broberg 1990, Tullson and Terjung 1991). Postexercise blood ammonia levels are
used as a marker of exercise-induced adenine nucleotide degradation and to monitor
training stress and overtraining (Warren et al. 1992).

Blood Ammonia as a Marker

When high-intensity exercise is performed, there may be an imbalance between
the energy supply and the demand for ATP, eventually leading to the formation of
ammonia. Ammonia is also produced when muscle protein reserves are broken down
and oxidized during exercise, especially when carbohydrate availability is limited.
Blood ammonia concentration can thus be used as a marker of the muscles’ ability
to produce ATP from ADP and also as evidence of increased protein degradation
during times of increased training stress.

Mujika and colleagues (1996d) observed stable resting ammonia concentrations during
a 4-week taper, but mean posttaper values (34.1 mol/L) returned to baseline (32.8
mol/L) after they had been elevated by 12 weeks of intensive training (65.6 mol/L).
Plasma ammonia values, however, did not reflect changes in competition performance.
Elite weightlifters’ resting and postexercise blood ammonia concentrations were not
changed by 1 or 4 weeks of taper, during which performance in competition increased
by 8 and 17.5 kg (Stone et al. 1996). Similarly, blood ammonia was not affected by 1
week of taper in elite rowers performing a maximal 500 m rowing ergometer time trial
(Smith 2000). Given the potential influence of the taper on exercise metabolism and
preexercise energy substrate availability, further research on blood ammonia changes
associated with different tapering strategies is warranted, especially in high-intensity,
short-duration sporting events.

Muscle Glycogen
Muscle glycogen concentration has been shown to increase progressively during tapering.
Neary and colleagues (1992) showed an increase in muscle glycogen concentration of
17% after a 4-day taper and 25% after an 8-day taper. The same group of investigators
compared the change in muscle glycogen concentration after two different 7-day tapers
in male cyclists: one in which training intensity was maintained at around 85% to
90% of maximal HR and training duration progressively reduced from 60 to 20 min
and a second where the duration remained constant at 60 min but intensity declined
progressively from 85% to 55% of maximal HR. Muscle glycogen concentration
increased by 34% and simulated 40 km time trial performance by 4.3% during the
shorter, more intense taper, whereas muscle glycogen concentration increased by 29%
and performance by 2.2% in the longer, less intense taper (Neary et al. 2003b). A similar
high-intensity, low-duration taper brought about a 15% increase in muscle glycogen
(figure 2.6) and 22% in running performance on a treadmill, whereas no change in
glycogen and a moderate 6% performance gain were observed with a low-intensity,
moderate-duration taper (Shepley et al. 1992).
 Taper-Associated Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes 33

Six days of tapering during the luteal phase of eumen- High-intensity

taper
orrheic athletes’ menstrual cycles resulted in a 13% 500
higher muscle glycogen level when a high-carbohy-
drate diet (78% carbohydrate) was consumed during
450 *
the final 3 to 4 days of the taper, in comparison with
a moderate-carbohydrate diet (48% carbohydrate).

Glycogen concentration
The women were able to supercompensate glycogen 400
during the taper but not to the same magnitude as

mmol . kg , DW
generally reported in men. Concomitantly, cycling
.

-1
time to exhaustion at 80% to 82%   O V 2max increased 350
by 8% (Walker et al. 2000).
300
Mineral Metabolism
Mineral metabolism (basal plasma and 24 hr urinary
calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper) was
studied in nine male cyclists during 6 weeks of volume
training, 18 days of high-intensity interval training,
Pre Post
and 10 days of a reduced frequency taper. Urinary taper taper
calcium decreased by 11.4% and plasma calcium
concentration increased by 5.1% with the taper, but Figure 2.6  Resting muscle glyco-
the metabolism of all other studied minerals remained gen concentration for vastus latera-
lis before and after a high-intensity
unchanged (Dressendorfer et al. 2002b). The apparent
taper (N = 8). Values
E4493/Mujika/fig are mean ±
2.6/330414/KE/R3-alw
rebound in renal calcium might have resulted either
SD and are expressed per unit dry
from decreased urinary calcium filtration associated weight. *Significant pre- to post-
with lower ionized plasma calcium or from increased taper differences, p < .05.
plasma parathyroid hormone levels. Irrespective of Adapted, by permission, from B. Shepley, J.D.
the regulating mechanism, reducing the frequency of MacDougall, N. Cipriano, et al., 1992, “Physi-
interval training during the taper appeared to trigger ological effects of tapering in highly trained
athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology
compensatory calcium retention (Dressendorfer et al. 72(Feb): 709. Permission conveyed through
2002b). Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.

Energy for Exercise and the Taper AT A Glance

Reduced training loads will affect daily energy expenditure, and athletes should pay
special attention to their energy intake during the taper to avoid energy imbalance and
undesirable changes in body composition. Substrate contribution to power production
during exercise usually remains stable during the taper, but an elevated contribution from
carbohydrates could take place attributable to increased muscle glycogen concentra-
tion. Increased peak blood lactate concentrations following the taper are often related
to improved maximal performance capabilities in cyclic sports. During submaximal-
intensity exercise, blood lactate concentrations may be unchanged or reduced after the
taper. Blood ammonia concentrations have been measured to assess changes in adenine
nucleotide degradation during the taper, but results have not been definitive.

Chapter Summary
Physiological mechanisms underlying the performance gains associated with the taper
are slowly being unveiled by sport scientists. Increases in maximal oxygen uptake during
the taper may contribute to posttaper performance gains, but improved performances
can also take place without changes in maximal oxygen uptake. A reduced oxygen cost
34 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

of exercise after the taper (i.e., a better economy of movement) can also contribute to
performances gains, but this change is more likely to be observed in athletes of a lower
caliber. Cardiac function and dimensions and ventilatory function do not generally
change as a result of the taper, and any observed variation could be a reflection of the
athlete’s delayed adaptation to prior training rather than to the taper itself.
Hematological changes strongly suggest that the training reductions usually applied
during the taper facilitate a positive balance between erythropoiesis (i.e., red cell pro-
duction) and hemolysis (i.e., red cell destruction), which contributes to taper-induced
performance improvements. However, increased red cell production could compromise
the iron status of the athlete because erythropoiesis requires significant iron.
Reduced training loads will also affect daily energy expenditure, and athletes should
pay special attention to their energy intake during the taper so that energy imbalance
and undesirable changes in body composition can be avoided. Carbohydrate and fat
contribution to power production during exercise usually remains stable during the
taper, but an elevated contribution from carbohydrates could take place attributable to
increased muscle glycogen concentration.
Higher peak blood lactate concentrations after a taper have been related to enhanced
maximal performance capabilities in various modes of locomotion, including swimming,
running, cycling, and rowing. To the contrary, the taper usually results in unchanged or
reduced blood lactate concentrations at submaximal exercise intensities. Blood ammonia
concentrations have been measured to assess changes in adenine nucleotide degradation
and protein breakdown during the taper, but results have been inconclusive.
 chapter 3
Taper-Associated
­Biochemical, Hormonal,
Neuromuscular, and
Immunological Changes

In addition to the cardiorespiratory and metabolic changes that often take place when
athletes are tapering for major competition, which were analyzed in the previous chap-
ter, other physiological systems adapt to the taper program. As a result, biochemical,
hormonal, neuromuscular, and immunological changes may take place during this
time. These changes contribute to an athlete’s enhanced performance capabilities and
can thus be indicative of an athlete’s preparedness to perform.

Biochemical Adaptations
Few biochemical parameters have been shown to exhibit marked changes during the
preevent taper, limiting their utility as markers of physiological recovery and increased
performance capacity. One of the most widely used and studied biochemical markers of
training stress is the concentration of creatine kinase in the blood.

Creatine Kinase
Blood levels of creatine kinase (CK) have been used as an index of training-induced
physiological stress. Creatine kinase is a muscle enzyme that occasionally increases in
the blood following strenuous or eccentric exercise, most probably as a result of altered
permeability of tissue cell membranes. Factors that influence the degree of CK efflux
into the blood include exercise duration and intensity, exercise mode, and fitness level
of the individual (Millard et al. 1985).

Creatine Kinase
Creatine kinase is an important enzyme in muscle energy production that is gen-
erally confined to the inside of muscle cells. The presence of elevated values of
CK in the blood suggests that muscle cell membranes have suffered some kind of
damage, allowing CK to escape the cells. Following intensive training, the blood
concentration of CK is often remarkably increased, suggesting increased levels of
muscle tissue breakdown.

35
36 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 3.1  Effects of the Taper on Blood Creatine Kinase (CK) Concentration
Taper duration, Blood CK Performance
Study (year) Athletes days concentration Performance measure outcome, %

Burke et al. (1982b) Swimmers 28 ↓ NR NR

Millard et al. (1985) Swimmers 28 ↓ NR NR

Yamamoto et al. (1988) Swimmers 14-26 ↓ NR NR

Houmard et al. (1990b) Runners 21 ↓ 5K indoor race ↔

Costill et al. (1991) Swimmers 14-21 ↓ Competition ≈3.2 impr

Flynn et al. (1994) Runners 21 ↔ Treadmill time to exhaustion ↔

Swimmers ↓ 23 m, 366 m time trial ≈3 impr

Mujika et al. (1996d) Swimmers 28 ↓ 100-200 m competition 0.4-4.9 impr

Hooper et al. (1999) Swimmers 14 ↑ slightly 100 m time trial ↔

Child et al. (2000) Runners  7 ↓ Simulated half-marathon ↔

Mujika et al. (2000) Runners  6 ↔ 800 m competition ↔

Mujika et al. (2002a) Runners  6 ↔ 800 m competition 0.4-1.9 impr

Coutts et al. (2007a) Triathletes 14 ↔ 3 km run time trial 3.9 impr

impr = improvement; NR = not reported; ↓ indicates decreased; ↑ indicates increased; ↔ indicates unchanged.
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, D. Pyne, et al., 2004, “Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper in athletes,” Sports
Medicine 34: 905.

Various studies have shown decreases in CK levels during the taper (table 3.1).
Studying 10 male and 10 female collegiate swimmers before and after a 4-week taper,
Millard et al. (1985) noted a 70% lower posttraining and a 30% lower resting serum
CK after the taper in the males and 28% and 7% lower values in the females. Absolute
posttaper CK values were not different between genders and fell to their lowest levels
of the season during the taper (figure 3.1). These results suggested that CK levels reflect
training volume rather than intensity. Yamamoto and colleagues (1988) also observed
decreased CK levels after swimming tapers correlating with the daily workout volume
during the taper.
Flynn and colleagues (1994) described a CK reduction of 38% during 3 weeks of
taper. Mujika and colleagues (1996d) also reported a 43% decline in plasma CK during
a 4-week taper, but this did not correlate with swimming performance improvements,
which ranged from 0.4% to 4.9%. Costill and colleagues (1991) measured 28% lower CK
values after 2 to 3 weeks of taper, which resulted in an average performance improve-
ment of 3.2%. Burke and colleagues (1982b) also observed a decline in CK levels after
the taper in swimmers, but their values remained in the high–normal range.
In a group of male distance runners performing simulated half-marathons before and
after either a 7-day taper or normal training, lower serum CK values were measured after
the second half-marathon in the tapered athletes (Child et al. 2000). This attenuated
release of CK into the bloodstream was unlikely to be a consequence of lower muscle
force generation, reduced oxidative stress, or increased extracellular antioxidant protec-
tion. It was speculated that the taper may have facilitated muscle recovery, such that CK
returned to resting values prior to the second half-marathon and resistance to exercise-
induced injury was similar to that observed before the taper. Despite evidence that the
taper reduced muscle damage, half-marathon performance did not improve (Child et
Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 37

al. 2000). A 3-week step taper 320

CPK men
also resulted in decreased serum
CPK women
CK in well-trained runners, but 300
performance did not change
280
(Houmard et al. 1990b).
In contrast to studies showing 260
lower CK values after the taper,
Hooper and colleagues (1999) 240
measured a statistically nonsig-
nificant 17% increase in plasma 220
CK during a 2-week taper, with
200
very large inter­individual varia-

Serum CK (IU/L)
tion among swimmers. These 180
authors argued that plasma CK
is not a reliable marker of train- 160
ing stress and reflects an acute
response to a single exercise 140
session rather than an athlete’s
homeostatic status. They also 120
suggested that the large interin-
100
dividual variation could indicate
large differences in athletes’ 80
physiological responses to the
taper. Very large interindivid- 60
ual variations with statistically
unchanged means were also
observed in triathletes after a
2-week taper (Coutts et al. 2007b) 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
and in middle-distance runners Month of training
after 6-day tapers (Mujika et
Figure 3.1  Serum creatine kinase values observed post­
al. 2000, Mujika et al. 2002a).
exercise during months 1 through 5 of the swimming season.
Nevertheless, plasma CK levels Symbols indicate values ± SEM.
increased with increasing low- Reprinted, by permission, from M. Millard, C. Zauner, R. Cade, et al., 1995,
intensity continuous training “Serum CPK levels inE4493/Mujika/fig 3.1/330419/KE/R1
male and female world class swimmers during a season
distance during the taper, which of training,” Journal of Swimming Research 1: 12-16.
led the authors to suggest that
middle-distance runners could limit the exercise-induced skeletal muscle damage before
competition by reducing continuous running volume during the taper (Mujika et al.
2000).
The published literature appears to suggest that plasma CK values could be of some
interest to assess recovery from acute training stress and muscle damage during the taper,
but the validity of this parameter as a marker of an individual athlete’s performance
capabilities seems limited.

Other Biochemical Markers

Yamamoto and colleagues (1988) measured serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase
and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) during two separate tapers in male swim-
mers, with declines in GPT in the initial 4 to 9 days of each of the tapers. The authors
speculated that this decrease may reflect an increased posttaper ATP availability, main-
taining the integrity of the cellular membrane and reducing the efflux of enzymes
into the bloodstream. Banister and colleagues (1992) reported marked declines in the
pattern of an elevation of serum enzyme activity (including CK, lactate dehydroge-
nase, and aspartate aminotransferase) during 32 days of taper subsequent to 28 days of
normal training in two subjects.
38 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Other purported biochemical markers of training stress and performance capability,

including blood urea, uric acid, and creatinine, were unchanged during 6-day tapers in
middle-distance runners (Mujika et al. 2000, Mujika et al. 2002a) and a 14-day taper
in triathletes (Coutts et al. 2007b). Serum uric acid did not change in distance runners
during a 7-day taper (Child et al. 2000). Costill and colleagues (1985) did not detect any
taper-induced changes in their swimmers’ blood pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide
(PCO2), partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), bicarbonate (HCO3), and base excess after a
200-yard (183 m) submaximal swim at 90% of the season’s best performance.

AT A Glance Biochemical Markers of Training Stress

Creatine kinase is one of the most widely used blood parameters purported to provide
an indication of training-induced physiological stress. Reduced blood CK concentra-
tions after a training taper suggest recovery from training stress and muscle damage,
but these reductions do not necessarily correlate with improved performance. Other
biochemical markers of training stress and performance capacity are largely unaffected
by the taper.

Hormonal Adaptations
Strenuous physical exercise is known to result in short- and long-term alterations of
the endocrine system (Bunt 1986; Galbo 1986; Viru 1992). Because of their responsive-
ness to training-induced physiological stress, various hormones including testosterone,
cortisol, catecholamines, growth hormone, and others are often used as markers to
monitor training stress, evaluate training responses, and predict performance capacity.
These hormonal markers of training stress should therefore reflect the variations in the
training load that take place during different phases of a competitive season, such as
during a taper, and hormonal changes should be related with changes in competition
performance.

Testosterone, Cortisol,
and the Testosterone–Cortisol Ratio
The plasma levels of testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) could represent anabolic and
catabolic tissue activities, respectively. Although the T:C ratio has been suggested as a
marker of training stress (Adlercreutz et al. 1986, Kuoppasalmi and Adlercreutz 1985),
the available data in the literature concerning androgen and C responses to tapering in
athletes are inconclusive (table 3.2).
In a study on collegiate runners and swimmers, Flynn and colleagues (1994) observed
no change in the runners’ total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), and TT:C or FT:C
ratios during 3 weeks of taper. Within the same study, on the other hand, a group of
swimmers’ TT and FT returned toward baseline during the taper, after showing blunted
values throughout the intensive training phases of the season. No changes were noticed
in the TT:C and FT:C ratios. Interestingly, changes in TT and FT during training and
taper, but not in TT:C or FT:C ratios, paralleled changes in performance during criterion
swims (Flynn et al. 1994). Male cyclists’ serum T increased by 5.3%, and 24 hr urinary
C decreased marginally by 4.6% during 10 days of reduced training, in the face of a
1.2% improvement in performance. In addition, the ratio of serum T to urinary C ratio
was unaltered by the taper (Dressendorfer et al. 2002a).
No changes in resting blood levels of T or C or in TT:C ratios were found in runners
performing a 3-week step taper (Houmard et al. 1990b), nor were changes in these
variables and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) found in elite weightlifters after
either 1 or 4 weeks of taper, during which competition performance improved by 8.0
 Table 3.2  Effects of the Taper on Blood Testosterone and Cortisol Concentrations
Blood Blood
Taper duration, testosterone cortisol Testosterone– Performance Performance
Study (year) Athletes days concentration concentration cortisol ratio measure outcome, %

Houmard et al. (1990b) Runners 21 ↔ ↔ ↔ 5K indoor race ↔

Costill et al. (1991) Swimmers 14-21 ↑ ↓ NR Competition ≈3.2 impr

Tanaka et al. (1993) Swimmers 14 ↔ ↔ ↔ NR NR

Flynn et al. (1994) Runners 21 ↔ ↔ ↔ Treadmill time to exhaustion ↔

Swimmers ↑ ↔ ↔ 23 m, 366 m time trial ≈3 impr

Mujika et al. (1996d) Swimmers 28 ↔ ↔ ↔ 100-200 m competition 0.4-4.9 impr

Stone et al. (1996) Weightlifters 7-28 ↔ ↔ ↔ Competition 8.0-17.5 kg impr

Bonifazi et al. (2000) Swimmers 14-21 NR ↓ NR 100-400 m competition 1.5-2.1 impr

Martin et al. (2000) Cyclists  7 NR ↑ NR Incremental maximal test ≈6 impr

Mujika et al. (2000) Runners  6 ↔ ↔ ↔ 800 m competition ↔

Steinacker et al. (2000) Rowers  7 ↑ slightly ↑ slightly NR 2,000 m time trial–competition 6.3 impr

Dressendorfer et al. (2002a) Cyclists 10 ↑ slightly NR NR 20 km simulated time trial 1.2 impr

Mujika et al. (2002a) Runners  6 ↑ ↔ ↔ 800 m competition 0.4-1.9 impr

Maestu et al. (2003) Rowers 14 ↓ ↔ NR 2000 m ergometer time trial Unchanged

Coutts et al. (2007a) Triathletes 14 ↔ ↓ ↑ 3 km run time trial 3 impr

Izquierdo et al. (2007) Strength 28 ↔ ↔ NR 1RM strength 2.0-3.0 impr

trained

impr = improvement; NR = not reported; ↓ indicates decreased; ↑ indicates increased; ↔ indicates unchanged.
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, D. Pyne, et al., 2004, “Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper in athletes,” Sports Medicine 34: 907.

39
 40 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

and 17.5 kg (Stone et al. 1996). Strength-trained athletes tapering for 4 weeks after
16 weeks of heavy resistance training did not change their resting serum TT, FT, and C
concentrations either (Izquierdo et al. 2007).
Mujika and colleagues have assessed the effects of tapering on selected hormones in
swimmers and middle-distance runners (Mujika et al. 1996d, Mujika et al. 2000, Mujika
et al. 2002a). In a study on swimmers, plasma TT, non–SHBG-bound testosterone (NSBT;
which is the sum of FT and albumin-bound T representing the biologically active frac-
tion of T) (Cumming and Wall 1985, Manni et al. 1985), C, TT:C, and NSBT:C remained
stable during a 4-week taper subsequent to 8 weeks of intensive training, despite large
variations in training volume (Mujika et al. 1996d). Nevertheless, the 4 weeks of taper
resulted in a 2.3% improvement in competition performance, and percentage variations
in swimming performance during the taper correlated with changes in the TT:C (r = .81)
(see figure 1.3) and NSBT:C (r = .76) ratios and with changes in NSBT concentration (r =
.71) (Mujika et al. 1996d). In contrast, Coutts and colleagues (2007b) observed decreased
C and increased FT:C in well-trained triathletes tapering for 2 weeks, but these changes
did not correlate with observed gains in performance.
In an initial 6-day taper study on 800 m runners, TT, FT, C, TT:C, and FT:C remained
stable as a result of the taper, and individual changes in these markers did not parallel
changes in performance during the taper. However, TT correlated inversely with low-
intensity continuous training distance during the taper and positively with high-intensity
interval training distance, suggesting that low-intensity continuous training may hinder
anabolic processes stimulated by testosterone during the taper, whereas they could be
facilitated by high-intensity interval training (Mujika et al. 2000) (figure 3.2). A subse-
quent study on 800 m runners who also tapered for 6 days showed increased TT values
after the taper, attributed to the elimination of low-intensity continuous training from
the main part of the training sessions during the taper. The mechanism for increased TT
posttaper is thought to relate to enhanced pituitary response to the preceding time of
intense training, bringing about a positive influence on androgenic–anabolic activity during
the subsequent taper, characterized by reduced levels of physiological stress (Busso et
al. 1992, Mujika et al. 1996d, Mujika et al. 2002a).

20 20
r = -0.78 r = 0.68
P < 0.05 P = 0.06
15 15
N=8 N=8

10 10
∆ TT during taper (%)

∆ TT during taper (%)

5 5

0 0

-5 -5

-10 -10

-15 -15

-20 -20

-25 -25
12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 0.5 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5
a LICT during taper (km) b HIIT during taper (km)

Figure 3.2  Relationships between the percentage change in total testosterone (TT) and (a) low-intensity continuous train-
ing (LICT) distance during the taper and (b) high-intensity interval training (HIIT) distance during the taper.
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, A. Goya, S. Padilla, et al., 2000, “Physiological responses to a 6-day taper in middle-distance runners: Influence of
E4493/Mujika/fig
training intensity and 3.2a/330422/KE/R2-alw
volume,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 32: 511-517. E4493/Mujika/fig 3.2b/330423/KE/R3-alw
Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 41

In view of the relationship between luteinizing hormone (LH) and T, regulated by the
hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular axis, and given that the C secretion is in part controlled
by a common regulatory pathway (i.e., the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis),
Mujika and colleagues (2004) suggested that future investigations should assess possible
changes in the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentration during the taper.
This was recently done by Coutts and colleagues (2007b) in triathletes undergoing 4
weeks of intensified training followed by 2 weeks of tapering. The observed trends in
ACTH concentrations were indeed suggestive of an enhanced pituitary response during
the taper after the intensified training, as mentioned previously.
Changes in resting C concentration during the taper have been proposed as a means
of monitoring performance capacity in athletes (table 3.2). For instance, Mujika and
colleagues (1996b) found slight reductions in resting cortisol concentrations in swim-
mers who responded to a 4-week taper by improving their performance by more than
2% but a significant increase in cortisol in swimmers less respondent to the same taper
program, suggesting a relationship between resting cortisol levels and the performance
response to the taper (figure 3.3). Collegiate swimmers’ resting C values declined by
23% to 30%, their T concentration increased by 22% during the first taper, and the
athletes’ competition performance improved by an average of 3.2% in two different
2- to 3-week tapers within a season (Costill et al. 1991). On the other hand, no changes
in TT, C, or the TT:C ratio were observed during 6 weeks of progressive increase and
2 weeks of gradual decrease in training volume in well-trained swimmers (Tanaka et
al. 1993).
A follow-up investigation on elite swimmers over two seasons showed that the 1.5%
to 2.1% performance improvements during the tapers before the major competitions
of each season were positively related to the corresponding 22% to 49% increases in
postcompetition peak lactate concentrations but negatively related (r = –.66) to the
19% to 29% change in resting precompetition plasma C concentration (Bonifazi et al.
2000) (figure 3.4). The conclusion of this study was that a low C concentration was a
prerequisite for improved per-
formance in events that rely
largely on the contribution of 40 *
GE
anaerobic metabolism to total
GLE
energy supply (Bonifazi et al.
2000). In keeping with this con- 30
Change in cortisol with taper (%)

clusion, Mujika and colleagues

(2002a) observed strong correla-
tions between changes in peak 20
blood lactate concentration after
an 800 m running race during
a 6-day taper and changes in 10
serum C (r = –.75) and the TT:C
and FT:C ratios (r = .82) (figure
3.5). Collectively, these findings 0
indicate that a hormonal milieu
propitious to anabolic processes is
necessary for optimum function
-10
of the glycolytic power system
and performance in middle-
distance events. Figure 3.3  Group comparison for the percentage of varia-
E4493/Mujika/fig 3.3/330427/KE/R1
Elite junior rowers showing tion in blood cortisol with the taper. GE (group efficient)
clear signs of overreaching and and GLE (group less efficient): swimmers improving their
competition performance with the taper by more than 2%
hypothalamic down-regulation
and less than 2%, respectively. *p < .05.
during a high-load training phase
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, J.C. Chatard, T. Busso, et al., 1996,
reportedly recovered during “Use of swim-training profiles and performance data to enhance training
a subsequent week of taper. effectiveness,” Journal of Swimming Research 11: 23-29.
 Precompetition cortisol Postcompetition lactate **
200 20

*
150 ** 15

mmol/l
ng/ml

100 10

50 5
0 12 18 0 12 18
a Weeks of training b Weeks of training

Competition performance
98 **

E4493/Mujika/fig 3.4a/330429/KE/R4-alw E4493/Mujika/fig 3.4b/330432/KE/R2-alw

% of world record

96

94

92
0 12 18
c Weeks of training

Figure 3.4  1997 season (World Championships, WC): (a) initial (0) and precompetition cortisol plasma concentrations (ng/
ml); (b) postcompetition blood lactate concentration (mmol/l) and (c) competition performances expressed as a percentage
of the world record in the preparatory competition (PWC; after 12 weeks of training) and WC (after tapering, 18 weeks). Data
are given as mean and standard deviation. T test for paired data: cortisol, 12 weeks significantly different from initial (*p
= .003), 18 weeks significantly different from 12E4493/Mujika/fig 3.4c/330433/KE/R3-alw
weeks (**p = .029); lactate, 18 weeks significantly different from 12 weeks
(**p < .001); performance, 18 weeks significantly different from 12 weeks (**p < .001).
With kind permission from Springer Science + Business Media: European Journal of Applied Physiology, “Preparatory versus main competitions: Differences in
performances, lactate responses and pre-competition plasma cortisol concentrations in elite male swimmers,” vol. 82, 2000, p. 370, M. Bonifazi, F. Sardella, and C.
Luppo, fig. 1.

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material
can be found in its original source. From I. Mujika, A. Goya, E. Ruiz, et can be found in its original source. From I. Mujika, A. Goya, E. Ruiz, et
al., 2002, “Physiological and performance responses to a 6-day taper in al., 2002, “Physiological and performance responses to a 6-day taper in
middle-distance runners: Influence of training frequency,” International middle-distance runners: Influence of training frequency,” International
Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 367-373. Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 367-373.
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, A. Goya, E. Ruiz, et al., 2002, Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, A. Goya, E. Ruiz, et al., 2002,
“Physiological and performance responses to a 6-day taper in middle- “Physiological and performance responses to a 6-day taper in middle-
distance runners: Influence of training frequency,” International Journal distance runners: Influence of training frequency,” International Journal
of Sports Medicine 23: 367-373. of Sports Medicine 23: 367-373.

Figure 3.5  Relationships between the percentage change in peak blood lactate concentration ([La]peak) during the taper
and (a) percentage change in serum cortisol concentration during the taper and (b) percentage change in the total testos-
terone–cortisol ratio (TT:C) during the taper.

42
Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 43

Time trial (2,000 m) performance High-volume, high-intensity training

improved by 6.3%, whereas
peripheral and central steroid Aldosterone
hormone concentrations increased Cortisol
by about 10% (Steinacker et al.
DHEAS
2000) (figure 3.6). These changes
were accompanied by positive Testosterone
changes in the Recovery–Stress LH
Questionnaire for Athletes, which
led the authors to suggest that the FSH
hypothalamus plays an important Insulin
role in integrating different kinds
C-Peptide
of stress influences and responds
by means of the endocrine system HGH
(e.g., pituitary–adrenocortical Prolactin
and pituitary–gonadal axes), the
autonomic nervous system, and -60 -40 -20 0 20 40
%
behavior (Steinacker et al. 2000).
Female collegiate swimmers’
salivary C levels have been reported Tapering
to return to baseline values after 4
Aldosterone
weeks of taper, consisting of a pro-
gressive 63% reduction in training Cortisol
volume (O’Connor et al. 1989). DHEAS
A similar finding was reported in
male swimmers, whose salivary Testosterone
C decreased marginally by 4.8% LH
during the taper, to attain the
FSH
lowest values of the entire training
season (Tharp and Barnes 1990). Insulin
Several investigations, however, C-Peptide
have reported unchanged or
slightly increased C concentrations HGH
as a result of a taper in swimmers Prolactin
(Mujika et al. 1996d, Mujika et
al. 2002a), cyclists (Martin et al. 60 40 20 0 -20 -40 -60
%
2000), and rowers (Steinacker et
al. 2000). Plasma C concentrations Figure 3.6  Change in resting hormone concentrations at
the beginning of the training camp, at the end of phase 2
are subject to different kinds of
with high-volume, high-intensity
E4493/Mujika/fig training, and at the end
3.6/330437/KE/R3-alw
physiological and psychological of the first tapering segment (phase 4): aldosterone, corti-
stressors (McCarthy and Dale sol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS), free testosterone,
1988, Stein et al. 1985), which luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone
could explain conflicting findings. (FSH), insulin, C-peptide, human growth hormone (hGH),
The physical stress produced by and prolactin. Percentage change of median values.
the pretaper intensive training Reprinted, by permission, from J.M. Steinacker, W. Lormes, M. Kell-
could be replaced in the posttaper mann, et al., 2000, “Training of junior rowers before world champion-
ships. Effects on performance, mood state and selected hormonal and
condition by the psychological metabolic responses,” Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
stress associated with the oncom- 40(4): 332.
ing major competition (Mujika et
al. 1996c).
Atlaoui and colleagues (2004) speculated that explanations for discrepancies among
studies include C binding with corticosteroid binding globulin, varying densities of recep-
tors in target tissues, and prereceptor metabolism of C by the tissue-specific enzyme
11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11-HSD). Two isoenzymes of 11-HSD inter­
convert active C and inactive cortisone (Cn) within target cells, modulating C action at
an autocrine level in peripheral tissues. Given that the 24-hr urinary C:Cn ratio is a valid
44 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

index of renal 11-HSD activity (Best and Walker 1997), it was suggested that the C:Cn
ratio could provide insight into the adaptations of the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal
axis to training and tapering. Atlaoui and colleagues (2004) showed a decline of the
C:Cn ratio during 3 weeks of taper subsequent to 4 weeks of intensive training. A large
negative correlation between performance changes in competition and changes in C:Cn
during the taper (r = –.69) suggests that this ratio could be a useful tool for monitoring
training and tapering-induced adaptations.

Catecholamines
Plasma and urinary catecholamine concentrations have been measured as a means to
monitor training stress and identify overreaching or overtraining in athletes (Coutts
et al. 2007a, Hooper et al. 1993, Hooper et al. 1995, Kindermann 1988, Kirwan et al.
1988, Lehmann et al. 1991, Lehmann et al. 1992, Mackinnon et al. 1997). Hooper and
colleagues reported that plasma noradrenaline was higher during the taper in swim-
mers who were overtrained and failed to improve their performance (Hooper et al.
1993). In another study by the same group, a small change in time-trial swimming
performance during the taper was predicted by changes in plasma noradrenaline con-
centration, which accounted for 82% of the variance. The authors concluded that the
change in plasma noradrenaline concentration could be a useful marker for monitor-
ing recovery associated with the taper, but they acknowledged that the role of cat-
echolamines in the recovery phase after intense training is not well established and that
the expense and complexity associated with catecholamine measurements preclude its
use in routine screening of athletes during the taper (Hooper et al. 1999). Other inves-
tigators have also measured plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine concen-
trations before and after taper in competitive swimmers (Mujika et al. 1996d). The
only noticeable change in this study was a statistically nonsignificant 22% decrease in
plasma noradrenaline during the taper, but in contrast with the previously mentioned
investigation, this change did not correlate with the 2.3% gains in competition swim-
ming performance, which ranged between 0.4% and 4.9% (Mujika et al. 1996d). More
recently, Coutts and colleagues (2007b) failed to observe significant changes in urinary
adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations during intensified training and tapering
in well-trained triathletes.

Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I

Human growth hormone (hGH) levels increased 10% from baseline following 3 weeks
of intensive training in rowers but decreased by 30% during the following 2-week taper
phase (Steinacker et al. 2000). Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a 7.5 kDa polypeptide
that plays an important role in the regulation of somatic growth, metabolism, and cel-
lular proliferation, differentiation, and survival, has also been measured before and
after taper in athletes (Koziris et al. 1999). Nine male collegiate swimmers’ total serum
IGF-I increased progressively by 76% above baseline during 4 months of intensive
training, and these elevated values were maintained during 4 weeks of tapering. The
levels of free IGF-I increased by 77% to 102% at all training measurements, including
the taper. The levels of immunoreactive IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were 30%
higher after intensive training and remained elevated during tapering. In contrast, IGF
binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) declined to baseline values during tapering. Performance
measures were not reported, but the authors of the study suggested that the increased
total and free IGF-I and total IGFBP-3 could have played a role in the observed reduc-
tions in skinfold measurements during the season (Koziris et al. 1999). Two weeks of
reduced training characterized by less intense training, no weight training, and shorter
interval training in junior team handball players resulted in a 7.7% increase in IGF-I,
which returned to baseline after being depressed during intensive training. This change
during the taper was concomitant with gains in repeated sprint (2.1%) and vertical
 Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 45

jump (3.2%) performance (Eliakim et al. 2002). In strength-trained athletes, 4 weeks

of tapered strength training did not elicit any changes in resting serum hGH and IGF-I,
but IGFBP-3 increased by 15% (Izquierdo et al. 2007), leading the authors to speculate
that the elevated IGFBP-3 may have been a compensatory mechanism to accommodate
the low IGF-I concentrations found during the taper to preserve IGF availability.

Other Hormones
Other hormones have been suggested as markers of training stress and overtraining
(Busso et al. 1992, Carli et al. 1983, Fry et al. 1991) during tapering. To date, the rel-
evant studies have yielded inconclusive results about the usefulness of hormonal moni-
toring. Thyroid-stimulating hormones, triiodothyronine and thyroxine concentrations, for
instance, were not altered by a 4-week taper in male national- and international-level
swimmers (Mujika et al. 1996d). Steinacker and colleagues (2000) reported increased
resting insulin and C-peptide levels during a 1-week taper in rowers, suggesting a higher
posttaper carbohydrate turnover capacity. This suggestion, however, was not reflected
by the exercise lactate levels, which remained unchanged, and there was no indication
of glycogen depletion among the participating subjects.
Maestu and colleagues (2003) evaluated fasting plasma leptin responses in 12 male
national standard rowers who underwent 3 weeks of intensified training followed by
2 weeks of tapering, characterized by a 50% reduced training load. Leptin concentra-
tions increased by 29% during the first week of taper and an additional 4% during the
second week. The authors concluded that fasting plasma leptin is more sensitive to rapid
changes in training stress than are previously used stress hormones and that leptin could
be regarded as a key signal for metabolic adaptation to training stress in highly trained
athletes (Maestu et al. 2003).

Hormones and the Taper AT A Glance

Testosterone, cortisol, and the testosterone–cortisol ratio can provide information on the
physiological stress, recovery, and performance capacity of an athlete during the taper,
but performance gains also occur without concomitant changes in these parameters.
The 24 hr urinary cortisol–cortisone ratio, plasma and urinary catecholamines, growth
hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-I show promise as tools for monitoring training
stress and tapering-induced adaptations, but further research is needed to draw solid
conclusions about their validity.

Neuromuscular Adaptations
The extraordinary plasticity of skeletal muscle tissue allows it to adapt to variable levels
of functional demands, neuromuscular activity, and hormonal signals and reversibly
change its functional characteristics and structural composition (Gordon and Pattullo
1993, Hoppeler 1986, Kannus et al. 1992, Saltin and Gollnick 1983). A precompetition
taper presumably reduces the demands placed on the neuromuscular system compared
with previous phases of a training program.

Strength and Power

Increased strength and power as a result of a taper have been a common observation
in different athletic activities (table 3.3). Costill and colleagues (1985) were among the
first researchers to describe such gains in swimmers. These authors described an 18%
improvement in swim bench power and a 25% gain in actual swim power in a group
of 17 collegiate swimmers undergoing a 2-week taper. Swim power improvement cor-
related with a 3.1% competition performance gain (r = .68). The reduced training may
46 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 3.3  Effects of the Taper on Muscular Strength and Power

Taper duration, Strength Performance Performance
Study (year) Athletes days and power measure outcome, %

Costill et al. (1985) Swimmers 14 ↑ 46-1,509 m competition 2.2-4.6 impr

Cavanaugh and Musch Swimmers 28 ↑ 46-1,509 m competition 2.0-3.8 impr

(1989)

Prins et al. (1991) Swimmers 28 ↔ NR NR

Johns et al. (1992) Swimmers 10-14 ↑ 46-366 m competition 2.0-3.7 impr

Shepley et al. (1992) Runners  7 ↑ Treadmill time to exhaustion 6-22 impr

Gibala et al. (1994) Strength 10 ↑ Voluntary elbow flexor strength ≈7 impr

trained

Houmard et al. (1994) Runners  7 ↔ 5K treadmill time trial 2.8 impr

Martin et al. (1994) Cyclists 14 ↑ Incremental maximal test 8.0 impr

Raglin et al. (1996) Swimmers 28-35 ↑ Competition 2.0 impr

Hooper et al. (1998) Swimmers 14 ↑ 100 m, 400 m time trial ↔

Hooper et al. (1999) Swimmers 14 ↔ 100 m time trial ↔

Trappe et al. (2001) Swimmers 21 ↑ Competition 3.0-4.7 impr

Trinity et al. (2006) Swimmers 21 ↑ 50-1500 m competition 4.5 impr

Papoti et al. (2007) Swimmers 11 ↑ 200 m time trial 1.6 impr

Izquierdo et al. (2007) Strength 28 ↑ 1RM strength 2.0-3.0 impr

trained

impr = improvement; NR = not reported; ↑ indicates increased; ↔ indicates unchanged.

Adapted, by permisison, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, D. Pyne, et al., 2004, “Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper in athletes,” Sports
Medicine 34: 911.

have allowed for an increase in maximal tension development through changes in the
contractile mechanisms or neural controls on fiber recruitment (Costill et al. 1985).
In keeping with these results, Johns and colleagues (1992) observed a 5% increase in
tethered swimming power and a 2.8% improved performance in competition after 10
and 14 days of taper. National- and international-level swimmers’ isolated mean arm
and leg power has also been shown to increase during a 4-week taper, especially during
the initial 5 to 24 s of exercise (Cavanaugh and Musch 1989). Competition perfor-
mance increased by an average of 2.6% during the taper.
Raglin and colleagues (1996) also reported gains during a 4- to 5-week taper in swim-
ming peak power (16%) and mean power (20%). In addition, they observed a 23%
gain in neuromuscular function, as determined with the soleus Hoffmann reflex, an
indicator of the general excitability of the -motoneuron pool. These changes correlated
with changes in power and were accompanied by a 2.0% improvement in competition
velocity. The authors concluded that neurological adaptations may have a role in the
performance gains that often follow the taper (Raglin et al. 1996). More recently, Trappe
Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 47

250 * 6

*
5

Improvement (%)
200 4
Post
*
3
Power (watts)

150 **
Pre 2

100 *
0
SF Pmax

Figure 3.8  Swim force (SF) and maximal performance

50 E4493/Mujika/fig 3.9/330441/KE/R1
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 (Pmax) improvements after the 11-day taper.
Velocity (m/s) Reprinted, by permission, from M. Papoti, L.E.B. Martins, S.A. Cunha, et
al., 2007, “Effects of taper on swimming force and swimmer performance
Figure 3.7  Pre- to posttaper swim bench arm power is after an experimental ten-week training program,” Journal of Strength and
shown at settingsE4493/Mujika/fig
0 (1.44 m/s), 33.8/330440/KE/R1
(2.05 m/s), 6 (2.66 m/s), Conditioning Research 21(2): 540.
and 9 (3.28 m/s). *Significant p < .05 difference pre- to
posttaper.
Reprinted, by permission, from S. Trappe, D. Costill, and R. Thomas, 2001,
“Effect of swim taper on whole muscle and single fiber contractile proper-
ties,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 33: 50.

and colleagues (2001) noted a 7% to 20% increase in swim bench muscle power, a
13% increase in swim power, and a 4% enhancement in competition performance as
a result of a 3-week taper in six male collegiate swimmers (figure 3.7). In keeping with
these results, Papoti and colleagues (2007) reported a 3.8% gain in swim force and a
1.6% gain in 200 m time trial performance after an 11-day taper consisting of a 48%
reduction in weekly training volume (figure 3.8). Swim force significantly correlated
with performance both before and after the taper.
Trinity and colleagues (2006) found that elite swimmers’ maximal arm power
increased 10% and 12% during a taper, and these gains in power correlated with per-
formance gains of 4.4% and 4.7%. Interestingly, these authors observed that maximal
mechanical power displayed a biphasic response during the taper, such that approximately
50%, 5%, and 45% of the total increase occurred during the first, second, and third
weeks of the taper, respectively. In this study, the biphasic response was reported to
be the most common response to the taper among individual swimmers, although
there were also “early responders” and “late responders” (figure 3.9). There were also
three nonresponders and two swimmers whose power showed a constant increase
during the taper.
Prins and colleagues (1991) and Hooper and colleagues (1999) reported unchanged
muscular force as a result of a taper, concluding that pretaper force levels were not com-
promised by the training load undertaken by swimmers. Differences with studies reporting
gains in force after a taper may relate to variations in the caliber of the swimmers and the
training and tapering programs undertaken.
In cross country and middle-distance runners, Shepley and colleagues (1992) observed
an increase in maximal voluntary isometric strength of the knee extensors after both a
high-intensity, low-volume taper and a low-intensity, moderate-volume taper, despite
48 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material
can be found in its original source. From J.D. Trinity, M.D. Pahnke, E.C. can be found in its original source. From J.D. Trinity, M.D. Pahnke, E.C.
Resse, and E.F. Coyle, 2006, “Maximal mechanical power during a taper in Resse, and E.F. Coyle, 2006, “Maximal mechanical power during a taper in
elite swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38: 1643-1649. elite swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38: 1643-1649.
Reprinted, by permission, from J.D. Trinity, M.D. Pahnke, E.C. Resse, Reprinted, by permission, from J.D. Trinity, M.D. Pahnke, E.C. Resse,
and E.F. Coyle, 2006, “Maximal mechanical power during a taper in elite and E.F. Coyle, 2006, “Maximal mechanical power during a taper in elite
swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38: 1643-1649. swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38: 1643-1649.

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material
can be found in its original source. From J.D. Trinity, M.D. Pahnke, E.C.
Resse, and E.F. Coyle, 2006, “Maximal mechanical power during a taper in
elite swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38: 1643-1649.
Reprinted, by permission, from J.D. Trinity, M.D. Pahnke, E.C. Resse,
and E.F. Coyle, 2006, “Maximal mechanical power during a taper in elite
swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 38: 1643-1649.

Figure 3.9  Maximal power during a 3-week taper when subjects were grouped based on individual responses: biphasic
responders (n = 8), early responders (n = 6), and late responders (n = 5).

unchanged percentage motor unit activation (figure 3.10). Following percutaneous nerve
stimulation, evoked contractile properties of the right knee extensors also improved
during both tapers, with peak twitch torque gains amounting to 13% and 19%, respec-
tively (Shepley et al. 1992). Similar positive changes were observed when the athletes
performed no training at all for a week, a strategy that resulted in a 3% performance
decline. This and other similar findings, such as a 12% gain in peak tethered swimming
force that was not accompanied by statistically significant improvements in competition
performance during a taper in male and female swimmers (Hooper et al. 1998), or a
2.8% treadmill running performance gain despite a lack of change in leg peak isometric
or concentric force (Houmard et al. 1994), suggest that the involvement of muscular
force is influenced by many physiological and environmental factors.
Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 49

In contrast with these findings, 350

the evoked contractile properties Low-intensity High-intensity
taper taper
(peak twitch torque, time to peak 300
twitch, half relaxation time, and
maximum rate of torque devel-
*

MVC N . m
250 *
opment) were unchanged after 4
and 10 days of taper in strength-
trained athletes (Gibala et al. 1994). 200
The taper, however, induced an
increase in the isometric peak
torque of the elbow flexors (7.5%
at day 6 and 6.8% at day 10 of the
taper), despite unchanged motor Pre Post Pre Post
unit activation, and increased the taper taper taper taper
concentric peak torque at low
velocity (7.7% at day 4 and 2.8% Figure 3.10  Maximal voluntary isometric strength
(MVC) of knee extensors of one leg before and after
at day 10). These results were
each taper procedure (N = 9). Values are mean ± SD.
attributed to enhanced contractile *Significant pre- to posttaper
E4493/Mujika/fig differences, p < .05.
3.10/330446/KE/R2-alw
performance, an increase in neural Adapted, by permission, from B. Shepley, J.D. MacDougall, N. Cipriano,
activation, or both (Gibala et al. et al., 1992, “Physiological effects of tapering in highly trained athletes.
1994). Collegiate cyclists showed Journal of Applied Physiology 72(Feb): 708. Permission conveyed
improvements in their isokinetic through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
quadriceps strength at 30° and
120° per second after a 2-week step taper, but strength gains were not correlated with
improvements in laboratory cycling performance (Martin et al. 1994). Izquierdo and
colleagues (2007), studying a group of strength-trained athletes during a 4-week taper,
reported 2% gains in 1RM bench press and 3% in maximum concentric 1RM thigh
parallel squat, but these gains did not result in functional improvements in the height
of a counter-movement jump.

Implications of the Strength and Power Studies AT A Glance

The studies described here suggest that muscular strength and power production are
usually suppressed by chronic intensive training but most likely recover during the
taper, when the training load is markedly reduced. The mechanisms responsible for the
taper-induced improvements in muscular strength and power may be related to local
changes in enzymatic activities and single muscle fiber characteristics positively affecting
neuromuscular, biomechanical, and metabolic efficiency.

Enzymatic Activities
Neary and colleagues (1992) failed to observe changes in mitochondrial enzymes car-
nitine palmityl transferase, citrate synthase, -hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase, and
cytochrome oxidase, all of which are important for muscle aerobic energy provision,
and the key cytoplasmic glycolytic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase after 4 or 8 days of
taper. The lack of change could have been related to the small group sizes or a mixture
of males and females within each group (Neary et al. 1992). Shepley and colleagues
(1992) observed an 18% increase in citrate synthase activity after a 7-day high-inten-
sity, low-volume taper in a group of nine male runners. In light of this finding, and
given that citrate synthase is a key enzyme in the process of oxidative energy supply,
the investigators attributed part of the laboratory performance gain to an increased
capacity to maintain a high rate of oxidative energy production, despite the potentially
inhibitory effects of increasing intracellular temperature, hydrogen ion and lactate
50 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

50 concentration, and superoxide free radicals that occur

during high-intensity exercise (Shepley et al. 1992)
High-intensity (figure 3.11).
taper
40
Muscle Fibers
Citrate synthase activity
μmol · g-1 · min-1, DW
The taper appears to affect muscle fiber in various
ways. Studies on taper-related adaptations in fiber
*
30 size, metabolic properties, and contractile properties
are considered next.

Fiber Size
20 In male collegiate swimmers, no changes in Type I
muscle fiber diameter and cross-sectional area were
observed after a 3-week taper. On the other hand,
Type IIa muscle fiber diameter increased by 11% and
Pre- Post- cross-sectional area by 24% (Trappe et al. 2001). In
taper taper male cyclists, a 7-day high-intensity (85-90% of
maximal HR), low-volume (progressive reduction
Figure 3.11  Citrate synthase from 60 min to 20 min sessions) taper brought about
activity for vastus lateralis before a moderate 6.9% increase in Type I fiber cross-sec-
and after a high-inensity taper (N tional area and a much larger increase, 14%, in Type
E4493/Mujika/fig 3.11/330460/KE/R5-alw
= 8). Values are mean ± SD and
II muscle fibers. When the taper was high volume (60
are expressed per unit dry weight.
*Significant pre- to posttaper dif-
min sessions) and low intensity (progressive reduc-
ferences, p < .05. tion from 85% to 55% of maximal HR), the observed
Adapted, by permission, from B. Shepley,
7.0% and 11% increases in Type I and Type II fibers
J.D. MacDougall, N. Cipriano, et al., 1992, were not statistically significant (Neary et al. 2003b).
“Physiological effects of tapering in highly In contrast, Harber and colleagues (2004) reported a
trained athletes,” Journal of Applied Physi-
ology 72(Feb): 709. Permission conveyed
4% reduction in Type I fiber diameter in cross coun-
through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. try runners during a 4-week taper but unchanged
Type IIa diameters.

Metabolic Properties
Only one investigation is available that analyzed the effects of the taper on the meta-
bolic properties of different fiber types. Neary and colleagues (2003b) reported that after
a high-intensity, low-volume taper, myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase)
increased by 11% and succinate dehydrogenase by 12% in Type I fibers. In Type
II fibers, myofibrillar ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase, -hydroxyacyl CoA dehy-
drogenase, and cytochrome oxidase increased by 15% to 16%. These changes were
accompanied by a 4.3% improvement in a simulated 40 km cycling time trial. After
a high-volume, low-intensity taper, cytochrome oxidase (10%) and -hydroxyacyl
CoA dehydrogenase (17%) increased in Type I fibers, but only -hydroxyacyl CoA
dehydrogenase (18%) increased in Type II fibers. The 2.2% improvement in simulated
time trial performance was statistically nonsignificant. The succinate dehydrogenase
and cytochrome oxidase activities of combined Type I and Type II fibers ­correlated
with simulated 40 km time trial performance after both tapers (figure 3.12). These
results illustrate that changes in metabolic properties take place during the taper at
the single-fiber level, are more pronounced when a high-intensity taper is performed,
and contribute to performance changes observed in whole-body muscle function.
Type II fibers seemed to be more responsive to the taper, possibly attributable to
their specific contractile properties and a greater potential to increase their oxidative
enzyme capacity (Neary et al. 2003b).
Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 51

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
material can be found in its original source. From J.P. Neary, T.P. material can be found in its original source. From J.P. Neary, T.P.
Martin, and H.A. Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance Martin, and H.A. Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance
cycling capacity and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine & cycling capacity and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 35: 1879. Science in Sports & Exercise 35: 1879.
Adapted, by permission, from J.P. Neary, T.P. Martin, and H.A. Adapted, by permission, from J.P. Neary, T.P. Martin, and H.A.
Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance cycling capacity Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance cycling capacity
and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine & Science in Sports and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine & Science in Sports
& Exercise 35: 1879. & Exercise 35: 1879.

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
material can be found in its original source. From J.P. Neary, T.P. material can be found in its original source. From J.P. Neary, T.P.
Martin, and H.A. Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance Martin, and H.A. Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance
cycling capacity and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine & cycling capacity and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 35: 1879. Science in Sports & Exercise 35: 1879.
Adapted, by permission, from J.P. Neary, T.P. Martin, and H.A. Adapted, by permission, from J.P. Neary, T.P. Martin, and H.A.
Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance cycling capacity Quinney, 2003, “Effects of taper on endurance cycling capacity
and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine & Science in Sports and single muscle fiber properties,” Medicine & Science in Sports
& Exercise 35: 1879. & Exercise 35: 1879.

Figure 3.12  Change in cytochrome oxidase (CYTOX) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in (a and b) Type I and
(c and d) Type II fibers versus 40 km time trial (40TT) time (min) for all groups combined. A negative delta score indicates a
faster endurance time but a decreased enzyme activity because values are posttaper minus pretaper.

Contractile Properties
Neuromuscular adaptations occur at the single-fiber level after tapering. In studying
deltoid muscle samples of highly trained collegiate swimmers after a 3-week taper,
Trappe and colleagues (2001) observed 30% higher peak isometric force, 67% faster
shortening velocity, and 250% higher absolute fiber power in Type IIa muscle fibers.
Type I fibers also increased their shortening velocity by 32% (figure 3.13). On aver-
age, Type II fibers produced twice as much peak power as Type I fibers before the taper
and five times as much peak power after the taper. These observations led the authors
to suggest that changes in contractile properties may have been closely related to the
observed improvements in whole-muscle strength and power measures after the taper
(Trappe et al. 2001).
In cross country runners tapering for 4 weeks, Harber and colleagues (2004) measured
a 9% increase in peak force of Type IIa fibers. Conversely, peak force decreased by 9% in
Type I fibers. Peak force normalized for fiber size was unaltered for either fiber type by
the taper. Single Type I fiber maximal shortening velocity decreased by 17% during the
52 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

taper, whereas it did not change

in Type IIa fibers. Single fiber
absolute power also decreased
by 25% in Type I fibers but was
unchanged in Type IIa. Power
corrected for cell size decreased
Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The by 15% during the taper in
material can be found in its original source. From S. Trappe, D. Costill,
and R. Thomas, 2001, “Effect of swim taper on whole muscle and
Type I fibers only. The authors
single fiber contractile properties,” Medicine & Science in Sports concluded that changes in run
& Exercise 33: 53. training volume and intensity
Reprinted, by permission, from S. Trappe, D. Costill, and R. Thomas, alter myocellular physiology
2001, “Effect of swim taper on whole muscle and single fiber con-
tractile properties,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 33: 53.
but that the 25% reduction in
training volume concomitant
with a 67% increase in interval
training during the taper was an
insufficient training load reduc-
tion to elicit robust changes in
single-fiber power and run per-
formance (Harber et al. 2004).
Figure 3.13  Composite force–power curves (absolute As concluded by a recent
power) for Type I and Type IIa posterior deltoid muscle fibers review article on single-fiber
before and after the taper. Measurements were made using studies and exercise training,
isotonic load clamps (force–velocity–power relationships)
the taper has relatively little
while maintained at 15 °C.
influence on the size and force
characteristics of Type I muscle
fibers, but Type IIa fibers seem
to be more responsive, showing
enhanced contraction performance, as a result of equal or increased cross-sectional area,
and increased force and power. In addition, adequate adjustments in training volume
and intensity seem to be necessary to elicit positive changes in single-fiber contraction
velocity (Malisoux et al. 2007).

AT A Glance Tapered Muscles

Muscular strength and power, usually suppressed by intensive training, increase during
the taper, contributing to an athlete’s enhanced performance capabilities. Increments
in oxidative enzymatic activities of the muscle fibers and positive changes in single
muscle fiber size, metabolic potential, and contractile properties are closely related
to whole-muscle strength and power measures and performance changes observed in
whole-body muscle function.

Immunological Responses
Many aspects of the immune system exhibit a range of responses to acute exercise and
prolonged training in athletes preparing for competition: increased leukocyte cell counts,
particularly neutrophils and lymphocyte subsets (McCarthy and Dale 1988); decreased
functional activity of the neutrophil respiratory burst and natural killer cytotoxicity
(Mackinnon 2000, Peake 2002); decreased response to mitogen-induced T-lymphocyte
proliferation (Tharp and Preuss 1991); decreased concentration of mucosal immune
parameters such as secretory immunoglobulin A (Gleeson et al. 1999, Gleeson and Pyne
2000); impaired delayed-type hypersensitivity response (T-cell function) (Bruunsgaard
et al. 1997); and unchanged or increased circulating concentration of cytokines such as
the interleukin family, tumor necrosis factor-, and interferon- (Malm 2002).
Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 53

Despite the high level of clinical and research interest in the effects of exercise and
training on immunity, only a limited number of studies have directly examined immu-
nological changes in athletes during the taper phase prior to competition. Most of these
studies have focused on the acute effects of exercise on cellular and soluble immune
responses immediately postexercise and in the first few hours of recovery. Observa-
tions of a temporary suppression in the immune response after intensive exercise led
to the creation in the early to mid-1990s of the J-curve (Nieman 1993) and open window
(Hoffman-Goetz and Pedersen 1994) models. More recently, attention has focused on
possible mechanisms of immunosuppression, with the T helper lymphocyte subsets TH1
and TH2 thought to regulate immunological control (Smith 2003). It appears that the
prevailing cytokine pattern elicited by exercise and training activates specific TH-precursor
cells leading to up-regulation of either the TH1 (cell-mediated immunity) or TH2 (humoral
immunity and antibody production) response (Smith 2003). Future studies are required
to fully characterize the time-course of changes in these key immunological control
mechanisms during training and the taper.
Although exercise- and training-induced perturbations in immune function of healthy
athletes are relatively transient, it is thought that failure to restore baseline levels of
immune function after continual upward and downward fluctuations may result in
chronic immunosuppression and an increased risk of illness in elite athletes after sev-
eral years of training (Gleeson 2000, Smith and Pyne 1997). Although evidence of
immunosuppression in athletes is indicated indirectly by between-subjects comparison
of trained subjects with sedentary individuals, a more direct indication is obtained by
analysis of within-subject changes for a given athlete during a specified training interval
or taper prior to competition. The key issues for the athletes and for coaches, clinicians,
and researchers are the magnitude and duration of immunological changes with train-
ing and whether any observed changes manifest as relevant clinical consequences and
impair training and competitive performance.

Immune Cells
Studies of athletes in training across a range of sports have examined various immune
cell counts and functional activities. These studies generally show relative stability in
immunological parameters with little evidence of clinical consequences. Although there
is substantial evidence from controlled studies that short segments of intensified train-
ing lower resting cell counts (Baj et al. 1994, Fry et al. 1992, Pizza et al. 1995, Verde
et al. 1992), observational studies of athletes in training have failed to demonstrate
the same findings. One study that experimentally manipulated training volume and
intensity in nine well-trained cyclists before an 18-day taper showed improvements
in cycling efficiency (6%) and simulated 20 km time trial performance (6%), whereas
resting immune status (lymphocyte subset counts and incidence of respiratory illness)
was unchanged throughout a 10-week training program (Dressendorfer et al. 2002a).
Stability in cell counts was also observed in 16 triathletes during 4 weeks of intensified
training followed by a 2-week taper (Coutts et al. 2007b) and in 12 young male run-
ners during 40 days of heavy and easy endurance training: Transient reductions were
observed in lymphocyte subsets (CD4+ and CD4/CD8 ratio) particularly during times of
increased training (high-intensity 1,000 m intervals) compared with increased volume
(double normal training volume) (Kajiura et al. 1995).
A small number of studies have directly examined immune cell changes during a
taper. National- and international-level swimmers tapering for 4 weeks after 8 weeks
of intense training had a decreased percentage of neutrophils after the taper, whereas
lymphocytes tended to increase (Mujika et al. 1996c). The increase in lymphocytes cor-
related positively with the reduction in training volume during taper (r = .86). In contrast,
a 6-day taper (involving an 80% reduction in high-intensity interval training) in nine
male middle-distance runners elicited a modest but statistically significant increase in
neutrophils (13%) and granulocytes (11%). However, the magnitude of the observed
54 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

1.65 changes was considered too

Su group small to be of immunologi-
Pla group
1.60 cal significance (Mujika et al.
+ 1996c, Mujika et al. 2002a). A
+ 3-week taper (50% reduction in
1.55
training volume and intensity
after 22 weeks of training at
TAS (μmol/L)

1.50 18-20 hr/week) in 20 collegiate

swimmers elicited an increase in
1.45 total leukocytes but a decrease in
B-cell lymphocyte count (Wilson
1.40 et al. 1996). However, total
T-cells, neutrophils, and lym-
phocyte proliferative responses
1.35
were unchanged over the same
time suggesting that overall
0 immunoprotection was largely
Before After Before After Before After Before After
TT TT TT TT TT TT TT TT unchanged.
Preexercise Postexercise
It also appears that antioxi-
Figure 3.14  Variations in plasma total antioxidant status dant supplementation during
(TAS) before and after taper training (TT) in pre- and post­ the taper enhances plasma
exercise conditions in supplemented
E4493/Mujika/fig (Su, n = 7) and placebo
3.14/330470/KE/R2-alw antioxidant protection (Marga-
(Pla, n = 9) triathletes. ‡p < .05 relative to interaction effect ritis et al. 2003) (figure 3.14),
between treatment, TT, and exercise. potentially maintaining the
Adapted, by permission, from I. Margaritis, S. Palazetti, A-S Rousseau, et al., delicate balance between oxi-
2003, “Antioxidant supplementation and tapering exercise improve exercise-
induced antioxidant response,” Journal of the American College of Nutrition
dant and antioxidant properties
22: 152. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. of immune cells (Niess et al.
1999). Sixteen male triathletes
volunteered for a controlled-training double-blind antioxidant supplementation and
taper program. Two weeks of tapered training induced decreases in resting blood glu-
tathione concentration, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity, and plasma antioxidant
status but had no effect on lipoperoxidation or markers of muscle damage. In seven male
distance runners, a 7-day taper did not enhance serum free radical scavenging capacity
prior to or during exercise (Child et al. 2000). More recently, Vollaard and colleagues
(2006) observed no taper-induced changes in resting levels or exercise-induced mark-
ers of oxidative stress. Collectively these studies show small transient changes in the
distribution of immune cells during the taper that are unlikely to have any substantial
clinical consequences.

Immunoglobulins
There has been extensive examination of training-induced changes in soluble immuno-
proteins in athletes, particularly secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), which plays a major
role in effective specific immunity (Gleeson 2000), and the immunoregulatory cyto-
kines, which are a diverse family of intracellular signaling molecules released by immune
cells that exert important influences on inflammatory and immune responses (Suzuki
et al. 2002). Some training studies showed that marked reductions in SIgA after acute
exercise (Mackinnon and Hooper 1994) and in the latter stages of a prolonged season
of training (Gleeson et al. 1995, Gleeson et al. 1999) are associated with an increased
risk of upper-respiratory illness. Elite swimmers showed a 4% reduction in SIgA per
month over a 7-month season, and values less than 40 mg/L were associated with an
increased risk of illness (Gleeson et al. 1999). In contrast, other studies of swimmers
and rowers have failed to show this association (Gleeson et al. 2000, Mackinnon and
Hooper 1994, Nehlsen-Cannarella et al. 2000, Tharp and Barnes 1990). The interpreta-
 Taper-Associated Physiological Changes 55

tion of these disparate findings requires consideration of the inherent biological vari-
ability in immune parameters and methodological differences in experimental design,
sample collection, and assay techniques. Clearly, further studies are required to resolve
these conflicting findings concerning the soluble immune protein response to training
and the taper prior to competition.

Cytokines
Many studies have examined the acute effects of exercise on circulating cytokine con-
centration, but little is known about longitudinal changes in highly trained athletes
during training and the taper. Cytokines have a role in both the acquired and the innate
arms of host defense and can be proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory in nature (Malm
2002). Most of the exercise studies have focused on just three cytokines: interleukin-1
(IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-. The blood concentration of
these cytokines is usually either unchanged or increased in response to acute exercise
such as the marathon (Ostrowski et al. 1999). There are also conflicting findings on
the influence of exercise intensity and type on cytokine response (Smith et al. 2000).
The pattern of postexercise cytokine response (increases in IL-6 and IL-10) to eccentri-
cally biased bench press and leg curl exercise in untrained males was less pronounced
and occurred at a later time point (72-144 hr postexercise) (Smith et al. 2000) than
after strenuous endurance exercise (Ostrowski et al. 1999). Interpretation of the bio-
logical significance is also complicated by the notion that the immunological action of
cytokines is regulated by the balance between concentration of the active molecules
and their inhibitors rather than their circulating concentration per se. Recent studies
have suggested that cytokines such as IL-1 and IL-6 form communication links among
systemic circulation, energy metabolism, and skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise
(Malm 2002). Studies are required to characterize the time course of cytokine changes
during training and the taper in order to fully understand physiological mechanisms
underpinning these processes in athletes.

Immune Function AT A Glance

The studies discussed here suggest that athletes should be mindful of excessive loads
during peak training but can train with confidence during the taper prior to competition
in the knowledge they are unlikely to compromise overall immunological protection.
Given the variable findings of existing studies, one-off measures of cellular and soluble
immune parameters are unlikely to be informative unless immunosuppression is severe.
A multifaceted approach involving systematic monitoring of underlying mucosal and cel-
lular immunity (Gleeson and Pyne 2000); review of clinical, training, and lifestyle factors
(Konig et al. 2000); and attention to practical strategies (Pyne et al. 2000) may provide a
more effective means of managing the health of athletes during the taper. The sporting
community, including athletes, coaches, and physicians, can be assured that maintaining
good health during the taper is compatible with elite-level training.

Chapter Summary
Biochemical, hormonal, muscular, and immunological changes may take place in an
athlete’s body over the course of a taper program, and these changes can sometimes
correlate with performance outcomes in competition. One of the most widely used
biochemical markers of training stress is blood concentration of creatine kinase, which
is usually reduced after a taper, indicating recovery from training stress and muscle
damage. Other biochemical indexes have been evaluated during tapering programs, but
none of them seems to be useful for coaches and athletes.
56 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Testosterone, cortisol, and the testosterone–cortisol ratio have been thoroughly stud-
ied in relation to intensive training and tapering, and it appears that they can provide
information on the physiological stress, recovery, and performance capacity of an athlete
during the taper. However, these hormonal analyses are invasive and expensive, and
performance gains also occur without concomitant changes in these parameters. The 24
hr urinary cortisol–cortisone ratio, plasma and urinary catecholamines, growth hormone,
and insulin-like growth factor-I also show promise as tools for monitoring training stress
and tapering-induced adaptations, but further research is required before general recom-
mendations can be made regarding the use of these biological markers.
Skeletal muscle is extremely responsive to variable levels of functional demands,
and it also adapts to the specific characteristics of tapered training. Muscular strength
and power, usually suppressed during intensive training, markedly increase during the
taper, contributing to an athlete’s enhanced performance capabilities. Local increments
in oxidative enzymatic activities, which facilitate aerobic energy provision, and positive
changes in single muscle fiber size and metabolic and contractile properties are tightly
related to whole-muscle strength and power measures and performance changes observed
in whole-body muscle function.
There is very limited research on the effects of the taper on the athlete’s immune
function, but small transient changes in immune cells, soluble immunoproteins, and
cytokines during the taper are unlikely to have marked immunological or clinical sig-
nificance in most individuals.
 chapter 4
Taper-Associated
­Psychological Changes

It is unlikely that the physiological changes described in chapters 2 and 3 completely

explain the performance benefits associated with a successful taper. Because competition
performance is the result of a conscious effort (Noakes 2000), it would be a major over-
sight to obviate the paramount contribution of psychological and motivational factors
to posttaper athletic performance. The optimization of an athlete’s physiological status
resulting from a well-designed tapering strategy is presumably accompanied by beneficial
psychological changes, including mood state, perception of effort, and quality of sleep.
Reports describing these changes are summarized here, and the chapter is completed
with an incursion into the somewhat unexplored territory of the periodization of psycho-
logical skills training and its implications for the tapering and peaking training phases.

140
Swimmers Mood State
N = 16
135 Considerable scientific evidence indi-
130 cates that habitual physical activity is
associated with positive mental health.
125 However, exercise programs character-
(POMS total)

ized by high levels of intensity, dura-

Mood state

120
tion, and frequency result in mood
115 disturbances, that is, alterations in an
110 athlete’s psychological state (Mondin et
al. 1996). Mood states are sensitive to
105 variations in the training load under-
100 taken by athletes (Morgan et al. 1987),
and alterations should be expected as
a result of a taper where the training
load is markedly reduced. Numerous
Early Mid Late authors have reported mood state
season season season
changes associated with a precompeti-
Figure 4.1  Global mood state at the outset, middle, tion taper (figure 4.1). Most of these
and close of a selected macrocycle. reports indicate that tapering induces
Reprinted from W.P. Morgan, D.R. Brown, J.S. Raglin, et al., 1987, “Psy- positive changes in the athlete’s mood
chological monitoring of overtraining and staleness,” British Journal of
E4493/Mujika/fig 4.1/330471/KE/R2-alw
Sports Medicine 21: 109. Reproduced with permission from the BMJ state, contributing to enhanced perfor-
Publishing Group. mance measures (table 4.1).

57
58
Table 4.1  Effects of the Taper on Mood State and Perception of Effort
Taper duration, Perception Performance Performance
Study (year) Athletes days  Mood state of effort measure outcome, %

Morgan et al. (1987) Swimmers 28 ↑ ↓ NR NR

Raglin et al. (1991) Swimmers 28 ↑ NR NR NR

Snyder et al. (1993) Cyclists 14 NR ↓ NR NR

Berglund and Säfström (1994) Canoeists 21 ↑ NR NR NR

Flynn et al. (1994) Runners 21 ↔ ↔ Treadmill time to exhaustion ↔

Swimmers ↑ ↓ 23 m, 366 m time trial ≈3 ↑

Houmard et al. (1994) Runners  7 NR ↔ 5K treadmill time trial 2.8 ↑

Raglin et al. (1996) Swimmers 28-35 ↑ NR Competition 2.0 ↑

Berger et al. (1997) Swimmers  7 ↑ NR NR NR

Taylor et al. (1997) Swimmers NR Deteriorated NR Competition 1.3 ↑

Hooper et al. (1998) Swimmers 14 ↑ NR 100 m, 400 m time trial ↔

Berger et al. (1999) Cyclists 14 ↑ NR 4 km simulated pursuit 2.0 ↑

Hooper et al. (1999) Swimmers 14 ↔ NR 100 m time trial ↔

Martin and Andersen (2000) Cyclists  7 NR ↓ Incremental maximal test ≈6 ↑

Martin et al. (2000) Cyclists  7 ↔ NR Incremental maximal test ≈6 ↑

Steinacker et al. (2000) Rowers  7 ↑ NR 2,000 m time trial—competition 6.3 ↑

Eliakim et al. (2002) Handball players 14 ↑ NR 4  20 m sprint, vertical jump 2.1-3.2 ↑

Margaritis et al. (2003) Triathletes 14 ↑ NR 30 km outdoor duathlon 1.6-3.6 ↑

Neary et al. (2003a) Cyclists  7 NR ↔ 20 km simulated time trial 5.4 ↑

Coutts et al. (2007b) Triathletes 14 ↑ NR 3 km run time trial 3.9 ↑

NR = not reported; ↓ indicates decreased; ↑ indicates increased; ↔ indicates unchanged.

Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, D. Pyne, et al., 2004, “Physiological changes associated with the pre-event taper in athletes,” Sports Medicine 34: 917.
Taper-Associated Psychological Changes 59

Studies Using the POMS

Morgan and colleagues (Morgan et al. 1987, Raglin et al. 1991) first described decreased
global mood scores computed from the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire in
college athletes tapering for 4 weeks. The decrease in global mood scores was associ-
ated with decreased levels of perceived fatigue, depression, anger, and confusion. These
changes were also accompanied by increased levels of vigor (figure 4.2).

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has
been removed. The material can be found in its been removed. The material can be found in its
original source. From J.S. Raglin, W.P. Morgan, original source. From J.S. Raglin, W.P. Morgan,
and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in mood and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in mood
states during training in female and male col- states during training in female and male col-
lege swimmers,” International Journal of Sports lege swimmers,” International Journal of Sports
Medicine 12: 586. Medicine 12: 586.
Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, W.P. Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, W.P.
Morgan, and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in Morgan, and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in
mood states during training in female and male mood states during training in female and male
college swimmers,” International Journal of college swimmers,” International Journal of
Sports Medicine 12: 586. Sports Medicine 12: 586.

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has
been removed. The material can be found in its been removed. The material can be found in its
original source. From J.S. Raglin, W.P. Morgan, original source. From J.S. Raglin, W.P. Morgan,
and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in mood and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in mood
states during training in female and male col- states during training in female and male col-
lege swimmers,” International Journal of Sports lege swimmers,” International Journal of Sports
Medicine 12: 586. Medicine 12: 586.
Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, W.P. Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, W.P.
Morgan, and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in Morgan, and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in
mood states during training in female and male mood states during training in female and male
college swimmers,” International Journal of college swimmers,” International Journal of
Sports Medicine 12: 586. Sports Medicine 12: 586.

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has
been removed. The material can be found in its been removed. The material can be found in its
original source. From J.S. Raglin, W.P. Morgan, original source. From J.S. Raglin, W.P. Morgan,
and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in mood and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in mood
states during training in female and male col- states during training in female and male col-
lege swimmers,” International Journal of Sports lege swimmers,” International Journal of Sports
Medicine 12: 586. Medicine 12: 586.
Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, W.P. Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, W.P.
Morgan, and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in Morgan, and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in
mood states during training in female and male mood states during training in female and male
college swimmers,” International Journal of college swimmers,” International Journal of
Sports Medicine 12: 586. Sports Medicine 12: 586.

Figure 4.2  Profile of Mood States scale changes for female (closed circles) and male (open circles)
swimmers at different times during training.

Raglin and colleagues (1996) also reported that decreases in mood disturbance were
related to reductions in the training load (figure 4.3), with identical effects in both males
and females. However, some individual athletes did not respond to the taper, and no
declines in tension scores were observed, with values being higher in female than male
athletes (Morgan et al. 1987, Raglin et al. 1991). In fact, tension was the only mood vari-
able that remained elevated above baseline following the taper (figure 4.4). It has been
speculated that elevated tension probably reflects anxiety provoked by the anticipation
of the pending major championship (O’Connor et al. 1989).
60 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed.
The material can be found in its original source. From J.S. The material can be found in its original source. From J.S.
Raglin, D.M. Koceja, and J.M. Stager, 1996, “Mood, neuro- Raglin, D.M. Koceja, and J.M. Stager, 1996, “Mood, neuro-
muscular function, and performance during training in female muscular function, and performance during training in female
swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 374. swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 374.
Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, D.M. Koceja, Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, D.M. Koceja,
and J.M. Stager, 1996, “Mood, neuromuscular function, and and J.M. Stager, 1996, “Mood, neuromuscular function, and
performance during training in female swimmers,” Medicine performance during training in female swimmers,” Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 374. & Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 374.

Figure 4.3  Mean (± SE) results across training phases for (a) swimming distance and (b) mood state.

In contrast with the previously

mentioned findings, Taylor and
colleagues (1997) reported gender
differences in tapering-induced
mood state alterations. Relatively
Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been
small (1.3%) competition perfor-
removed. The material can be found in its original
source. From J.S. Raglin, W.P. Morgan, and P.J. mance gains attained by female
O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in mood states during swimmers during taper were pre-
training in female and male college swimmers,”
sumably related to a deteriora-
International Journal of Sports Medicine 12: 587.
tion in mood state indicated by
Reprinted, by permission, from J.S. Raglin, W.P.
Morgan, and P.J. O’Connor, 1991, “Changes in increases in ­tension–anxiety (56%),
mood states during training in female and male depression–­dejection (218%), and
college swimmers,” International Journal of Sports
confusion–bewilderment (86%)
Medicine 12: 587.
and a 20% decrease in vigor–­
activity ratings (Taylor et al. 1997).
Flynn and colleagues (1994)
reported a 17% reduction in the
global mood state of a group of
male swimmers after a 3-week
Figure 4.4  Profile of Mood States tension during train- taper. A similar 16% decline in total
ing for female (closed circles) and male swimmers (open mood disturbance was observed by
circles). Raglin and colleagues (1996) in 12
collegiate female swimmers taper-
ing for 4 to 5 weeks. This decline
correlated moderately with mean
swimming power (r = .34), which
increased by 20% with the taper. Swimming velocity in competition also improved by
2.0%. Hooper and colleagues (1998) observed reduced tension, depression, and anger
after 1 week of taper in state-level swimmers and a 10% lower total mood disturbance
after 2 weeks, which resulted in marginal time trial ­performance gains of 0.2% in 100
Taper-Associated Psychological Changes 61

m and 0.7% in 400 m events.

However, in a subsequent
investigation on international-
caliber swimmers, these authors
did not detect any change in the
total mood disturbance after Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
material can be found in its original source. From B. Berglund and
a 2-week taper (Hooper et al. H. Säfström, 1994, “Psychological monitoring and modulation of
1999). In another study, young training load of world-class canoeists,” Medicine & Science in
competitive swimmers showed Sports & Exercise 26: 1038.
an acute decrease in total mood Reprinted, by permission, from B. Berglund and H. Säfström,
1994, “Psychological monitoring and modulation of training
disturbance after practices that load of world-class canoeists,” Medicine & Science in Sports &
were shorter in duration than Exercise 26: 1038.
usual during a precompetition
week of taper. These competi-
tive swimmers reported short-
term mood benefits including
decreases in scores of depres-
sion, confusion, and tension.
However, these acute mood Figure 4.5  Mean (± SD) global profile of mood states scores
benefits during training prior of world-class canoeists at selected training phases.
to competition did not appear
to be related to subsequent
performance in competition
(Berger et al. 1997).
Total mood disturbance has also been shown to decline by 21% in track cyclists tapering
for 2 weeks after a segment of overreaching. At the same time, simulated 4 km pursuit
performance improved by 2.0% and mean power output by 2.3%, but no substantial
correlations were found between changes in psychological variables and performance
changes (Berger et al. 1999). During tapering, the total mood score of the POMS also
decreased in nine male and five female world-class canoeists tapering for 3 weeks, so
that 1 week before the Olympics this score was of the same magnitude as the basal off-
season total mood score of the POMS (Berglund and Säfström 1994) (figure 4.5). Twenty
long-distance triathletes’ POMS score also decreased by 10% to 12% after 14 days of
tapering, during which total training load was progressively reduced by 32% to 46%
(Margaritis et al. 2003). In contrast, Martin and colleagues (2000) failed to observe any
change in the total mood scores or the specific mood state scores (i.e., tension, depres-
sion, anger, vigor, fatigue, confusion) in a group of cyclists tapering for 1 week after 6
weeks of high-intensity interval cycling, despite major differences in the training load
and performance assessments at the end of each of these training phases. These authors
also indicated that some athletes with relatively large mood disturbances responded well
to the taper, whereas others responded poorly, suggesting a low predictability of the
POMS for responses to the taper (Martin et al. 2000).

Studies Using Recovery–Stress Measures

A 1-week step taper was enough for 10 world-class male junior rowers showing clear
signs of overreaching to recover after 18 days of intense training. Somatic complaints
and somatic relaxation assessed with the Recovery–Stress Questionnaire for Athletes returned
to baseline values during the taper (figure 4.6). Maximal power during an incremen-
tal rowing test increased by 2.7%, and a 2,000 m time-trial performance improved
by 6.3% (Steinacker et al. 2000). Similarly, Eliakim and colleagues (2002) reported a
return to baseline in the self-assessment physical conditioning score during 2 weeks of
less intense training in a group of junior handball players, the values of which were
reduced during the preceding intensive training.
62 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

3.5 4.5
Mean SD
3.0
4.0

2.5
RESTQ (score)

RESTQ (score)
3.5

2.0

3.0
1.5

2.5
1.0
Mean SD

0.5 2.0
a Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 b Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5

Figure 4.6  Results of the Recovery–Stress Questionnaire for Athletes (RESTQ–Sport). Means of the respective scale after
training phases 0 to 5, average and standard deviations. (a) RESTQ–Sport Somatic Complaints subscale and (b) RESTQ–
Sport Somatic Relaxation subscale.
E4493/Mujika/fig
Reprinted, by permission, from J.M.4.6a/330492/KE/R4-alw
Steinacker, W. Lormes, M. Kellmann, et al., 2000, “Training ofE4493/Mujika/fig 4.6b/330493/KE/R4-alw
junior rowers before world championships. Effects on per-
formance, mood state and selected hormonal and metabolic responses,” Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 40(4): 332.

In a recent investigation on triathletes, Coutts and colleagues (2007b) assessed the

athletes’ recovery–stress state during 4 weeks of either normal training or intensified
training, followed by a 2-week progressive taper. The intensified training group expe-
rienced a marked decrease in total stress and an increase in total recovery compared
with the normal training group following the taper. The recovery–stress state (total
recovery minus total stress) was accordingly affected by changes in the training load.
In addition, the stress subscales of Lack of Energy, Physical Complaints, and Fitness/
Injury decreased, whereas the recovery subscale Fitness/Being in Shape increased in
the intensified training group.

AT A Glance How Does the Taper Affect an Athlete’s Mood State?

Coutts and colleagues (2007b) reported that an improved psychological state is an
important contributor to posttaper performance gains and that a 2-week taper was suf-
ficient to restore psychological recovery measures to baseline levels.
• The reduced training load associated with the taper facilitates a recovery of an
athlete’s mood state, which is usually altered during times of intensive training.
• The taper usually induces reductions in perceived fatigue, depression, anger,
and confusion.
• The taper enhances the feeling of vigor.
• Tension may not decrease during the taper, attributable to the impending
­competition.
• All of these psychological markers of reduced stress and enhanced recovery
contribute to tapering-induced performance gains.

Perception of Effort
A fatigued and overstressed athlete perceives a given training load as a heavy burden
he struggles to deal with. In contrast, a fresh, well-recovered athlete may perceive a
similar training load as light and easy. How an athlete perceives a given training bout is
Taper-Associated Psychological Changes 63

his perception of effort. The perception of effort during exercise is influenced by a number
of physiological and psychological variables (Borg et al. 1987, Noble and Robertson
2000, Watt and Grove 1993), some of which are presumably affected by a taper. The
most widely used measure of effort perception is Borg’s Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
(Borg 1970, 1982), which has been shown to change as a result of tapered training
(table 4.1).

Studies Using Perceived Exertion Scales

The perception of effort was decreased in swimmers of both genders after a 4-week
taper in collegiate athletes (Morgan et al. 1987) (figure 4.7). Flynn and colleagues
.
(1994) reported that participants’ RPE while they swam at 90% of preseason   O V 2max
decreased from an average value of 14 (somewhat hard to hard) after 2 weeks of hard
training to 9 (very light) at the end of the taper. On the other hand, these same authors
failed to observe any taper-associated changes in the RPE . of eight male cross country
runners during treadmill running at 75% of preseason   O V 2max, despite major changes
in training loads. The same was true in a study on distance runners performing on a
.
treadmill at 80%   O
V 2peak before and after a 7-day taper (Houmard et al. 1994) and
on male cyclists performing a simulated 20 km time trial before and after a taper of the
same duration (Neary et al. 2003a).

Studies Using Other Measures

The heart rate (HR):RPE relationship could be a more valid marker for monitoring an
athlete’s response to the taper. Neary and colleagues (2003a) observed a 4.5% decline
in the HR:RPE ratio after a 7-day stepwise taper during which training volume was
reduced by 50% and performance enhanced by 5.1%. Martin and Andersen (2000)
reported a 3.2% decline in the HR:RPE ratio after a 1-week taper in collegiate cyclists,
associated with a 6% improvement in a graded exercise to exhaustion (figure 4.8).

Phase of season
Early Mid Late **
22
5.0 Base
Week 6
20
Taper
Perception of effort (RPE, 6-20)

* 18
4.0
Exercise intensity

16

3.0 14

12

2.0 10

1.0 6
Swimmers Swimmers
N = 10 N = 18 100 120 140 160 180 200 220
*p < 0.05 **p < 0.01 Heart rate (bpm)

Figure 4.7  Rating of workout intensity during a Figure 4.8  The heart rate–perceived exertion relationship
selected macrocycle. for graded exercise tests at baseline,
E4493/Mujika/fig week 6, and taper.
4.8/330495/KE/R1
E4493/Mujika/fig 4.7/330494/KE/R3-alw
Reprinted from W.P. Morgan, D.R. Brown, J.S. Raglin, et al., 1987, Reprinted, by permission, from D.T. Martin and M.B. Andersen, 2000, “Heart
“Psychological monitoring of overtraining and staleness,” British rate-perceived exertion relationship during training and taper,” Journal of
Journal of Sports Medicine 21: 109. Reproduced with permission from Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 40(3): 205.
the BMJ Publishing Group.
64 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Change in the HR:RPE relationship during 6 weeks of high-intensity interval training

was a powerful predictor of performance responses to the taper. Subjects who dem-
onstrated the greatest decrease in HR for a given RPE tended to have the greatest per-
formance increases in response to the taper (r = .72), confirming the usefulness of the
HR:RPE relationship (Martin and Andersen 2000).
Using a similar approach, Snyder and colleagues (1993) proposed that the sub­maximal
blood lactate concentration (HLa):RPE ratio is a valid physiological–psychological index
of fatigue. During 2 weeks of recovery training, the values for the HLa:RPE ratio, which
were reduced as a result of 2 previous weeks of high-intensity interval training, returned
to normal baseline levels.

AT A Glance How Does the Taper Affect an Athlete’s Perception of Effort?

The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) can be a useful tool to gauge how an athlete
is responding to the taper. The following are ways in which the athlete’s RPE is usually
correlated with the psychological and physiological effects of the taper.

• The reduced training load associated with the taper facilitates a recovery of an ath-
lete’s RPE, which is usually altered during preceding times of intensive training.
• The HR:RPE relationship could be a valid marker of an athlete’s response to the
taper.
• The relation between submaximal blood lactate concentration and RPE could also
be a valid physiological–psychological index of fatigue and recovery.
• A reduced perception of effort is usually associated with performance gains
during the taper.

Quality of Sleep
Sleep is a compensatory mechanism following catabolic processes of daytime activity,
and sleep disturbance is often associated with excessive training loads and overtraining,
defined as “an imbalance between training and recovery, exercise and exercise capacity,
stress and stress tolerance” (Lehmann et al. 1993, p. 854). Given that tapering strategies
are characterized by reduced training loads, it seems plausible that sleep quality could
also be affected by the taper.
Forcing habitual exercisers to spend a sedentary day modifies sleep patterns and
body temperature. With reduced exercise load, slow-wave sleep pressure is reduced,
resulting in lower levels of slow-wave sleep and increased rapid eye movement sleep
(Hague et al. 2003). The most in-depth investigation dealing with sleep patterns during
tapering in athletes indicates that sleep-onset latency, time awake after sleep onset,
total sleep time, and rapid eye movement sleep time were unchanged during the taper
in female swimmers. On the other hand, slow-wave sleep, which represented 31% of
total sleep time during peak training, was reduced to 16% following the taper, sug-
gesting that the need for restorative slow-wave sleep is reduced with reduced physical
demand. However, the number of movements during sleep was reduced by 37% after
the taper, indicating less sleep disruption in comparison with previous times of higher
training loads (Taylor et al. 1997) (table 4.2). Hooper and colleagues (1999) reported a
slightly improved quality of sleep in seven highly competitive female swimmers after 2
weeks of tapering for the Australian national championships. The measurements were
taken at three different phases of their swimming training program: onset of training,
peak, and taper. The interval between each set of measurements was approximately
3 months.
 Taper-Associated Psychological Changes 65

Table 4.2  Mean ± Standard Deviation for Selected Sleep Measures From Seven Athletes

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material can be found in its original source. From S.R. Taylor, G.G. Rogers,
and H.S. Driver, 1997, “Effects of training volume on sleep, psychological, and selected physiological profiles of elite female swimmers,”
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 29: 688-693.
Reprinted, by permission, from S.R. Taylor, G.G. Rogers, and H.S. Driver, 1997, “Effects of training volume on sleep, psychological, and
selected physiological profiles of elite female swimmers,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 29: 688-693.

Tapering and Sleep AT A Glance

Sleep is the most important recovery mechanism for an athlete, but its quality is often
altered during intensive training. During tapering, on the other hand, athletes tend to
sleep better, which along with the reduced physical demand associated with the taper
facilitates recovery and optimizes competition performance.

Periodized Psychological Skills Training

The classic concept of periodized training, by which the annual plan is divided and
structured into different training phases to lead to optimal performance for the main
competition, has recently been embraced by sport psychology. Professor Gloria Balague
of the University of Illinois proposed a model for training psychological skills following
the notion of periodized training (Balague 2000). Professor Balague states that psycho-
logical skills relevant to sport performance can be learned and improved by training in
the same manner as can physical skills. In her model, she first defines the goals of psy-
chological skills training, which are to help athletes reach their potential by maximizing
learning and performance and, more specifically, to increase consistency by increas-
ing the athletes’ control over their performance. She moves on to the classification of
­psychological skills in three major groups: foundation skills (including motivation, self-
awareness, and interpersonal skills), performance skills (including self-efficacy, self-
regulation of physical arousal, cognitive and emotional self-control, and self-regulation
of attention), and facilitative skills (including lifestyle management and media skills).
The next step for successful periodization of psychological skills involves assessment
of the requirements of the sport or event and evaluation of the athlete in terms of
66 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

psychological skills attributes, deficits, strengths, and weaknesses through interviews,

observation, and the use of psychometric testing. Finally, the specific notion of periodized
psychological skills training can be introduced, which must follow closely the demands
of each specific training phase and the goals an athlete is targeting during each of these
phases.
Using the example of psychological skills training for long and triple jump, the author
describes the psychological requirements and interventions to match the technical,
tactical, and performance goals of each training phase (table 4.3). In this example, the
main goal of the precompetitive phase is to finalize the jump to gain consistency. The
psychological goal would be to help the athlete to identify the elements associated with
good performance so that they can be reproduced. These include optimal level of arousal,
optimal focus of attention, and cognitive and emotional control. The main interventions
during this phase target learning to focus attention, developing precompetitive routines,
and identifying the most adaptive behaviors between jumps. Some other tasks to accom-
plish during this phase include identifying self-dialogue, effective cue words, and images
that evoke energy, rhythm, and confidence (Balague 2000).
During the main competitive phase, the athlete should be prepared to perform
independently and consistently and be able to adjust to changing conditions. From a
psychological standpoint, the athlete will have to trust his or her skills and be flexible

Table 4.3  Preparation Plan for Horizontal Jumps

Aug sep oct nov dec jan feb mar apr

General Preparation Specific Prep Pre-Comp Main Comp Transit.

Conditioning phase Technical work Tactical work Performance Eval/rest

Strength, speed, Jump phases Consistency Self-management Evaluation

endurance emphasized

Rhythm Approach run Coordination of jump

The board/fouls

Psychological Requirements

Motivation, pain/ Kinesthetic control Optimal arousal Trust Evaluation

fatigue toler.

Self-efficacy Awareness of jump Optimal focus Flexibility Restoration

phases

Self-awareness Increased efficacy Cognitive/emot. Emotion control Self-efficacy

control

Interventions

Goal setting Visualization Attention focus work Comp. plan Evaluation

Relaxation training Rhythm work Compet. routines Comp. eval. Perspective
Imagery training Feedback on Cognitive restruct. Anticipation Letting go
improvement

Cognitive awareness Kinesth. awareness Board/confidence Planning Self-care

exercises exer.

Attentional style eval. Relaxing/energizing

cues

Reprinted, by permission, from G. Balague, 2000, “Periodization of psychological skills training,” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 3(3): 234.
 Taper-Associated Psychological Changes 67

enough to anticipate and react in the event of unexpected circumstances. The interven-
tions should target the development of a solid competition plan and the post­competition
evaluation of psychological focus and performance, so the athlete can make minor
adjustments if necessary. Media skills training could also be required during this phase
(Balague 2000).

Benefits of Psychological Skills Training AT A Glance

Given that competition performance is the result of a conscious effort, positive psycho-
logical and motivational changes taking place during the taper, including an enhanced
mood state, a reduced perception of effort, and an improved quality of sleep, can make
a worthwhile contribution to athletic performance. Coaches and athletes also should
be aware of the potential benefits to be derived from psychological training techniques
and make the best possible use of these to optimize athletes’ psychological status in
the lead-up to major competitions.

Chapter Summary
Psychological and motivational factors play a key role in attaining optimal competition
performance, and a taper can help fine-tune the athlete’s psychological state in the
lead-up to a major event. During times of intensive training, an athlete’s mood state is
often negatively affected by feelings of depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion and
low levels of vigor. Fortunately, research shows that this situation can be reverted by
reducing the training load during the taper.
The taper is often associated with reduced levels of somatic complaints and stress but
increased relaxation and recovery in previously overreached athletes, and these changes
are generally paralleled by performance improvements. As a consequence, a training
load that felt difficult and exhausting before the taper is perceived as lighter and easier
at the end of it. A better quality of sleep during the taper also contributes to a better
balance between training and recovery, facilitating both physical and psychological
preparedness for competition.
The physical and psychological preparedness of an athlete can be systematically
monitored with simple tools such as mood state, perception of effort, recovery–stress,
and sleep quality questionnaires.
This page intentionally left blank.
 part II

Tapering and Athletic

Performance

Eneko LLANOS races past

lava fields on his way to win-
ning the 2007 Lanzarote Iron-
man, which takes place on “the
Hawaii of Europe.” Once Llanos
pulled ahead of the pack at about
30 km, he maintained his lead to win
with a time of 8:49:38. He is coached by
Iñigo Mujika.

uez
Márq
Daniel

69
70 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Coaches and sport scientists who prepare elite athletes for major competitions are well
aware of the performance-enhancing potential of a well-designed taper. This awareness
is based on both anecdotal reports from successful competitions and a wealth of peer-
reviewed publications describing the beneficial performance consequences of a taper
following intensive training. Moreover, the relationship between the reduced train-
ing load during the taper and performance benefits is fairly well established, allowing
investigators to make training recommendations to optimize the effects of preevent
tapering strategies (Houmard 1991, Houmard and Johns 1994, McNeely and Sandler
2007, Mujika 1998, Mujika and Padilla 2003a, Neufer 1989).
The chapters in part II will enable the readers to take advantage of the available prac-
tical knowledge on optimal taper designs. Indeed, this part comprehensively addresses
the issues of

• how, by how much, and for how long training should be reduced prior to com-
petition, and what environmental variables may interact with the taper in inter-
national competition;
• the size of the performance gains that can be achieved through the taper, the
variables that may or may not affect these performance benefits, and what these
benefits mean in terms of competition placing;
• the modeled effects of tapering on athletes’ fitness and fatigue profiles, and how
these affect performance capabilities; and
• the unique aspects to consider when preparing for team sport competition,
whether it is peaking for a regular season or for a major tournament.

Part II will thus help readers confidently design successful taper programs for their
particular sport.
 chapter 5
Reduction
of the Training Load

The training load or training stimulus in competitive sport can be described as a com-
bination of training intensity, volume, and frequency (Wenger and Bell 1986). This
training load is markedly reduced during the taper in an attempt to reduce accumulated
fatigue, but reduced training should not be detrimental to training-induced adapta-
tions. An insufficient training stimulus could bring about a partial or complete loss
of training-induced anatomical, physiological, and performance adaptations, in other
words, detraining (Mujika and Padilla 2000). Therefore, athletes and their coaches
must determine the extent to which the training load can be reduced at the expense
of the training variables while retaining or slightly improving adaptations and avoiding
a detrained state. This chapter establishes the scientific bases for successfully reducing
precompetition training loads, helping individual athletes, coaches, and sports scientists
achieve the optimum training mix during the taper, leading to peak performances at
the desired point during the season.

Intensity
In the third and last part of a now-classic series of studies, Hickson and colleagues
(1985) demonstrated that training intensity is essential for maintaining training-induced
adaptations during times of reduced training in moderately trained individuals. These
authors trained subjects in cycling and in treadmill running. For 10 weeks the subjects
.
trained 6 days/week for 40 min/day at intensities approaching their   O V 2max. For the
next 15 weeks the group was divided so that some trained at. two thirds of the original
.
  O
V 2max level and others at only one third of the original   O V 2max level but with the
frequency and duration of the training maintained at the original levels.
The authors reported that gains. attained during the 10 weeks of intensive training
in aerobic power as measured by   OV 2max, endurance as measured by cycling time to
exhaustion, and cardiac growth .were not maintained when intensity was reduced during
the 15 weeks. The decreases in   O
V 2max were, not surprisingly, greater with a two-thirds
reduction in work rate than with a one-third reduction in work rate. After training was
reduced, the subjects who reduced their intensity by one third experienced a 21% loss of
performance and the subjects who reduced by two thirds had a 30% loss of performance.
These results show that training intensity plays a key role in regulating the maintenance
of increased aerobic power. Figures 5.1 and 5.2 show both the original training effect as
.
measured by   O
V 2max (figure 5.1) or cycling to exhaustion (figure 5.2) and the loss of
that effect when training intensity was reduced by either one third or two thirds.

71
72 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

120 120
% of pretraining VO2 max

% of pretraining VO2 max

110 110

100 100

Reduced intensity Reduced intensity

5 10 5 10 15 5 10 5 10 15
a Training Reduced training b Training Reduced training
. .
Figure 5.1  Effects on   O
V 2max levels of subjects trained for 10 weeks at intensities approaching their   O V 2max followed by
15 weeks of reduced training. Both frequency and duration were maintained whereas . training intensity levels were reduced
by
. either one third (solid lines) or two thirds (broken lines). (a) Effects on cycling   O
V 2max and (b) effects on treadmill running
  O
V 2max. E4493/Mujika/fig 5.1a/330499/KE/R3-alw E4493/Mujika/fig 5.1b/330500/KE/R3-alw
Adapted, by permission, from R.C. Hickson, C. Foster, M.L. Pollock, et al., 1985, “Reduced training intensities and loss of aerobic power, endurance, and
cardiac growth,” Journal of Applied Physiology 58(Feb): 497. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.

200 The paramount importance of

Two-thirds
training intensity for maintain-
reduced intensity
175 ing training-induced physiologi-
cal and performance adaptations
Cycling time to exhaustion (min)

150 One-third
reduced intensity
has also been demonstrated in
intervention studies performed
125 with highly trained athletes. In
a study that is mentioned several
100 times in this book, Shepley and
colleagues (1992) compared
75 some of the physiological and
performance effects of a high-
50 intensity, low-volume taper; a
low-intensity, moderate-volume
taper; and a rest-only taper in
middle-distance runners. Total
0 blood volume, red cell volume,
0 wk 10 wk 15 wk
training reduced training citrate synthase activity, muscle
glycogen concentration, muscle
Figure 5.2  Effects on cycling time to exhaustion of 10 strength, and running time to
weeks of training and 15 weeks5.2/330501/KE/R2-alw
E4493/Mujika/fig of reduced training at one fatigue were optimized only with
third or two thirds reduction in training intensities. Within the high-intensity, low-volume
each group, all points are significantly different from each taper. In this respect, the major
other.
influence of training intensity on
Adapted, by permission, from R.C. Hickson, C. Foster, M.L. Pollock, et al.,
1985, “Reduced training intensities and loss of aerobic power, endurance,
the retention or improvement
and cardiac growth,” Journal of Applied Physiology 58(Feb): 495. Permission of training-induced adaptations
conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. could be explained by its role in
the regulation of concentrations
and activities of fluid retention
hormones (Convertino et al. 1981, Mujika 1998). In addition, Mujika and colleagues
(2000) reported that high-intensity interval training during the taper correlated positively
with the percentage change in circulating testosterone levels in a group of well-trained
middle-distance runners tapering for 6 days, which could facilitate the recovery processes
of the athletes in the lead-up to competition.
In a recent meta-analysis of the available tapering literature on highly trained athletes,
Bosquet and colleagues (2007) concluded that the training load should not be reduced
Reduction of the Training Load 73

Table 5.1  Effect of Decreasing or Not Decreasing Training Intensity During

the Taper on Overall Effect Size for Taper-Induced Changes in Performance
Decrease in Overall effect size,
training intensity mean (95% confidence interval) n   p

Yes –0.02 (–0.37, 0.33)   63 .91

No 0.33 (0.19, 0.47) 415 .0001

Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance:
A meta-analysis,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

Table 5.2  Effect of Decreasing or Not Decreasing Training Intensity During the
Taper on Overall Effect Size for Taper-Induced Changes in Swimming, Running,
and Cycling Performance
Swimming Running Cycling

Decrease Mean Mean Mean

in training (95% confidence (95% confidence (95% confidence
intensity interval)  n interval)  n interval)   n

Yes 0.08 (–0.34, 0.49)   45 –0.72 (–1.63, 0.19)   10 0.25 (–0.73, 1.24)  8

No 0.28 (0.08, 0.47)* 204 0.37 (0.09, 0.66)* 100 0.68 (0.09, 1.27)** 72

*p ≤ .01; **p ≤ .05.

Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance:
A meta-analysis,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

at the expense of training intensity during a taper, because intensity is considered a key
parameter in maintaining training-induced adaptation during this time (Mujika 1998,
Mujika et al. 2004). The meta-analysis approach of Bosquet and colleagues allowed them
to assess the effect of decreasing or not decreasing training intensity during the taper on
the overall effect size of taper-induced changes in performance, both in general (table
5.1) and separately in swimming, running, and cycling (table 5.2). In every case, not
decreasing training intensity had a preferable impact on sport performance.
In their reviews, other authors have underlined the importance of training intensity
during a taper (Houmard and Johns 1994, Kubukeli et al. 2002, Mujika 1998, Neufer
1989). Recently, McNeely and Sandler (2007) indicated that the race-pace training
performed in the final days before competition is as important in psychological terms
as physiological terms. Race-pace intervals in the final training sessions give athletes
feelings of speed, power, and confidence but should leave an athlete feeling energized
rather than fatigued (McNeely and Sandler 2007). These authors also provide an example
of the final week of a taper successfully used with rowers prior to Olympic Games and
World Championships (table 5.3).
Mujika and colleagues (1996a) reported on the weekly swimming distance performed
at different intensity levels by 18 national- and international-caliber swimmers in the
4 weeks leading up to the taper and during each of the three tapers performed by the
athletes during a season. As shown in table 5.4, during the first taper of the season,
lasting 3 weeks, the swimmers reduced their weekly distance swum at moderate and
maximal intensity. During the second taper, lasting 4 weeks, weekly distances at all levels
of intensity were reduced. During the third taper, which lasted 6 weeks, only moderate-
and high-intensity swimming was reduced.
74 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 5.3  Final Taper Week for a Rower Training More Than 15 Hr/Week

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material can be found in its original source. From
E. McNeely and D. Sandler, 2007, “Tapering for endurance athletes,” Strength and Conditioning Journal 29(5): 22.

Reprinted, by permission, from E. McNeely and D. Sandler, 2007, “Tapering for endurance athletes,” Strength
and Conditioning Journal 29(5): 22.

Table 5.4  Swimming Training Before and During Each

of the Three Tapers (Mean ± Standard Deviation)
taper 1 taper 2 taper 3

Training Before During Before During Before During

intensity (4 wk) (3 wk) (4 wk) (4 wk) (4 wk) (6 wk)

I 27.28 ± 6.79 25.55 ± 5.20 25.96 ± 6.68 20.05 ± 3.96* 22.34 ± 5.24 17.76 ± 4.78

II   5.78 ± 2.62   1.12 ± 0.90**   4.95 ± 2.32   0.65 ± 0.71**   2.79 ± 1.41   1.47 ± 0.87

III   2.55 ± 1.10   0.89 ± 0.61**   2.69 ± 0.82   1.01 ± 0.52**   3.10 ± 1.09   1.55 ± 0.51**

IV   1.27 ± 0.32   1.02 ± 0.30   1.32 ± 0.42   0.92 ± 0.26*   1.43 ± 0.39   1.09 ± 0.31*

V   0.43 ± 0.11   0.29 ± 0.07*   0.38 ± 0.08   0.25 ± 0.06*   0.28 ± 0.09   0.27 ± 0.18

Intensity I ≈ 2 mmol/L; intensity II ≈ 4 mmol/L; intensity III ≈ 6 mmol/L; intensity IV ≈ 10 mmol/L; intensity V ≈ sprint training. *p < .05;
**p < .001.
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, T. Busso, L. Lacoste, et al., 1996, “Modeled responses to training and taper in competitive swimmers,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 251-258.

Stewart and Hopkins (2000) provided an elaborate description of training practices of

24 swim coaches and 185 swimmers surveyed over a summer and winter season in New
Zealand. As shown in figure 5.3, interval training intensity and rest duration of interval
workouts increased during the taper for sprinters (50 and 100 m) and middle-distance
(200 and 400 m) specialists, whereas interval distance decreased.

AT A Glance Maintaining Intensity During the Taper

The training load is markedly reduced during a taper so that athletes recover from
intensive training and feel energized before major events. With a reduced training load,
however, there may be a risk of detraining. Research clearly shows that to avoid this risk,
training intensity should be maintained during the taper, because this training variable
is key to retaining aerobic power, circulating anabolic hormones, and feelings of speed
and power. In addition, high-quality training during the taper can further enhance physi-
ological and performance adaptations. Conversely, if training intensity is diminished,
some training-induced adaptations may be lost, leading to suboptimal competition
performance.
 Reduction of the Training Load 75

400

100 †

Interval distance (m)

300
(% seasonal-best pace) *
*
Interval intensity

† *
90 200 *
* †

80 100

70 0
20 15 10 5 0 20 15 10 5 0
a Time before competition (weeks) b Time before competition (weeks)

200
Interval rest duration (s)
E4493/Mujika/fig 5.3a/330506/KE/R1 E4493/Mujika/fig 5.3b/330507/KE/R1
150 † *
† †
100
†
50

0
Build-up Speciality Post-
Taper comp

Build-up Speciality Post-

Taper comp

20 15 10 5 0
c Time before competition (weeks)

Figure 5.3  Training practices prescribed by coaches for sprint (solid line) and middle-distance (dashed line) swimmers. Data
are the means of the summer and winter seasons for 24 coaches. Error bars represent standard deviations. The taper was sub-
divided into three phases: start, middle, and end.E4493/Mujika/fig
*p < .05; † p <5.3c/330508/KE/R2-alw
.001: significantly different from value in previous phase.
Adapted from A.M. Stewart and W.G. Hopkins, 2000, “Seasonal training and performance of competitive swimmers,” Journal of Sports Sciences 18(11): 878.
By permission of the publisher (Taylor & Francis Ltd., http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals).

Volume
Hickson and colleagues (1982) showed that subjects moderately trained in either
cycling (figure 5.4a) or treadmill running (figure 5.4b) appear to retain gains attained
through 10 weeks of training during 15 subsequent weeks during which training time
was reduced by one or two thirds (from 40 . min/day to either 26 or 13 min/day). The
gains were achieved and maintained in   O V 2max, peak blood lactate concentrations,
calculated left ventricular mass, and short-term endurance (exercise to exhaustion
at an intensity corresponding to the maximal oxygen uptake). Long-term endurance
.
(cycling time to exhaustion at approximately 80% of   O V 2max) was also maintained
by the group that reduced . duration by one third while maintaining intensity (cycling
at approximately 80%   O V 2max). However, there was a significant loss of performance
by the 13 min group (two-thirds reduction in duration), as average time to exhaustion
decreased by 10% (figure 5.5; Hickson et al. 1982).
Standardized training volume reductions of 50% to 70% have been shown to be a
valid approach to retain or slightly improve training-induced adaptations in well-trained
runners (Houmard et al. 1989, Houmard et al. 1990a, Houmard et al. 1990b, McConell
et al. 1993) and cyclists (Martin et al. 1994, Rietjens et al. 2001). Conversely, ­progressive
training reductions of up to 85% have been reported to bring about various significant,
performance-enhancing physiological changes. Mujika and colleagues (2000) compared
the effects of progressive 50% or 75% training volume reductions during a 6-day taper
 76 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

120 120
% of pretraining VO2 max

% of pretraining VO2 max

110 110

100 100

Reduced duration Reduced duration

5 10 5 10 15 5 10 5 10 15
a Training Reduced training b Training Reduced training

Figure 5.4  Effects of 10 weeks of training and 15 weeks of reduced training at one-third (solid lines) and .two-thirds (broken
lines) reductions in duration (volume) on (a) cycling and (b) treadmill running maximum oxygen uptake (V   O2max).
Adapted, by permission, from R.C. Hickson, C. Foster, M.L. Pollock, et al., 1985, “Reduced training intensities and loss of aerobic power, endurance, and
cardiac growth,” Journal of Applied Physiology
E4493/Mujika/fig 58(Feb): 497. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance
5.4a/330509/KE/R2-alw Center, Inc. 5.4b/330510/KE/R2-alw
E4493/Mujika/fig

200
26 min in middle-distance runners and
concluded that the 75% reduc-
175 tion was a more appropriate
strategy to optimize adaptations,
Cycling time to exhaustion (min)

because the 75% volume reduc-

150
tion group improved 800 m
performance by 0.95%, whereas
125 the 50% reduction group went
*
13 min 0.40% slower after the taper.
100 The investigators also found a
negative correlation between
75 the distance of low-intensity
continuous training and the
percentage change in circulating
testosterone during the taper
(see figure 3.2).
0 In a similar group of run-
Pretraining 10 wk 15 wk
training reduced duration ners, Shepley and colleagues
(1992) found better physiological
Figure 5.5  Effects of 10 weeks of training and 15 weeks and performance results with a
of reduced training at one-third5.5/330511/KE/R2-alw
E4493/Mujika/fig (26 min) and two-thirds (13 low-volume taper than with a
min) reductions on cycling time to exhaustion while retain-
moderate-volume taper, and in
ing original intensity. *Significantly different from 10 weeks
of training, p < .05.
competitive swimmers, a positive
Reprinted, by permission, from R.C. Hickson, C. Kanakis, Jr., J.R. Davis, et
relationship has been observed
al., 1982, “Reduced training duration effects on aerobic power, endurance, between performance gains and
and cardiac growth.” Journal of Applied Physiology 53(July): 228. Permission the percentage reduction in train-
conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
ing volume during a 3-week taper
(figure 5.6, Mujika et al. 1995).
In their 2007 meta-analysis, Bosquet and colleagues analyzed the influence of train-
ing volume on taper-induced changes in general sport performance (table 5.5) and in
different modes of human locomotion (table 5.6).
In agreement with previous suggestions (Houmard and Johns 1994, Mujika and Padilla
2003a), the study of Bosquet and colleagues (2007) confirmed that performance gains
were highly sensitive to reductions in training volume, which were computed as the area
under the training volume–time curve. Maximal performance gains were obtained with
training volume reductions of 41% to 60% of pretaper training, although performance
benefits can be attained with smaller and also bigger training volume decrements. The
dose–response curve for the overall effect of percentage decrement in training volume
on performance can be seen in figure 5.7.
 6 1.2

1.0
% improvement in performance during taper 5
0.8

0.6

Overall effect size

4
0.4

3 0.2

0.0
2
-0.2

-0.4
1
r = 0.61
P < 0.01 -0.6
N = 17 20% or less 21% to 40% 41% to 60% 61% or more
0 % decrement in training volume
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
% reduction in training volume during taper Figure 5.7  Dose–response curve for the effect of percent
decrement in training volume during the taper on perfor-
Figure 5.6  Relationship between the improvement in mance. E4493/Mujika/fig 5.7/330515/KE/R1
performance during a 3-week taper and the percentage Reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al.,
reduction in training volume during taper (mean pretaper 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance: A meta-analysis,” Medicine &
weekly volumeE4493/Mujika/fig
vs. mean weekly volume of the 3 weeks of
5.6/330512/KE/R2-alw Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.
taper) in a group of elite swimmers.
Adapted, by permission, from I. Mujika, J.C. Chatard, T. Busso, et al., 1995,
“Effects of training on performance in competitive swimming,” Canadian
Journal of Applied Physiology 20: 401.

Table 5.5  Effect of Decreasing Training Volume During the Taper on Overall Effect Size
for Taper-Induced Changes in Performance
Decrease Overall effect size, mean
in training volume (95% confidence interval) n p
≤20% –0.02 (–0.32, 0.27) 152 .88
21-40% 0.27 (0.04, 0.49)   90 .02
41-60% 0.72 (0.36, 1.09) 118 .0001
≥60% 0.27 (–0.03, 0.57) 118 .07
Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance: A meta-analysis,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

Table 5.6  Effect of Decreasing Training Volume During the Taper on Overall Effect Size
for Taper-Induced Changes in Swimming, Running, and Cycling Performance
Swimming Running Cycling
Decrease Mean Mean Mean
in training (95% confidence (95% confidence (95% confidence
volume interval)   n interval)   n interval)   n
≤20% –0.04 (–0.36, 0.29) 72 No data available 0.03 (–0.62, 0.69) 18
21-40% 0.18 (–0.11, 0.47) 91 0.47 (–0.05, 1.00)** 30 0.84 (–0.05, 1.74)** 11
41-60% 0.81 (0.42, 1.20)* 70 0.23 (–0.52, 0.98) 14 2.14 (–1.33, 5.62) 15
≥60% 0.03 (–0.66, 0.73) 16 0.21 (–0.14, 0.56) 66 0.56 (–0.24, 1.35) 36
*p ≤ .01; **p ≤ .10.
Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance: A meta-analysis,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

77
78 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

8000

Sessional training distance (m)

†
6000
† †
†
4000

60 †
Weekly training distance (km)

* 2000
50
40 **
0
†
30 Post-
Build-up Speciality Taper comp
20
Build-up Speciality Post-
Taper comp
10
0
20 15 10 5 0 20 15 10 5 0
Time before competition (weeks) Time before competition (weeks)

Figure 5.8  Training practices prescribed by coaches for sprint (solid line) and middle-distance (dashed line) swimmers.
Data are the means of the summer and winter seasons for 24 coaches. Error bars represent standard deviations. The taper
was subdividedE4493/Mujika/fig
into three phases: start, middle, and end. *p < .05, **p < .01, †p
5.8/330516/KE/R1 < .001: significantly
E4493/Mujika/fig different from value
5.8 con’t/330517/KE/R2alw
in previous phase.
Adapted from A.M. Stewart and W.G. Hopkins, 2000, “Seasonal training and performance of competitive swimmers,” Journal of Sports Sciences 18(11): 878.
By permission of the publisher (Taylor & Francis Ltd., http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals).

Mean weekly and session training volumes (distances) for sprint and middle-distance
swimmers during the taper were reported by Stewart and Hopkins (2000). The weekly
distance during the taper was significantly less than during previous training phases,
and so was the session distance. These authors indicated that there were substantial
reductions in all measures of training distance, easy swimming excepted, from the
build-up phase to the end of the taper, for both sprinters and middle-distance special-
ists (figure 5.8).
The benefits of significant, progressive 50% to 90% reductions in training volume
during the taper have been reported by several researchers in swimming, running, cycling,
triathlon, and strength training (Houmard and Johns 1994, McNeely and Sandler 2007,
Mujika 1998, Mujika and Padilla 2003a).

AT A Glance Reducing Load by Decreasing Volume

There is enough scientific evidence to state confidently that training load reductions
during the taper should be programmed at the expense of training volume. The body of
research suggests that for most athletes, maximal performance gains are attained with
training volume reductions of 41% to 60% of pretaper training, although performance
benefits may also arise with smaller and bigger training volume reductions. These volume
reductions usually affect all components of a training program.

Frequency
Hickson and Rosenkoetter (1981) provided evidence that it. is possible for recently
trained individuals to maintain the 20% to 25% gains in   O V 2max attained during
10 weeks of endurance training for at least 15 weeks of reduced training frequency,
whether this reduction amounted to one third or two thirds (from 6 days/week to
either 4 or 2 days/week) of previous values; figure 5.9). Similar results have been
observed in strength-trained subjects (Graves et al. 1988). Several ­physiological and
 Reduction of the Training Load 79

140 140

% of pretraining VO2 max 130 130

% of pretraining VO2 max

120 120

110 110

100 100

Reduced frequency Reduced frequency

5 10 5 10 15 5 10 5 10 15
a Training Reduced training b Training Reduced training

Figure 5.9  Effects of 10 weeks of training and 15 weeks of reduced training at one third (solid lines)
. and two-thirds (broken
lines) reductions in frequency on (a) cycling and (b) treadmill running maximum oxygen uptake (V   O2max).
Adapted, by permission, from R.C. Hickson, C. Foster, M.L. Pollock, et al., 1985, “Reduced training intensities and loss of aerobic power, endurance, and
cardiac growth,” Journal of Applied Physiology 58(Feb): 497. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
E4493/Mujika/fig 5.9a/330518/KE/R3-alw E4493/Mujika/fig 5.9b/330519/KE/R3-alw

performance measures are retained or improved as a result of 2 to 4 weeks of reduced

training frequencies in cyclists, runners, and swimmers (Mujika and Padilla 2003a). For
instance, Johns and colleagues (1992) reported increased power and performance in
competitive swimmers who reduced training frequency by 50% during 10 and 14 days
of taper, and Dressendorfer and colleagues (2002b) observed a significant improvement
in a 20 km cycling time trial simulation after a 50% reduction in training frequency
during a 10-day taper.
The only available report that compared a high-frequency taper (maintenance of a
daily training frequency) and a moderate-frequency taper (33% reduction in training
frequency, i.e., resting every third day of the taper) in highly trained middle-distance
runners concluded that training daily during a 6-day taper brought about significant
1.93% performance gains in an 800 m race, whereas resting every third day of the
taper resulted in a nonsignificant gain of only 0.39%. Given that no differences in the
physiological responses to the taper were found between groups, in the absence of sys-
tematic psychometric measurements before and after the taper, and in accordance with
previous suggestions (Houmard and Johns 1994, Kubukeli et al. 2002, Neufer 1989),
the authors attributed these results to a potential “loss of feel” during exercise (Mujika
et al. 2002a).
According to Bosquet and colleagues (2007), decreasing training frequency has not
been shown to significantly improve performance (tables 5.7 and 5.8). However, these
authors point out that the decrease in training frequency often interacts with other
training variables, particularly training volume and intensity, which makes it difficult to
isolate the precise effect of a reduction in training frequency on performance.

Table 5.7  Effect of Decreasing or Not Decreasing Training Frequency During

the Taper on Overall Effect Size for Taper-Induced Changes in Performance
Decrease
in training Overall effect size, mean
frequency (95% confidence interval)  n     p

Yes 0.24 (–0.03, 0.52) 176 .08

No 0.35 (0.18, 0.51) 302 .0001

Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance:
A meta-analysis,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.
80 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 5.8  Effect of Decreasing or Not Decreasing Training Frequency During the Taper
on Overall Effect Size for Taper-Induced Changes in Swimming, Running, and Cycling Performance
Swimming Running Cycling

Decrease Mean Mean Mean

in training (95% confidence (95% confidence (95% confidence
­frequency interval)  n interval)   n interval)   n

Yes 0.35 (–0.36, 1.05)   54 0.16 (–0.17, 0.49) 74 0.95 (–0.48, 2.38) 25

No 0.30 (0.10, 0.50)* 195 0.53 (0.05, 1.01)** 36 0.55 (–0.05, 1.15)*** 55

*p ≤ .01; **p ≤ .05; ***p ≤ .10.

Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance: A meta-analysis,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

Table 5.9  Number of Weekly Training Sessions Prescribed by 24 Coaches for Sprint (50 and 100 m)
and Middle-Distance (200 and 400 m) Swimmers for the Summer and Winter Seasons (Mean ± SD)
Build-up Speciality Taper Postcompetition

Sprint Middle- Sprint Middle- Sprint Middle- Sprint Middle-distance

distance distance distance

Weekly 6.8 ± 1.9 7.8 ± 2.0 7.3 ± 1.9 8.1 ± 1.7 6.6 ± 2.0 7.3 ± 2.0 5.0 ± 1.0 5.0 ± 1.2
sessions

Data reprinted from A.M. Stewart and W.G. Hopkins, 2000, “Seasonal training and performance of competitive swimmers,” Journal of Sports Sciences 18(11):
877. By permission of the publisher (Taylor & Francis Ltd., http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals).

Stewart and Hopkins (2000) reported on the training frequency prescribed by 24

swimming coaches for sprint and middle-distance swimmers in each training phase
of a periodized program. As can be seen in table 5.9, the number of weekly training
­sessions remained fairly constant throughout the season, with the exception of the
post­competition phase.
Taken together, the results discussed here suggest that whereas training adaptations
can be readily maintained with quite low training frequencies in moderately trained
individuals (30-50% of pretaper values), much higher training frequencies should be
recommended for highly trained athletes (>80%), especially in the more technique-
dependent sports such as swimming, rowing, skiing, and kayaking (McNeely and Sandler
2007, Mujika and Padilla 2003a).

AT A Glance Reducing Training Frequency

Studies evaluating the consequences of reduced training frequency during times of
reduced training like the taper suggest that manipulations of this training variable affect
moderately trained subjects and highly trained athletes differently. The former can read-
ily maintain their physiological and performance adaptations with training frequencies
representing just 30% to 50% of pretaper training, whereas highly trained athletes would
be better off maintaining training frequencies similar to those used before the taper.
Otherwise, there may be an increased risk of losing the much-needed “feel” for their
sport, particularly in the more technique-dependent cyclic events.
 Reduction of the Training Load 81

Duration of the Taper

Assessing the most suitable duration of a taper for an individual athlete is one of the
most difficult challenges for coaches and sport scientists. Positive physiological, psycho-
logical, and performance adaptations have been reported as a result of taper programs
lasting 4 to 14 days in cyclists and triathletes, 6 to 7 days in middle- and long-distance
runners, 10 days in strength trained athletes, and 10 to 35 days in swimmers (Mujika
and Padilla 2003a). Unfortunately, the time frame that separates the benefits of a suc-
cessful taper from the negative consequences of insufficient training (Mujika and Padilla
2000, Neufer 1989) has not been clearly established. Considering changes in blood lac-
tate concentration and performance times derived from a test work set, Kenitzer (1998)
concluded that a taper of approximately 2 weeks represented the limit of recovery and
compensation time before detraining became evident in a group of female swimmers.
Kubukeli and colleagues (2002) suggested that the optimum taper duration may be
influenced by previous training intensity and volume, with athletes who trained harder
and longer requiring roughly 2 weeks to fully recover from training while maximizing
the benefits of training and those who reduced their amount of high-intensity training
needing a shorter taper to prevent a loss of fitness.
Stewart and Hopkins (2000) reported on the duration of each training phase over a
season of competitive swimming in sprinters and middle-distance swimmers and iden-
tified a slight difference between both groups: Sprinters tapered for almost 4 weeks,
whereas middle-distance specialists tapered for less than 3 weeks. From this study, it
emerged that the average swim coach prescribed a slightly longer taper for sprinters than
for middle-distance swimmers (table 5.10), but no evidence is available to confirm this
as an optimal approach to taper duration.
Bosquet and colleagues (2007) found a dose–response relationship between the
duration of the taper and the performance improvement (tables 5.11 and 5.12). A

Table 5.10  Duration (Weeks) of Each Training Phase Prescribed by 24 Coaches for Sprint (50 and 100
m) and Middle-Distance (200 and 400 m) Swimmers for the Summer and Winter Seasons (Mean ± SD)
BUILD-UP SPECIALITY TAPER POSTCOMPETITION

Sprint Middle- Sprint Middle- Sprint Middle- Sprint Middle-distance

distance distance distance

Duration, 12.1 ± 3.8 12.4 ± 4.5 7.0 ± 3.9 7.7 ± 4.3 3.8 ± 2.2 2.7 ± 1.4 3.1 ± 1.9 2.8 ± 1.9
weeks
Data reprinted from A.M. Stewart and W.G. Hopkins, 2000, “Seasonal training and performance of competitive swimmers,” Journal of Sports Sciences 18(11):
877. By permission of the publisher (Taylor & Francis Ltd., http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals).

Table 5.11  Effect of Taper Duration on Overall Effect Size for Taper-Induced Changes in Performance
Duration Overall effect size, mean
of the taper (95% confidence interval)  n      p
≤7 days 0.17 (–0.05, 0.38) 164 .14
8-14 days 0.59 (0.26, 0.92) 176 .0005
15-21 days 0.28 (–0.02, 0.59)   84 .07
≥22 days 0.31 (–0.14, 0.75)   54 .18
Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance: A meta-analysis,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.
82 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 5.12  Effect of Taper Duration on Overall Effect Size

for Taper-Induced Changes in Swimming, Running, and Cycling Performance
Swimming Running Cycling

Duration Mean Mean Mean

of the (95% confidence (95% confidence (95% confidence
taper interval)   n interval)   n interval)   n
≤7 days –0.03 (–0.41, 0.35) 54 0.31 (–0.08, 0.70) 52 0.29 (–0.12, 0.70) 47

8-14 days 0.45 (–0.01, 0.90)*** 84 0.58 (0.12, 1.05)* 38 1.59 (–0.01, 3.19)** 33

15-21 days 0.33 (0.00, 0.65)** 75 –0.08 (–0.95, 0.80) 10 No data available

≥22 days 0.39 (–0.08, 0.86) 36 –0.72 (–1.63, 0.19) 10 No data available

*p ≤ .01; **p ≤ .05; ***p ≤ .10.

Data reprinted, by permission, from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., 2007, “Effects of tapering on performance:
A meta-analysis,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365.

1.2 taper duration of 8 to 14 days

was the borderline between
1.0
the positive influence of fatigue
0.8
withdrawal and the negative
influence of losing adaptation
Overall effect size

0.6 (i.e., detraining).

Although performance
0.4 improvements could also be
expected as a result of tapers
0.2 lasting 1, 3, or 4 weeks, negative
results could also be experienced
0.0
by some athletes, as indicated
-0.2 by the 95% confidence intervals
reported in tables 5.11 and 5.12.
-0.4 The dose–response curve for the
0 1 2 3 4 effect of taper duration on perfor-
Taper duration (weeks)
mance is shown in figure 5.10.
Figure 5.10  Dose–response curve for the effect of taper Some authors have used
duration on performance. mathematical modeling in an
E4493/Mujika/fig
Reprinted, by permission, 5.10/330526/KE/R1
from L. Bosquet, J. Montpetit, D. Arvisais, et al., attempt to optimize tapering
2007, “Effects of tapering on performance: A meta-analysis,” Medicine & strategies for individual athletes,
Science in Sports & Exercise 39: 1358-1365. including optimal taper dura-
tion (Fitz-Clarke et al. 1991,
Morton et al. 1990, Mujika et al. 1996a, Mujika et al. 1996b). In one of these studies,
the theoretical optimal taper duration in a group of national and international level
swimmers was between mean values of 12 and 32 days, with a great intersubject vari-
ability (Mujika et al. 1996a), which leads to the conclusion that taper duration must be
individually determined for athletes in accordance with their specific profiles of adapta-
tion to training and loss of training-induced adaptations. Differences in the physiologi-
cal and psychological adaptation responses to the training reduction and the use of an
overload intervention, or lack thereof, in the weeks preceding the taper are some of the
variables accounting for the reported interindividual variability in optimal taper dura-
tion (Bosquet et al. 2007).
Recent mathematical modeling simulations (Thomas et al. 2008) suggest that the
training performed in the lead-up to the taper greatly influences the optimal individual
duration of the taper. A 20% increase over normal training during 28 days before the
 Reduction of the Training Load 83

taper requires a step reduction in training of around 65% during 3 weeks, instead of 2
weeks when no overload training is performed. However, a progressive taper requires
a smaller reduction of training over a longer duration than a step taper, whatever the
pretaper training. The impact of the pretaper training on the duration of the optimal taper
seems obvious in regard to the reduction of the accumulated fatigue. Overload training
before the taper causes a greater stress that needs longer to recover. Nevertheless, this
impact could be also explained by the positive adaptations to training because higher
training loads could make adaptations peak at a higher level but take longer to produce
(Thomas et al. 2008) (see also the section titled Computer Simulations in chapter 7).
Millet and colleagues (2005) used mathematical modeling to describe the relation-
ships between training loads and anxiety and perceived fatigue as a new method for
assessing the effects of training on the psychological status of the athletes, in this case
four professional triathletes. It was observed that the time for self-perceived fatigue to
return to its baseline level was 15 days, which was close to the time modeled by previous
researchers as optimal for tapering (Busso et al. 1994, Busso et al. 2002, Fitz-Clarke et al.
1991). The authors of the investigation concluded that the use of a simple questionnaire
to assess anxiety and perceived fatigue could be used to adjust the optimal duration of
tapering (Millet et al. 2005).

Determining Taper Duration AT A Glance

Determining the duration of a taper is not easy. Available scientific reports show ben-
eficial physiological and performance effects after tapers lasting as little as 4 days and
as long as 5 weeks. No study has shown that the duration or intensity of the event an
athlete is preparing for determines taper duration. According to recent investigations,
overreaching an athlete before the taper would require not a bigger percentage training
reduction during the taper but rather a longer taper. Most athletes will benefit from a
2-week taper, but shorter or longer tapers may be optimal for some athletes, depending
on their individual profiles of fitness loss and fatigue dissipation. These individual profiles
can be made using simple questionnaires to assess anxiety and perceived fatigue.

Environmental Factors and Tapering

Athletes preparing for international competition often have to deal with environmental
factors that can negatively affect their performance capabilities. Long-distance travel
across time zones and challenging environments characterized, for example, by high
temperatures or reduced oxygen content in the air may significantly disrupt an athlete’s
comfort, requiring specific physiological adaptations. Training and tapering programs in
the lead-up to important events taking place in such environments must also be specifi-
cally adapted.
Researchers from Australia, the Basque Country, and Great Britain have recently
addressed the interactions between tapering, performance peaking, and environmental
factors that international-caliber athletes must often deal with (Pyne et al. 2009).

Travel Across Time Zones, Peaking, and Chronobiology

Olympic athletes are frequently required to travel across continental boundaries for
purposes of training or competing. Long-haul flights lead to travel fatigue, a relatively
transient malaise that is quickly overcome with rest and sleep. Crossing multiple merid-
ians causes desynchronization of human circadian rhythms and leads to the syndrome
known as jet lag. This condition can persist for some days, depending on the number
of time zones crossed, the direction of flight, the times of departure and arrival, and
individual factors (Waterhouse et al. 2007b). Concomitant with the experience of jet
lag, a range of performance measures are impaired until the endogenous “body clock,”
84 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

located in the hypothalamus, is retuned to the new local time. Decrements have been
reported in muscle strength, reaction times, and subjective states indicative of arousal
(Reilly et al. 2001).
Among the recommendations to help cope with jet lag during the time of desyn-
chronization is lowering the training load (Reilly et al. 2007a). This reduction would
compensate for the temporary decrease in physical capabilities associated with jet
lag and avoid exposing the athlete to risk of injury in training (especially if complex
practices are attempted) when symptoms are experienced. In effect, a temporary
taper is imposed by the need to cope with the malaise of jet lag until readjustment
has occurred, the duration of which depends mainly on the direction of flight and the
number of time zone transitions. The jet-lag–imposed modifications to the training
load should be considered in context of the overall training program and the taper
leading to competition.
The amount of time that an athlete will require to adjust the body clock can be incor-
porated into the taper when competition requires travel across multiple meridians. It
is logical that sufficient time be allowed for the athlete to adjust completely to the new
time zone before competing (Waterhouse et al. 2007b). The readjustment might con-
stitute a part of the lowered training volume integral to the taper. Allowance should be
made for the timing of training over the first few days because training in the morning
is not advocated after an athlete has traveled eastward so that a phase delay rather than
the desired phase advance is not erroneously promoted (Reilly et al. 2005). There also
seems little point in training hard at home prior to embarkation, because arriving tired
at the airport of departure may slow adjustment later (Waterhouse et al. 2003). Simi-
larly, attempting to shift the phase of the body clock in the required direction for some
days prior to departure is counterproductive, because performance (and hence training
quality) may be disrupted by this strategy (Reilly and Maskell 1989).
Tapering should proceed as planned in the company of jet lag, even if the interactions
between body clock disturbances and the recovery processes associated with tapering
have not been fully delineated. These interactions might implicate sleep, digestive, and
immune functions. Although quality of sleep is an essential component of recovery
processes, napping at an inappropriate time of day when adjusting to a new time zone
may delay resynchronization (Minors and Waterhouse 1981); however, in certain cir-
cumstances, a short nap of about 30 min can be restorative (Waterhouse et al. 2007a).
Suppression of immune responses is more likely to be linked with sleep disruption than
with jet lag per se (Reilly and Edwards 2007).
The circadian rhythm in digestion is largely exogenous, and jet lag is associated
mainly with a displacement of appetite rather than reduced energy intake (Reilly et
al. 2007b). Therefore, a behavioral approach to readjustment of the body clock may
be in line with the moderations of training associated with a taper. Athletes, coaches,
managers, and support staff should implement strategies to minimize the effects of
travel stress prior to departure, during long-haul international travel, and upon arrival
at the destination.

Heat and Altitude

A taper is dependent on removal or minimization of the athlete’s habitual stressors,
thereby permitting physiological systems to replenish their capabilities or even undergo
supercompensation. There is very little scientific information with respect to possible
interactions with environmental variables on tapering processes in athletes, whether
the stressor is heat, cold, or altitude. Experimental work on the additive effects of alti-
tude on climatic stress and travel fatigue or jet lag is lacking (Armstrong 2006). This
gap in knowledge is largely attributable to the enormous difficulties in addressing these
Reduction of the Training Load 85

problems adequately in experimental designs and the challenges that researchers in

the field face in regard to controlling all the variables involved. Nevertheless, the likely
effects of environmental factors must be considered in a systematic way when tapering
is prescribed within the athlete’s or team’s annual plan.
The use of training camps, whether for altitude training or warm-weather training to
secure heat acclimatization, poses a different set of quandaries than those presented by
travel schedules. Both altitude and hot environments present hostile conditions for athletes
whose primary objective for the visit is to subject themselves to the prevailing stressors.
The principle is that physiological benefits derived from the adaptations to the new envi-
ronment presumably transfer during the taper to enhance competitive performance. In
both conditions, the absolute exercise intensity is lowered by necessity, even if the relative
physiological stress is the same as that usually encountered. This uncoupling of physiological
and biomechanical loading may have unknown consequences in terrestrial sports for the
mechanisms associated with the tapering response, particularly when the exercise intensity
is light to moderate during the first tentative exposures to heat or altitude.
Tapering in hot conditions prior to competition is compatible with the reduction in
training volume advocated when encountering heat stress. The increased glycogen utiliza-
tion associated with exercise in the heat should be compensated by the reduced training
load, both intensity and duration (Armstrong 2006). Athletes should be acclimatized to
heat; otherwise performance in the forthcoming competition might be compromised.
In winter-sport events there is not a corresponding problem, because protection against
climatic conditions and the initial diuresis that occurs is secured by behavioral measures,
such as donning appropriate clothing, seeking shelter when necessary, and restoring
hydration status.
At altitude, maximal oxygen uptake is reduced according to the prevailing ambient
pressure. An immediate consequence is that the exercise intensity or power output at a
given relative aerobic loading is decreased. In the first few days at altitude, a respiratory
alkalosis occurs attributable to the increased ventilatory response to hypoxic condi-
tions. This condition is normally self-limiting because of a gradual renal compensation.
Athletes using training camps at altitude resorts recognize that a reduction in training
load is imperative at altitude, prior to an increase as the initial phase of acclimatization
occurs. The extra hydration requirements attributable to the dry ambient air and the
initial diuresis, combined with plasma volume changes (Rusko et al. 2004), increased
utilization of carbohydrate as substrate for exercise (Butterfield et al. 1992), and pro-
pensity to sleep apnea (Pedlar et al. 2005), run counter to the generally supportive
environment associated with tapering. In this instance, the reduced training load would
not substitute for a taper. There is the added risk of illness caused by decreased immu-
noreactivity associated with exposure to altitude (Rusko et al. 2004). Maximal cardiac
output may also be reduced in the course of a typical 14- to 21-day sojourn to altitude as
a result of the impairment in training quality. Altitude training camps should therefore
be lodged strategically in the annual plan to avoid unwanted, if unknown, interactions
with environmental variables.
Altitude training is used in many sports at the elite level for conditioning purposes.
It is accepted as good practice among elite swimmers and rowing squads, for example,
despite absence of compelling evidence of its effectiveness. Apart from its necessity in
preparing for competition at altitude, altitude training is accepted by practitioners as
enhancing performance at sea level. The optimal timing of the return to sea level is
not known and is an issue relatively neglected by researchers in the field, with a few
exceptions (Ingjer and Myhre 1992). Athletes have been advised to reduce training for
a time before competing after altitude training, which constitutes a form of tapering.
The extent of the benefit, as well as its variation between individuals, has not been
adequately explored.
86 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

AT A Glance Dealing With Environmental Factors and the Taper

Environmental factors like travel across time zones, heat, and altitude may interfere with
an athlete’s preparation for international-level competition. Crossing multiple meridians
causes desynchronization of the body clock and leads to the syndrome known as jet
lag, which impairs muscle strength, reaction times, and level of arousal. Reducing the
training load has been recommended as a means to cope with jet lag, and this training
reduction should be integrated in an athlete’s taper program.
The interactions between taper and environmental stressors like heat, cold, and
altitude have not been studied. Physiological benefits derived from the adaptations
to the new environment presumably transfer during the taper to enhance competitive
performance. Tapering in hot conditions prior to competition seems to be compatible
with the reduction in training volume advocated when encountering heat stress. Similarly,
training camps at altitude usually require an initial reduction in training load, which in
itself may constitute a form of tapering.

Chapter Summary
Maintaining training intensity (i.e., “quality training”) is absolutely necessary to retain
and enhance training-induced adaptations during tapering, but it is obvious that reduc-
tions in the other training variables should allow for sufficient recovery to optimize
performance. As we have seen, reductions in training volume appear to induce posi-
tive physiological, psychological, and performance responses in highly trained athletes.
According to the most recent analysis of the scientific literature, a safe bet in terms of
training volume reduction would be 41% to 60%, but performance benefits could be
attained with somewhat smaller or bigger volume reductions.
High training frequencies (>80%) seem to be necessary to avoid detraining and “loss
of feel” in highly trained athletes. Conversely, training-induced adaptations can be
readily maintained with very low training frequencies in moderately trained individu-
als (30-50%).
The optimal duration of the taper is not known. Indeed, positive physiological and
performance adaptations can be expected as a result of tapers lasting 4 to 28 days, yet
the negative effects of complete inactivity are readily apparent in athletes. When we are
unsure about the individual adaptation profile of a particular athlete that would determine
his or her optimal taper duration, 2 weeks seems to be the suit-all taper duration. On the
basis of their own experience, McNeely and Sandler (2007) have developed some guide-
lines for the recommended duration of a taper based on the number of weekly training
hours. These guidelines, requiring scientific confirmation, are provided in table 5.13.

Table 5.13  Training Time for Major Taper

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
material can be found in its original source. From E. McNeely and
D. Sandler, 2007, “Tapering for endurance athletes,” Strength and
Conditioning Journal 29(5): 21.

Reprinted, by permission, from E. McNeely and D. Sandler, 2007,

“Tapering for endurance athletes,” Strength and Conditioning
Journal 29(5): 21.
Reduction of the Training Load 87

When athletes are preparing for international competition, environmental factors

like travel across time zones, heat, and altitude may interfere with the taper. Crossing
multiple meridians causes desynchronization of the body clock, leading to jet lag and
impairing muscle strength, reaction times, and level of arousal. A training load reduction
can help the athlete cope with jet lag, and this training reduction should be integrated
into the taper program.
The interactions between taper and environmental stressors like heat, cold, and altitude
are yet to be studied. The physiological benefits of adapting to the stressful environment
should transfer during the taper to enhance competitive performance. Tapering in hot
environments before competition seems to be compatible with the reduction in training
volume recommended when facing heat stress. Altitude training camps also require an
initial reduction in training load, which may in itself constitute a form of tapering.
This page intentionally left blank.
 chapter 6
Designing the Taper
for Performance
Improvements

The final and major goal of a taper is to optimize competition performance. Most stud-
ies dealing with progressive tapers in athletes have reported significant performance
improvements in various sports including swimming, running, cycling, rowing, and
triathlon. Some investigators have determined performance changes in actual competi-
tion, whereas others have reported on laboratory or field-based criterion performance
measures. In this chapter, the size of these performance improvements, the factors
potentially affecting them, and their meaningfulness in terms of competition outcome
are addressed.

Observed Performance Gains in Various Sports

Tapering-induced performance gains, which have variously been attributed to increased
levels of muscular force and power; improvements in neuromuscular, hematological,
and hormonal function; and psychological status of the athletes (see chapters 2-4), are
usually in the range of 0.5% to 6.0% for competition performance measures but can
reach 22% in noncompetitive criterion measures (table 6.1). It is important to establish
the validity of the performance tests and their relationship with actual performance
in a specific competition event (see section titled Meaningfulness of Tapering-Induced
Performance Gains).
In an observational investigation on Olympic swimmers, Mujika and colleagues
(2002b) reported on performance change in 99 individual swimming events during
the final 3 weeks of training (generally coincident with the taper) in the lead-up to the
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The overall performance change during the 3 weeks prior
to competition for all swimmers was 2.18% ± 1.50%, with a maximum loss of –1.14%
and a maximum gain of 6.02%. A total of 91 of the 99 analyzed performances were
faster and only 8 performances were slower after the taper. Performance improvements
were not significantly different among events, and they ranged from 0.64 ± 1.48% in
400 m freestyle (event with the smallest mean improvement) to 2.96 ± 1.08% in 200
m butterfly (the event with the largest mean improvement) (table 6.2).
The 2.6% performance improvement attained during the taper by the male swim-
mers in the study by Mujika and colleagues (2002b) was somewhat lower than some

89
 Table 6.1  Effects of the Taper on Performance in Trained Athletes
Taper
duration, Performance
Study and year Athletes days Performance measure outcome, %

Costill et al. 1985 Swimmers 14 50- to 1,650-yard (46-1,509 m) 2.2-4.6 ↑

competition

Cavanaugh & Swimmers 28 50- to 1,650-yard (46-1,509 m) 2.0-3.8 ↑

Musch 1989 competition

Houmard et al. Runners 10 Incremental maximal test Unchanged

1989

Houmard et al. Runners 21 5K indoor race Unchanged

1990a

Costill et al. 1991 Swimmers 14-21 Competition ≈3.2 ↑

D’Acquisto et al. Swimmers 14-28 100, 400 m time trial 4.0-8.0 ↑

1992

Jeukendrup et al. Cyclists 14 8.5 km outdoor time trial 7.2 ↑

1992

Johns et al. 1992 Swimmers 10-14 50- to 400-yard (46-366 m) 2.0-3.7 ↑

competition

Shepley et al. 1992 Runners 7 Treadmill time to exhaustion 6-22 ↑

McConell et al. Runners 28 5K indoor race 1.2 ↓

1993

Flynn et al. 1994 Runners 21 Treadmill time to exhaustion Unchanged

Swimmers 25-yard (23 m), 400-yard ≈3 ↑
(366 m) time trial

Gibala et al. 1994 Strength-trained 10 Voluntary elbow flexor ≈7 ↑

athletes strength

Houmard et al. Runners 7 5K treadmill time trial 2.8 ↑

1994

Martin et al. 1994 Cyclists 14 Incremental maximal test 8.0 ↑

Zarkadas et al. Triathletes 14 5K field time-trial run 1.2-6.3 ↑

1995 Incremental maximal test 1.5-7.9 ↑

Mujika et al. 1996b Swimmers 28 100-200 m competition 0.4-4.9 ↑

Raglin et al. 1996 Swimmers 28-35 Competition 2.0 ↑

Stone et al. 1996 Weightlifters 7-28 Competition 8.0-17.5 kg ↑

Taylor et al. 1997 Swimmers Not Competition 1.3 ↑

reported

Hooper et al. 1998 Swimmers 14 100, 400 m time trial Unchanged

Kenitzer et al. 1998 Swimmers 14-28 4  100-yard (91 m) sub­ ≈4 ↑

maximal set

90
 Taper
duration, Performance
Study and year Athletes days Performance measure outcome, %

Berger et al. 1999 Cyclists 14 4 km simulated pursuit 2.0 ↑

Hooper et al. 1999 Swimmers 14 100 m time trial Unchanged

Bonifazi et al. 2000 Swimmers 14-21 100-400 m competition 1.5-2.1 ↑

Child et al. 2000 Runners 7 Simulated half-marathon Unchanged

Martin & Andersen Cyclists 7 Incremental maximal test ≈6 ↑

2000

Mujika et al. 2000 Runners 6 800 m competition Unchanged

Smith 2000 Rowers 7 500 m simulated time trial Unchanged

Steinacker et al. Rowers 7 2,000 m time-trial­competition 6.3 ↑

2000

Trappe et al. 2001 Swimmers 21 Competition 3.0-4.7 ↑

Rietjens et al. 2001 Cyclists 21 Incremental maximal test Unchanged

Dressendorfer et al. Cyclists 10 20 km simulated time trial 1.2 ↑

2002a, 2002b

Eliakim et al. 2002 Handball players 14 4  20 m sprint, vertical jump 2.1-3.2 ↑

Mujika et al. 2002a Runners 6 800 m competition 0.4-1.9 ↑

Maestu et al. 2003 Rowers 14 2,000 m ergometer time trial Unchanged

Margaritis et al. Triathletes 14 30 km outdoor duathlon 1.6-3.6 ↑

2003

Neary et al. 2003a Cyclists 7 20 km simulated time trial 5.4 ↑

Neary et al. 2003b Cyclists 7 40 km simulated time trial 2.2-4.3 ↑

Harber et al. 2004 Runners 28 8 km outdoor race 1.1 ↑

Neary et al. 2005 Cyclists 7 20 km simulated time trial 4.5 ↑

Trinity et al. 2006 Swimmers 21 50-1,500 m competition 4.5 ↑

Vollaard et al. 2006 Triathletes 7 15 min simulated time trial 4.9 ↑

Coutts et al. 2007a Triathletes 14 3 km run time trial 3.9 ↑

Izquierdo et al. Strength-trained 28 1 RM strength 2.0-3.0 ↑

2007 athletes

Papoti et al. 2007 Swimmers 11 200 m time trial 1.6 ↑

↑ indicates improvement; ↓ indicates decline.

91
 Table 6.2  Performance Times (s) Before and After the Final 3 Weeks of Training (F3T)

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The material can be found in
its original source. From I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne, 2002, “Swimming performance
changes during the final 3 weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,”
International Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 585.

Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne, 2002, “Swimming perfor-
mance changes during the final 3 weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic
Games,” International Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 585.

92
Designing the Taper for Performance Improvements 93

values previously published in the tapering literature. For example, Costill and col-
leagues (1985) reported a mean performance improvement of 3.1% as a result of a
2-week taper in a group of 17 collegiate male swimmers. Studying a similar population
of 24 college male swimmers tapering for 2 to 3 weeks, the same group of research-
ers observed a 3.2% gain in performance (Costill et al. 1991). Johns and colleagues
(1992) also reported an average performance improvement of 2.8% ± 0.3% with a
10- to 14-day taper.
Performance improvement differences between the studies mentioned in the previous
paragraph and the study by Mujika and colleagues (2002b) could be partly attributable to
the higher performance level of the swimmers analyzed in the latter investigation. Indeed,
some of the highest mean performance gains with the taper (7.96% and 5.00% in 100
m and 400 m, respectively) have been reported in high school swimmers (D’Acquisto et
al. 1992), whereas values of 2.6% (Cavanaugh and Musch 1989) and 2.32% ± 1.69%
(Mujika et al. 1996b) have been observed in national- and international-level male
swimmers during tapers lasting 4 weeks. Bonifazi and colleagues (2000) analyzed the
effects of a taper lasting 2 to 3 weeks in international-level male swimmers during two
consecutive seasons. Performance improved by 1.48% during the first season and 2.07%
during the second. Taken together, the results of these investigations indicate that the
taper in international-level swimmers usually produces an average improvement in
performance in the range of 1.5% to 2.5%.
Figure 6.1 shows percentage performance improvement with the taper (final 3 weeks
of training) in males and females participating in events of varying distance. No signifi-
cant difference was observed between any of the analyzed swimming distances, which
suggests that the metabolic contribution to energy provision during competition, which
varies with racing distance, does not affect the potential gain that can be obtained during
a 3-week taper. This suggestion is further supported by the data reported in table 6.1,
in which similar performance
improvements can be observed
in different sports with criterion
performance measures ranging
in duration from a few seconds
(e.g., 1RM strength or a 25-yard
[23 m] maximal swim) to about Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
1 hr (e.g., 40 km cycling time material can be found in its original source. From I. Mujika, S.
trial). Padilla, and D. Pyne, 2002, “Swimming performance changes during
the final 3 weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic
Similarly, the comparison Games,” International Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 584.
between freestyle and form Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne,
(backstroke, breaststroke, butter- 2002, “Swimming performance changes during the final 3 weeks of
fly, and individual medley) training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” International
Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 584.
events showed no differences in
the magnitude of performance
improvement (figure 6.2), sug-
gesting that technical and bio-
mechanical aspects of competi-
tion do not necessarily affect
the performance outcome of a Figure 6.1  Percentage performance improvement with
taper. In addition, performance the final 3 weeks of training (F3T) in male and female 50 m
change with the taper was not (freestyle only), 100 m (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke,
significantly different among and butterfly), 200 m (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke,
swimmers from the 14 differ- butterfly, and individual medley), and 400 m (freestyle and
ent countries represented in the individual medley) events. *Significant difference (p < .05)
sample, ranging from 0.13% ± between males and females. Values are mean ± SE.
0.28% for Nigerian swimmers to
3.98% ± 2.18% for swimmers
representing Swaziland.
94 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

In swimming, one of the most

thoroughly studied sports with
regard to the effects of tapering,
performance improvements
regardless of the specific event
Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
material can be found in its original source. From I. Mujika, S. have been reported by several
Padilla, and D. Pyne, 2002, “Swimming performance changes authors. In male swimmers,
during the final 3 weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 Costill and colleagues (1985)
Olympic Games,” International Journal of Sports Medicine
23: 584. observed gains ranging from
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. 2.2% in 100-yard (91 m) free-
Pyne, 2002, “Swimming performance changes during the final 3 style (n = 2) and 200-yard (182
weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” m) butterfly (n = 3) and 4.6%
International Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 584.
in 200-yard (182 m) individual
medley (n = 5). Johns and
colleagues (1992) reported
a minimum gain of 2.0% in
100-yard (91 m) breaststroke
(n = 1) and a maximum of 3.7%
Figure 6.2  Percentage performance improvement with the in 100-yard (91 m) (n = 5) and
final 3 weeks of training (F3T) in male and female freestyle 200-yard (182 m) freestyle
and form (backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual (n = 2). Similar values, between
medley) events. *Significant difference (p < .05) between 2.0% (n = 6) and 3.8% (n = 4),
males and females. Values are mean ± SE. were reported by Cavanaugh
and Musch (1989) for 50-yard
(46 m) freestyle and 200-yard
(182 m) breaststroke, respec-
tively. All of these were quite
similar to the 1.73% and 3.25%,
respectively, observed in 50 m (n = 4) and 200 m freestyle (n = 6) for males in the study by
Mujika and colleagues (2002b). Once again, these results support the notion that tapering
elicits a relatively consistent improvement across different competitive swimming
events.

AT A Glance Using the Data to Set Goals

The data reported on performance change across sports, distances, and events provide
a quantitative framework for coaches and athletes to set realistic performance goals
based on individual performance levels before the tapering phase leading to important
competitions, as illustrated in the following examples.

• An elite 100 m breaststroker races before tapering and his time is 62.00 s. Chances
are that after an efficient taper, his competition performance will improve by
about 3%, for a swim time of 60.14 s. If the taper program is not particularly
efficient, he may improve by just 0.5%, for a time of 61.69 s. On the other hand,
a particularly efficient taper inducing a gain of 6% will help this swimmer clock a
world record–smashing time of 58.28 s!
• A highly trained 5K runner’s time at a minor competition prior to the taper is 14
min 10 s. Expecting him to run 12 min 45 s after the taper would be an ­unrealistic
goal, because this time represents a rather unlikely 10% improvement. More
likely expectations for this runner would be between 14 min 6 s (0.5% gain) and
13 min 19 s (6% gain).
 Designing the Taper for Performance Improvements 95

Individual Differences
As mentioned in the previous section, eight of the swimmers in the study by Mujika
and colleagues (2002b) did not improve their performance during the Olympic Games
compared with the competition that took place 3 weeks earlier. As can be observed
in table 6.1, unchanged performances have been reported during the taper in various
sports and performance measures. A lack of performance gain during the taper could
be the result of a poorly planned tapering strategy, an individually determined lack of
physiological or psychological response to the reduced training, or a combination of
both. Unfortunately, the specific effects of these potential influencing factors cannot
be ascertained in most cases, because of either an insufficiently thorough description
of the tapering strategy used by the researchers, the lack of individual response data in
favor of group statistics, or the observational nature of a study design.
For instance, Mujika and colleagues (2002b) discussed that the observational nature
of their investigation imposed several limitations on the interpretation of results and
inferences that can be applied to the population of competitive swimmers from their
study sample. No systematic or consistent biological or psychometric measurements
were undertaken at the time of the two analyzed competitions (i.e., pre- and posttaper).
Therefore, all discussed mechanisms possibly contributing to the observed performance
improvements were rather speculative, although they were considered in the light of
data reported in previously published swimming tapering studies.
The potential physiological and psychological mechanisms underpinning the variable
performance changes associated with the taper are thoroughly described in chapters
2 through 4. Nevertheless, researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences of
the University of Essex and the School of Life Sciences of Heriot-Watt University in the
United Kingdom recently expressed an interesting view concerning the mechanisms of
the commonly observed performance improvement after tapering (Vollaard et al. 2006),
which could partly account for the individual differences in the response to a taper. These
authors rightly point out that regardless of study design, studies investigating the effects
of training manipulations on exercise performance will inevitably suffer methodological
difficulties arising from the impossibility of blinding the subjects to the treatment. Given
that most well-trained athletes are aware of the potential beneficial effects of a taper
and that they will know whether their training load has been increased or decreased, a
placebo effect cannot be discounted to account for at least part of the performance gain
observed in tapering investigations (Vollaard et al. 2006). According to these authors,
expectancy effects could provide a credible mechanism for the observed beneficial effects
of tapering. This possibility, of course, deserves to be investigated (Vollaard et al. 2006),
and if it is confirmed, it is conceivable that the expectancy effects could also be closely
associated with individual variability in performance outcomes.

Assessing Individual Adaptation to the Taper AT A Glance

As we have described in previous chapters, a variety of physiological (e.g., haptoglobin,
reticulocytes, testosterone, cortisol, blood lactate, creatine kinase), and psychological
(e.g., Profile of Mood States, Recovery–Stress Questionnaire for Athletes, rating of per-
ceived exertion) markers have been shown to change during the taper, and because
these changes sometimes correlate with performance variations, the implication is that
they could help gauge the effects of a taper. Most of these markers, however, are too
invasive, too cumbersome, too expensive, or not sufficiently specific. In my experience,
there are two specific, noninvasive, relatively simple, and quite inexpensive tools that
can provide extremely valuable information about an athlete’s adaptation to the taper:
one is called a chronometer (or stopwatch) and the other one verbal communication.
96 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Sex Effect
Systematic studies on the possible existence of a sex effect regarding the performance
consequences of tapering are lacking, but some reports have provided separate data on
male and female athletes. In the study by Mujika and colleagues (2002b), the mean
percentage improvement with the pre-Olympic taper was significantly higher in male
(2.57% ± 1.45%) than in female (1.78% ± 1.45%) swimmers. In addition, males
improved more than females (2.91% ± 1.38% vs. 1.80% ± 1.35%, p < .05) in the 200
m events (figure 6.1). Comparisons between freestyle and form (backstroke, breast-
stroke, butterfly, and individual medley) events showed that males improved more
than females in the freestyle events (2.54% ± 1.50% vs. 1.60% ± 1.33%, p < 0.05)
(figure 6.2). In a report concerning female swimmers, Mujika and colleagues (1996a)
indicated a performance gain range between 0.47% in 100 m breaststroke (n = 1)
and 5.42% in 100 m butterfly (n = 1), in contrast with the performance loss of 0.53%
observed in 400 m freestyle (n = 2) and a maximum gain of 3.04% in 200 m butterfly
(n = 4) observed by Mujika and colleagues (2002b).
Given that the investigation by Mujika and colleagues (2002b) was purely observational
and that the influence of factors such as motivation, shaving, use of different swimming
suits, or diet could not be controlled for, there was no apparent explanation for the signifi-
cantly smaller mean performance improvement achieved by the female swimmers, espe-
cially in the absence of any accompanying biological or psychometric measurements.
In contrast with the observations by Mujika and colleagues (2002b), in a study on
national- and international-level swimmers, performance improvements of 2.58% ±
1.96%, 2.95% ± 0.93%, and 2.56% ± 2.19% were reported for the females, consecutive
to each of the three tapers carried out during a competitive season, lasting respectively
3, 4, and 6 weeks. These values were not significantly different from those of 3.12% ±
1.15%, 3.42% ± 2.19%, and 1.60% ± 0.92% attained by the males (Mujika et al. 1996a).
Hooper and colleagues consistently observed small nonsignificant performance gains of
0.1% to 0.7% in international-level male and female swimmers, but separate values
for each gender were not reported (Hooper et al. 1993, Hooper et al. 1998, Hooper et
al. 1999). Similarly, Smith (2000) did not report any sex difference in the amplitude of
performance improvement after a 1-week taper in 6 female and 10 male elite rowers.
Nevertheless, a sex effect has been suggested for the optimum taper duration. Indeed,
Kenitzer (1998) recommended for female swimmers a taper duration of 2 weeks, because
performance indexes began to deteriorate with longer tapers. Moreover, different research-
ers have put forward the suggestion that the relatively small 1.3% performance gains
attained by female swimmers during a taper could be related to a deterioration of their
mood state (Taylor et al. 1997). The preceding results, however, are in contrast with those
of Mujika and colleagues (1996a), who did not observe sex differences in the optimal
duration of the taper as determined by mathematical modeling, and with those of Morgan
and colleagues (1987) and Raglin and colleagues (1991), who reported similar changes in
perception of effort, global mood score, and total mood disturbance in male and female
swimmers during tapering. More investigations are required to shed additional light on
the interactions among tapering, sex, mood state, and competitive athletic performance.

AT A Glance Using the Data to Take Sex Difference Into Account

The available research regarding the existence of a difference between males and females
in the effects of the taper is inconclusive: Whereas some investigations have found bigger
performance gains in males, the majority of studies have seen no difference between sexes;
whereas some researchers suggest that the optimal taper duration should be no longer than
2 weeks in females, modeling studies report no differences with the optimal duration for
males; whereas some investigators suggest a deterioration of mood states in females during
the taper, others describe identical changes in males and females. There is no evidence to
suggest that tapering programs should be differentially designed for males and females or
that a sex effect exists concerning the adaptations and taper effects on performance.
 Designing the Taper for Performance Improvements 97

Meaningfulness of Taper-Induced Performance Gains

The percentage performance changes reported in table 6.1 seem to be rather small, and
some studies in the scientific literature report that taper-induced changes were not sta-
tistically significant. Although taper-induced improvements in performance may often
be small and nonsignificant from a statistical point of view, they could be worthwhile
in practical terms relative to competition results (Hopkins et al. 1999, Mujika et al.
2002b). Improvements of approximately one half of the typical within-subject varia-
tion in competition performance substantially increase a top athlete’s chance of win-
ning a medal. The magnitude of such practical improvements is 0.9% in track sprinters
(Hopkins et al. 1999), 1.4% for highly trained swimmers (Stewart and Hopkins 2000),
1.5% for cross country runners, and up to 3% for marathon runners (Hopkins and
Hewson 2001). Another important consideration is that laboratory or field-based per-
formance tests are much less reliable measures of performance than competition itself,
and enhancements in these tests may not necessarily translate into similar performance
gains in competition (Hopkins et al. 1999).
In the study by Mujika and colleagues (2002b), percentage performance improvement
with the taper was similar in Olympic medal winners, finalists, semifinalists, and quali-
fying heat swimmers. This was true for males, for females, and for all swimmers taken
as a single group. However, among those athletes who swam only the qualifying heats,
performance improvement with the taper was bigger in males (2.84% ± 1.67%) than in
females (1.23% ± 1.44%) (figure 6.3). But this is the important part: These authors also
calculated the percentage difference in performance time from first to fourth place (gold
medal winner to first swimmer out of the medals) and from third to eighth place (bronze
medal winner to last finalist) for all male and female events of the Olympic swimming
finals. The percentage difference in performance time between first and fourth place was
1.62% ± 0.80% overall (males 1.48% ± 0.67%, females 1.77% ± 0.90%) and between
third and eighth place 2.02% ± 0.81% overall (males 1.69% ± 0.56%, females 2.35%
± 0.91%).
In the study by Mujika and
colleagues (2002b), the observed
swim time improvement with
the taper was considered very
worthwhile in performance
terms, because the differences
between the gold medalist and
the first swimmer out of the Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed.
The material can be found in its original source. From I.
medals and between the bronze Mujika, S. Padilla, and D. Pyne, 2002, “Swimming perfor-
medal winner and the last swim- mance changes during the final 3 weeks of training leading
mer in the final at the Olympic to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games,” International Journal
of Sports Medicine 23: 585.
events were smaller than the
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, S. Padilla, and D.
mean improvement in swim Pyne, 2002, “Swimming performance changes during the
time obtained during the taper. final 3 weeks of training leading to the Sydney 2000 Olympic
In other words, a very successful Games,” International Journal of Sports Medicine 23: 585.

taper could take an athlete from

finishing last in the Olympic final
to winning a bronze medal or
from not winning an Olympic
medal to becoming an Olympic
champion! This, of course, is Figure 6.3  Percentage performance improvement with
true as long as the other final- the final 3 weeks of training (F3T) in male and female Olym-
ists had a less successful tapering pic medal winners, finalists, semifinalists, and qualifying heat
strategy. swimmers. **Significant difference (p < .01) between males
Bosquet and colleagues and females. Values are mean ± SE.
(2007) indicated that because
performance is a complex system
whose whole is more than the
98 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

sum of its parts, specific event performance is the most suitable measure to evaluate the
effectiveness of a tapering intervention. This is the reason why these authors excluded
from their meta-analysis of the effects of tapering on performance all studies using
measures other than actual competition or field-based criterion performance data to
assess performance capacity. When Bosquet and colleagues interpreted the effect size of
taper-induced changes according to the scale of Cohen (1988), expected performance
improvements were most often small and occasionally were moderate. When expressed
as a percentage difference, mean performance improvement was 1.96%. This difference
could be considered meaningless if the population of interest was not competitive athletes.
However, the gains that can be expected following a taper intervention, as little as they
are, may have a major impact on an athlete’s success in major competitions (Bosquet
et al. 2007), as illustrated by the preceding example of swimming events at the Sydney
2000 Olympic Games (Mujika et al. 2002b).

AT A Glance Why Taper?

Well-designed tapering strategies usually improve performance, but they do not work
miracles! A realistic performance goal for the final taper should be a competition per-
formance improvement of about 3% (usual range 0.5-6.0%). A performance gain of this
size, as small as it may seem, can have a major impact on competition placing no matter
what the sport, the event distance, or the caliber of the athlete.

Chapter Summary
When designing a tapering program, coaches and athletes should be aware of the ath-
lete’s performance level so that realistic performance targets can be set and the effec-
tiveness of the taper can be assessed after the major competition. Setting unrealistic
expectations may have a negative impact on the athlete’s psychological state and moti-
vation, so these should always be avoided.
Times achieved in key training sets may be an excellent index of an athlete’s adapta-
tion to the taper, and constant communication between athlete and coach can provide
more valuable information about how things are going than any biological marker or
psychological scale. Based on these simple tools, the taper program can be individual-
ized and refined.
Coaches and athletes should never underestimate the consequences of tapering-
induced performance gains, no matter how small these may seem: A gold medal can be
just a few centimeters or fractions of a second away!
 chapter 7
Insights
From Mathematical
Modeling

The most important goal for coaches and athletes is to increase the physical, technical,
and psychological abilities of the athletes to the highest possible levels of performance
and to develop a precisely controlled training program to ensure that the maximal per-
formance is attained at the right moment of the season (i.e., at each point of a major
competition). But how do we assess an athlete’s adaptation to training throughout the
training process?

Applying Systems Theory to Tapering Research

In an attempt to go beyond descriptive experimental procedures to analyze the results
of training, Banister and colleagues conducted mathematical analyses of the relation-
ship between performance and the training program (Banister et al. 1975, Calvert et al.
1976, Morton et al. 1990). This type of model analysis is based on systems theory. As
indicated by Busso and Thomas (2006), systems theory intends to abstract a dynamic
process into a mathematical model. The system is an entity characterized by at least one
input and one output, which are related by a mathematical law called transfer function
(figure 7.1). The output corre-
sponds to the system’s response
System
to the stimuli represented by the
input, and the transfer function
Mathematical law characterizes the behavior of the
Input Output system on the basis of parameters
and parameters
estimated from real-life observa-
tions.
When applied to athletic per-
Figure 7.1  System characterized by one output react- formance, this type of mathemati-
ing to one input in accordance with a mathematical law, cal modeling intends to describe
named transfer function, and a set of parameters esti-
training responses based on a
mated from observations.7.1/330536/KE/R2-alw
E4493/Mujika/fig whole-body approach that consid-
Reprinted, by permission, from T. Busso and L. Thomas, 2006, “Using
mathematical modelling in training planning,” International Journal of ers performance as the system’s
Sports Physiology and Performance 1(4): 401. output, which varies according to

99
100 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Athlete = System past training, which of course rep-

resents the system’s input (Busso
Fitness +
and Thomas 2006). Various studies
Training ∑ Performance have indicated that the develop-
ment of such mathematical models
Fatigue - can improve our understanding of
the effects of tapering in optimiz-
Figure 7.2  A systems model of training. All model
ing athletic performance (Busso
variables are measured in the arbitrary unit of the train-
ing impulse. The criterion performance is converted to
2003, Fitz-Clarke et al. 1991,
a points score. Mujika et al. 1996a, Thomas and
E4493/Mujika/fig
Adapted, by permission, 7.2/330537/KE/R1
from E.W. Banister and J.R. Fitz-Clarke, 1993,
Busso 2005, Thomas et al. 2008,
“Plasticity of response to equal quantities of endurance training separated Thomas et al. in press).
by non-training in humans,” Journal of Thermal Biology 18: 588. The relevance of a training
reduction to maximize perfor-
mance has been indicated by the modeling of performance variations according to the
training load undertaken over time. This approach assumes that performance is the
balance between two antagonistic training effects: a positive effect ascribed to fitness
adaptations and a negative one ascribed to fatigue (figure 7.2). The model incorporates
parameters that are constants, unique to individuals, and it characterizes the response
to training of a given athlete. The model parameters are fitted for each athlete from
their response to a given training program. The knowledge of these parameters allows
the computation of fatigue and adaptation indexes over a specified duration of training
(Thomas and Busso 2005, Thomas et al. 2008).
This type of application was used by Mujika and colleagues (1996a) on the training
data of competitive swimmers to explain the taper-induced gains in performance (see
Aims of the Taper in chapter 1 and Duration of the Taper in chapter 5). This approach
was also used to identify the theoretical optimal duration of the taper (Fitz-Clarke et
al. 1991) and to establish that a progressive reduction of training can be more effective
than a step reduction, a notion in agreement with data observed in triathletes (Banister
et al. 1999, Zarkadas et al. 1995) (see Tapering Models in chapter 1). Another possible
application is the simulation of changes in performance for variations in training other
than that actually done (Fitz-Clarke et al. 1991, Morton et al. 1990, Morton 1991,
Thomas and Busso 2005).

AT A Glance Systems Model

Mathematical models have been developed to describe the relationship between training
and performance. In this approach, the actual training load undertaken by an athlete is
the system’s input, her actual performance is the system’s output, and the positive and
negative influences of training (i.e., fitness and accumulated fatigue) are the functions
that characterize the system’s behavior relating training and performance. The model
incorporates parameters that are constant and characterize the specific response to train-
ing of individual athletes. Knowing these parameters, investigators can use the model
to explain the effects and the optimal duration of a taper and to simulate the effects on
performance of a theoretical training load.

Fatigue and Adaptation Model

Taper effects can be described in model studies by the difference in the time course of
fatigue and adaptation induced by exercise bouts. Training and performance measure-
ments were undertaken to establish a dose–response relationship based on the nega-
tive and positive influences of training (Banister et al. 1975). Model performance was
considered to be the balance between these two antagonistic functions ascribed, respec-
tively, to fatigue (negative) and adaptation (positive). A controlled experiment in which
total work was reduced after 28 days of strenuous training showed that repeated train-
Insights From Mathematical Modeling 101

ing bouts could yield a fatigue Training

accumulation greater in magni- Fatigue dies persists longer
away quickly
tude than adaptation (Morton et
al. 1990). A greater increase in
If training
fatigue than adaptation provoked stopped here
a transient decrease in perfor-
mance during the time of intensi-
fied training. A subsequent reduc-
tion of training loads allowed
fatigue (negative influence) to dis-
sipate more quickly than adapta- Very good
tion (positive influence), yielding performance
to criterion performance peaking would occur
(Morton et al. 1990). Figure 7.3 here
illustrates this concept of growth
and decline of fatigue and fitness 0
1st 2nd 3rd
in response to training stimuli.
Training impulses on separate occasions
As discussed in chapter 1, train-
ing responses were also modeled Figure 7.3  Growth and decay of fitness and fatigue in
by Mujika and colleagues (1996a) response to impulses of training on separate occasions.
in 18 elite swimmers over a full Reprinted, by permission, from E.W. Banister and T.W. Calvert, 1980,
E4493/Mujika/fig 7.3/330538/KE/R2-alw
competitive season including three “Planning for future performance: Implications for long term training,”
Canadian Journal of Applied Sports Science 5: 172.
tapers. This study showed that a
progressive reduction of training
over 3 or 4 weeks alleviated the fatigue that had accrued with repeated training without
compromising the athletes’ adaptations. The enhancement of competition performance
observed with the taper was mainly attributed to a reduction of the negative influence of
training, although small gains in the positive influence of training could also be observed,
which undoubtedly contributed to the observed improved performance (figure 7.4).
This general scheme for the effects of tapering should be applicable to a large range
of sports, because the model adequacy has also been tested in sports as varied as long-
distance running (Banister and Hamilton 1985), triathlon (Banister et al. 1999), weight-
lifting (Busso et al. 1990, Busso et al. 1992), and hammer throwing (Busso et al. 1994).
The goodness-of-fit indicators showed that the model structure allowed an acceptable
description of the responses to training across these different sports.
Providing an alternative to Banister’s model, Avalos and colleagues (2003) used a
linear mixed model to study the training effects on performance in a group of highly
trained swimmers over three consecutive seasons. With this modeling technique, instead
of constructing a personal model for each athlete, investigators construct a model of
popular behavior, allowing parameters to vary from one individual to another, to take
into account subject heterogeneity (Avalos et al. 2003). The investigation highlighted the
individual nature of short-term, mid-term, and long-term training adaptations as well
as the variable nature of an athlete’s reaction to a given training stimulus. Individual
adaptation to training is not stable over time, so that an identical reaction to an identi-
cal training load reiteratively applied through time should not necessarily be expected
(Avalos et al. 2003).
In a subsequent investigation, the same authors modeled the residual effects and
threshold saturation of training in Olympic-caliber swimmers (Hellard et al. 2005). To
determine the residual effect of training, the investigators conducted a multiple ­regression
analysis using performance and several training variables in the short term (weeks 0, 1,
and 2 before competition), intermediate term (weeks 3, 4, and 5 before competition),
and long term (weeks 6, 7, and 8 before competition). A modified model that includes
threshold saturation above which training does not elicit further adaptations was also
tested in the investigation. The main outcome of this approach with regard to tapering
and peaking was that a low-intensity training load during the taper was related to per-
formance by a parabolic relationship (figure 7.5), indicating that low-intensity training
 102 4
Performance (% of personal record)

105

100

Negative influence (NI)

Positive influence (PI)
PI 3
100
98

95 96 2
NI
94
90 1
Modeled performance 92
Actual performance
85 90 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
a Weeks of training b Weeks of training

120

100
E4493/Mujika/fig 7.4a/330539/KE/R1 E4493/Mujika/fig 7.4b/330541/KE/R1
Training (T.U. . wk-1)

80

60

40

20

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
c Weeks of training
Figure 7.4  Application of the model in one subject: (a) fit between modeled and actual performance; (b) positive influence
(PI) and negative influence (NI) profiles; (c) weekly amount of training. PI and NI expressed in the same type of unit as that
used for performance. T.U. = training unit.
Reprinted, by permission, from I. Mujika, T. Busso, L. Lacoste, et E4493/Mujika/fig
al., 1996, “Modeled7.4c/330542/KE/R1
responses to training and taper in competitive swimmers,” Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise 28: 255.

Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed.

The material can be found in its original source. From P.
Hellard, M. Avalos, G. Millet, et al., 2005, “Modeling the
residual effects and threshold saturation of training: A case
study of Olympic swimmers,” Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research 19(1): 71.
Adapted, by permission, from P. Hellard, M. Avalos, G.
Millet, et al., 2005, “Modeling the residual effects and
threshold saturation of training: A case study of Olympic
swimmers,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
19(1): 71.

Figure 7.5  Parabolic relationship between short-term, low-intensity training load and performances for the whole group
of swimmers. Performance on the vertical axis is expressed as a percentage of the personal record of each athlete. Training
load on the horizontal axis is expressed as a percentage of the maximal training load performed by each athlete during the
course of the study.

102
 Insights From Mathematical Modeling 103

should decrease to 40% to 50% of the maximal training load during the taper phase,
whereas lesser and further decreases may jeopardize optimal performance outcomes
(Hellard et al. 2005). This is in agreement with observations reported by other investiga-
tors in various sports (see chapter 5).

Fatigue and Adaptation Model AT A Glance

According to the fatigue and adaptation model, fatigue increases more than adaptation
in response to a training bout. When the training load is reduced, fatigue fades away
faster than adaptation, allowing performance peaking. When applied to elite athletes,
the model shows that performance peaks during the taper mainly through fatigue dissi-
pation, although adaptation can also increase and contribute to enhanced performance.
Mathematical models have also highlighted the individual nature of the adaptation to the
taper and the instability of this adaptation over time (i.e., that the same taper program
will not necessarily elicit the same adaptation every time).

Variable Dose–Response Model

Banister and colleagues’ (1975) model described the individual responses to physical
training in terms of adaptation and fatigue, assuming that performance is the balance
between these two factors. Those responses depended on model parameters (constants)
and were fitted for each participant from his actual response to a training program.
Estimation of these parameters permitted the simulation of the responses to a training
schedule other than that actually undertaken (Morton 1991). This approach provided
useful information on the optimal duration of the taper, typically between 2 and 4
weeks in competitive swimmers (Mujika et al. 1996a), and showed that a progressive
reduction of training was more efficient than a step reduction (Banister et al. 1999).
However, the derivations from the model proposed by Banister and colleagues (1975)
are questionable because this model assumed that the response to a given training dose
was independent of the accumulated fatigue with past training. This also implies that
taper durations should be identical whatever the severity of the training preceding the
taper. Moreover, according to the original model, any training undertaken around 2
weeks before a competition would be detrimental to performance, so training should be
completely stopped for the duration of the taper to maximize performance (Fitz-Clarke
et al. 1991). These assumptions are in clear contradiction with evidence-based scientific
knowledge on detraining (Mujika and Padilla 2003b) and tapering (Mujika and Padilla
2003a, Mujika et al. 2004). Therefore, the linear formulation of the model with time-
invariant parameters seems to provide an imperfect description of training-induced
fatigue when a marked change in training regimens occurs (Busso et al. 1997, Busso et
al. 2002, Thomas and Busso 2005).
To overcome some of the limitations of the early linear model, a recursive least-squares
algorithm was applied to allow the parameters of Banister’s model to vary over time
(Busso et al. 1997, Busso et al. 2002). These initial studies showed that the responses to
a single training session could vary according to the difficulty of the previous sessions.
This led Busso (2003) to propose a nonlinear model formulation. The new formulation
took into account the accumulation of fatigue with training, on the assumption that the
increase in fatigue induced by a given training session was dependent on the severity of
prior training sessions. A training session following repeated demanding sessions would
induce a greater fatigue than the same session included during training with lower
training loads. In other words, the magnitude and duration of the fatigue produced by a
given training dose increased with the repetition of training sessions and were reversed
when training was reduced (Busso 2003). A downstream implication of this observation
is that restoring the athlete’s tolerance to training could contribute to the performance
peaking induced by a taper.
104 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

This nonlinear model was

validated using data from six
previously untrained subjects
enrolled in a controlled train-
ing program on a cycle ergom-
eter (Busso 2003). The study
Note: Due to rights limitations, this item has been removed. The
led to the conclusion that the
material can be found in its original source. From T. Busso, 2003,
“Variable dose-response relationship between exercise training nonlinear model described the
and performance,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 35: responses to training more pre-
1188-1195.
cisely than did previous linear
Reprinted, by permission, from T. Busso, 2003, “Variable dose-
model formulations, also sug-
response relationship between exercise training and perfor-
mance,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 35: 1188-1195. gesting an inverted-U-shaped
relationship between daily
amounts of training and perfor-
mance. This is shown in figure
7.6: When the amount of train-
ing exceeds the optimal level,
performance gain could decline
because of the fatigue induced
Figure 7.6  Gain in performance at steady state for a same by oversolicitation. Accumula-
training amount repeated each day. Performance gain was tion of large amounts of inten-
expressed according to its maximal value. Training amount sive exercise with insufficient
was referred to optimal training yielding maximal gain in recovery between training
performance. bouts could elicit performance
gains smaller than expected.
Similarly, a training dose below
the optimal amount would
elicit smaller performance
gains compared with those elicited by an optimal training dose. The nonlinear model is
consequently a better approach for the study of the responses to training, in particular
the taper after a brief time of overload training (Busso 2003).
The nonlinear model of Busso (2003) has been applied on elite swimmers in real train-
ing conditions to describe the athletes’ responses to their training and to investigate the
influence of the pretaper training on the characteristics (duration, extent, and form of
the training reduction) and effectiveness (performance gain) of the optimal theoretical
taper (Thomas et al. 2008). The data used were recorded over two entire seasons from
four female and four male national and international-standard swimmers who specialized
in 100 m and 200 m events. The modeled performances showed a significant fit with the
real performances recorded over the two seasons for the eight swimmers. Because the
goodness of fit indicates how well a model describes the observed data (figure 7.7) (Busso
and Thomas 2006), the adequacy of the fit between modeled and actual performance
in this real-life training and competition situation supports the underlying theory of the
nonlinear model, which is that a training session well endured during habitual training
could be more difficult to cope with when training is intensified, and conversely a more
effective training response could be expected when training is reduced and accumulated
fatigue fades away, contributing to performance peaking (Busso and Thomas 2006).
The individual model parameters obtained by Thomas and colleagues (2008) allowed
analysis of the real training undertaken by the eight swimmers by estimating the varia-
tions of the positive and negative influences of training on performance during the two
seasons. Figure 7.8 illustrates the results of the application of the mathematical model
for one participant. The response to training of this swimmer, which was representa-
tive of the whole group, indicates that he achieved his best performances after a taper
when the negative influence was reduced and the positive influence elevated (Thomas
et al. 2008).
 Input System Output

?
t t

Goodness-of-fit

Figure 7.7  Procedure to specify one model for characterizing a dynamic process. Assuming formulation of the transfer
function, the model parameters are estimated by fitting model output to actual data. The adequacy of the fit allows the
investigator to judge the model’s relevance for describing the observation.
Reprinted, by permission, from T. Busso and L. Thomas, 2006, “Using mathematical modelling in training planning,” International Journal of Sports Physiol-
ogy and Performance 1(4): 402. E4493/Mujika/fig 7.7/330546/KE/R2-alw

Training load (training unit) Performances (% of personal record)

12 102
Actual performance
Modeled performance
10 100

8
98
6
96
4
94
2

0 92
a 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 b 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Weeks of training Weeks of training

Positive and negative influences (PI and NI) E4493/Mujika/fig

∆ (estimated 7.8b/330548/KE/R2-alw
performance-measured performance)
102 10 4
(% of personal record performance)
3
100 8
E4493/Mujika/fig 7.8a/330547/KE/R1 2

98 6 1
0
PI
96 4 -1
-2
94 2
-3
NI
92 0 -4
c 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 d 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Weeks of training Weeks of training
Figure 7.8  Application of the model on swimmer no. 6: (a) actual daily amount of training mean averaged on each week;
E4493/Mujika/fig 7.8c/330549/KE/R1 E4493/Mujika/fig 7.8d/330551/KE/R2-alw
(b) fit between modeled and actual performance; (c) profiles of positive and negative influences of training on performance
(PI and NI, respectively). PI and NI are expressed in the same unit as that used for performance. T.U. = training unit. The
vertical dotted lines show the levels of training PI and NI when the swimmer achieved his best performances; (d) the residual
difference between actual and estimated performance over time.
Reprinted, by permission, from L. Thomas, I. Mujika, and T. Busso, 2008, “A model study of optimal training reduction during pre-event taper in elite swim-
mers,” Journal of Sports Sciences 26(6): 649. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.

105
106 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

The model, however, appeared to underestimate some of the better individual perfor-
mances and overestimate the poorer performances. The goodness of fit in these highly
trained participants in real training conditions was poorer than that obtained with data
from less-fit participants in controlled laboratory training (Busso 2003). Possible reasons
for these discrepancies are probably a more frequent evaluation of performance under
standardized laboratory conditions in the nonathletes and the complex nature of the
real-life training undertaken by elite athletes, which precludes an accurate quantification
of all training variables included in their training programs (Hellard et al. 2006, Mujika
et al. 1996a, Taha and Thomas 2003, Thomas et al. 2008).
These limitations suggest that despite the insights into basic training and adaptation
knowledge that can be gained from modeling methodology, it cannot be considered a
fundamental tool for coaches and athletes to use when designing training programs. As
recently indicated by Busso and Thomas (2006), the strong simplifications used when
attempting to model a dynamic process such as the physiological adaptations to ath-
letic training would be barely compatible with the requirements of designing a training
program.
As suggested thus far, the variable dose–response model formulation has provided an
alternative explanation of the effects of the taper. This model explains performance peak-
ing by accounting for the positive influence of training done during the taper (Mujika et
al. 2004, Thomas and Busso 2005). Model computations show that transient decreases
in performance with intensified training are attributable to a change in the responses to
the training dose (Busso 2003), whereas a progressive reduction of training loads allows
an athlete to respond more effectively to training. Therefore, performance peaking with
the taper arises from both the recovery from past training and restoration of the toler-
ance to training (see also Aims of the Taper in chapter 1). The intensification of training
delays the positive influence of training. A subsequent reduction of training enhances
performance because of the combination of delayed responses to past training and early
reaction to training done during the taper. This observation highlights the importance
of maintaining sufficient amounts of training during the taper.
From a physiological point of view, the change in dose response between exercise
and performance could be related to neuroendocrine responses to training (Mujika et
al. 2004). Modulations of the endocrine system and the autonomic nervous system with
heavy training could decrease the body’s adaptive capacity to training bouts (Kuipers
1998, Viru and Viru 2001). Changes in the neuroendocrine environment with reduced
training could modify and amplify the recovery and adaptation process, permitting
training loads during the taper phase to maintain or increase the body’s adaptation for
enhanced performance (Mujika et al. 2004).

AT A Glance Variable Dose–Response Model

The variable dose–response model assumes that the fatigue produced by a given
training dose is bigger and lasts longer depending on the severity of prior training
sessions and that this effect is reversed when training is reduced. This implies that
training tolerance is increased when an athlete is well rested, and thus the training
done during the taper can greatly contribute to performance peaking. This model
has been shown to better describe the responses to training and tapering than the
fatigue and adaptation model and has helped explain performance peaking during
the taper as the result of not only recovery from past training but also restoration of
the tolerance to training. However, despite the contributions that modeling makes to
our understanding of the effects of training programs, modeling methodology is still a
long way from being a useful practical tool for coaches and athletes to design specific
training and tapering programs.
 Insights From Mathematical Modeling 107

Computer Simulations
Using previously determined relevant model parameters, investigators can use com-
puter simulations to predict the system’s responses to hypothetical solicitations (figure
7.9). It is thus possible to approach a prediction or a control problem by seeking the
output for a given input or input for a given output, as long as the system’s structure is
known (Busso and Thomas 2006).
Computer simulations in modeling the responses to athletic training have been per-
formed in an attempt to gain insight into tapering effects and optimal tapering designs.
The parameters obtained in linear modeling studies have been used to simulate the
change in performance in response to given variations in training and establish the
critical schedule of rest or reduced training before competition (Fitz-Clarke et al. 1991).
In addition, the relative effectiveness of step versus exponential tapers and fast versus
slow exponential decay tapers in producing optimal improvement was determined by
this method, and the results of the simulation were tested experimentally in triathletes
(Banister et al. 1999) (see also Tapering Models in chapter 1).
The nonlinear model outputs elicited by Busso (2003) have been used to analyze the
factors that influence the optimal taper characteristics, including duration, extent, and
form of the training reduction. Thomas and Busso (2005) based their theoretical study
on simulations of the responses of the six participants of the study by Busso (2003)
to various hypothetical tapering strategies. Thomas and Busso (2005) showed that
optimization of the taper requires the best possible compromise between the extent of
training reduction and its duration, so that the characteristics of an optimal taper would
depend on prior training. According to the simulations, intensified training before the
taper facilitated better performances but presumably would demand a greater reduc-
tion of the training load over a longer time. Moreover, an optimal progressive training
reduction led to a better performance than an optimal step reduction when the taper
was preceded by an overload.

Input Output

?
Model
and
parameters

a t t

Input E4493/Mujika/fig 7.9a/330552/KE/R2-alw Output

?
Model
and
parameters

b t t

Figure 7.9  Schematic representation of the use of one model to predict the system’s behavior under given circumstances.
The specification of the model and the estimation of the parameters from previous observation allow two types of theo-
E4493/Mujika/fig 7.9b/330553/KE/R2-alw
retical analyses: (a) the assessment of the model output for a given input (prediction) and (b) the research of the input that
elicits a given output (control).
Reprinted, by permission, from T. Busso and L. Thomas, 2006, “Using mathematical modelling in training planning,” International Journal of Sports Physiol-
ogy and Performance 1(4): 403.
 108 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Nevertheless, the model-derived characteristics of the theoretical optimal taper did

not match very well the data arising from the available literature (Mujika and Padilla
2003a). These discrepancies may have arisen from the data used to derive the model,
which came from a nonathletic population enrolled in a controlled experiment, in con-
trast with most studies about the taper, which mainly focus on athletes. Therefore, it
has been suggested that the results of that theoretical study deserve to be reexamined
by using model parameters obtained in athletes in a real training situation (Busso and
Thomas 2006).
That is exactly what Thomas and colleagues did in two additional investigations.
Thomas and colleagues (2008) used model parameters arising from eight elite swim-
mers’ real-life training and performance data to undertake computer simulations to
re­examine the characteristics of the optimal taper according to prior training. The authors
also determined whether the gain in performance with an optimal reduction of training
resulted from further adaptations in addition to fatigue dissipation in this elite athletic
population. The computer simulations indicated that the optimal taper without prior
overload training required a mean training reduction of 65% over 16 days. If the taper
was preceded by 4 weeks of intensified training, the extent of the optimal reduction
was not significantly different (67%) but had to be maintained over a longer duration
(22 days). As previously observed in nonathletic subjects (Thomas and Busso 2005), the
highest mean performance reached with the optimal step taper was significantly greater
with than without prior overload training (101.4% vs. 101.1% of personal record). The
comparison from the beginning of the taper showed that the performance gain during
the step taper after overload training (3.60%) was significantly greater than without
prior overload (1.99%) (figure 7.10). It was also observed that both with and without
overload training before the taper, the two forms of progressive taper (i.e., linear and
exponential) required a training reduction significantly smaller, over a longer duration,
than the step taper.

6 -100 30 5
†
Gain in performance (% pretaper performance)

†
Optimal reduction (% of pretaper training)

††
5 25
-80 4
Optimal training load (training unit)

Optimal duration (days)

4 20
-60 3

3 15

-40 2
2 10

-20 1
1 5

0 0 0 0
Without With Without With Without With Without With
a b OT OT c OT OT d OT OT
OT OT

Figure 7.10  Effect of the pretaper training on the characteristics of the optimal step taper. Values are mean ± sx. Significant
difference between taper without and with a prior overload time (OT): †p < .05 and ††p < .01.
Reprinted, by permission, from L. Thomas, I. Mujika, and T. Busso, 2008, “A model study of optimal training reduction during pre-event taper in elite swim-
E4493/Mujika/fig
mers,” Journal of7.10a/330554/KE/R1E4493/Mujika/fig
Sports Sciences 26(6): E4493/Mujika/fig
650. Permission7.10b/330555/KE/R2-alw
conveyed through Copyright 7.10c/330556/KE/R1
Clearance Center, Inc. E4493/Mujika/fig 7.10d/330557/KE/R2-alw
Insights From Mathematical Modeling 109

The joint analysis of performance and the positive and negative influences of train-
ing indicated that although the taper essentially acted through fatigue dissipation, the
benefit of a prior overload results from further adaptations occurring during the taper
(figure 7.11). As shown in figure 7.11, an optimal taper should completely eliminate
the negative influence of training (i.e., accumulated fatigue), even after pretaper
overload training. A higher adaptation could be achieved with an overload before the
taper, and although pretaper performance level would be hindered by the overload, a
bigger performance gain could be achieved after an optimal taper following overload
training.
In summary, the computer simulation study on elite swimmers of Thomas and
colleagues (2008) showed that an overload before the taper is essential to maximize
performance but imposes specific requirements during the taper. A 20% increase in
normal training during 28 days before the taper requires a step reduction in training of
around 65% during 3 weeks, instead of the 2 weeks required when no overload train-
ing is performed. A progressive (linear or exponential) taper is preferable to a step taper
after prior overload training, but it should last nearly twice as long as the step taper.
These findings confirm the relevance of the original modeling approach in the study of
individual responses to training and the optimization of tapering strategies (Thomas et
al. 2008).

†
Without OT With OT +
5 102 +
*, +
+
4 101
Negative influence

Positive influence
3 * 100

2 99

1 98

0 97
a Pre Post Pre Post b Pre Post Pre Post
Taper Taper
†
† +
102 +
Performance (% of personal record)

101
E4493/Mujika/fig 7.11a/330558/KE/R2-alw E4493/Mujika/fig 7.11b/330559/KE/R2-alw

100
+
+
99

98

97
c Pre Post Pre Post
Taper

Figure 7.11  Effect of the optimal step taper without and with prior overload training (OT) on (a) the negative and (b) the
positive influences of training and (c) on performance. The negative (NI) and positive influences (PI) are expressed in the
same unit as that used for performance. Values are mean ± sx. Statistical difference (p < .05): *from 0 (for NI); †between
E4493/Mujika/fig
pretaper (Pre) and posttaper (Post), and ‡between 7.11c/330562/KE/R2-alw
values without and with OT.
Reprinted, by permission, from L. Thomas, I. Mujika, and T. Busso, 2008, “A model study of optimal training reduction during pre-event taper in elite swim-
mers,” Journal of Sports Sciences 26(6): 650. Permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
110 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

In a subsequent modeling investigation, Thomas and colleagues (in press) used com-
puter simulations to test the hypothesis that a two-phase taper with a final increase in the
training load at the end of the taper is more effective than a traditional linear taper. The
main outcome of the investigation was that the last 3 days of the taper were optimized
with a 20% to 30% increase in training load. Compared with a traditional linear taper,
the performance benefits of such a two-phase taper were very small and were explained
by additional adaptations, whereas the removal of fatigue was not compromised (see
also Tapering Models in chapter 1).
It is obvious that the theoretical results reported here must be tested experimentally
before conclusive training recommendations can be provided to coaches and athletes.
Nevertheless, insights arising from mathematical models and computer simulations can
have practical implications for athletes and coaches in the lead-up to competitions, par-
ticularly multiday athletic events. However, it is also clear that mathematical modeling
is a fair way away from becoming a tool to help coaches design and prescribe training
programs for particular athletes. To achieve this goal, new modeling strategies need to be
developed that overcome the limitations of available models (Busso and Thomas 2006,
Hellard et al. 2006, Taha and Thomas 2003).

AT A Glance Using Computer Simulations

Using previously determined model parameters, investigators have used computer simu-
lations to gain insight into tapering effects and optimal tapering designs. Simulations
based on linear model parameters have contributed to establishing the optimal taper
duration and the suitability of progressive versus step tapers. Variable dose–response
model parameters have been used recently to assess optimal taper characteristics of elite
swimmers, predicting that increasing the training load by 20% for 4 weeks to overreach
the athletes prior to the taper could optimize performance but would require a longer
taper to completely dissipate fatigue and elicit further adaptations. Computer simulations
also predict that a 20% to 30% increase in the training load during the final 3 days of the
taper would not compromise fatigue removal and could improve performance by eliciting
additional adaptations. These predictions, of course, require experimental confirmation
before conclusive recommendations can be provided to coaches and athletes.

Chapter Summary
Mathematical models have significantly contributed to the understanding and optimiza-
tion of tapering programs. These models consider that the athlete is a system responding
to the training input with fatigue and adaptation and that the difference between these
two opposite functions elicits the performance output. The models also incorporate
parameters that are different for each athlete. The linear fatigue and adaptation model
has been used to determine that performance during the taper peaks mainly through
fatigue dissipation and to establish a framework for optimal taper duration. However,
linear models consider that a given training load induces the same fatigue response at
any time of the season, which is a major limitation. Alternative mathematical models
have been applied that highlight the individuality of the adaptation to the taper and the
fact that this adaptation changes over time.
Insights From Mathematical Modeling 111

Pros and Cons of Mathematical Modeling AT A Glance

Despite the contributions of mathematical modeling to the understanding of athletes’
responses to training in general and tapering in particular, modeling methodology needs
to be refined before it can become a readily available tool for coaches and athletes to
help them design optimal training programs and predict their performance outcomes.
Nonetheless, athletes, coaches, and sport scientists should keep in mind Dawkins’ (2006)
comment: “Of course there are good models of the world and bad ones, and even the
good ones are only approximations. No amount of simulation can predict exactly what
will happen in reality, but a good simulation is enormously preferable to blind trial and
error” (p. 58). In this respect, it is worth mentioning that my colleagues and I used a
mathematical model approach in the late 1990s to help coaches design the tapering
programs of a group of French elite swimmers, with excellent results. Most of the swim-
mers attained their best performance of the year at the desired moment of the season,
and this approach provided the coaches and athletes with a practical tool that they told
me was “enormously preferable to blind trial and error.”

A nonlinear variable dose–response model has been developed to overcome the

main limitation of the linear fatigue and adaptation model, allowing model parameters
to change over time in response to prior training loads. With this approach, the model
assumes that a given training load will elicit a different level of fatigue depending on the
training previously undertaken by an athlete. This model has contributed to explaining
that tapering-induced performance gains are attributable not only to fatigue dissipation
but also to further fitness gains that are allowed by an increased tolerance and adaptation
to the training performed during the taper, when an athlete is better rested as fatigue
fades away.
Another application of mathematical modeling allows us to perform computer simu-
lations to either predict the response to a theoretical training program or determine the
training input necessary to achieve a theoretical performance output. These simulations
have also contributed to establishing optimal taper durations and models and to making
theoretical predictions about how overload training before the taper (i.e., overreaching
the athletes) or final increases in the training load at the end of the taper would affect
tapering program design and performance outcomes. These theoretical predictions need
to be confirmed or rejected experimentally.
This page intentionally left blank.
 chapter 8
Unique Aspects
of Team Sport Tapering

The periodization of training is a method that allows athletes from individual sports to
peak at the most important competitions of the season. These athletes usually achieve
a fitness and performance peak through months of hard work followed by a segment
of tapered training, culminating with the targeted race or championship. As we have
seen in previous chapters, many of the physiological, psychological, and performance
benefits of such a strategy are now well established. However, this approach may not
always be the most suitable for team sport athletes. Indeed, whereas individual sport
athletes can afford to perform below expectations and even miss competitions that
do not fall within the scope of their major goals, although always in the best inter-
est of such major goals, team sport athletes usually need to perform at a high level
week after week if they want to be in contention for the championship when it really
counts.

Why So Little Research

on Tapering and Peaking in Team Sport?
As recently reviewed by Pyne et al. (2009), most of the experimental and observa-
tional research on tapering in the scientific literature has been conducted primarily in
individual (predominantly endurance) sports and events. There are two main reasons
for the focus on individual sports: First, in these sports there are moderate to large cor-
relations between physiological capacities, basic training factors such as volume and
intensity, and competitive performance; second, these factors are much easier to isolate
and quantify in comparison with the multifaceted nature of team sport’s physiological
demands, training, and performance (Mujika 2007a). Team sports clearly involve a
combination of physical, physiological, psychological, technical, and tactical factors that
contribute to performance. Given that most team sports require well-developed speed,
acceleration, power, endurance, and agility, it seems likely that an effective taper would
improve many or all of these attributes (Mujika 2007b).
In short, it seems that the worldwide popularity of team sports among fans and the
general public does not have a parallel among sport scientists. The contributions from
sport science to the understanding and optimization of tapering and peaking strategies
directly related to team sports are indeed scant.

113
114 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

In a 2007 editorial, Mujika (2007a) suggested that a possible reason for this appar-
ent paucity of team sport research is that this type of research is distinctly difficult to
carry out. In that piece, Mujika listed several major problems that anyone seeking to do
research on tapering and team sports must overcome:

• The physiological determinants of team sport performance are not clearly under-
stood in comparison to most individual sports involving different types of locomotion,
such as running, swimming, cycling, or rowing, or various modes of jumping, throwing,
or lifting. Identifying physiological qualities is a sine qua non but clearly not the only
requirement for athletes to be competitive in the team sports arena.
• Performance itself is a difficult concept to define in the world of team sports.
What is performance in water polo, football, or basketball? Scoring more goals or points?
Maintaining a higher playing tempo than the opposition for the duration of a match?
Being able to demonstrate skills and qualities under the high pressures of actual competi-
tion? Sport scientists are used to dealing with precise, quantifiable, numerical data, and
although these can be indicators of an athlete’s potential to perform, actual performance
within a team sport framework is a relatively abstract concept.
• Quantification of training is a key aspect of high-quality sport physiology research,
particularly to assess the influence of training loads on physiological responses and
adaptations and the relationships between these measures and performance capabilities.
But team sport training generally involves a diverse range of training activities, often
under quite variable environmental conditions, as well as interindividual variability in
the responses and adaptations to training. These issues complicate the integration of
training variables into quantifiable units.
• Another potential difficulty for team sport research is the long competitive seasons
within and between national and international competitions. For instance, a player from
any of the major European football clubs usually competes domestically (league and cup)
and internationally (Champions League or UEFA cup) from mid-August to mid-May or
June. Every other year domestic competition is immediately followed by national team
competition, such as European or World Cup. Given this scheduling, any given elite level
player takes part in more than 60 matches during the season. Under these conditions,
it is not easy to carry out experimental research that would place additional physical
demands on the already overloaded players.
• The relatively high risk of injury associated with many team sports makes it dif-
ficult to carry out longitudinal investigations during the competition season.

Despite the great difficulties inherent in team sport research, sport scientists working
closely with team sports should begin to investigate possible solutions to these prob-
lems. Only then will they be able to make much-needed contributions to this somewhat
forgotten but extremely exciting area of sport physiology, tapering, and performance
peaking. This chapter discusses the limited research that has been done despite the dif-
ficulties just described.

Single and Multiple Peaking

No study has directly examined the taper in the context of multiple peaking. In most
individual sports, the major competition involves a series of heats, semifinals, and finals
that can stretch over several days, even several weeks, as in the grand tours of profes-
sional road cycling. In team sports, most national and regional competitions involve one
 Unique Aspects of Team Sport Tapering 115

or more games per week over a 4- to 8-month season. Because of the lack of research in
the area of multiple peaking, it is not known how often an athlete or team can obtain
the performance benefits of an efficient taper, and it is therefore not possible to make
sound recommendations in this respect (Pyne et al. 2009). Another key consideration
in team sports is preparation of national teams for major international competitions like
the World Championships, World Cup, or Olympic Games. Team-sport tapers include
variants for regular season peaking and major tournaments (Mujika 2007b). The physi-
cal preparation of players that is prescribed in these settings has evolved through trial
and error rather than experimental research.
The scarcity of published studies highlights the potential for team sports to gain a
competitive advantage if they can develop effective strategies for tapering prior to com-
petition. Two competitive situations come to mind with regard to tapering and peaking
for team sports: preseason training to face a league-format competitive season in the
best possible condition, and peaking for a major international tournament such as the
Olympic Games or World Championships.

Tapering and Peaking for the Regular Season

Most coaches understand that having all players in a team at peak fitness levels for the
duration of a season is simply not possible. But it is important to prescribe periodized
conditioning programs in the preseason to make sure that players’ physical capacities
are optimal at the onset of the competitive season.
In a recent investigation, Coutts and colleagues (2007a) examined the influence
of preseason deliberate overreaching and tapering on muscle strength, power, endur-
ance, and selected biochemical responses in semiprofessional rugby league players. The
athletes completed 6 weeks of progressive overload training with limited recovery, fol-
lowed by a 7-day progressive taper. Following the overload segment, multistage fitness
test running performance was significantly reduced (12.3%), and most other strength,
power, and speed performance measures tended to decrease (range –13.8% to –3.7%).
Significant changes were also observed in selected biochemical markers such as plasma
testosterone to cortisol ratio, creatine kinase, glutamate, and glutamine to glutamate
ratio (p < .05). Following the taper, a significant increase in peak hamstring torque and
isokinetic work was observed as well as minimum clinically important increases in the
multistage fitness test, vertical jump, 3RM squat, 3RM bench press, chin-up, and 10
m sprint performance. Moreover, all biochemical markers tended to return to baseline
values. The authors concluded that muscular strength, power, and endurance were
reduced following the overload training, indicating a state of overreaching. The most
likely explanation for the decreased performance was increased muscle damage via a
decrease in the anabolic–catabolic balance. However, it was shown that a subsequent
progressive taper may induce supercompensation in muscular strength, power, and
endurance that is related to increased anabolism and a decrease in muscle damage
(Coutts et al. 2007a).
Repeated sprint ability, which is a basic performance requirement for most team
sports, can also be enhanced through periodized training and tapering. Bishop and Edge
(2005) investigated the effects of a 10-day exponential taper subsequent to 6 weeks
of intensive training on repeated-sprint performance in recreational-level, team-sport
female athletes. Subjects were tested for repeated sprint ability (5  6 s all-out cycling
sprints every 30 s) before and after the tapering segment. As shown in figure 8.1, the
10-day taper resulted in a nonsignificant decrease in total work (4.4%; p = .16) and peak
power (3.2%; p = .18) and a significant decrease in work decrement (10.2% ± 3.5% vs.
7.9% ± 4.3%; p < .05).
116 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

4000
Week 6
3800 Week 8

3600

3400

3200
Work (kJ)

3000

2800

2600

2400

2200

2000
1 2 3 4 5
Sprint number

Figure 8.1  Total work (kJ) recorded for each sprint of the 5  6 s sprint test before (week 6) and after the 10-day
taper procedure (week 8). Data are mean ± SEM.
Reprinted, by permission, from D. Bishop and J. Edge, 2005, “The effects of a 10-day taper on repeated-sprint performance in females,” Journal of
Science and Medicine in Sport 8(2): 205. E4493/Mujika/fig 8.1/330596/KE/R1

AT A Glance A Team Is Also a Group of Individual Athletes

The investigations described in this chapter show that basic training principles that can
be effective in individual sport athletes also apply in team sports. Coaching and condi-
tioning staff should therefore take these principles into account when designing their
preseason training programs.
Once the season starts, how a team maintains the peak fitness levels achieved by a
successful preseason periodized training program will depend on several factors, such
as time between games, travel, competitiveness of the opposition, injury, minutes of
match play, physiological adaptations to competition, recovery, and training of individual
players. All these variables must be integrated into the in-season training plan for the
team to retain or further improve early-season fitness and performance levels.

Tapering and Peaking for a Major Tournament

It seems that professional football (or soccer in the United States) players competing for
their clubs in the lead-up to major international tournaments such as the World Cup,
and therefore having reduced opportunities to taper, are among those most likely to
underperform (Ekstrand et al. 2004). Most major international tournaments take place
at the end of a long club-level competitive season. In an attempt to elicit players’ peak
performance, some nations decide to advance their domestic competition calendar to
allow the players to rest and rebuild their fitness to compete for their national teams.
A different approach is to delay the end of the domestic season so that the players are
still in a competitive shape when they join their national squad. Both strategies have
pros and cons, and the scarce scientific literature available is not conclusive regarding
the optimal approach to peaking for a major tournament.
Bangsbo and colleagues (2006) recently described the preparation program of the
Danish national football team for the 2004 European Championship. After the club
season, the players rested for 1 to 2 weeks before preparing for the championship. The
preparation lasted 18 days divided into two 9-day phases (table 8.1).
Unique Aspects of Team Sport Tapering 117

Table 8.1  Training Schedule for Two 9-Day Periods (Phases 1 and 2)
for the Danish National Soccer Team Before EURO 2004
Phase 1 Phase 2
Day Morning Afternoon Morning Afternoon
1 Yo-Yo IE2 test AerobicHI training (6  2 min) Yo-Yo IE2 test Speed training
Technical Play—20 min Technical and tactical Technical and tactical training
and tactical ­training Play—20 min
training
2 Free Technical and tactical training Free AerobicHI training (6  2 min)
Technical and tactical training
Play—20 min
3 Technical Speed training Technical and tactical Speed training
and tactical Technical and tactical training ­training Technical and tactical training
training Speed endurance mainte-
nance training
4 Free Technical and tactical training Group C: Speed endurance Friendly game (evening)
Play—30 min Production training
5 Free Speed training Free (traveling) Free (traveling)
AerobicHI training (8  2 min)
6 Free Technical and tactical training AerobicHI (3  5 min) Free
Group C: AerobicHI training Play—30 min
(6  2 min)
7 Free Friendly game Technical and tactical Speed training
training Technical and tactical training
Speed endurance production
training
8 Free Group A: Recovery training Free Technical and tactical training
Group B: Speed training
Play—30 min
9 Free AerobicHI training (8  2 min) Yo-Yo IE2 test Speed training
Play—20 min Technical and tactical Technical and tactical training
training Play—20 min
Reprinted, by permission, from J. Bangsbo, M. Mohr, A. Poulsen, J. Perez-Gomez, and P. Krustrup, 2006, “Training and testing the elite athlete,” Journal of
Exercise Science and Fitness 4(1): 1-14.

The amount of high-intensity exercise was similar in both phases (i.e., training inten-
sity was maintained), whereas the total amount of training was reduced in the second
phase (i.e., training volume was tapered) (figure 8.2). This is in agreement with previ-
ous tapering recommendations based on studies from individual sport athletes (Mujika
and Padilla 2003a).
The authors emphasized that because of large individual differences among players
in the amount of high-intensity work performed during the tactical components of the
training sessions, a careful evaluation of individual physical training load is essential, even
during training time not specifically dedicated to fitness development (figure 8.3).
Ferret and Cotte (2003) reported on the differences in preparation of the French
national football team in the lead-up to the World Cups of 1998 and 2002. The former
World Cup campaign saw Les Bleus taking home the valued trophy. Four years later,
an almost identical group of players returned home sooner than expected, after a disap-
pointing qualifying round without a single victory and not scoring a single goal. Accord-
ing to these authors, in 1998 the team had enough time and biological resources prior
to the qualifying round to further develop the athletic qualities of the players through
118 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

45
Phase 1
Phase 2 180
40 Phase 1
Phase 2
160
35
140
30
120
Time (min)

25

Time (min)
100
20
80
15
60

10 40

5 20

0 0
70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-85 85-90 90-95 95-100
a Heart rate (bpm) b % HRmax

Figure 8.2  Heart rate distribution during two 9-day preparation phases (phases 1 and 2) for the Danish National team
E4493/Mujika/fig 8.2b/330600/KE/R2-alw
soccer squad before the European Championship 2004. The values are expressed as mean ± SEM in (a) beats per minute
and (b) percentage of maximum heart rate
E4493/Mujika/fig
Reprinted, by permission, 8.2a/330598/KE/R2-alw
from J. Bangsbo, M. Mohr, A. Poulsen, J. Perez-Gomez, and P. Krustrup, 2006, “Training and testing the elite athlete,” Journal of
Exercise Science and Fitness 4(1): 1-14.

400
Player 1
Player 2
350

300

250
Time (min)

200

150

100

50

0
40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-85 85-90 90-95 95-100
% HRmax

Figure 8.3  Heart rate distribution of two players in the Danish national team soccer squad during
E4493/Mujika/fig 8.3/330602/KE/R1
an 18-day training segment (sum of phases 1 and 2) before the European Championship 2004.
Reprinted, by permission, from J. Bangsbo, M. Mohr, A. Poulsen, J. Perez-Gomez, and P. Krustrup, 2006, “Training and testing
the elite athlete,” Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness 4(1): 1-14.

two solid training phases followed by a 2-week tapering phase, characterized by high-
intensity training situations (friendly games) and a moderate training volume, which
allowed players to eliminate the negative effects of training (fatigue) while maintaining
the adaptations previously achieved. In contrast, in 2002 all players were only avail-
able to the national team 8 days prior to the beginning of competition, and medical and
biochemical markers indicated that most players were severely fatigued after the club
season. In those conditions, the technical staff could not carry out a development train-
 Unique Aspects of Team Sport Tapering 119

ing phase followed by a taper to peak the physical qualities of the players prior to the
World Cup (Ferret and Cotte 2003).
The reports just described suggest that an ideal approach to peak for a major interna-
tional tournament would start several weeks before the first game, with an initial recovery
after the club season, followed by rebuilding, and finishing with a pretournament taper
characterized by low training volume and high-intensity activities.
Nevertheless, there are examples of successful unorthodox approaches that chal-
lenge these ideas about optimal preparation. For instance, the Danish national football
team unexpectedly won the 1992 European Championship after the team was invited
to compete 10 days before the beginning of the tournament, because of the last-minute
exclusion of Yugoslavia from the championship. By then, half the Danish players had
already finalized their participation in various European leagues and had been out of
training for 3 to 5 weeks, whereas the other half were still competing in the Danish
domestic championship. All players were only available to the coaching staff 6 days before
the first game. The team’s success has been partly attributed to the fact that players were
not physically and psychologically exhausted, as is often the case after long and tough
domestic and international club seasons followed by a long national team preparation
and a demanding international tournament (Bangsbo 1999).

Major Tournament Preparation for Teams AT A Glance

Although preparing teams for major tournaments is not, in principle, radically different
from preparing athletes in individual sports for championship events, the complexities
of a group taper can be daunting. Still, the basic structure of a segment of relative rest
following the regular season followed by a time of serious training culminating in a
taper is a reasonable strategy for team coaches to adopt. As with individuals, the team
taper should feature no reduction in intensity but should entail a low training volume.
Exceptions to this well-ordered plan exist, as the experience of the Danish European
Football Championship team of 1992 illustrates. Creativity and making the most of the
unexpected are hallmarks of the most successful athletes and their coaches.

Chapter Summary
Clearly there are different approaches to optimizing team sport performance in the
lead-up to a major tournament. The coaching staff should consider biological, technical,
tactical, psychological, and sociological variables when deciding on the most suitable
strategies to get the best performance from their players.
Team sport athletes generally need to perform at a high level for long periods of time.
Tapering and peaking strategies for team sports are not as well researched and developed
as they are in individual sports, but most established tapering principles for individual
athletes also apply to team sport athletes.
Intensive preseason training programs should finish with a taper to facilitate supercom-
pensation and ensure close-to-optimal values in fitness traits that are relevant to team
sport performance, such as strength, power, endurance, and repeated sprint ability.
Peaking for major international tournaments usually poses the problem of choosing
between recovering from domestic competition and then rebuilding players’ fitness, or
maintaining intensive training and capitalizing on adaptations acquired during the domes-
tic season. Both approaches can be valid, and the choice should depend on the level of
fatigue the players present after the domestic season and the amount of time between
the end of domestic competition and the beginning of national team competition.
Additional information on tapering and peaking in a team sport context is available
in chapter 12, in which extremely successful team sport coaches share their views and
specific training and performance peaking strategies in the lead-up to major achieve-
ments in international competition.
This page intentionally left blank.
 part III

Elite Sports Figures

on Tapering and
Peaking

AINHOA MURUA winning the

2007 Spanish Triathlon Champi-
onships in Úbeda, Spain. Murua
was not favored to win because
she had been forced to stop train-
ing for several months that year
attributable to mononucleosis. Yet
she placed a very solid first, being the
second fastest swimmer, second strongest
biker, and the third fastest runner in the race.
Murua is coached by Iñigo Mujika.
uez
odríg
Darío R

121
122 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

In part I we have discussed the theoretical bases of what is known about tapering
and peaking for major competitions: what tapering is; the different tapering models
that coaches, athletes, and researchers use in their attempt to optimize athletic perfor-
mance; and the physiological and psychological changes that tapering brings about. In
part II, we have devoted four chapters to discussing the training modifications that can
be performed during tapering periods, the performance implications of the taper, what
we have learned about the taper from mathematical models, and what we know about
tapering and peaking for team sports.
It is now time to discuss the more applied aspects of tapering and peaking for com-
petition, and what better way to do this than to hear about it directly from successful
coaches and athletes? In part III we hear from some world-class coaches and athletes
about their approach to tapering to peak for major competitions. Their contributions
have been distributed in four chapters dealing respectively with endurance sports, sprint
and power events, precision sports, and team sports.
In contrast with part I and part II, part III does not rest on the solid grounds of sci-
entific research. Therefore, the exact effects of the tapering and peaking strategies on
physiological, psychological, and performance variables are not precisely described and
quantified. On the other hand, the experiences that these elite athletes and coaches
share in the next four chapters reflect the real world of sports and show how various
approaches to preparing for competition can be successful on the world stage. Athletes
and coaches will identify with some of the views expressed by these very successful
peers, will find many useful tips and much food for thought, and will be inspired by the
rich resources provided by these world-class sport figures.
 chapter 9
Tapering for Individual
Endurance Sports

As we can gather from previous chapters, most of the knowledge on tapering available
in the scientific literature, whether of an experimental or observational nature, pertains
to individual endurance sports and events. These involve different modes of human
locomotion, including swimming, cycling, running, rowing, and combined sports such
as triathlon. There seem to be two main reasons for this research focus on individual
sports: First, in these sports there are moderate to large correlations between physi-
ological capacities, basic training factors such as volume and intensity, and competitive
performance. Second, training and performance factors related to individual sports are
much easier to isolate and quantify than are the same factors in regard to team sport
(Pyne et al. 2009).

Bob Bowman
Tapering World Champion Swimmers

In the competitive world of high-performance athletics, it is paramount that athletes

be at their best when their best is needed. In Olympic sports, this means that a peak
of physical, psychological, and emotional energy must be attained for the culminating
event in each quadrennium, the Olympic Games. With event specialization and the
increased use of science and technology to improve athletic performance, it is impera-
tive that the coach and athlete plan for success in both the long and near terms. The
following sections explore the steps leading to peaking for major competitions in swim-
ming and how one coach organizes his taper plans.

Planning
One thing becomes clear when we think about achieving performances on the world
level: Failing to plan is planning to fail. A coach must take an inventory of all the ele-
ments that comprise his quadrennial plan and then shape shorter-term objectives within
this broad framework. First and foremost is the athlete. Is he experienced in international
competition or a relative newcomer? What are her technical strengths and weaknesses?
How about physical strength, power, and endurance? Overall health and ­ability to with-
stand heavy workloads must also be taken into consideration. Is the athlete strong men-
tally, or does he require more seasoning under high-pressure ­conditions?

123
124 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Bob Bowman
Bob Bowman has coached elite swim-
mers for more than 20 years. Throughout
his career, he has coached a number of
swimmers to the Olympic Games and
the World Championships, winning gold,
silver, and bronze medals at these major
events. Michael Phelps (with a total of 14
Olympic Gold Medals to his credit), Peter
Vanderkaay (winner of two Olympic Gold
Medals and two World Championships
Gold Medals), and Erik Vendt (winner of
Multiple gold medal-
ist Michael Phelps Olympic Gold in 2008 and Olympic Silver
walks with his coach in 2000 and 2004) are among the most suc-
Bob Bowman during a cessful athletes coached by Bob. Among
training session for the other awards and distinctions, Bob was
2007 World Swimming honored with the USA Swimming and the American Swimming Coaches Association
Championships in Mel- coach of the year awards in 2001 and 2003. He was also named the USA Swimming
bourne, Australia. developmental coach of the year in 2002. Bowman was named Team USA’s head coach
© AP Photo/Mark Baker for the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

Each coach will have a different set of criteria and will plan her quadrennium in dif-
ferent ways to meet the special needs of the athlete. I have always believed that plan-
ning must progress from general (long term) to specific (short term) and from simple
(macrocycle) to complicated (microcycle):

• Macrocycles. After a broad, general goal has been developed for each athlete
(i.e., win gold in the 2004 Olympic Games), more specific and detailed programs can
be put into place. Each year of the 4-year term will have a major international meet
and perhaps another national competition of importance. Thus each training year will
be divided into two macrocycles: one culminating in a national championship (or trials
meet) and the other in an international competition (World Championships). Within
each macrocycle there will be periods of transition, building, intensity, competition, and
specific training. Each macrocycle will also include a taper or peaking period, with the
international competition macrocycle having a more extensive fine-tuning stage. For
an example, see table 9.1, which is Michael Phelps’ 2000-2001 annual plan. Once the
coach has determined his competition schedule for each macrocycle and has defined the
training periods, then he can focus on creating a microcycle plan.
• Microcycles. In our program the microcycle plays a critical role because the
general outline of training remains consistent within each training week. The emphasis
placed on certain qualities (i.e., aerobic endurance, muscle endurance, anaerobic power,
and mixed training) determines the theme of training within given periods.

Although the emphasis and volume of the different types of work change as the
season progresses, each type of training is included in each microcycle. This provides
the foundation of the taper plan and ensures that athletes hit each of the important
energy systems within each training block. A standard midseason microcycle for middle-
distance swimmers at Club Wolverine would look something like the microcyle shown
in table 9.2.
Tapering for Individual Endurance Sports 125

Components of Tapering
The main challenge when designing a peaking plan for an athlete is maintaining con-
trol of the various elements that interact with each other during the taper process. For
instance, it is unwise to reduce both volume and intensity of work simultaneously.
Therefore in our taper program, we first reduce the volume of the work being done
while maintaining the same levels of intensity.
This process formally begins approximately 21 days before the start of the first event
at the major competition. I take one extra step off approximately 6 weeks prior to the
competition.
One way to manage the volume of work is to reduce the number of sessions per week
(table 9.3). I often have swimmers go from four to three morning practices in the micro-
cycle about 6 weeks prior to the peak competition. This automatic reduction ensures that
they consistently reduce volume particularly in the early stages of the peaking period
when the demand for intensity (speed) in the workouts is high. It also provides a more
uniform pattern of practices throughout the taper period.
Intensity is the critical element and must be maintained throughout the bulk of the
taper period. Only in the final days before the competition, when the volume of work
has been reduced to its lowest level, should the intensity of the sessions be reduced to
maintenance levels.
Let’s take a look at an actual taper plan for an elite athlete (table 9.4). Michael Phelps’
final preparations for the 2007 World Championships are presented here. Michael won
seven gold medals and set five world records in what has come to be known as the
greatest individual performance in the history of our sport, only bettered by Michael’s
incredible performance a year later at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he added an
additional gold medal and another world record to his 2007 World Championships
achievements.
The plan calls for a gradual reduction in training volume (expressed in 1,000 m incre-
ments). Michael’s average volume during the heart of the season would be 6,000 m in
the morning and 7,000 m in the afternoon. The formal taper program begins at 20 days
out and follows a 2-week period where the volume was gradually reduced by about
20% over peak levels. However, the intensity of the work remains constant. The train-
ing paces for both threshold and quality work are the same with the only real difference
being the number of repetitions or time spent doing each type of training. The ratio of
a certain type of work to the total training volume remains unchanged.
The taper plan accounts for a very taxing plane trip to Australia and the resulting
adaptation to the time change. Michael is an experienced traveler and takes all necessary
precautions to minimize any complications from the change to a different time zone.

Event-Specific Considerations
The coach must understand the individual needs of each athlete in his group when
preparing for a major competition. Men and women will have different plans, par-
ticularly for dry land training. The men will require much more rest from the intense
land work whereas the women must work to maintain their strength throughout the
taper. Volumes will be higher for long-distance swimmers than for middle-distance or
sprint athletes. Older swimmers will generally require more rest and less volume than
younger athletes. In our preparation for the World Championships, Michael Phelps,
Peter Vanderkaay, and Klete Keller all followed the same general plan. All swam on
the U.S. world record–setting 4  200 relay, but each swimmer’s plan deviated slightly
from the general plan.
Michael spent his time divided between the four strokes because he is primarily an
individual medley swimmer. Peter and Klete trained exclusively for the 400 and 200
 Table 9.1  2000-2001 Seasonal Plan for Michael Phelps (NBAC)
Months September October November December January February

Microcycle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Dates

25 September

13 November
20 November
27 November

11 December
18 December
25 December

19 February
6 November

4 December

12 February

26 February
16 October
23 October
30 October

15 January
22 January
29 January
5 February
2 October
9 October
Week

1 January
8 January
Begins

Domestic

International
Calendar of Meets

Christmas Meet
Location

World Cups
World Cup

Atlanta
Training Intensity Competi-
Transition period Building base Specific
phase phase tion
Periodization

Mainte- Progressive/
Strength Rehabilitation Progressive Power
nance Power

Mainte-
Endurance Maintenance General progressive Mixed Specific
nance

Speed Maintenance Maintenance Progressive Maximum Progressive

Testing Dates

Medical Control

Volume 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

100

  90

  80

  70

  60

  50

  40

  30

  20

  10
Courtesy of Bob Bowman.

126
 March April May June July August

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

3 September
13 August
20 August
27 August
12 March
19 March
26 March

6 August
5 March

11 June
18 June
25 June
16 April
23 April
30 April

14 May
21 May
28 May

16 July
23 July
30 July
4 June
2 April
9 April

7 May

2 July
9 July
World Championships Trials

World Championships

U.S. Nationals
Local Seniors

Santa Clara
Ann Arbor
All-Star

Competiton Intensity Specific Peaking T

Maintenance Progressive Power Maintenance M

Break
Maintenance Mixed Specific Maintenance M

Maintenance/
Maximum Progressive Maximum M
Progressive

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

127
128 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 9.2 Midseason Microcycle for Middle-Distance Swimmers

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
.
a.m. Aerobic and Power and Off Aerobic and Power and   O
V 2max Off or easy
technical work overload technical work overload ­training swimming
(kick and pull) training (kick and pull) training and recovery
modalities
.
p.m. Endurance train- Active rest   O
V 2max Endurance and Active Off
ing up to anaer- (speed ­training threshold rest and
obic threshold play) training technical
work

Table 9.3 Microcycle Examples

10- to 11-session microcycle

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

a.m. X X X X X (X)

p.m. X X X X X

9- to 10-session microcyle

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

a.m. X X X X (X)

p.m. X X X X X

m freestyle. However, Klete was given more aerobic mileage as is the normal course of
action with a swimmer who is not particularly muscled and comes from a distance train-
ing background. Peter was given slightly less volume training because of his muscular
build and the residual fatigue that can occur during sharpening training.

Mental Preparation
Mental preparation is the key to outstanding performance in world-level competi-
tion. This includes practicing visualization, building confidence, and learning not to
worry about temporary setbacks. We encourage our athletes to visualize their races
starting about 6 weeks prior to the competition. They learn to see the race unfold
the way they want it to, and we encourage them to be as specific as possible in
their mental imagery. The taper period is very valuable as a time to rehearse various
aspects of the race. Although it is impossible to replicate the entire race in training, it
is possible to focus on parts of the race. Swimming at specific speeds for splits of the
race, practicing the start and race speed turns and finishes, is critical. We encourage
our swimmers to visualize themselves swimming in the competition while perform-
ing these training tasks.
The coach must be the picture of confidence at this time. Each swimmer will go
through days and sessions where he does not feel good or fast as the taper progresses.
In our program we do not put a lot of emphasis on how each swimmer feels on a day-
to-day basis. We focus on the stroke technique and times swum at certain distances. You
do not have to feel good to swim fast.
Tapering for Individual Endurance Sports 129

Table 9.4 Michael Phelps’ World Championship 2007 Taper Plan

Day, date Days out Volume (training type)

a.m. p.m.

Monday, 5 20 4.0 (P) 6.0 (E)

Tuesday, 6 19 6.0 (AR)

.
Wednesday, 7 18 3.5 (T)   O2)
5.0 (MV

Thursday, 8 17 6.0 (E)

Friday, 9 16 3.5 (P) 4.5 (T)

.
Saturday, 10 15 5.0 (MV
  O2)

Sunday, 11 14 4.0 (T)

Monday, 12 13 3.5 (P) 5.0 (E)

Tuesday, 13 12 4.0 (T) Travel to Australia

Wednesday, 14 11

Thursday, 15 10 Arrive (10:15) 3.5 (T)

Friday, 16  9 4.0 (T and P) 4.0 (E)

Saturday, 17  8 5.0 (AR)

.
Sunday, 18  7 3.5 (P)   O2)
3.5 (MV

Monday, 19  6 4.5 (T)

Tuesday, 20  5 3.0 (T and P) 3.0 (Pace)

Wednesday, 21  4 4.0 (T)

Thursday, 22  3 2.5 (T) 2.5 (T)

Friday, 23  2 3.0 (T and Pace)

Saturday, 24  1 2.5 (Easy)

. .
E = endurance training up to anaerobic threshold; MV   O2 = quality speed work at V
  O2max or higher; AR =
active rest (speed play or fartlek training); T = technical work (stroke improvement); P = power training (resis-
tance work with equipment); Pace = rehearsal swimming at race speed.

Three days before the Melbourne World Championships, Michael had one of
his worst workouts of the year. But he knows that how he feels 3 days before the
competition is not important. He was well prepared for the year preceding the event,
and one practice would not affect his performance in the meet. The athlete and
coach must have faith in the plan and not panic when temporary setbacks occur.
The peaking period is not a magic time when coaches create miracles. The peak-
ing period is a natural outgrowth of the entire training year. If the preparation
during the hard training periods is well planned and executed, then the taper will
be successful. The coach must “sell” his plan to the athletes and over a period of
years refine it to meet the needs of the individual athletes. When the coach and
athlete have confidence in each other and trust in the plan, then the stage is set
for breakthrough performance.
130 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

AT A Glance Applying Bob Bowman’s Expert Advice

As coach Bob Bowman indicates, failing to plan is planning to fail, and each athlete’s
specific characteristics should be kept in mind when designing a long-, medium-, and
short-term training and peaking plan. In this section, readers can learn how Bob designs
a tapering plan for swimming, keeping in consideration the specificities of the event
and the mental preparation of the athletes. Key elements are keeping things in perspec-
tive no matter how a swimmer feels day-to-day (i.e., having faith in the plan despite
temporary setbacks) and the concept that the taper is a natural outgrowth of the entire
training year.

Martin Fiz
Triumphing in Eight Elite Marathons

On August 13, 1995, I won the marathon at the World Championships in Gothenburg,
Sweden, with a time of 2:11:31. Two years later, on August 10, 1997, I finished second
to Abel Antón at the World Championships in Athens, Greece. Many people ask me
whether I would use the same training program in the lead-up to the 1997 event and
the same race tactic during that marathon if I had the chance to race it again and aim
for gold. In that marathon run, my main rival was Abel Antón, who was a fast runner
in the final meters and ran very smoothly in flat courses. On the other hand, he had
difficulties responding to strong surges and competing with athletes who maintained
a constant, fast pace from the beginning of the race in an attempt to drop him before
reaching the final kilometers of the marathon. Courses with a lot of turns were not his
favorite either. In Athens, after I led the race, setting a fast pace for more than 19 km,
Antón beat me by sprinting in the final 200 m. I was second.
More than 10 years have gone by, and looking back at every aspect of my preparation,
I can assure you that I would repeat my training plan and race tactic. There would only
be one change: I would look for an ally with characteristics similar to mine to help me
set a pace to weaken my main rival. I am convinced that by training faster or by carrying
out a taper including more anaerobic training sessions, I would not have improved my
performance on the day. Marathon running requires a lot of hard pace running although
there is more than one way to win.

Martin Fiz
Martin Fiz is considered the world’s best
Spain’s Martin Fiz marathon runner of the 1990s. Martin
celebrates with the took part in 16 elite marathon races
Basque (left) and Span- between 1993 and 2000, winning eight
ish flags after winning of them with times ranging from 2:08:05
the marathon at the to 2:12:47. He won gold at the European
fifth World Track and Championships in 1994 and World Cham-
Field Championships in pionships in 1995 and silver at World
Gothenborg, Sweden, Championships in 1997.
in 1995.
© AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle
Tapering for Individual Endurance Sports 131

Marathon Training
It takes special preparation to run a long-distance event in another country or conti-
nent, travelling to which requires the athlete to pass several time zones. The athlete
will need to adapt his body clock to the new time zone and season of the year. We
need to consider factors such as allergic reactions in the spring and climate conditions
such as temperature and humidity. It is different to run in the afternoon or in the
early morning: When do I eat lunch? How long will I need to digest my last meal? It
is also important to know the characteristics of the race course: A flat course means a
fast race whereas a turning course means slow race and surges. Athletes must visual-
ize how the race of their life is going to be and how competitors are going to move.
Athletes have to be alert, analyzing the virtues and weaknesses of potential rivals.
Although there are many competitors, one must take a reduced group into consider-
ation. From here, it is a matter of believing that one’s goal is achievable and starting
one’s preparation.
To prepare for an event of the magnitude of the marathon at the World Champion-
ships, several factors that go beyond physical training itself need to be considered:

• Realistic goals
• Place, date, and time
• Race course
• Rivals
• Physical training

The aim of the taper in any training program is to achieve or optimize peak perfor-
mance. But, the peaking starts even before training begins. An athlete must establish a
realistic goal. On the day of competition, it is unwise for the athlete to aim for levels that
have never been experienced; it would be disastrous to start running a marathon at a
pace that the athlete’s body is not familiar with. Following is my plan for the marathon
run at World Championships.

First 4 Months
This phase of physical training is enjoyable for many athletes because anxiety and
stress are absent and workouts can be quite varied. Training with a medicine ball will
strengthen the upper body. Fartlek running (i.e., programmed pace changes) on undu-
lating surfaces will strengthen the legs considerably. I can run more than 3 hours at a
very slow pace, 5 min per kilometer. A lot of coaches and physiologists consider this
“garbage mileage,” but I disagree. In addition to preparing the muscles for the impacts
they will suffer during the 42,195 m, these workouts allow the body to adapt to and
experience the sensations of running without glycogen, relying on fat, the so-called
low-quality fuel.
Four months of hard and intensive training, with daily double sessions, hours of
physiotherapy, and a strict nutrition plan, will help an athlete arrive at the competition
in peak fitness (table 9.5).

Finding the Perfect Pace

Once the initial strength phase has been completed, it is time to start the 3-week
­marathon-specific preparation. From now on, the key is to adapt to and memorize the
pace. To do that, I run many days at marathon pace. The only problem is that I have
to endure being tired through the day. The daily work with little rest and fast running
132 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 9.5  Sample General and Marathon-Specific Preparation Weeks

General preparation week

a.m. p.m.

Monday 10 km: 4 min/km 12 km: 4 min/km

Stretch
Medicine ball exercises

Tuesday 20 min jog + 30 min fartlek + 10 min jog Rest

Wednesday Stretch Rest

Massage

Thursday 10 km: 4 min/km 15 km: 4 min/km

Stretch

Friday 30 min jog + 2  200 m 5% uphill, recovery jog

downhill + 20 min jog

Saturday Rest Rest

Sunday 20 km: 3:40 min/km Rest

Marathon-specific preparation week

a.m. p.m.

Monday 18 km: 3:40 min/km 12 km: 4 min/km + 6 km: 3:15 min/km

Stretch

Tuesday 15 km easy jog 4 km jog + 10 km: 3:20 min/km + 3 km slow jog

Stretch
Massage

Wednesday Rest 4 km jog + 3  5 km: 3:05 min/km/4 min passive

recovery + 2 km: 4:30 min/km

Thursday 10 km: 4 min/km 15 km: 4 min/km

Friday Rest 4 km jog + 25-30  400 m: 1:12 min/1:15 jog

recovery

Saturday 12 km: 4 min/km 12 km: 4 min/km

Massage

Sunday 5 km: 4 min/km + 10 km: 3:12 min/km + 5 km: Rest

3:35 min/km + 5 km: 3:05 min/km

pace will make my muscles feel heavy and my mood gray. The biggest training load
in terms of kilometers comes during the middle phase: 220 km weeks and an average
of 180 km per week will mark the end of a preparation that seems perfect to me. The
training load, recovery, and rest will determine the adaptation to training and the suc-
cess of the campaign (table 9.5).
Tapering for Individual Endurance Sports 133

Tapering for the Marathon

The time to taper is here. As a marathon runner, I tried to rectify the tapering mis-
takes I made during this training phase when I was a 5,000 m runner. Here are my
characteristics as a runner: 55.5 kg, 169 cm, maximum heart rate 188 beats/min, peak
lactate after a progressive treadmill test (1% incline, 3 min increments) 8 mM, peak
velocity 22 km/hr. These values suggest that it will be really difficult for me to beat my
opponents in the final meters of a race no matter how much anaerobic training I do
unless I come across another runner of similar characteristics. More anaerobic training
in the final phase of preparation will only induce additional muscle trauma. In fact,
when tapering to run the 5,000 m I suffered more injuries than I ever did preparing
for the marathon. Muscle problems appeared quite often in my hamstrings, Achilles
tendons, and calves, which forced me to slow down my preparation to recover muscle
strength. On the other hand, when I was tapering for the marathon, minor muscular
problems could be taken care of without having to stop my preparation. Tired and
somewhat overstressed muscles can be easily relieved with proper massage and physio-
therapy sessions. The main risk could come from physiological deficiencies, such as
below-reference micronutrient, blood, and immunological values attributable to the
high training volumes.
Therefore, my suggestion for runners training at continuous and fast pace is to taper
in an effort to enhance their strength. For example, which one would you choose?

(A) 4  2,000 m at 2:40 min/km with 6 min recovery

(B) 8  2,000 m at 2:55 min/km with 2:30 min recovery

Theoretically, an athlete should be able to perform both training sets. He has the
required quality, but which is more appropriate? In example A, the athlete will run 15
s faster than in example B, and this implies a higher leg stride cadence. He will feel fast
and will be convinced that he is in top form. In example B, the athlete will train at a
slower pace but will run twice as much and the recovery is much shorter. If the athlete
chooses to perform this set, he will achieve a good pace, similar to that of competition;
will memorize racing pace; and will gain endurance.
Which one would I choose? Without a doubt, I would choose B. Why? One reason is
because example B provides the previously mentioned training effects. Also, the athlete
who chooses A will train with an accumulation of lactic acid that will never be reached
during a marathon race. This may lead to overpacing during competition. In fact, some
athletes like to compete at a high level 2 weeks before the marathon. They take part in
shorter distance racing (15 km to half marathon) to convince themselves of their fitness
status. In my view, they make the mistake of giving too much effort at this point: They
race with higher lactate values, and they take longer to recover. My advice is to race
at the same pace intended for the day of the marathon. I thus recommend tapering by
performing endurance-pace training sessions.
As training cycles are accomplished, the pace may be increased, but not too much,
and the recovery times between repetitions during interval sessions or “pace-change”
sessions can be reduced. During the first months of preparation, the pace will be slower
and the recovery times longer, as shown in the box Interval Training Sets for Race
Pacing and Tapering.
The duration of my perfect taper is 21 days. One week before, I include a race of
15 to 21 km. From then on, continuous running and pace intervals increase, but
recovery time between repetitions decreases (see the sample interval training sets
for tapering).
134 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Interval Training Sets for Race Pacing and Tapering

Following are some examples of interval training sets I used in my preparation.
They are not very different in terms of repetition number and distance but are quite
different in terms of pace and recovery times.
Sample Interval Training Sets for Perfect Race Pacing
• 12  1,000 m: 3:10 min/km with 2:30 min recovery jog
• 25  400 m: 1:12 min/km with 1:15 min recovery jog
• 3  4,000 m: 3:12 min/km with 4 min recovery jog
• 5  3,000 m: 3:10 min/km with 4 min recovery jog
Sample Interval Training Sets for Tapering
• 3  4,000 m: 2:55 min/km with 3 min recovery jog
• 25  400 m: 1:10 min with 45 s recovery jog
• 15  1,000 m: 2:55 min/km with 1 min recovery jog
• 5  3,000 m: 2:57 min/km with 2 min recovery jog
• 70 min continuous run, increasing pace from 3:40 min/km to 3:10 min/km

The main difference between race pacing and tapering sets is the recovery times.
During the taper, my trick is faster running than months before and shorter recovery
times: Recovery times are key. In this way, the athlete reaches a fitness peak, gets to
competition day fresh and “hungry,” and has a well-established race pace in his brain
and in his legs.
Using this method I achieved athletic success and extended my athletic career to the
age of 37. That was my age when I finished sixth at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games:
Olympic Diploma. I think my athletic longevity is in part attributable to the fact that my
training programs always focused on aerobic work. I am 46 years old now, I still take
part in endurance races, and I even win some of them. I still perform the same type of
taper to target a specific race, except that I only run one session per day now.

AT A Glance Applying Martin Fiz’s Expert Advice

In this section, Martin Fiz discloses his training methods to optimally prepare for a world-
class marathon race, which start by using one’s brains to analyze the race conditions and
set realistic goals. Martin also provides weekly training plans for the different prepara-
tion phases, including general preparation, race-specific preparation, and tapering. Key
ideas from Martin’s contribution include setting an achievable goal and analyzing all the
environmental variables that may affect training programs and race tactics; performing
huge running volumes to improve running economy and prepare your body for such
a grueling race; learning the ideal race pace; and avoiding racing during the taper at
velocities much faster than marathon pace. Another key element of the section is Martin’s
approach to visualizing the race and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the main
rivals. Here is a clear example of his approach: In his gold-winning World Champion-
ships race in 1995, Martin did not panic when one of his main rivals surged in the final
kilometers to take the lead. Instead, Martin timed him for 1 km, realized that his rival
would not be able to keep such a pace to the finish line, and maintained his own pace
as planned. Sure enough, a few kilometers later his rival “blew up,” and Martin overtook
him and never looked back.
 Tapering for Individual Endurance Sports 135

Luc Van Lierde

Becoming a World Champion Triathlete

Every athlete dreams about becoming a world champion one day, but every world
champion has had a long journey to get there. Here is a brief description of my own
journey and some of the tapering strategies I used as a triathlete.

Background
Before I became a triathlete I participated in different sports, including hockey, soccer,
judo, roller skating, and swimming. I trained in swimming for about 10 years. My
best performances were set in 1988 with a time of 2:21 min on 200 m breaststroke.
At the age of 19 I decided to shift from swimming to triathlon, where I made rapid
progress. After 18 months of training I participated in the Olympic-distance World
Championship in Florida, where I finished fourth. Over the initial years of triathlon
training I had several injuries that slowed my progression as a triathlete. Still, I per-
sisted in my drive to develop as an elite triathlete, and in 1995 at the age of 25 I was
second in both the European and World Championships in Olympic distance and long
distance as well.
In 1996, I became the European champion over the Olympic distance, and I realized
my dream to win the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. One year later I took the world record
in long-distance triathlon, 7:50:27, a record that stands after more than 10 years. In 1999
I took my second win on the Ironman in Hawaii and became the world champion for
the third time. After 1999 my career as a triathlete suffered. I was afflicted by a series
of injuries, which seriously affected my motivation. However, in fall 2005 I decided to
go for it one more time and began training to prepare for a final comeback. In October
2007, at the age of 38, this resulted in rank 8 at Ironman Hawaii. I continue working
hard, and we will see where the story ends.

Luc Van Lierde

Luc Van Lierde is one of the most outstand-
ing triathletes in the history of the sport. In
1996 he won gold at the European Champi-
onships and silver at World Championships
in the Olympic distance. He also became
the first-ever European to win Ironman
World Championships in Hawaii. The fol-
lowing year he set the fastest-ever time in
an Ironman event with 7:50:27, and in 1999
he won Ironman Hawaii for the second time
in his career. Luc Van Lierde of
Brugge, Belgium, jubi-
lates as he crosses the
finish line to win the
1997 German Ironman
triathlon competition.
Van Lierde clocked
a new official record
time of 7:50:27.
© AP Photo/Frank Boxler
136 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Tapering Procedures
Following are examples of tapering procedures that I have used to prepare for
Olympic-distance and Ironman-distance triathlon races. These tapers have worked
for me, but this does not mean they will be ideal for other athletes preparing for
similar events.
Tapering for Olympic-Distance Triathlons
• Day –6: cycle–run transition training consisting of 60 km cycling of which
the last 20 km are at race pace, followed by a 2 km run also at competition
pace
• Day –5: low-intensity recovery training session
• Day –4: swim training session with intervals at race pace
• Day –3: low-intensity recovery training session
• Day –2: short, high-intensity running fartlek
• Day –1: low-intensity recovery training sessions
Tapering for Ironman Triathlon
• Day –8: last extensive endurance training session in cycling (5 hr)
• Day –6: 1 hr run at about race pace
• Days –5 and –4: short and easy training sessions
• Days –3, –2 and –1: 1 hr bike session, a 20 min run and a 1 km swim

Tapering
My training for an important competition ends with tapering. Tapering is essential to
obtaining maximal benefits from intensive training—it is the final critical stage of the
training process. Over the years I have learned that there are no rules for tapering
because the responses to this training phase vary widely among individuals. Some indi-
viduals prefer a long tapering period, whereas others apply a shorter period. Each ath-
lete must develop the individual tapering procedure that yields maximal performance
benefit at target competitions.
Some athletes make a mistake by using the final training sessions in the approach
to the event as a sort of test, which may result in excess energy consumption. I have
always found that low-intensity training sessions during tapering are very fatiguing. This
is less the case for high-intensity training sessions. Maybe my body is asking for inten-
sive exercise stimuli. During tapering I also feel consistently tired. Even going up the
stairs feels like heavy exercise; my legs feel empty and tired. However, maybe this just
indicates that they are ready for a burst of energy and optimal performance. Curiously
enough, once I get this feeling, I am ready to perform. Furthermore, the importance
of adequate nutrition during tapering is evident. A carbohydrate-rich diet during the 4
days before competition is pivotal to performance optimization, because muscles need
fully repleted glycogen stores for maximal endurance capacity.
I have always used different tapering processes for short versus long triathlons. In the
approach to long-distance events, I reduce my training volume and intensity much more
than for a short-distance triathlon. I have found that when preparing for a short distance
triathlon, I need high-intensity exercise stimuli until the day before the event. Muscle
tone in the approach to a short distance event apparently must remain higher than for
Tapering for Individual Endurance Sports 137

an Ironman. A number of short exercise stimuli the days before a short distance event
are recommended to obtain the speed and explosiveness needed in competition.
For the tapering procedure that I have often used to prepare an Olympic-distance
triathlon and for an Ironman triathlon, see the box Tapering Procedures.

Applying Luc Van Lierde’s Expert Advice AT A Glance

I hope this information will be of some help to you. There are no secrets
in training or tapering, rather some logical rules to which each individual
must adhere. I wish you success in your training and competitions. Friendly
greetings,
Luc Van Lierde “Ironman”

Luc Van Lierde has repeatedly shown that he knows how to prepare himself to perform
optimally for triathlon races ranging in duration from less than 2 hr (endurance event) to
about 8 hr (ultraendurance event). In this section, Luc shares his views on tapering and
peaking and also provides examples of his own tapering programs for these events. Key
elements in Luc’s section are the ideas that the taper is a critical stage of the training
process that will help an athlete maximize the benefits of intensive training; that the taper
should be individualized to suit each athlete’s characteristics and performance targets;
and that the final sessions of the taper should not be considered as a sort of fitness test
at the risk of inducing excessive fatigue.
This page intentionally left blank.
 chapter 10
Tapering for Sprint
and Power Events

Although the scientific knowledge about tapering and peaking for sprint and power
events is less complete than that regarding endurance events, some valuable information
has emerged in the last few years that can contribute to better planning for events of
this type. As we saw in chapter 3, several physiological variables that are important for
optimal strength, power, and speed performance improve as the result of an appropriate
tapering program. These include increased fast-twitch muscle fiber diameter, enhanced
contractile performance, increased neural activation, increased glycolytic flux during
maximal exercise, and hormonal changes that could facilitate anabolic processes.
These physiological changes are associated with performance gains at the whole-body
level, as shown by the performance gains reported in table 6.1 for activities such as 25
to 50 m swimming, single- and multiple-joint muscular strength, weightlifting, and
vertical jump. In the following pages, world-class coaches and athletes involved in
sprint and power events tell us about their tapering and peaking approaches for major
competitions.

Mike McFarlane
Tapering to Win International Sprint Events

At various times in an athlete’s long-term training plan we design and implement a

program geared to a major championship, such as the World Championships, European
Championships, or Olympic Games. Programs to address competition-specific and
individual athletes’ needs going into a championship vary for senior and junior
athletes.
The program presented next is for a senior athlete whom I coached and worked with
over a 5-year time span, preparing and tapering for the European Championships. It
covers the last 4 to 6 weeks before the competitive season begins.
Typical Warm-Up Session
• 6  stride warm up: stride the straight, jog the bends
• Drills 2  20 m with 10 m run-off back to back over 30 m
• High knees
• Kickouts

139
140 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Mike McFarlane
Mike McFarlane is an athletics performance sprint coach in the United Kingdom. Mike
has been a team coach for UK athletics since 1992 and has worked with European
Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games teams. Sprint athletes
coached by Mike (e.g., Dwain Chambers, Tony Jarrett, and John Regis, to name but
a few) have won countless gold, silver, and bronze medals at all major international
competitions. Previously, Mike was a development officer with the Duke of Edinburgh’s
award scheme and was awarded an Order of the British Empire for services to sport
and youth in 2001.
Julian Golding (far
right) anchors the Brit-
ish team for the bronze
medal in the men’s 4
 100 m relay at the
1997 World Track and
Field Championships
in Athens. Golding is
one of many athletes
whom Mike McFar-
lane coached to win
world-level medals in
track. Golding also
won gold medals in the
1998 Commonwealth
Games, the European
Championships, and
the World Cup.
© AP Photo/Doug Mills

• Superman
• Inside, outside
• 1  80 m from run
• 5 hurdles out, do each drill two times, and then run off 10 m
• Over, over, over the hurdles
• Swings
• Down the middle
• Spins
• 1  80 m from run; then 15 min mobility
• Specific and individual warm-ups
Following are descriptions of a few workout sessions that would typically make up
my early-season program, in no particular order. I would also include weight sessions
after a few of those workouts, especially the shorter sessions like drills and blocks and
some rhythm running sessions.
Typical Workouts Before Competitive Season Begins
• 5  150 m with lap walk: 16 s down to 15.5 s working on rhythm
• 4  110 m working on rhythm and change of pace 30–30–50 (build speed, hold
speed, top speed) time last 50 m
• Blocks over 10 m working on movement using the timing gates; then 4  100 m
with 10 m rolling with lap walk
• Drill session plyometrics and blocks over 10/20 m and shuttles
Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 141

• 300–200–100 working on rhythm and holding form; a medicine ball circuit

afterward
• 150 m with 2 min recovery, then 3  60 m with 12 min rest
• 4  20 m using the time gates, then 1  350 m going past 300 m in 33 s

Our schedule for a male 100 m sprinter for the 10 days before a championship is
presented in table 10.1.
Tapering and peaking involve being prepared at the start of the season and making
sure athletes are in good condition at the time of competition. Train wisely, race wisely.
We are human and mistakes will be made; we must learn from them and be better
prepared next time.

Table 10.1  Final 10 Days of Training Before a Major Championship

for a Male 100 m Sprinter
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Arrive at No training Sprint Blocks No training, Warm-up Warm-up
holding drills and working massage running running
camp active on reac- drills drills
Long warm- hurdle tion: 4  3  30 m Blocks: 2 
up in the drills 10 m; 3 sled runs, 20 m form
afternoon 140–120–  20 m; light 4  20 m
100 full 3  70 2  20 m no timed
recovery m flying sled 4  20 m
working 2  90 m reaction
on rhythm flying with work
Weights: 20 m roll 6  20
cleans 2  50 m m sticks
and jump rolling with (quick
squats; 20 m roll feet)
upper Medicine 4  stand-
body light ball circuit ing long
jump
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Travel to 2  40 m No ­training, Race Race
champion- flying re­laxing
ships in the Blocks: 2
morning  20 m
Massage in 2  40 m
the after- flying
noon 1  80 m
change
of pace

Applying Mike McFarlane’s Expert Advice AT A Glance

This brief contribution by coach Mike McFarlane describes training elements for an elite
sprinter during the 4 to 6 weeks prior to the beginning of the competitive season and the
day-to-day preparation in the 10 days before a major competition. A key idea in Mike’s
section is that an athlete’s training program should prepare an athlete for competition
from the beginning of the season, not just during the taper.
142 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Jason Queally
Training for World-Class Sprint Cycling

The 1,000 m cycling time trial, known as “the kilo” in many countries, is an individually
timed track race where each rider is released from an electronic starting gate. The time trial
is run with one rider on the track at a time. The fastest rider over the kilometer distance is
declared the winner. The current world record for this event is 58.875 s and was ridden at
altitude (where the air resistance is less than at sea level) by Frenchman Arnaud Tournant,
who dominated the event along with countryman Florian Rousseau during the late 1990s.
More recently, the kilo has been conquered by the British riders: I won the Olympic title at
the Sydney 2000 games and Chris Hoy won at the Athens 2004 games.
In 1995 I took up cycling as a 25-year-old interested in triathlon. During these initial
years I approached training and periodization with an endurance philosophy: road time
trials of 16 to 100 km with a 6-week taper focusing on speed and speed endurance. I
used this protocol until 1998, when I realized that after the fourth tapering week I was
beginning to lose my speed on the track. So I reduced my taper from 6 to 4 weeks.
In 1998 at the World Championships I competed against Arnaud Tournant, who beat
the rest of the kilo field by a significant margin at the age of 19. I decided from that day
that speed was the key for me to maximize my kilo potential. After extensive research,
I developed a training program that works for me. My aim is to lay the foundations of
strength and power to develop track speed for the whole season, and during the last 4
weeks prior to the major competition I attempt to maintain this speed and extend the
distance at which I can sustain this speed. Therefore, it is only in the last 4 weeks of a
seasonal macrocycle that my tapering protocol begins.
The idea behind my tapering program is to maintain the speed I have developed over
the previous weeks and months. To achieve this I use a few differing training protocols
with sufficient recovery to extend the distance at which I can sustain this speed. That
means that the training and recovery during the taper are very similar to my training
and recovery during my specific core training, the only real difference being an addi-

Jason Queally
Jason Queally is one of the fast-
est sprint track cyclists in the world.
Jason became Olympic Champion in
the 1 km time trial in Sydney 2000,
where he also took silver in the team
sprint with Great Britain. Since 1999,
Jason has won one gold, three silver,
and four bronze medals at the World
Track Championships. Jason also
represented Great Britain at the 2004
Athens Olympics riding the fastest
time ever as third rider in the team
sprint.
Britain’s Jason Queally
waves after receiving
the gold medal in the
1,000 m track cycling
event at the 2000
Olympic Games in
Sydney, Australia.
© AP Photo/Lionnel Cironeau
Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 143

tional training day, with the training and recovery philosophy being identical: maximal
efforts followed by full recovery.
I have to be fully recovered and very fresh going into this taper because it is more intense
than my specific core training cycles. When preparing for the Athens Olympics in 2004, I
took 5 or 6 consecutive days off from training during the intermediate point of my taper
because I believed I was not recovering properly. Following this rest, when I felt recovered
(I discuss later how I determine whether I am fully recovered) I continued with my cycles
and went on to break the world record for the last lap of the team sprint.

Tapering Protocols and Cycles

The 3-day cycle begins with what I term the “neural component” of my training, which
is the key to all my speed training. These are maximal efforts of 5 to 18 s duration
(maximal power 2,200 W; power will fall from 2,200 to 900 W over this time). This
initial day is usually followed by what I term “neural–metabolic sets.” These are
maximal efforts of 30 to 33 s (maximal power 2,200 W falling to 700 W). On the third
and final day I do what I call “metabolic training.” This consists of interval-type efforts
and flying 1 km segments where the efforts are gauged but bring about absolute fatigue
on completion (maximal average power for intervals 800 W for 120 s and for the flying
kilo 800-900 W for 60 s).
Following are the two protocols I follow for the first 3 days of the cycle:
• Day 1. Flying 100 and 200 m efforts  2, followed by 2 to 3 standing-start quar-
ter laps
• Day 2. Standing-start 500 m  3
• Day 3. Track intervals and flying kilos: (1) flying 500 m followed by rolling 750
m recovery  4 repetitions per set, 2 sets per session; (2) flying 1 km  2
or
• Day 1. Flying 100 and 200 m  2, followed by two motorbike paced efforts of
one lap
• Day 2. Standing-start 500 m  3
• Day 3. Turbo intervals; two types. Interval type 1: 30 s of 800 W followed by 60
s recovery repeated 4 times per set, 2 sets per training session. Interval type 2:
20 s of 650 to 700 W followed by 10 s recovery repeated 7 times per set, 2 sets
per training session. (I find turbo intervals more effective in generating fatigue,
because with track intervals during the recovery phase you have to keep pedal-
ing and focus on what is going on; with the turbo, after each effort you can stop
pedaling and recover properly.)
I learned one of the interval training protocols from a general exercise physiology
textbook (30 s on, 60 s recovery for 4 repetitions) and the other from a sport science
publication by Tabata and colleagues (1997). I only used the first type of interval during
my taper for the Sydney 2000 preparation.
My protocol for this cycle has now changed somewhat, although the pattern and ideas
behind it are virtually the same. The only real difference is the exclusion of flying kilos
and the inclusion of another type of interval (both intervals were a part of my specific
training protocols, although they were only used occasionally in 2000 but not as part of
my tapering protocols). Table 10.2 presents the cycle I followed for the tapering phase
of my training for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Following are a few of my thoughts on some other aspects of training that may be
important to athletes who want to perform to their best ability when it really counts.

Fatigue and Recovery

Recovery from training is just as important as the training itself and is crucial during the
taper. I tend to train mainly in 2- or sometimes 3-day blocks on the track followed by
2 days of recovery. Because my training is highly neural (aimed at producing maximal
 Table 10.2  Training Protocol and Cycles During the Tapering Phase Prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympics
Duration
Date Venue Track type Training protocol Gear ratio of Effort, s

19 August 2000 Brisbane Concrete Flying 200 m  2 49  14 = 94 in. 10.94, 10.92

333 m

20 August 2000 Brisbane Concrete Standing-start 500 m  3 50  14 = 96 in. 33.6, 32.7, 32.3
333 m

21 August 2000 Brisbane Concrete Flying 500 m intervals  2, 49  14 = 94 in. 32-33

333 m 4 reps per set (recovery
between each rep 500 m
at 60 s)

22 August 2000 Brisbane Rest day

23 August 2000 Brisbane Rest day

24 August 2000 Brisbane Concrete Flying 100 m  1, 200 m 49  14 = 94 in. 5.36, 10.64,
333 m  1 and 3 standing-start (flying), 50  14 = 7.40, 7.28, 7.38
quarter laps 96 in. (standing)

25 August 2000 Traveled to Melbourne

26 August 2000 Melbourne Wood 250 m Standing start 500 m  3 51  14 = 98 in. 32-33

27 August 2000 Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 500 m intervals  2, 48  14 = 91.8 in., No times
4 reps per set 49  14 = 94 in.

28 August 2000 Melbourne Rest day

29 August 2000 Melbourne Rest day

30 August 2000 Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 100 m  2 and 3 51  14 = 98 in. 5.37, 5.22; no
standing-start quarter times for starts
laps

31 August 2000 Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 100 m  1, flying 51  14 = 98 in. 5.17, 59.2, 58.8
1,000 m  2

01 September Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 500 m intervals  2, 51  14 = 98 in. 30-31

2000 4 reps per set (recovery
between each rep 500 m
at 60 s)

02 September Melbourne Rest day

2000

03 September Melbourne Rest day

2000

04 September Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 100 m  1, 200 m 51  14 = 98 in. 5.08, 10.16 (per-
2000 1 sonal best)

05 September Melbourne Wood 250 m Olympic sprint trials, 750 m 50  14 = 96 in. 45.9, 46.1
2000

06 September Melbourne Rest day

2000

07 September Melbourne Rest day

2000

144
 Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 145

Duration
Date Venue Track type Training protocol Gear ratio of Effort, s

08 September Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 100 m  2, 2 51  14 = 98 in. 5.08, 5.06, 11.4,
2000  standing half laps 11.0
(assessing some equip-
ment that just arrived)

09 September Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 1,000 m  1 51  14 = 98 in. 58.5

2000

10 September Melbourne Rest day

2000

11 September Melbourne Rest day

2000

12 September Melbourne Wood 250 m Flying 100 m  1, flying 51  14 = 98 in. No times

2000 200 m  1, standing 1/4
4

13 September Traveled to Sydney

2000

14 September Sydney Rest day

2000

15 September Sydney Wood 250 m Flying 100 m  1, stand- 51  14 = 98 in. No times

2000 ing 1/4  4 (from gate)

16 September Sydney Wood 250 m Olympic 1,000 m time trial 51  14 = 98 in. 61.609
2000

levels of torque and power), anything beyond the 3-day window (determined using
electronic timing and SRM power meter data) compromises my ability to produce these
maximal forces on subsequent days. Thus I will not train when my ability to produce
the forces described here is compromised through fatigue or illness.
Objective data are very helpful in identifying fatigue, but because I virtually always
train maximally, I use subjective measures to gauge my absolute levels of fatigue. I believe
there is a highly significant relationship between my general mood and fatigue from
training. If I wake up in the morning of a training session feeling like I do not want to
train, then I will not train. If I am becoming generally tired and grumpy, this is usually
a sign I am becoming fatigued, and if this coincides with an increase in training times
or a decrease in power, I will not train. Instead I take a break until my general mood is
better and I feel like I want to train. When I start to get grumpy and tired, I may take
several days off the bike, and during my specific core training phases I usually go into a
road block rather than return to track training. If this occurs during the tapering phase,
as it did in the lead-up to the Athens 2004 Olympics I have to return to the track because
the road is not an option at this time.
On the road my approach is slightly different. I go into a road-training block (hoping
to improve aerobic capacity) only after I feel fully recovered from the track cycle I have
done previously. This may mean a break of 4 to 5 days. The subsequent road block will
be 4 to 7 days of riding for 2 to 3 hr every day. I will train when I feel fatigued (grumpy)
on these days. I am still able to produce effective powers on the road while still subjec-
tively tired or grumpy. Once this cycle has finished, I will return to the track only when
I feel fully recovered.
146 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

During my time as a cyclist I have experimented with various training, recovery,

and tapering protocols, and I have found what best suits me to be competitive at the
current world best level. This is not to say that my current protocols are ideal for me or
for anyone else who follows them—they just currently work for me!

Of Cakes and Training Protocols

The analogy I usually give for developing a training protocol is that it’s like making your
favorite cake (chocolate in my case). To get your perfect cake, you have to make sure
you have the correct ingredients. It is not adequate to just mix the ingredients together
any old way and place them in the oven. You have to know the correct quantities of
each ingredient, the order in which they are mixed, and how much time you spend
mixing. I see this phase of the cake making as comparable to your specific core training,
the day-in, day-out work you have to do. You may have problems in this stage, the
core phase of your training (specific core training). I can give you the ingredients and
quantities (training protocols), but the timing (the amount of training vs. recovery) is
up to you; you have to find out what works for you. It will be a process of trial and
error; you have to understand how your mind and body work if you are to get the most
out of any training protocol I could give you.
Once you have identified the ingredients, quantities, and timing and have mixed
everything up, you can place the cake in the oven at the ideal temperature for the ideal
amount of time, and when you open those oven doors you have your perfect cake. That
is the peaking–tapering phase.

AT A Glance Applying Jason Queally’s Expert Advice

I love food and eat what I enjoy. I have no special diet but ensure I have
enough calories to train and recover effectively. If I feel hungry, I will eat. The
only specific dietary requirement I try to uphold is taking a carbohydrate–
protein shake after all my track sessions and sometimes after my road rides.
Jason Queally

In this section, Jason Queally describes his training methods for sprint track cycling.
Jason has coached himself since the beginning of his cycling career, and his training
methods are an interesting mix between the trial-and-error and the scientific approaches;
between subjective and objective evaluation of his fitness and performance status. The
way Jason organizes his training program is now known as “reversed periodization,”
through which speed and power are developed early in the preparation program fol-
lowed by a focus on extending the time that speed can be sustained. Key concepts
from Jason’s section are developing strength, power, and speed for the whole season,
and then working on maintaining the speed for longer during the taper; performing
maximal efforts followed by complete recovery on the track; listening to your body
and your mood to know when you are properly recovered and ready to perform your
key training sessions; and understanding that training protocols are individual and that
adaptation profiles change over time (i.e., a training and tapering protocol that works
for Jason is not necessarily ideal for another athlete, and a protocol that has worked for
Jason in the past may not be ideal for him in the future).

Shannon Rollason
Breaking Records in Sprint Swimming
In the lead-up to a major event, I like to taper my sprint athletes for 21 days before their
first day of competition. This may not be their most important race, but they must feel
good about the way they are swimming in those last few days prior to their major race.
Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 147

Shannon Rollason
Shannon Rollason is the head coach of the Australian Institute of Sport swimming
program. Shannon started his coaching career in his early 20s and in just 10 years
has become a reference in the swimming world. Between 2003 and 2007, swimmers
coached by Shannon won four gold medals at the Olympic Games and a total of 11
gold, silver, and bronze medals at World Championships, breaking three world and
Olympic records along the way. Jodie Henry and Alice Mills are two of the most suc-
cessful swimmers coached by Shannon. Four of the swimmers he coaches represented
Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Among other coaching distinctions, Shannon
received the Australian swimming coach of the year award in 2004 and the Australian
Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association coach of the year award in 2005.

The Australian 4 
100 m freestyle relay
team shows its gold
medals after winning
at the 2004 Olympic
Games in Athens,
Greece. The team set
a new world record of
3:35.94. From left to
right are Jodie Henry,
Lisbeth Lenton, Petria
Thomas, and Alice
Mills.
© AP photo/Anja Niedring-
haus

The two taper modalities that I have used most often with my swimmers are the
linear and the exponential taper. Both Alice Mills and Jodie Henry have used these two
types of taper with international success. With the exponential taper, there is a bigger
volume reduction, approximately 68% of season preparation swimming distance in the
first week, 48% in the second, and 33% in the third. My linear taper reduces to about
75%, 50%, and 25% over the 3 weeks.
In the last 21 days before competition starts, it is important that you and your swim-
mers are not trying to find speed; if you let it, it will find you (or them). The athletes
should swim submaximal and easy sessions (easy–fast, I like to call it), without over-
emphasizing the kick. This, along with stroke length, is what I look for. The other tool I
use to assess swimmers is a 1  200 m heart rate check. I get the swimmers to swim at
30 to 40 beats below their maximum heart rate, and I monitor this against their time. It
gives me an easy indication of where they are during the taper. At no time during the
taper do I talk about fitness; generally I just emphasize efficiency and balance (between
legs and arms) in the water.
My decision on what taper to use with Alice and Jodie depended on how uninterrupted
their preparation was. Table 10.3 shows Jodie Henry’s 2004 pre–Olympic Games taper.
The taper was a linear model. Her maximum volume in the 15-week preparation was
48 km, and her weekly average was 38.5 km. Six weeks out, Jodie became ill, and she
only swam 15 km that week. That was the only significant hiccup in what otherwise was
a good preparation, on the back of another good preparation for the Olympic trials, in
which she swam 24.92 s in the 50 m, 53.77 s in the 100 m, and 1:59.26 in the 200 m, all
 Psychology Is Crucial
Each swimmer has her own individual personality, and coaches should keep this
in mind, especially in the last 5 to 7 days leading up to the competition and also
in terms of rooming with other swimmers. In my experience, two swimmers who
get highly excitable are not a good match. Another issue over an 8-day major
meet is to match swimmers according to when they finish competing (e.g., swim-
mer A races on days 1, 2, and 4, whereas swimmer B competes on days 4, 7, and
8; this would not be a desirable match). The last thing I try to keep in mind is
the emotional cost, especially with 50 m swimmers who race over the last 2 to 3
days. Performance can be compromised if swimmers have been overstimulated
by fast swimming by their peers during the meet.
In the lead-up to the 2004 Olympic games, Jodie Henry was not the favorite
of most people. I kept her name out of the newspapers as much as possible.
However, after Jodie’s split of 52.95 s in the 4  100 m freestyle relay, there was
a lot of talk among swimmers that she was the woman who would win. Jodie got
off track a little, and as her coach I was there to put her back, reminding her to
stay in the moment—that what will be, will be! Her race instructions were nothing
about the race itself, just the 10 to 15 min leading up to the gun—what to do on
pool deck. To her credit, she followed these instructions to a tee. This was not the
first time I had used this tactic; in 2003 at the World Championships I used the
same approach with a young Alice Mills, who ended up winning two individual
silver medals. Too many swimmers swim their race before the gun goes off.
I didn’t talk to Jodie about what the opposition would do, like go out in under
26 s, because they didn’t! In coaching, what you don’t say is just as important
as what you do say. And remember that timing is everything; don’t say the right
thing at the wrong time!

Table 10.3  Jodie Henry’s Pre-Olympic Taper, 2004

Week 1
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
24 July 25 July 26 July 27 July 28 July 29 July 30 July
a.m. Gym No training 4,500 m: pull 4,400 m: aero- No training 600 m: light No training
1,500 m: short set bic pull and swim
power work in kick
water Gym

p.m. No training No training 4,000 m: HRC No training No training No training 4,200 m: HRC
2:08.80 2:11.80 (152
(168 beats/ beats/min);
min); 1,000 session aerobic
m decreas- pull and kick
ing set: 400,
300, 200,
100, lactate
6.8 mM
Comments Travel to As planned
Germany
for staging
camp

148
Week 2
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
31 July 1 August 2 August 3 August 4 August 5 August 6 August
a.m. 4,000 m: kick 3,600 m: 3,000 m: qual- No training 3,200 m: some No training 2,500 m: very
1,000 m general ity 4  50 quality kick: light general
Gym light swim- on 55 s, push 25 m 15.1 s; work
ming (27.3 s, SR 50 m 35.7 s
48; 28.4 s,
SR 47; 28.5 s,
SR 46; 28.0 s,
SR 48)
p.m. 4,000 m: 1,000 m No training No training 3,000 m: No training No training 3,500 m: HRC
HR 40 general, 2:06.70 (180
BBM: 2  (5  some relay beats/min);
100 on 1:50)/60 s changeover 2  25 push
rest, lactate after work band only
set 1, 2.7 mM; 13.17  s,13.01
after set 2, 3.9 s; 25 m kick
mM 15.31 s; 25 m
dive 12.14, SR
49; 2  30 m
push 14.71 s,
14.40 s
Comments Jodie didn’t Jodie sick, Jodie feeling
feel good, so sore better so did
4  50 only throat, so HRC; looked
once no train- very good, so
ing at all decided to do
today some quality
­training
Week 3
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
7 August 8 August 9 August 10 August 11 August 12 August 13 August
a.m. 2,000 m: mix 400 m: 2,200 m: pull 3,300 m: HRC No training 2,000 m “Peanut pool”
­general choice work, aero- 2:11.1 (166 swim
Gym light swim- bic type beats/min)
ming
p.m. 3,000 m: 750  m: 3 No training Last gym 1,200 m: 2,300 m: qual­- 1,000 m No training
 100 m decreas- session some ity: 50 m max
ing on 1:50/60 s “hypoxic” pull 27.6 s; 2
recovery (69.4 s, work: 4   50 in race
65.3 s, 63.1 s, HR 50 pull, no suit, 1st dive
164 beats/min); 3 breathing (25.38 s, SR
 100 m decreas- 55-51, 39
ing on 1:50/40 s strokes), 2nd
recovery 65.8 s, push (25.51 s,
65.2 s, 63.3 s, HR SR 53)/60 s
172 beats/min); recovery
100 m at HR 10
BBM on 1:30 (58.4
s); 50  m at HR 10
BBM (28.4  s, lac-
tate 8.3 mM)
Comments Arrived in As planned. Did not attend
Olympic Traveled  opening cer-
Village to training emony
venue to get
some good
water: Ready
to go!!

HR = heart rate; BBM = beats below maximum; SR = stroke rate; HRC = heart rate check.

149
150 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 10.4  Jodie Henry’s Olympic Week, 2004

Week 1

Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

14 August 15 August 16 August 17 August 18 August 19 August 20 August

a.m. Women’s 4  100 No training 1,800 m: 3 No training 100 freestyle No training No training
m freestyle relay  100 m (heat):
(heat): split decreas- 55.19 s (2nd
54.04 s ing and lap 27.97 s)
some short
sprints

p.m. Women’s 4  100 2,000 m: 1,500 m: 1,000 m: 100 freestyle 100 freestyle Light swim after
m freestyle relay light and similar ses- 25 m (semifinal): (final): yesterday’s
(final): split general sion but no pace 53.52 s (2nd 53.84 s excitement
52.95 s (2nd lap 3  100 m. work, lap 27.28 s) (2nd lap
27.38 s) 27.46 s at push 27.46 s)
100 m SR,
push

Comments Won gold medal, a.m., quali- Not as Did not com-
set world record fied 7th, only relaxed pete in
Her fastest-ever looked OK as night women’s 4 
2nd lap, previous p.m., warmed before. 100 m medley
best 27.70 s: goal up very well Also not relay heat
achieved and was very as quick in (Alice Mills
fast without warm-up swam freestyle
pushing it Won gold leg in heat:
Set World medal 53.54 s)
record

Week 2

Saturday
21 August

a.m. Race warm-up–

style swim
Olympic total
p.m. Women’s 4  100
3 gold medals
m medley relay
3 world records
(final): anchor
leg 52.97 s

Comments Won gold medal,

set world
record

HR = heart rate; SR = stroke rate.

personal best times. It is worth mentioning that the goal for her Olympic preparation,
as far as I was concerned, was to improve her already strong second 50 m.
Jodie’s swimming over the taper was 31 km in week 1, 20 km in week 2, and 12 km
prior to day 1 of competition, women’s 4  100 m freestyle relay.
What swimmers do during the major competition may be as important as what they
do during the taper leading up to the event. Table 10.4 shows Jodie’s racing and training
schedule during the Olympic Games.
 Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 151

Applying Shannon Rollason’s Expert Advice AT A Glance

As shown in the preceding section, Shannon Rollason has a thorough understanding of
the different tapering options at hand and very clear ideas about the tapering strate-
gies he likes to use with the swimmers he coaches. Shannon provides the readers with
a day-to-day description of the taper implemented by Jodie Henry, which led her to
win three Olympic gold medals, along with corresponding world and Olympic records.
Key messages from Shannon’s contribution are tapering for the first day of racing and
then maintaining that performance level for the duration of the championships (this
is in contrast with the strategy of trying to achieve peak performance at the end of a
tournament, an alternative option that is sometimes used in the team sports); focusing
on swimming efficiency and leg and arm balance in the water, rather than fitness and
speed; considering each athlete’s personality when trying to help her achieve optimal
psychological preparedness; and using the right messages at the right time (i.e., what
the coach says is as important as what he does not say, and he must avoid saying the
right thing at the wrong time).

Vladimir Vatkin
Peaking for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics

As in many other sports, preparation in gymnastics initially involves a general

preparation phase, which consists of all-around physical preparation of the athletes.
The specific preparation phase requires building routines that address the current code
of points used in judging the competitions for which the athletes are training. The final
phase of the preparation program involves direct preparation for a major competition.
Direct preparation should last about 3 weeks, plus a week for acclimatization when
we travel overseas. Of these 3 weeks, the first two are the hardest ones, featuring the
biggest routines and psychological loads (tests). The last week is a bit easier, with more

Vladimir Vatkin
Vladimir Vatkin is Australia’s men’s
artistic gymnastics national coach and
head coach of the Australian Institute
of Sport men’s gymnastics program.
Vladimir started his coaching career
more than 30 years ago in the USSR
and Belarus. He coached Ivan Ivankov
to the European Championships all-
around gold in 1994 and 1996 and to
the World Championships all-around
Joshua Jeffries, gold
gold in 1994 and 1997. Under Vladi-
medal winner in men’s
mir’s supervision, Australian gymnast all-around gymnastics,
Philippe Rizzo won silver in the high celebrates with his
bar at the 2001 World Champion- coach, Vladimir Vatkin,
ships and then gold in 2006. Vladimir after his championship
received the 1994 coach of the year performance at the
award in Belarus, all sports included, 2006 Commonwealth
and in Australia he has been selected Games in Melbourne,
men’s gymnastics coach of the year Australia.
half a dozen times. © AP Photo/Tony Feder
152 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

quality and less repetitions, but is still difficult enough. The week before the competition
is the most difficult one, because gymnasts are often experiencing jet lag and still need
to produce routines on the new equipment of the competition venue. This means that
gymnasts usually cannot afford an easier time before competitions, because we need to
show at the competition the same things we are doing in training.

Imperfect Preparation for Perfect Gymnastics

Like any other national coach, I had a lot of good competitions after good preparation,
but several competitions were far from ideal. In 1994, at the World Championships
in Brisbane for all-around final, I decided to take a public train with my gymnasts
instead of the shuttle bus to get to the venue at what I considered to be a better time.
Unfortunately, we missed the train connection, got lost, and were so late we thought
we were going to miss the competition. We were very lucky that people picked us up on
the highway and gave us a lift! We arrived at the competition at the very last moment,
and the relief to get there was so big that the pressure of this major competition had gone
completely. As a result, Ivan had his best competition ever. He nailed all six apparatus
and won the competition, although he competed in the weakest group. All the strongest
gymnasts competed after him, which is a major advantage in gymnastics.
In 2006, Philippe Rizzo’s preparation for World Championships was really uneven; he
went through two surgeries and did not have time for consistent training. We constructed
a new high bar routine a couple of weeks before the last camp, and Phil went through the
complete routine only three or four times during the camp (table 10.5). He was not very fit
and was even thinking of not going to the World Championships. It did not get any better
in Denmark: He was not able to catch the major release (which he had been doing for 8
years). The week we were training in Denmark he caught it for the first time in the team
competition and qualified with the highest result. Things got worse after this: The high bar
final was in a week’s time but Phil’s back became so sore that he did not train at all for 3
days and could not do very much. I was 90% sure I was going to withdraw him. His back
got a little better 2 days before the competition but still was not good enough for normal
training. On the day of the competition, it was the first time in the week he checked all
his skills, and he made his best-ever competition routine: He won.
Conversely, Phil was very well prepared for World Championships 2002 and 2003 but
only came sixth and fourth, respectively, after making the smallest mistakes. He was at
a perfect peak of fitness at the Athens Olympic Games but failed to qualify for the finals.
So at his worst physical level, in 2006, he managed to win. My concluding thoughts
are that the efforts he made to overcome physical problems washed away any aspects
relating to the psychological stress of competition.

AT A Glance Applying Vladimir Vatkin’s Expert Advice

In this section Vladimir Vatkin shows that elite athletes can come up with amazing
performances in the most unfavorable circumstances and that everything is not always
perfect behind a great performance, at least in artistic gymnastics. Key ideas to retain
from Vladimir’s section are that in contrast with other sports and preparation methods
we have previously discussed, the final preparation phase in gymnastics features very
heavy training loads, implying that a taper as such is not necessarily used to prepare for
major competitions; that gymnasts will not normally display in competition performance
levels they have not previously displayed in training (despite some happy exceptions,
such as Philippe Rizzo’s 2006 World Championships), so their competitive fitness should
be similar to their training fitness; and that in a technical sport like artistic gymnastics,
psychological preparedness may have a much bigger impact on competition outcome
than optimal physical fitness.
Table 10.5  World Championships Direct Training and Preparation Schedule
Australian Institute of Sport/Gymnastics Australia training camp

Monday Recovery
10:00 Skinfold
12:00 Meeting for all
Leg strength, strength, stretching, basics, drills and corner parts
Tuesday 8:30-11:45
on floor, trampoline
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
16:00-18:30
Trampoline, apparatus skills and combinations
Leg strength, strength, stretching, basics, drills and corner parts
on floor, trampoline
Wednesday 10:30-13:00
Apparatus skills and combination
Dismounts
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings, leg
Thursday 8:30-11:45 strength
Routines*
Strength, stretching, basics, drills and corner parts on floor, tram-
16:00-18:30 poline
Apparatus skills and combination
Leg strength, strength, stretching
Friday 8:30-11:45
Apparatus skills, combination and routines*
16:00-18:30 General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
Leg strength, strength, stretching, basics, drills and corner parts
Saturday 8:00-9:00
on floor, trampoline
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
10:30-13:30
Parts and routines
Sunday Rest, recovery
Leg strength, strength, stretching
Monday 8:30-11:45 Apparatus skills and combination
Dismounts
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Apparatus skills and combination
Tuesday 8:30-9:55 Leg strength, preparation for the test
  10:00 Team test**
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Mistake fixing, apparatus skills and combination
Leg strength, strength, stretching, basics, drills and corner parts
on floor, trampoline
Wednesday 10:30-13:00
Apparatus skills and combination
Dismounts
Thursday 8:30-9:55 Leg strength, warm-up for the routines
  10:00 One-touch warm-up—routine***
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Mistake fixing, apparatus skills and combination

> continued

153
 Table 10.5   > continued
Australian Institute of Sport/Gymnastics Australia training camp

Leg strength, strength, stretching

Friday 8:30-11:45
Apparatus skills and combination
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Apparatus skills and combination

Leg strength, strength, stretching, basics, drills and corner parts

Saturday 8:00-9:00
on floor, trampoline

  10:30-13:00 Parts and routines

Sunday   Rest, recovery
Leg strength, strength, stretching
Monday 8:30-11:45 Apparatus skills and combination
Dismounts
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Apparatus skills and combination
Tuesday 8:30-9:55 Leg strength, preparation for the test
  10:00 Team test**
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Mistake fixing, apparatus skills and combination
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
Wednesday 10:30-13:00 Apparatus skills and combination
Dismounts
Thursday 8:30-9:55 Leg strength, warm-up for the routines
  10:00 One-touch warm-up—routine***
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Mistake fixing, apparatus skills and combination
Leg strength, strength, stretching
Friday 8:30-11:45
Apparatus skills and combination
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Apparatus skills and combination

Leg strength, strength, stretching, basics, drills and corner parts

Saturday 8:00-9:00
on floor, trampoline

General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings

  10:30-13:00
Parts and routines
Sunday   Rest, recovery
Leg strength, strength, stretching
Monday 8:30-11:45 Apparatus skills and combination
Dismounts
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Apparatus skills and combination
Tuesday 8:30-9:55 Leg strength, preparation for the test
  10:00 Team test**
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Mistake fixing, apparatus skills and combination

154
 Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 155

Australian Institute of Sport/Gymnastics Australia training camp

General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings

Wednesday 10:30-13:00 Apparatus skills and combination
Dismounts
Leg strength, general warm-up, acrobatic warm-up
Thursday 8:30-11:45
Routines*
General warm-up, strength, stretching, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30
Apparatus skills and combination
Leg strength, strength, stretching
Friday 8:30-11:45
Apparatus skills and combination
General warm-up, acrobatic warm-up, strength skills on rings
  16:00-18:30 Apparatus skills and combination
Packing up for World Championships
Saturday Early morning Flying
*Routines: gymnasts present their routines to the coaches; **team test: 1.5 hr general warm-up and then gymnasts
present their routines in competition order to the judges; ***one-touch warm-up routine: same without the judges.

Gary Winckler
Producing Extraordinary Sprint Runners

For most coaches and the athletes they train, there is nothing higher on our wish
list of accomplishments than to achieve the best performance at the most important
competition of the year. I have always trained my track-and-field athletes to give their
peak performance of the year at the major championship for their event. This might be a
college conference championship meet or a World Championships or an Olympic final.
In my more than 30 years of coaching I have listened to many other coaches’ ideas
and tried many routes to achieve this goal with athletes in a variety of events. Most of
my experience has been working with athletes in speed and power events ranging from
short and long sprints to hurdling and jumping events. Next I discuss some of these
routes and explain what has worked well for my athletes in trying to achieve optimal
performance at the desired time of year.

Timing of the Taper

Early in my coaching career I was led to believe that peaking and tapering constituted a
special phase in the training and competitive year where a different approach should be
taken to make sure the athlete was ready for the big event. Some examples of protocols
I was led to try included these:

• Delaying the highest intensity of training until the last 14 to 21 days prior to the
big event
• Dramatically decreasing the volume of training and increasing the number of rest
days 14 to 21 days prior to the big event
• Using new and different training means such as swimming or running in water
while reducing the number of training sessions on the track
• Devoting a larger proportion of training time in the last 3 weeks of training to
psychological skills training
156 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Gary Winckler
Gary Winckler has been producing extraordinary athletes for more than 20 years.
Thirteen athletes coached by Gary have reached the Olympic Games in the sprints,
hurdles, or relays, and since 1992 athletes under Gary’s guidance have appeared in
every World Championships and Olympic Games, winning gold, silver, and bronze
medals. Perdita Felicien and Michelle Finn are two of the gold medal winners coached
by Gary. Gary has served as head coach of the U.S. World Championships team, has
directed the USA Track & Field national coaching education program, and is a level
III coaching instructor for the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

U.S. athlete Michelle

Perry, left, crosses the
finish line to win the
gold medal in the wom-
en’s 100 m hurdles final
at the 2007 World Ath-
letics Championships in
Osaka, Japan. Canada’s
Perdita Felicien, right,
took silver, and Swe-
den’s Susanna Kallur,
center, finished fourth.
Both Felicien and Kallur
have benefited from
Gary Winckler’s coach-
ing at the University of
Illinois.
© AP photo/Anja Niedring-
haus

All of these schemes have value and can contribute to achieving the peaking and taper-
ing desired. However, the common thread seen in these examples that I found did not
contribute to the desired goal was that these tasks were only emphasized in the last 14 to
21 days before the major event. Emphasizing different schemes or exercise protocols in
the 2 or 3 weeks before a major competition can interrupt the natural rhythm and flow
of training and recovery that the athlete has become accustomed to during the course of
training.
My experience has been that the process of peaking should begin on the very first day
of training in the general preparation segment. The habits we establish and the baseline of
conditioning and technical and tactical skills we ingrain in our athletes become the pedestal
from which we launch our final peaking or tapering process at the end of the year. Early in
the training year I present all of the skills that the athletes will need to have in their arsenal
to approach the highest stress of the competitive year calmly and with confidence.
Thus, in terms of peaking and tapering, I simply work to help my athletes improve their
critical skills over the course of the entire training year, working from very closed teaching
environments to very open, competitive ones. My experience has been that as athletes
achieve confidence in their skills, we can use this as a focal point in competition. In our
sport athletes have almost total control over the performance, so if we remain focused on
the skills that are most important to their performance, they will perform better.
Tapering for Sprint and Power Events 157

Psychological Fitness
If you read the material I have contributed to this chapter, you can see that prepara-
tion for any high-level athletic event involves not only physical skills but psychologi-
cal fitness as well. My approach to psychological fitness has largely been to help
my athletes achieve a level of confidence in their physical skills and to know how
to use them. Athletes who are confident about their ability to perform the required
skills will be more focused and thus not overwhelmed by the high stress of major
competition.

Final Taper
How do we approach the highest competition? During the early and middle part
of the competitive cycle, we observe how athletes are performing in competition.
We determine their most critical errors and why they are occurring. Using this
information we select coping mechanisms, whether they are physical or psychological
tasks, that we spend time developing in training and competition. As we approach the
later stages of the competitive season and therefore the peak event of the year, we
continually practice the familiar tasks that we believe are critical to the performance.
Along with this comes a gradual decline in the volume of training and maintenance
of high intensity work used throughout the entire training year. In sprinting and
hurdling, for example, it is important to use high-intensity, competition-specific runs
at least once every 3 to 4 days to maintain not only fitness but technical rhythm and
competence as well. Similarly, we do not abandon strength training but continue with
short, intense bouts of strength work right up to the day before competition. The key
element here is to not introduce new exercises and training protocols but rather stay
with the familiar and proven exercises and seek better timing and execution of those
exercises. This method supports the psychological needs of the athlete and improves
the critical physical skills required for the best performance.

Applying Gary Winckler’s Expert Advice AT A Glance

In this section by Gary Winckler, readers can learn about the peaking strategies used
by an extremely experienced sprint coach, who discusses not just the physical aspects
of the optimal preparation of his athletes but also technical and mental issues related
to peak performance. Key ideas in Gary’s section are planning a taper that does not
interrupt the natural rhythm and flow of an athlete’s usual training and recovery scheme;
focusing on psychological fitness to help athletes be confident about their competence
to perform the required skills under the pressure of competition; slightly reducing the
training volume but maintaining similar intensity during the final taper; maintaining short,
intense bouts of strength work right up to the day before competition; and performing
the sessions at the time of the main event.
The results of the competition went as planned, except that we came up 0.03 s short
in the final! The first round was a solid race with easy qualification to the semifinal. The
semifinal was a very competitive race, and our start to the first hurdle was not as good
as we had planned. Late-race technical proficiency saved the day. In the final, again the
start was not as good as most of the field, but the midrace hurdling was the best in the
field and produced the needed momentum to finish strongly off of the last hurdle to
gain a silver medal.
158 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Sample Taper
Table 10.6 provides a program that a 100 m hurdler used to achieve a season’s best
performance and a silver medal performance at the 2004 World Championships. You
will notice a rhythm in the training prescription. The order of the workloads did not
alter greatly, and roughly speaking the program was a very simple progression of the
following elements:

• General strength and running

• Lactacid capacity runs and strength work
• Hurdle-specific runs
• Rest

Table 10.6  World Championships Taper Program for a 100 m Hurdler

week 1
Monday Travel to training camp
13 August
Tuesday Travel to training camp
14 August
Wednesday 800 warm-up: jump Tempo: 100s
15 August ABS circuit 5 3  4  100 tempo runs (50 m walk, 100 m walk)
5  10 low leg lifts Hurdle mobility II
5  10 side-ups 3  8 hurdle walk-overs
5  10 back hypers with twist 3  8 hurdle bent leg—middle of hurdle
5  10 rockers 3  8 hurdle over–unders
5  10 crunch with twist 3  16 hurdle in-place dual trail legs
5  10 low circles 3  10 crocodile walk with pause
Thursday 2,400 warm-up: run Mobility: hurdle snake
16 August 3  200 lactacid capacity (6’) 6  6 one-step snake under hurdles lined up with cross-bars
ACAP 1/2 squat: high in a straight line and every other hurdle facing opposite
2  60 1/2 squat (2’) direction
2  72.5 1/2 squat (2’) 3  10 crocodile walk with pause
2  85 1/2 squat (2’) 8  100 sprinter’s cool-down
2  95 1/2 squat (2’) Tempo crescendo runs
8  17.5 jump squat Long controlled acceleration and deceleration
Hang from bar: 2  30’’ Mobility hip 1
APOW step-up Mobility shoulder
2  4  30 step-up (3’)
2  4  37.5 step-up (3’)
10  4  42.5 step-up (3’)
Friday 1,300 warm-up: movement Mobility: hurdle snake
17 August Hurdle mobility 6  6 one-step snake under hurdles lined up with cross-bars
3  8 hurdle walk-overs in a straight line and every other hurdle facing opposite
3  8 hurdle bent leg—side of hurdle direction
3  8 hurdle over–unders 3  10 crocodile walk with pause
3  10 crocodile walk with pause 8  100 sprinter’s cool-down
3  25 starts over 2 Hurdles Tempo crescendo runs
3  30 starts over 3 hurdles Long controlled acceleration and deceleration
1  8 hurdle at 8.20 m Mobility hip 1
1  7 hurdle at 8.20 m Mobility shoulder
1  6 hurdle at 8.20 m
week 1 (continued)
Saturday Rest
18 August
Sunday 800 warm-up: dynamics Tempo: 100s
19 August ABS circuit 3 2  4  100 tempo runs (50 m walk, 100 m walk)
3  10 scissor legs; keep low to the Mobility: hurdle snake
ground 6  6 one-step snake under hurdles lined up with cross-bars
3  10 reverse hypers in a straight line and every other hurdle facing opposite
3  10 low circles direction
3  10 rockers 3  10 crocodile walk with pause
3  10 Bart Connors
3  10 back hypers
3  10 low circles
3  10 V-ups
3  10 flutters
3  10 prone hip extension
3  10 medium circles
3  10 toe touch
Week 2
Monday 800 warm-up: jump Lactacid: 60–60–60
20 August GCAP snatch: high 2  180 in for 60 + 60 hold + 60 in
2  30 snatch from floor or hang (30’’) ABS circuit 5
2  35 snatch from floor or hang (30’’) 5  10 low leg lifts
2  42.5 snatch from floor or hang (30’’) 5  10 side-ups
6  2  47.5 snatch from floor or hang 5  10 back hypers with twist
(30’’) 5  10 rockers
Hurdle jumps 1 (balzi su ostacoli) 5  10 crunch with twist
1  4  6 hurdle jumps—12’’ hurdles 5  10 low circles
spaced at 1.40 m (2’, 6’) 8  100 sprinter’s cool-down
Tempo crescendo runs
Long controlled acceleration and deceleration
Mobility hip 1
Mobility shoulder
Tuesday 1,300 warm-up: movement Mobility: hurdle snake
21 August 2  25 starts over 2 hurdles 6  6 one-step snake under hurdles lined up with cross-bars
2  30 starts over 3 hurdles in a straight line and every other hurdle facing opposite
3  50 medium hurdle rhythm endurance direction
1  5 hurdle at 8.20 m 3  10 crocodile walk with pause
1  7 hurdle at 8.20 m 8  100 sprinter’s cool-down
1  8 hurdle at 8.20 m Tempo crescendo runs
Long controlled acceleration and deceleration
Mobility hip 1
Mobility shoulder
Wednesday Travel to Osaka
22 August
Thursday 1,300 warm-up: movement Hurdle mobility II
23 August Tempo: 100s 3  8 hurdle walk-overs
3  4  100 tempo runs (50 m walk, 100 3  8 hurdle bent leg—middle of hurdle
m walk) 3  8 hurdle over–unders
3  16 hurdle in-place dual trail legs
3  10 crocodile walk with pause

> continued

159
160 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 10.6   > continued

week 2 (continued)
Friday 1,700 warm-up: speed Tempo crescendo runs
24 August 2  25 starts over 2 hurdles Long controlled acceleration and deceleration
3  30 starts over 3 hurdles Mobility hip 1
ABS circuit 4 Mobility shoulder
2  10 V-ups
2  10 back hypers
2  10 prone hip extension
2  10 toe touch
2  10 double leg eagles
2  10 low-level bicycle
8  100 sprinter’s cool-down
Saturday Rest
25 August
Sunday 800 Warm-up: jump Tempo crescendo runs
26 August GCAP snatch: high Long controlled acceleration and deceleration
2  30 snatch from floor or hang (30’’) Mobility hip 1
2  35 snatch from floor or hang (30’’) Mobility shoulder
2  42.5 snatch from floor or hang (30’’)
2  47.5 snatch from floor or hang (30’’)
8  100 sprinter’s cool-down
week 3
Monday 1  100 competition 100 m hurdles (heat)
27 August
Tuesday 1  100 competition 100 m hurdles (semifinal)
28 August
Wednesday 1  100 competition 100 m hurdles (final)
29 August Silver medal

ACAP: Alactacid capacity—Fast movement, low reps (2-4" effort), short to medium recovery consistent with ASSE (alactic short speed endurance
running).

APOW: Alactacid power—Fast movement, medium reps (4-8"effort), recoveries consistent with speed development (90%).

GCAP: Glycolytic capacity—Fast movement, low reps (2-4"effort), short recovery consistent with GSSE (glycolytic short speed endurance run-
ning).

The volume of training performed at this time was slightly less than that used
during most of the competitive training segment. Training intensity was the same as
that used during the rest of the year. Most training sessions were carried out in the
afternoon, except for a few morning sessions to match the time of the first round of
competition. During the 21 days leading up to the major competition, the athlete
and I discussed key technical points we wanted to focus on. All runs were timed and
compared with results achieved in previous seasons. These timed runs all indicated
that special fitness and technical preparations were as good as or better than those of
any previous season.
Athletes should stay in their familiar training environment prior to competition.
Training camps are all the rage with many teams and individuals leading up to a major
competition. If these camps are not properly planned with familiar food, good sleeping
arrangements, and good training support, the camps merely become another obstacle
that the athlete needs to adapt to leading up to the major competition. Athletes should
travel early to major events only when they need time to adapt to a time change.
 chapter 11
Tapering
for Precision Sports

In contrast with most individual sports, in which performance is often related to an

athletes’ physiological capacities and basic training variables, performance in precision
sports is a measure of an athlete’s accuracy in activities that do not rely on cyclic
movements. Examples of these precision sports include shooting, archery, golf, and
curling. Unfortunately, no scientific knowledge is available regarding optimal tapering
and peaking strategies for these sports. Should an athlete shoot more arrows in the
lead-up to the Olympic Games or less? Should a golfer predominantly concentrate on
her drive or her putting skills in the days before a major tournament? How do strength
and endurance training affect shooting accuracy? Until researchers answer these and
other questions relating to tapering and peaking for precision sports, all we can do is
hear about the personal experiences of some great champions.

Simon Fairweather
Journeying to Olympic Gold in Archery

The notion of the taper in archery is not often discussed either formally or informally
among competitors and coaches. There is no academic research on the topic for the
sport. The week leading into a competition is significantly influenced by the timetable,
logistics, and weather conditions at each event, and an athlete’s ability to adapt during
final preparations is essential. Optimizing mental energy is just as important as peaking
physical energy levels, if not more so. Getting it right for the 5 days of competition is
quite personal for each individual and relies on many factors including the athlete’s
experience and the support he has.
During the 18 years I competed at the national and international levels (1987-2005),
I had two major championship wins as a member of the Australian national team. One
was near the beginning and the other near the end of my career, 9 years apart. These
wins were quite different in many respects; however, they were both world-beating per-
formances. The one thing in common for both, and in general for all archers who achieve
at the highest level, was a lot of training. Most of this training was actual shooting—up
to 7 hr or 300 arrows a day—but training also included up to an hour of running (or
similar aerobic activity) as well as strength sessions 3 to 4 days a week. The competitive
climate and culture of the sport at the time of each win, however, were quite different
and led to quite different preparations and “tapers.”

161
162 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Simon Fairweather
Australian archer Simon Simon Fairweather won the individual
Fairweather takes aim archery gold medal at the World Cham-
during the semifinal of pionships in Poland in 1991 at the age of
the men’s individual 21. Nine years later, Simon won individual
event at the Olympic gold again, on home soil, at the Sydney
Games in Sydney on 2000 Olympic Games, equaling the
September 20, 2000. Olympic record for an 18-arrow match in
Fairweather won the the first round. Simon has participated
semi and then went on in five consecutive Summer Olympic
to win the gold medal
Games: Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992,
by beating American
Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens
Victor Wunderle in the
final. 2004. Simon was declared young Austra-
lian of the year in 1991 and 1992.
© AP Photo/Greg Baker

1991 World Archery Championships

My first major win was the World Archery Championships (WAC) in 1991. I was 21,
had been shooting (Olympic-style archery) since I was 17, and had no coach. The two
major events I had been to before this were the 1988 Olympics and the 1989 WAC. I
had achieved reasonable results, 16th at the Olympics and 20th at the WAC, and these
made me determined to do better. I practiced a lot. I adjusted my shooting to match
the format of the event. Distances changed every nine arrows back then, so I trained
to change every six, so I was accustomed to the changes. I lifted weights and ran: lifted
more than ran. I shot a heavy weight bow, at least relative to what everyone shot at
that time, and I believed in what I was doing.
The team climate at that time was very amateur, much different than now. Most of
the competitors had paid their own way, and the experience was something of a holiday
as well as a competition. We were all there very much for archery and our love of the
sport. We sat in cafes and relaxed and spent as much time talking about archery as doing
it. It was an engaging, supportive, and encouraging culture, and being at the beginning
of my career, I felt positive about a long and successful future.
In the lead-up to the 1991 WAC, we traveled to Europe with plenty of time to get
over any jet lag. We shot a warm-up tournament in Italy and then moved to Poland,
where the event would be held. We arrived about a week before the championships was
due to begin. With time on our hands and not a lot to do, the temptation would have
been to practice all day; however, we could only access the practice facilities when the
organizing committee allowed us to and when we could get transport there. In addition,
there is limited ability to shoot a lot of arrows when you are sharing a practice range
with other teams that are fine-tuning their techniques and equipment. Tapering the
amount of shooting was (and still is) just part of being at the event.
From the time I left Australia I ceased my weight training and running. I believed
from magazine articles I had read that I would not lose fitness in the 2 weeks and that
it was best to rest and conserve energy. Accommodations in Poland were very basic; it
was hard to get good food, and we had no support in relation to our logistics. But I was
young and excited to be there, and none of the difficulties affected my physical or mental
preparation. The result was that I was rested, relaxed, and confident; my performances
improved as the competition went on; and in the end I emerged as world champion.
Tapering for Precision Sports 163

Seizing the Moments

As a result of the decreased time spent shooting, lifting, or running and increased
time spent waiting around for the first day of competition, you get to think a lot
more about shooting than to actually do it. This can be good or bad, and how you
handle it is vitally important. In 1991 I gained both calmness and confidence from
discussing archery techniques and equipment with the other archers. I focused on
my strengths in both how my shooting was feeling and the physical fitness I knew
I had. Throughout my career, my physical preparation was always important to me
and I believed that it gave me an advantage over my competitors. Choosing to
think and act constructively during the down time turned what could have been a
negative experience into an opportunity to hone my mental edge.

2000 Olympics
Nine years later, my other major win was at the 2000 Olympic Games, for which the
preparation was quite different. At this event I had a coach. He was a well-respected coach
from Korea (which is the powerhouse country in archery), and the entire Australian
national team had worked with him for 3 years leading up to this competition.
The quantity of my training program in the lead-up to 2000 was similar to 1991,
although there were some differences in the specifics of the training. By this time, I had
increased my running and cut back on the weightlifting, believing that this combination
was better for my shooting style. I was confident I had superior fitness compared with
my competitors. The competition format had changed from shooting individually, with
best total score winning, to match-play, which involved fewer arrows and therefore less
margin for error. In training we did a lot of competition preparation that was specific to
the demands of the match-play and the competition environment. The national coach
had spent the previous 3 years rebuilding our shooting techniques to something he
believed was more effective, which at times I had struggled with. I found it hard chang-
ing a technique that I had essentially “self-discovered” over many years.
At this time there was more pressure in both the format of the competition and the
Games themselves than I had experienced previously. Mental preparation was more
important than ever. This was my fourth Olympics, and both my teammates and I had
a feeling that time was running out and this was our last chance. The challenge was
not to just sit around and stew but to keep positive and occupied. This time rather than
completely dropping my fitness work, I reduced my running volume but continued to
do some easy running to help relax and burn off excess energy. The decrease in training
opportunity and time was the same, but the environment was not nearly as relaxed as
that before WAC in 1991. The main difference between the two experiences was that in
1991 I had little if any pressure and I gained reassurance and confidence largely from the
camaraderie of my fellow archers. In 2000, there was a lot more pressure, but I received
support from my coach and other professionals supporting the team. Both times, how-
ever, I was able to optimize mental and physical energy at the right time.
At the beginning of the final week before the archery competition at the 2000 Olym-
pics, we went to a small local archery club to get in a little easy shooting. I was focusing
on some technical points of my shooting, because something seemed amiss. We made
a little change and for some reason it triggered vivid memories from the 1991 champi-
onships. I was suddenly filled with hope, confidence, and positive feelings. I rode that
feeling for the rest of the week. I focused on just the positives and the process, taking
it one step at a time and never getting too far ahead of myself. It was the perfect cul-
mination of all my years of shooting and competition experience. On top of this I had
made the decision to retire after this event. The result of this was that I kind of “let go”
164 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

of chasing success, which ironically freed me up just to focus on making the most out
of this competition, put in a last big effort to do things well and to keep my head in the
right space. The lead-up, environment, and even culture of the sport were different
than during previous competitions, but my mental and physical preparedness was very
similar and led to the same winning result.

State of the Art or State of Mind?

More and more coaches look for science and technology for improving their archers’
performance. Lots of money can be spent on sport science, including studying
things like tapering, but I’m really not sure that it is money well spent in a sport like
archery. There were many occasions in my career where we tested things that were
thought to provide advantages. In general all it did was interrupt training and mess
with my confidence. I acknowledge that many sports gain a lot from sport science,
but I think that in high-skill, low-physicality sports like shooting and archery, the
real strength for performance comes from confidence and routine. I believe that an
archer feeling really confident and comfortable, with a positive outlook, will beat
a technically superior rival who is struggling with confidence and full of doubt. It
certainly is much cheaper to work on confidence than equip a training center with
state-of-the-art technology. You only have to look at the results of many of the
poor European countries: They often have substandard equipment and just basic
infrastructure yet they are a force to be reckoned with. State-of-the-art equipment
obviously doesn’t make much of a difference. Maybe it only adds to the athletes’
drive to succeed.
Another thing to keep in mind is that lack of planning by coaches and athletes,
and mismanagement by team officials, can affect team members badly. Even simple
things like having enough water for the athletes—not just after you’ve settled into
a routine but during travel and certainly as soon as possible once you’ve arrived—
can affect their mental balance. Confidence and peace of mind are often fragile
things and it’s really important to protect them.

Tapering for Archery

I believe that confidence, mental energy, and preparedness are the most important parts
of the “taper” for an archer. The best way to achieve this is to take a very measured,
calm approach to the tasks of the day, ensuring that there are enough activities in the
day to occupy the mind of the athlete without causing fatigue. Obviously this is one
of the challenges for the coach and manager, and the competition infrastructure may
not make this easy. So coaches should look for ways to improve their athletes’ outlook,
such as these ideas:

• Be sure athletes develop good general fitness in the lead-up to the event.
• Try to make traveling as easy and comfortable as possible.
• Assign athletes some easy exercise upon arrival to use some of the energy, adrena-
line, and tension that can build up.
• Set aside time for relaxation sessions. By relaxation I mean a technique such as
progressive muscle relaxation, not a trip to the pub!
• Provide massage, if funding permits. Soft tissue therapy is not just a good physical
treatment but a good mental one too. It takes up more of the day with something
that feels and seems good for the competition preparation.
Tapering for Precision Sports 165

• Avoid getting stuck waiting around. Avoiding needless delays, as much as possible,
will lessen athletes’ anxiety and associated conflicts between team members.
• Provide strategies for coping with the unexpected and ensuring minimal stress.

I don’t believe that tapering for archery is as advanced or scientific as it is for many
sports. If preparation has been thorough, fitness, technique, and competition-specific
practice should set the athlete up well for the major event. The athletes should keep the
“feel” of the skill or technique with some shooting each day but significantly reduce the
time spent standing outside in the elements, thereby conserving energy and strength
for the competition. Physical preparation is fairly simple and based on common sense:
Aerobic and strength training can be dramatically reduced 2 weeks out from the event.
I have never heard an archer say that his competition was affected because he didn’t get
his taper right. Mental preparation is the key and there are many factors in optimizing
this, but the perfect mental taper is elusive . . . and not just in archery!
Table 11.1 shows a daily program that will help build and maintain confi-
dence, mental energy, and preparedness in archers in the week leading up to a major
­competition.

Table 11.1  Daily Program for the Week Leading Into an Archery Competition
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Morning Arrive. Check in to Have an easy Start earlier, similar Start as yesterday. Start as yesterday.
lodgings. Jog or morning, not too to a competition Spend 1 to 1 1/2 Official practice
walk. early. Spend 3 hr day. Spend 2 hr hr shooting. day; therefore
shooting. shooting. not too much
shooting.

Lunch

Afternoon Spend 2 hr train- Check shooting If possible, spend If possible, spend Jog—not too far,
ing. Nothing equipment. another 2 hr another 1 to 1 just to loosen
specific, just Refletch arrows if shooting, identi- 1/2 hr shooting, up and take up
easy shooting, needed. Jog. fying key points identifying key time. Check
allowing time to to remember points to remem- and repair any
catch up with old for good shoot- ber for good equipment.
friends. ing (different for shooting (dif- Go to cafe for
each individual). ferent for each coffee or tea.
individual)

Dinner

Evening Go to cafe for tea Have a massage Have a massage Have a massage Don’t have a
or coffee and and practice and practice and practice massage today,
then have an relaxation.* relaxation.* relaxation.* because it often
early night. affects shooting
feel. Practice
relaxation.

*A therapist has time to see only so many people per day, so not all the team may get a massage each day. Some may not like it daily
anyway.
166 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

AT A Glance Applying Simon Fairweather’s Expert Advice

In this section by Simon Fairweather, readers learn how a world and Olympic champion
approaches the final days before a major archery event. Although the notion of tapering
for competition is not embraced as such in this sport, there are hints of a true tapering
approach in Simon’s account. Indeed, he mentions a significant reduction in his fitness
training and arrow shooting, optimization of his psychological status, and individualization
of the optimal peaking strategies in the final days before a major event. Key concepts
of this section are adjusting the training to the specific requirements of the competition;
incorporating travel and limited access to training facilities at the competition venue
into the tapering program; ensuring that logistical issues do not interfere with an ath-
lete’s preparation; and focusing on strengths and self-awareness of the advantages an
athlete has over her competitors to achieve the confidence and mental energy needed
for optimal performance.

José María Olazabal

Fine-Tuning for Peak Performance in Golf

Golf is an activity that allows the player, even at the professional level, to maintain a
high level of competitiveness and achieve a certain longevity. I mention this because
the long sporting career of a golfer is often characterized by many changes in the
competition calendar, and these players go through many trends regarding physical,
mental, and technical preparation.
I have achieved three individual wins that I especially value and consider particularly
important, because of either the competition in question or the circumstances surround-
ing it. In terms of team victories, I refer to two: the Ryder Cup of 1987 and that of 2006.
My special individual wins are the 1990 World Series and the Masters of 1994 and 1999.
I describe these in chronological order.

José MarÍa Olazabal

José María Olazabal is one of the world’s
most successful professional golfers of the
past 20 years. He was competing at the
national level by age 7. At 19, he went
professional. His greatest achievements
include two victories in the Augusta
Masters, in 1994 and 1999, and four
victories in the Ryder Cup as a member
of the European team, in 1987, 1989,
1997, and 2006. Throughout his profes-
sional career, “Txema” Olazabal has won
Golfer José María Ola- 22 tournaments in the European tour, 6
zabal of Spain holds the tournaments in the American PGA tour,
trophy after winning and 2 professional tournaments in Japan.
the 2000 International
In the amateur ranks, he is the only golfer
Open at Belfry, UK.
Olazabal won by three
in history to have won the British Boys,
shots, the second time Youth, and Amateur Championships, and
he has won the event. his amateur record is officially recognized
as the best in the history of the sport.
© AP Photo/David Jones/PA
Tapering for Precision Sports 167

Ryder Cup 1987

It was the first time in the 60 years of history of this competition that the American
team was defeated on their home soil. The cup was played in Columbus, Ohio, Jack
Nicklaus’ “fief,” and it represented for me the discovery of a competition I became
hooked on and I am thrilled about.
My debut in the circuit in 1986 had been a walk in the park. That year I was winner
of the national circuit ranking and two tournaments and was second in the Order of
Merit right behind “The Myth” (Seve Ballesteros). So I could not understand why I was
not winning in 1987, but it turned out to be a gray season without individual victories
in the circuit.
Despite that, Tony Jacklyn, the European Ryder Cup captain, had confidence in me,
selected me for the team, and made me team up with Seve in all four double matches.
But I arrived to the competition with my self-esteem below zero, to the point that the
Irish pro golfer Des Smyth walked up to me the week before at the Lancôme Trophy
in Paris and said, “José, you are not hitting it right. I see you fail a lot of shots, and I
understand that you get upset, but damn it! You hit quite a few good ones too; try to
enjoy them all in the same measure.” I did not feel the impact of those words at that
very moment, but that idea evolved over time, slowly but surely.
At the Ryder Cup, it could not have happened in any other way; I unconsciously let
myself get carried by Seve and the rest of team, and it really worked! It was the first
time that the “mind factor” led my performance, rather than the “testosterone factor,”
and I didn’t realize it at the time!

World Series 1990

My first individual victory on U.S. soil was at the legendary course of Firestone, in
Akron, Ohio. Only four players were under par, but with a total score of 18 under par, I
was 12 shots clear of runner-up. My record of 61 shots still stands, despite technological
advances in golfing gear. The course still has the reputation of being brutal.
When I arrived there, I was not impressed with my game and I was not enjoying
it. The week before I had had a decent role in Denver, but nothing to be crazy happy
about. But it happened. I still don’t know why, but I entered “the zone” from the very
first shot, like being transported inside a bubble, without external influences, with total
inner peace and stillness. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. I started the
tournament: birdie–eagle–birdie–birdie. I finished the first round with a 62 (9 below par),
and everyone treated me like I was from another planet. The week continued that way
and I am unable to capture why it was so. I imagine that psychologists have theories
about it, but I am no expert.

Masters 1994
From March 1992 until February 1994 I played terribly. Of course, I never came close
to winning. In February 1994 in Andalusia, I finished second despite not playing
particularly well, and I started to think that perhaps I could achieve a decent result
without playing brilliantly. The following week in Alicante I played better. I was in the
last group on Sunday, but I was three shots behind Paul McGinley with two holes left
to play. He collapsed and we tied after the final hole. The tie-break did not escape me,
and I beat him.
After 1 week of rest I was off to the United States, where I finished eighth and second
in the tournaments immediately before the Masters. Nevertheless, I maintained a low
mental profile, without overthinking the competition. It worked well, and I believe that
in the final moments my runner-up position in the Masters 1991 behind Ian Woosnam
gave me extra strength and leadership over Tom Lehman to defeat him. Once again,
my success came more from my head than anything else—not in an induced way, but
instinctively.
168 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Masters 1999
Low times again. I had been happy to emerge after my injury in 1996, which kept me
away from competition for 18 months, and I had done little things here and there, but
things were not rolling.
During the champions dinner at The Masters, Gary Player (three-time winner of the
Augusta Masters) came up to me and said, “How are you José, how is your game?”
and I replied, “Don’t bet any money on me Gary, I don’t stand a chance.” He became
angry and delivered a solid speech about how he, at the age of 70, could still hold karate
positions for 5 min, with all that tension on his thighs, and how it was incredible that
someone like me could have such negative ideas, so little self-esteem, and so little faith
in himself. Then he added, “Now get out there and win it.” And the truth is that I did:
I beat Greg Norman to win The Masters.
Later I found out that my entourage had asked Gary Player to deliver that speech to
me. And it certainly worked—the head once again.

AT A Glance Applying the Expert Advice of José María Olazabal

In this section by golf great José María Olazabal, the reader can learn about the power
of self-esteem and self-belief in a psychologically demanding precision sport like golf.
Unlike other contributors to part III of this book, but in agreement with some others,
Txema Olazabal does not mention tapering his training in the lead-up to his major golf-
ing achievements but rather fine-tuning his mental preparation for the competition. This
latter concept is in full agreement with the notions about mental readiness expressed
by archer Simon Fairweather in the previous section. Another interesting aspect of this
contribution is the idea that individual sport athletes can become “mighty locomotives”
for a team event such as the Ryder Cup, when they all are on the same wavelength and
pulling in the same direction. The key idea from this section is the paramount role of
“the mind factor” in a sport like golf, in which hitting the ball right may depend more
on achieving the right mindset at the right time than on any other training aspect.

Ryder Cup 2006

It was my seventh participation in this tournament, which was in Ireland this time.
I understood for the first time the meaning of collective catharsis. None of us on the
team were ourselves. We were 12 souls, plus that of the captain, and 13 souls pulling in
the same direction represent a mighty locomotive. We won, we were unstoppable, and
it was almost by collective hysteria. The motives were, for example, Darren Clarke’s
recent widowhood, the passion expressed by the Irish crowds . . . and I don’t really know
what else, but the reality is that it happened.
We all prepare physically to play, but we have a long season, the major tournaments
are scattered through the year, and you should be in good form from mid-January to
the end of the year, unlike other sports in which the major event takes place once a year
and one prepares “in crescendo” to reach the summit at the right date. Therefore, what
needs perfect timing in golf is one’s mind, and that timing is not easy to achieve.
 chapter 12
Tapering
for Team Sports

As we have seen in chapter 8, there are some unique aspects of tapering and peaking
in team sports that coaches and athletes should always keep in mind. Team sport
performance requires a perfect balance between physical, physiological, technical,
tactical, and psychological factors. Elite team sport players must excel in their speed,
acceleration, power, endurance, and agility, and an effective taper must optimize all
of these attributes for every player. In addition, team dynamics must be developed in
such a way that every piece of the puzzle falls into place, every member of the team is
singing the same tune. In this section, an outstanding group of coaches from around
the globe disclose their approach to exceptional world-class team sport performances.

Ric Charlesworth
Achieving Gold in Women’s Field Hockey

Our strategy before Sydney 2000 was to peak physically, mentally, tactically, technically,
and in terms of our cooperation and team dynamics. That is, we worked to be at our
peak in every aspect of the game during the tournament, with a special emphasis on
the necessity to be in the best position to play at the end of the tournament. In a team
event with support staff in double figures and 16 players, this is not easily controlled
or supervised, and it requires real vigilance by all team members to ensure that some
are not left behind and all are included in the plans and are on the “same page” as
teammates. Equally, all must be aware of each other’s performance strengths and
weaknesses.
Every coach aims to optimize performance at the major events and develops the
tapering and peaking strategy to achieve this. During the years before the Sydney 2000
Olympics, we played out various scenarios to ensure we had our group ready for the last
2 weeks in September. Our final, if we made it, would be September 29. Starting on the
17th we would be required to play 8 matches in 13 days . . . the field hockey tournament
at the Olympics is an endurance event as much as anything else!

6 Months Out
Our training regime for the 6 months prior to the games was structured around four game-
simulating sessions per week. At these sessions, intensity was tracked through heart rate
monitors and lactate measurements to ensure we matched elite game levels of physical

169
170 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Ric Charlesworth
Ric Charlesworth was the national coach
of the Australian women’s field hockey
team from 1993 to 2000. The team was
ranked number one in the world for eight
Australia’s Jenny Morris consecutive years, won the gold medal
(left) and Allison Peek at the Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000
celebrate after scor- Olympic Games, and won the gold at
ing during their gold the World Hockey Cup in 1994 and 1998.
medal field hockey During this time, Ric won the Australian
game in the Sydney team coach of the year award on six occa-
2000 Olympics. Austra-
sions. In 2001 Ric was appointed a master
lia won 3–1, bolstering
coach by the International Hockey Fed-
the case for coach Ric
Charlesworth’s care- eration, and in 2005 he was selected as
fully planned tapering Western Australia’s greatest-ever coach.
strategy.
© AP Photo/Eric Gay

output. We understood what the requirements of the game were because for years we
had collected heart rate data from our international matches. We constantly evaluated
training intensity in these sessions to ensure we exceeded match requirements.
We used a volume–intensity cycle three times during the specific preparation phase of
23 weeks. This was preceded by a regeneration phase at the end of the previous year’s
activities, and then through December 1999 and January 2000 there was a general
preparation phase to prepare for the intense program ahead. The players were relocated
from their various home bases to a single, central base at the beginning of February 2000
and the general preparation phase continued into March.
The specific preparation program then began, and as already indicated we used a
volume–intensity cycle three times during that program. The final taper duration was
longer than that of the two previous phases, because the focus was more on ensuring
that the players carried limited structural injuries and fatigue into the competition. We
knew by then that their physical capability under maximum load returned after 12 to
16 days of light work and within 3 to 5 days if one or two hard sessions (game simula-
tions) were held during this time.
Throughout the specific preparation phase we trained intensively for segments of
3 to 4 weeks followed by a competition phase and then rest, and so the players were
accustomed to these phases and workloads. Generally, we lightened the loads prior to
competition phases and we were well aware of the players’ capacity to return to maxi-
mum physical capability.

Foundations for the Final Taper

Immediately before the Olympic Games began, our lightest week was 2 weeks before
the beginning of the playing phase on September 17. The taper also took into account
that the team should physically peak for the final games, and therefore the first week’s
competition would be part of the load required to ensure this occurred.
Critical to the effectiveness of the physical preparation strategy was the work done
over the previous years with heart rate, lactate, and perceived ratings from the players
to ensure their ability to self-monitor, self-regulate, and provide feedback. This gave us
confidence that we could handle the demands of competition and that the athletes would
respond as predicted to physical loads. Just as important as the physical loading and train-
ing experience of the group was the confidence that came from the data showing that
Tapering for Team Sports 171

they could handle the physical requirements of eight games in 13 days. This confidence
was as important for their performance as was their physical capability.
Technical peaking was underpinned by sessions that were, as always, match intense and
competitive. During the two light weeks immediately before the games, these sessions were
of shorter duration but of the same quality, pace, and intensity (September 7, 11 [short
game], and 13 [short game], table 12.1). Equally, the players usually felt more comfortable
about their technique when they did some training every day. We trained throughout the
competition as much for a distraction and time filler as for any specific training aims.

Unique Olympic Team Issues

In the Olympics you can find yourself playing Korea one day and Spain the next.
These opponents are very different in style and approach, and the work done over the
months and years before must ensure that there are no surprises. Both the physical
and tactical preparation must instill total confidence in the players. This ensures there
is no panic about what they will face in the weeks ahead. The last days of specific
preparation were spent summarizing and revising important tactical knowledge that
we had systematically accrued over the previous years and refined in the 6 months of
specific preparation in 2000.
Another big issue with the Olympic hockey event is that over the 2 weeks fortunes
will wax and wane, and the ability to remain grounded is critical. Too much time to think
about the event can be a problem as can the short-term disappointments or elations that
occur one day and must be set aside to focus on a new opponent the next day. Results
of other matches can similarly distract and disorient individuals, the squad in general,
and the staff; thus, it is necessary to meet regularly to discuss the events of the day and
monitor formally and informally the feelings and thoughts of the group. This practice
should be established over the years leading into the Olympics.
Critical to our frame of mind were some matters that I believe are essential for Olympic
team performance. We selected late so that the whole focus was on improvement and
every squad member’s being ready to play, not just “make the team.” Also in 1998 we
had Olympic-like experiences in the World Cup in The Netherlands, where we shunned
superior accommodation for the village lifestyle, and the Commonwealth Games in Kuala
Lumpur, where we had a similar village experience. We knew what to expect. Finally, the
family and parents week preparation early in 2000 dealt with all the issues of family, friends,
and media that a home Olympics can bring. The expectations of others were appropriately
shaped and athletes’ expectations were well matched to reality well in advance.

5 Weeks Out
In the 5 weeks before the Olympics we went from as many as 15 sessions a week down
to 6 in the week before the games commenced and 7 the week before that (table 12.1).
Indeed, the week before the Olympics was the lightest week of the year. However, our past
experience gave us confidence that physically the athletes would respond as we had seen
previously. During the 14 to 7 days before the Olympics we relocated to Sydney, became
familiar with the village, and then after a couple of days moved out of the village to train
and stay in the Blue Mountains, away from all of the hype associated with the Olympics.
During this phase no hockey was played; however, we had a number of “novelty” sessions
and worked on team dynamics, aerobic conditioning, and weights training. One of the
novelty-sessions days entailed playing games of “keep off” and relay races in a pool.
We then moved back into the village for the week before the games, where we played
a couple of short practice matches, did some sharp speed work on another day, and did
some technical preparation prior to a 2-day rest before our first match.
Table 12.1 shows that in week 44 we had our traditional four high-quality intensity
sessions on August 21, 23, 24, and 26/27. In week 45 sessions were held on August 28,
30, and 31 (this was eventually cancelled), because some players went on a home leave.
The intensity was accordingly winding down.
172
Table 12.1 Australian Women’s Hockey Squad 2000 Olympics Training Program, Specific Preparation III and Taper
Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Week Phase Dates 21 Aug 22 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 27 Aug

44 Specific preparation a.m. Active recovery Weights Set plays Rehab weights GK weights Skills high
GK weights Set plays Set plays tempo or
club semi
p.m. Sprints and Game and RE Game
skills (moder- 20 min
ate to high
tempo)

Dates 28 Aug 29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Aug 1 Sept 2 Sept 3 Sept

45 Specific preparation a.m. Active recovery Weights Set plays Rehab weights GK weights Field AE run
GK weights Set plays Set plays 30 min
p.m. Sprints and Game and RE Game
skills (moder- 20 min ­cancelled
ate to high
tempo)

Dates 4 Sept 5 Sept 6 Sept 7 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 10 Sept

46 Taper a.m. Rest Enter village Training (WU Team weights

pitch)
p.m. Skills (comp Speed and Skills high AE 40 min Skills (comp
pitch) or skills L-M tempo (comp with surges pitch) L-M
light jog tempo pitch) 10 s every tempo
and stretch (comp pitch) 4 min
 Dates 11 Sept 12 Sept 13 Sept 14 Sept 15 Sept 15 Sept 16 Sept

47 Taper a.m. GK and rehab Skills (comp Skills (Ryde) AE and up

weights pitch) set plays tempo skills 40
min (9:30am)
Ryde
p.m. WU game vs. Training Training (WU Skills (comp Opening Light jog Game vs.
Germany (WU pitch) pitch) game pitch) L-M ­ceremony and stretch GB
(comp pitch) sprints vs. Holland tempo

Dates 18 Sept 19 Sept 20 Sept 21 Sept 22 Sept 23 Sept 24 Sept

48 Competition a.m. Active recovery Active Active recovery Active

recovery? recovery
(depending
on schedule)
p.m. Game vs. Game vs. Game vs. Korea Game 5
Spain Argentina

Dates 25 Sept 26 Sept 27 Sept 28 Sept 29 Sept 30 Sept 31 Sept

49 Competition a.m. Active Active recovery

recovery
p.m. Game 6 Game 7 Final

AE = aerobic endurance efforts; comp pitch = location is competition pitch; GK weights = goal keepers’ weights; L-M = low to medium intensity; RE = repeated explosive efforts; Ryde
= training site in Sydney; WU = warm-up. Bold type denotes key high-intensity training sessions and preparatory matches.

173
174 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

We entered the village on the September 5. After a couple of days settling in and
training we left the village for 3 days in the mountains with no hockey. Our nonhockey
vacation of 3 days was designed to escape the Olympic environment. We had tested this
approach in 1996 and we knew the players appreciated a respite from village life. We
returned to the village for more light work, two short (50 min) but high-tempo practice
matches on September 11 and 13, and a final sprint session on September 12. We were
then ready to play.
Our performance in the tournament indicated that we were probably at our best in
the second week. The first half of our first match of the tournament was quite sparkling
in its quality, although during the first week of the Olympics we were not at our best-
ever form.
Our strategy to perform in Sydney encapsulated a physical taper that was not experi-
mental but had been tested, yet still relied heavily on the players to self-monitor their
diet, hydration, sleep, and general health. Thorough preparation for tactical issues that
might arise and the development of flexibility over the previous years enabled us to
anticipate and react to any eventuality. In the end a solid routine, discussed and agreed
on well before the event, underpinned this preparation to ensure we remained on course
for the 2 weeks of competition.

AT A Glance Applying Ric Charlesworth’s Expert Advice

In this section by Ric Charlesworth the reader can learn about the strategies for collective
peaking of a group of elite athletes to win Olympic gold. Team sport peaking involves
not only optimizing physical, technical, tactical, and mental skill but also enhancing inter-
athlete cooperation and group dynamics. Key ideas of this section include matching or
exceeding the physical output requirements of competition during training; taking the
first week of competition as part of the loading phase to actually peak for the final games
of the tournament; training throughout the competition to maintain players’ technique
proficiency, achieve specific training aims, and also fill time; performing a taper that had
been tested and proven to be successful in prior events; and being flexible to anticipate
and react to eventualities.

Derik Coetzee, Yusuf Hassan, and Clint Readhead

Winning the World Cup in Rugby

When Jake White was appointed as the South African rugby coach in 2004, he
informed his management team and players that there was no reason they could not
win the 2007 Rugby World Cup (RWC). From that point onward, players and the
management team systematically synchronized and controlled all inputs to fulfill the
coach’s prophecy.
Designing a training and tapering program according to scientifically based periodiza-
tion principles was our point of departure. We also relied heavily on practical experience.
Tapering is a training technique designed to reverse the training-induced fatigue that
occurs during intense training, without losing any of the acquired training adaptations.
Tapering is acknowledged as the final phase of training within a time frame (weeks
to days) prior to the actual competition and involves a reduction in training load, by
manipulating training variables (intensity, frequency, and duration). Yet we also under-
stood that we needed to apply throughout the season the rest and recovery needs that
are key to the taper itself. Thus an important part of achieving our goal was to apply
some of the principles of tapering to our training year-round.
Tapering for Team Sports 175

Derik Coetzee, Yusuf Hassan,

and Clint Readhead
Derik Coetzee is the head conditioning
coach of the South African national rugby
team, the Springboks. Derik has been
coaching elite rugby players for more
than 15 years and has been involved with
Bryan Habana and the Springboks since 2004. Yusuf Hassan
coach Jake White is the medical doctor of the Springboks.
of the South African Yusuf has provided medical services to
Springboks hold
elite rugby teams for nearly a decade
Rugby World Cup after
the 2007 final match
and has been the Springboks’ medical
between England and doctor since 2004. Clint Readhead is the
South Africa in Saint medical manager for South African rugby.
Denis, France. South Clint has been a sport physiotherapist
Africa bested England with rugby teams since 1995, and he has
by 15–6. worked with the Springboks since 2003.
© AP photo/Francois Mori

Avoiding Injury and Burnout Through Periodization

Jake White stressed the need to have players at test level who are physically superior
to the opposition in every way. He also understood that having the Springboks at peak
fitness levels for the duration of the entire international season was not realistic. In
accordance we followed a well-planned strategy based on the periodization method of
training. The goal was to ensure that the Springboks’ physical and mental abilities were
optimal at the onset of the RWC and that those abilities did not deteriorate during the
tournament. This approach required that adequate rest and recovery be built into the
training throughout the year—not just the taper—to avoid serious injury and burnout.
To do this, we took medical, physiological, technical, tactical, psychological, and their
sociological variables into account. Two such factors that are closely associated with
tapering and that we continued to watch closely during the taper itself were controlling
fatigue throughout the year and minimizing injuries.

Controlling Fatigue Throughout the Year

Players were required to complete a weekly subjective rating of the training intensity
and their state of fatigue (table 12.2). Individual ratings were evaluated in view of the
actual training loads, and training loads were subsequently manipulated and recovery
strategies implemented accordingly.
A special emphasis was placed on recovery strategies during the competition. These
strategies included individualized guidelines for optimal hydration, nutrition, nutritional
supplement intake, specific recovery strategies, and appropriate rest and sleep patterns
at different times of the week and before, during, and after each game (table 12.3).

Minimizing Injuries
A follow-up of Springboks rugby players over two seasons showed that only 12% of
the players were able to complete an 11-month rugby season without a significant
176 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 12.2 Weekly Assessment of Training Intensity and Fatigue Index

Player’s rating of the Please indicate your level
intensity of the previ- of perceived intensity of
ous week’s training the previous week’s train-
(1-10) ing in your diary every
Friday
Reassessment
Date 1 Date 2 Date 3
0 = rest
1 = really easy
2 = easy
3 = moderate
4 = sort of hard
5 = hard
6 = harder
7 = very hard
8 = he tried to kill me
9 = oh-oh
10 = death
Please indicate your level
Player’s subjective of perceived fatigue of
rating of present state the previous week in your
of fatigue diary every Friday
1 = very very slight
2 = very slight
3 = slight
4 = mild
5 = moderate
6 = moderate to severe
7 = severe
8 = very severe
9 = very very severe
10 = totally exhausted

acute or overuse injury. Indeed, 52% of the players sustained overuse injuries, some of
which required surgery. Of the 48% of players who did not suffer any overuse injury,
73% had acute injuries requiring rest and rehabilitation, which lasted for weeks in
many cases. Only 27% of the group without overuse injuries played the full duration
of the 11-month rugby cycle without significant acute or overuse injuries (figure
12.1). Because of these observations, it was concluded that ongoing screening for
biomechanical intrinsic risk factors must continue so we could identify athletes who
were most vulnerable to injury under the training and competition regimes that were
being implemented. Most of the contracted Springboks had been training and playing
during the preceding 2 years, so because of the way contracting is done South Africa, it
was difficult to control the total amount of rugby a contracted player was exposed to.
Thus, we predicted an increase in risk of injury and burnout.
Table 12.3  Guidelines for Recovery During the Competition
Beginning of the week Measure body weight at breakfast
Monitor fluid
Maintain flexibility
Maintain mobility
Have massage
Maintain high protein, high carbohydrate intake
Follow individual plan for nutrition and supplementation

Middle of the week (main Maintain high protein intake

training session) Maintain hydration
Rest
Stay off feet
Sleep at least 8 hr
End of the week Engage in light flexibility work
Have massage
Maintain high fluid intake
Maintain high carbohydrate intake
Rest
Stay off feet
Sleep at least 8 hr
Pregame and game Maintain high fluid intake
Maintain high carbohydrate intake
Maintain fluid intake during game
Ice jackets compulsory half time
New jersey
Bench thermo suits
Rest
Stay off feet
Sleep at least 8 hr
Postgame Maintain high fluid intake
Maintain high carbohydrate intake
Maintain light locomotion
Engage in light flexibility work
Engage in cold immersion
Avoid alcohol

12

10
Number of players

4
Figure 12.1  Proportion of overuse-
injury-free Springboks players who
suffered other types of acute injuries 2
compared with those who suffered
none.
0
Adapted courtesy of Drs. Yusuf Hassan and Acute injuries Injury free
Derik Coetzee. (non-overuse group) (non-overuse group)

177

E4493/Mujika/fig 12.1/330666/KE/R3-alw
178 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Because of our obligations of not interfering with the scheduled Super 14 club competition,
we made it a priority to identify and manage players who had injuries or needed rest. Players
were given time off based on their medical profiles, physical strengths and weaknesses, as
well as their rugby exposure times. The affected players were then introduced (according
to their fitness profile images) to the various stages of the periodized protocol described
in the following sections. Also certain players who presented with “specific risk of injury”
profiles were strictly managed in terms of their training load exposure. These strategies had
a huge effect in that we did not see the normal overuse injuries with these players when
they reported to the Springboks camp in May 2007 for the start of the test season.

Rest and Recovery in Pretaper Training and Play

To meet the optimal required standards, a core group of players were identified and
trained from 2004 to 2007 to make sure that appropriate physiological adaptations
(being able to run faster, jump higher, lift heavier weights, increase muscle mass, and
simultaneously reduce body fat) would be achieved. But at the same time we had to
avoid overtraining. Following are the pretaper strategies we adopted.
After the Tri Nations in 2006, the contracted Springboks were rested for 2 weeks and
this was followed by an intensive conditioning program for 7 weeks. At the end of the
7 weeks the players returned to their Super 14 franchises and rested for 3 weeks (the
December rest phase). All players resumed duties (in terms of Super 14 training obliga-
tions) in the first week of January 2007.
The players were now well rested and the acquired adaptations were maintained. In
planning we had reasoned that playing time would allow players to develop quality play-
ing form. With the help of the Super 14 medical and conditioning teams, we tracked and
recorded all the players’ training and match times as well as injuries they sustained and
how they were managed. While the Super 14 was on track, the national medical and
conditioning staff met every month with the national coaches and planned the training
program that the returning players would undergo. The program detail was such that we
could break down the volume and intensity of each session from our assembly date on May
16, 2007, right up to and including the captain’s run the day before the 2007 RWC final.
We assembled on May 16, 2007, in Bloemfontein and played the first test 10 days later.
We played with our World Cup squad for the three Vodacom Incoming tests (England
twice and Samoa) and two home Tri-Nations Tests. Following these five matches, 20
players (representative of the core World Cup squad) were identified and withdrawn
according to their physical and medical attributes to refrain from competing in the second
leg of the tri-nation tournament. The intentions were set to evaluate and continue with
conditioning programs in preparation for the World Cup.
Following this high-intensity, high-volume training segment, the players returned home
for 1 week (rest and psychological purposes). On July 21, 2007, the Springboks RWC squad
was announced and the team entered the last phase of preparation for the RWC. The last
phase of preparation lasted 5 weeks and consisted of a 2-week high-intensity training
strategy followed by the warm-up test (game) against Namibia and two games abroad
(Connacht in Ireland and then a test match against Scotland). Between these test matches
the players were subjected to moderate loads to accommodate for the effects of traveling
and training (fatigue) while maintaining the adaptations previously acquired.

Tapering Strategies for the 2007 RWC

On our return the squad was sent home for 4 days to recover physically and
psychologically before we assembled on August 31 in Johannesburg to depart for the
RWC, where the first match was to be played within the next 8 days. During this time
the emphasis was on technical and tactical training to minimize the risk of injury.
After the first match, we adopted an exponential strategic taper technique with a fast
time constant of decay after the pool games. The training load was reduced significantly
for the quarter finals against Fiji, the semifinals against Argentina, and last the final against
 Tapering for Team Sports 179

Captain’s Run
The captain’s run is a training session that is performed the day before a test
match at the venue where the test match is to be played and as close as possible
to kickoff time. The intensity of the training bout is usually between 60% and 80%
of maximum. It is a structured exercise session where the captain takes his team
through the game plan and they execute the various planned moves for the test
match. The captain’s run gives players a feel of the potential weather conditions
that may prevail at that time on test match day and allows the players to begin
mentally focusing on the job at hand and what they have to do to win the next
day’s test match.

England. The primary aim of the taper technique between games was to minimize the
accumulative fatigue index buildup when competing in consecutive pool games rather
than to attain any physiological adaptations or fitness gains. The maintenance of train-
ing intensity and the exercise-to-rest ratio were carefully monitored by means of the
players’ subjective ratings of perceived intensity and fatigue (table 12.2).
We believe that the team was successful because the required peak fitness level of
players (4 years of preparation) was maintained for the entire duration of the tournament
(tapering strategy included). This was accomplished by implementing a sound, realistic,
well-planned periodization strategy incorporating all medical, physiological, technical,
tactical, psychological, and sociological inputs. Surely, practical experience and a bit of
luck also could have made a significant contribution.

Applying the Expert Advice of Derik Coetzee, Yusuf Hassan, AT A Glance

and Clint Readhead
In this section by Derik Coetzee, Yusuf Hassan, and Clint Readhead, readers can
appreciate the importance of establishing a collective goal such as winning the Rugby
World Cup and implementing a coordinated strategy involving not just the players but
all the support staff in an effort to achieve that goal. The Springboks benefited from
training programs that incorporated both scientifically based periodization principles
and practical experience. Key ideas from this section include the application of some
of the rest and recovery principles of tapering to the year-round training; quantifying
training loads and players’ subjective perceptions of fatigue; finding the optimal bal-
ance between training and recovery; and minimizing the incidence of injury through-
out the competitive season, in a coordinated effort between players’ club staff and
national team staff.

Greg McFadden
Peaking for World Championships Silver in Women’s Water Polo

This section discusses what we have tried to achieve with the Australian women’s
water polo program from January 2005 to December 2007. The main focus over these
3 years was to create a stronger depth of international players and return Australia to
being a medal contender in all major competitions. The ultimate goal was to win gold
in Beijing 2008, and although we fell short of that, it wasn’t by much: We came home
with a bronze. With further refinements in regular season and peaking phase training,
we’re aiming again for gold next time around!
180 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Greg McFadden
Greg McFadden has coached water polo
teams for almost 20 years. Greg has been
the national coach of the Australian wom-
en’s water polo team since 2005. Under
his direction the team is consistently
ranked among the world’s top 3, winning
medals at all major competitions: bronze
at World League 2005, gold at World Cup
2006, silver at World Championships,
World League 2007, and bronze at the
Beijing 2008 Olympics. In 2006 Greg and
Australian coach Greg his team won the Australian Institute of
McFadden congratu- Sport coach of the year and team awards,
lates his players after respectively. Both were finalists in these
their 12-11 win over
awards in 2007.
Hungary during the
women’s water polo
bronze medal match at
the 2008 Beijing Olym-
pic Games.
© Jason O’Briena/action
images/ICON SMI

We will look at our preparation for the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne,
in which we made it to the final and won the silver medal. Ultimately we lost by 6 to
5 to the United States in a game that could have gone either way. Australia had three
good goal-scoring opportunities in the last 40 s, only to see two of them repelled by the
U.S. goalkeeper and the final one called for an offensive turnover. The United States has
been the most consistent team in the world over the last 7 years, having won medals at
every major championship except the 2006 World Cup.

Tapering and Peaking for Major Events

In team sports such as water polo, you have to consider the sacrifices you are willing to
make in the lead-up to tournaments along the way to your major goal and competition.
You also need to consider that the team consists of 13 players in which only 6 field
players and a goalkeeper are in the water at one time. Generally, the field players are
interchanged regularly; however, during the competition not all players receive equal
playing time. This leads some players to detrain if they don’t receive extra work during
the lead-up to tournaments. These players need to maintain their fitness and be at their
peak for the major competition.
The reverse has to be done for the players who receive a majority of pool time during
these games, and so recovery or lighter training sessions are required for them. The
ultimate goal is to get all 13 players as close as possible to their physical peak for the
major competition.
During the lead-up to the major competition, athletes should have 2 to 3 days off
training with the exception of a light strength training session incorporated into this
break, so that when the athletes return to training or the major competition they expe-
rience minimal muscle soreness. This break happens 5 to 10 days before the start of the
major competition and is just as important mentally as physically. We want players to
be refreshed and to forget about what lies ahead. The timing and length of this break
depend on what has been done in the prior 6 to 10 weeks.
Tapering for Team Sports 181

Key Issues During Tapering and Peaking

The areas that are critical to successful tapering and peaking are the intensity and
duration of training; technical skill work and tactical teamwork; recovery; nutrition
and strength training; and psychology and group dynamics.

Intensity and Duration of Training

Prior to major competitions in water polo, teams participate either in lead-up
tournaments or training camps with opposing countries. This allows us to play games
that are very close to the intensity of the major competition we are preparing for. But
winning is important, too, for psychological reasons.
We also need to be sure, as noted, that the best players do not become too fatigued
and the remainder of the players don’t lose their fitness (detrain). During training
camps this is a lot easier to control because you can make sure that all players have
close to the same pool time. However, in the lead-up tournaments this is a lot more
difficult. You want to be competitive, and trying to win becomes more important in
your preparation because going into a major competition with a poor win strike rate
can lower the players’ confidence. Also, the referees’ expectations of your team will
be lower if you have been showing poor results.
To help us track pool time, we use a daily athlete monitoring sheet and computer
program, which the players fill out online. If you have had a good and uninterrupted
training preparation in which you have built a very good fitness base prior to these
lead-up tournaments and training camps, maintaining fitness levels during this time
can be as simple as doing one or two fitness (swim or game simulation) sessions per
week.
As the major competition becomes closer, the duration of the training sessions is
decreased but the intensity of the sessions remains high. For example, instead of playing
four quarters of water polo you would cut this down to two quarters, however insisting
that the sessions are played at 100% in terms of quality and intensity.

Technical Skill Work and Tactical Teamwork

During the preparatory training phase, the team undergoes seven 2- to 3-hr training
sessions a week involving basic skill work, individual position skill work, and tactical
teamwork. Because our sport is water based, we can play full or modified games at full
intensity. This allows for about 75% of the tactical teamwork to be done under full
game conditions. But during the peaking competition phase we also have to fit in our
fitness and strength training, so we reduce the individual skill and tactical team sessions
to three to four times a week and only 60 to 90 min a session. These sessions become
more specific, and we focus on the specific component of the game that we need to
improve (e.g., 6-on-6 defense, 6-on-5 attack).
During the major competitions such as the World Championships or Olympic Games,
you play every second day. If you finish top of your group you have a 3-day break before
the quarter finals (World Champs) or semifinals (Olympic Games). On your rest days you
are allocated two 1-hr training sessions and the day of your game a single 1-hr training
session. The game-day training session is not always used. Sometimes the travel to and
from the training venue does not allow you much down time prior to the game, so you
weigh the positives and negatives of having that session.
These sessions are normally broken up into the following:

• During the first 40 min the team is broken into two groups. For 20 min one group
does sprints and recovery and the other group passes and shoots; then the groups
change activities for the next 20 min.
• During the last 20 min, the team does tactical work, working on areas we need
to address before playing our next opponent.
182 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Recovery
Throughout the preparatory training phase and lead-up competition phase and during
the major competition, recovery plays an important part in our programming. We
believe that proper recovery helps the athletes push through the highly intensive
training phases while maintaining an intense work ethic.
Throughout this time we use various recovery techniques including ice baths (two
or three times a week), hot and cold contrast baths, massage, compression stockings,
and individual and partner stretching. During the World Championships, three portable
ice baths were installed on the balconies of the players’ rooms and were compulsory
after every game. These were also available to the players whenever they needed them
individually.

Nutrition and Strength Training

From 2005 through 2007 we emphasized producing stronger and bigger athletes, which
required both good nutrition and strength training. Nutritionists constantly monitored
and advised our athletes on improving their recovery and performance through
nutrition, including the timing of food and fluid intake. This allowed the players to
gain and maintain weight during heavy training phases.
We believe that strength training is so important that we have both sacrificed other
areas and have worked to change the players’ attitudes about strength training. We have
set strength goals for all individuals, and players who have not reached their targets,
as indicated by regular strength testing, have been excluded from teams and squads.
Over the past 3 years the athletes have had a maximum of 3 weeks off strength train-
ing. One has been for the last week of games during a major competition and the other
two have been during complete rest from all training. Thus, during the 2005 and 2007
World Championships we continued our strength training for the first week of competi-
tion. During the lead-up to competition phase and major competition phase, the focus
of our training was more on power than on strength.

Psychology and Group Dynamics

Because we do not have a very high budget we have to prioritize what areas to train
given the time the whole squad is together. Over the last 3 years we have chosen these
areas to focus on: mental toughness, communication in the water, job focus, self-belief,
and confidence.
Our team sport psychologist attends 2 to 4 days of a 1-week or 10-day training camp
within Australia and attends major international competitions in Australia such as the
2007 World Championships. During the World Championships the team had a 30- to
45-min sport psychology session every 3 or 4 days and athletes had individual sessions
when necessary. In general the group dynamics within the team have been very good.
We monitor this through individual discussions with the players while also encourag-
ing the team leaders to take more responsibility for the team’s welfare and behavior.
This area is continually addressed by the team psychologist with the leadership group.

Training Programs and Training Loads

To avoid underperforming when performance really counts, it is vital to have a
periodization plan leading up to the taper for the culminating event. Following is
the periodization plan we used early in the team’s training as well as for the lead-up
program for 2007 World Championships.

Periodization Plan
Table 12.4 shows the training loads and periodization plan for the 2007 World
Championships. This preparation started 20 weeks out from the World Championships,
when the World Championships squad of 20 players was chosen.
 Tapering for Team Sports 183

Table 12.4 Australian Women’s Water Polo Team World Championships Preparation Plan

13-Nov-06

20-Nov-06

27-Nov-06

11-Dec-06

18-Dec-06

25-Dec-06

12-Feb-07

19-Feb-07

26-Feb-07

12-Mar-07

19-Mar-07

26-Mar-07
30-Oct-06

15-Jan-07

22-Jan-07

29-Jan-07
6-Nov-06

4-Dec-06

5-Feb-07

5-Mar-07
1-Jan-07

8-Jan-07
Date (Monday)

Domestic ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
International ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

National League season

National League season

National League season

National League season

National League season

National League season

National League season

Competitions

Barcelona Tournament

World Championships

World Championships
Sydney Tournament
Camp with Greece
Location

Return home
Holiday Cup

Thetis Cup
Camp

Camp

Camp
Camps ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Testing/medical control
Training week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Weeks to go 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 0
Training load L M H H L H M H L H H L H H L H M H* L** M*** C C
Training phase General preparation Specific preparation Taper Comp
Technical
Skills

Tactical
Aerobic capacity Develop Maintain
Aerobic power
Physiology

Anaerobic capacity
Anaerobic power
Repeat effort Prepare Develop
Speed Develop →
Active recovery
Comp = Competition
The training load row: L = Low, M = Medium, and H = Heavy
*Key week to overload as it sets the team up for the taper. Intensity is more important than volume, but with games and hard training sessions,
some volume is inevitable.
**Recovery from flight and jet lag is vital.
***Low overall volume, but quality and intensity must be emphasized.

After selecting 20 players for the national World Championships squad in October,
we met with the National League clubs (to which all the players belonged) and decided
to break the season into three sections.
• The first section would last for 5 weeks and run from November 20 to December 23.
• The second section would go until 3 weeks after the New Year, running from
January 3 to January 21.
• The third section would be after the World Championships, starting April 10 and
going to May 12.
This would allow us an 8-week lead-up preparation phase till the start of the World
Championships.
184 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Table 12.5 World Championships Lead-Up*

November December January February March
 1  1 AUS v USA  1 Training  1 AIS  1 Easy day
 2  2 AUS v NED  2  2  2 AUS v HUNG
 3  3  3 with  3 Training  3 AUS v SPAIN
 4  4 USA  4  4  4 AUS v GRE
 5  5 AUS v ITALY  5  5 Camp  5 Travel
 6  6 AUS v RUS & CAN  6 SIS/SAS  6  6 Home
 7  7 AUS v USA  7  7  7 Day off
 8  8 AUS v NED  8 and  8  8 Travel
 9  9 AUS v CAN  9  9 AIS  9 AUS v GRE
10 10 Travel 10 10 Home 10 AUS v SPAIN
11 11 Training 11 National 11 Home 11 AUS v USA & AUS
12 12 12 12 Home 12 AUS v ITALY
13 13 with 13 13 Travel 13 Day off
League
14 14 14 14 Easy day 14 Day off
15 15 SIS/SAS 15 15 TRA v GRE 15 TRA v USA
16 16 16 clubs 16 AUS v RUSSIA 16 WGTS & TRAVEL
17 17 and 17 17 AUS v CAN 17 Day off
18 18 18 18 AUS v GRE 18 WORLD CHAMPS
19 19 National 19 set 19 TRA v GRE 19 AUS v CAN
20 Training 20 20 20 TRA v GRE 20 Rest day
21 with 21 League clubs 21 progams 21 EASY DAY 21 AUS v PUERTO RICO
22 22 22 22 TRA v GRE 22 Rest day
23 SIS/SAS 23 set programs 23 GK, CB, & CF 23 TRA v GRE 23 AUS v BRAZIL
24 and 24 24 Camp 24 TRA v GRE 24 Rest day
25 25 25 Perth 25 Travel 25 TRA v USA
26 National 26 26 Day off 26 TRA v SPAIN 26 Rest day
27 League clubs 27 27 Day off 27 TRA v SPAIN 27 AUS v ITALY
28 28 28 Day off 28 TRA v SPAIN 28 Rest day
29 set programs 29 29 STR testing 29 29 AUS v RUSSIA
30 30 30 Swim test 30 30 Rest day
Travel
31 31 31 Camp 31 31 AUS v USA

*To properly interpret the table, please note the following definitions:
Day off = only a weight session in the morning; Weight training days (days in bold) = weight training plus games or other training; Rest
day = no games at world championships, but 2 training sessions; Easy day = light or recovery session; Travel = flights to other countries
or cities; Home = time at home; may be required to do weights.
Also note the following abbreviations: AIS = Australian Institute of Sport; CAN = Canada; CB = center back; CF = center forward; GK =
goal keepers; GRE = Greece; HUNG = Hungary; NED = Netherlands; RUS = Russia; SAS = State Academy of Sport; SIS = State Institute
of Sport; TRA=Training Match

Lead-Up to the World Championships

The day-to-day lead-up to the World Championships is described in table 12.5, including
training camps and games, tournaments, and rest days. Because of the size of Australia
and with the National League season being played for 7 1/2 weeks during our general
and specific preparation time, we had to train in three separate venues. Our 20 players
were based in these centers, in Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth. To help prepare we also had
to incorporate the National League club training with the national squad programs. Each
club that a national squad player was linked with had a different program based on when
their National League team was scheduled to play their games both at home and away.
The National League season’s break after January 22 allowed us to prepare together
with training camps in Australia or overseas and lead-up tournaments. The downside of
this was that during 10 weeks the athletes were only at home for a total of 7 days.

World Championships Review

Although all the athletes were in good shape prior to Christmas, some of that fitness
was lost during the Christmas–New Year break, and the second section of the National
Tapering for Team Sports 185

League season had not proved to be as beneficial as we had hoped. This meant that
we had to work harder than originally planned and extra fitness sessions were needed
during the 6 weeks between the National League finish and the beginning of the taper.
The other area of concern was that four of our athletes sustained injuries. Fortunately,
two of these injured players overcame their injuries to be selected to the final team.
Our first game (against Canada) was one of the heaviest challenges of the World
Championships. Although only eight exclusions were called during the game, we were
able to come from behind four times to win 5–4. A very good performance by the Cana-
dian goalie and our own nerves caused by playing in front of a big home crowd for the
first time seemed to affect our ability to score.
We won the next two games quite comfortably, giving us a straight run through to
the quarter finals, which gave us a bye and a 3-day break before our quarter final against
the winner of Italy versus The Netherlands. This meant that we had not had a hard
game for 9 days, since our opening game against Canada. We didn’t want to go into the
quarterfinals underdone, and fortunately neither did the United States, so we organized
a training match on the day of the elimination games for the quarter finals. The training
game was played at the same speed as, and at a higher level than, our other two round
games during the World Championships.
In the quarter final the training game against the United States proved very beneficial.
Our team played extremely well and dominated the opposition. The semifinal with the
Russians featured several exciting reverses, but in the end we won 12–9. This took us
to the gold medal match and the chance to defend our number one ranking earned at
the 2006 World Cup. Our opponent, however, was the United States, whom we had not
beaten since August 2005. We started strongly and battled back and forth throughout
the game, but in the end, the United States won 6–5 by scoring the winning goal in the
last minute of the game. Even though we failed to win the tournament, we proved that
we were one of the best teams in the world and were in a good position in the lead-up
to Beijing.
After all the heavy training, National League commitments, and training camps, the
2 weeks of tapering allowed us to recover and fine-tune the players’ fitness, technical
skills, and tactical preparation to achieve their goals during the tournament. Prior to the
tapering phase our performances were a bit inconsistent in the Thetis cup in Athens,
Madrid Open, and Sydney Cup. But as we went through our tapering phase, our per-
formances improved gradually and resulted in our playing our best water polo in the
major games, which allowed us to make the gold medal match. We had become a lot
sharper and I believe one of the fastest and fittest teams in the competition.

Applying Greg McFadden’s Expert Advice AT A Glance

Greg McFadden explains to the reader how he and his team prepared for the 2007 World
Championships, a tournament that finished with a silver medal in a very close final game.
Key ideas include maintaining a high intensity, increasing the specificity, decreasing the
duration of the sessions, and adequately quantifying the individual training load in the
lead-up tournaments preceding the major event; making sure that players who are in
the water longer during lead-up tournaments receive enough recovery, whereas those
receiving less match time receive extra training to maintain their fitness; using post­training
recovery techniques and optimal nutrition strategies; emphasizing players’ body size,
strength, and power, because this is considered to have a major impact on game quality;
and periodizing the training plan to achieve peak performance at the desired time.
It is interesting to note that Ric Charlesworth, the Springboks coaching staff, and Greg
McFadden all mention the importance of taking a few days off training during the final
2 weeks prior to the commencement of the major tournament, with the aim of recover-
ing physically and psychologically from the heavy training loads and preparing for the
upcoming major tournament. This seems to be a common strategy for winning teams!
186 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

Dragan Matutinovic
Securing Silver in Olympic Men’s Water Polo

The first and most important thing that came to mind when I started to think about
preparing for the Olympic Games in Barcelona as the head coach of the Spanish men’s
water polo team was the final objective, what we wanted to achieve considering the
quality of the squad, on an individual basis and also as a team. The final objective was
no other than to play the final of the Olympic Games. Perhaps it was a quite daring
objective, because until then Spain had never won an Olympic medal, but I believed in
my players, I believed in their capabilities, and I believed they could do it.
During the Olympic year of 1992, everything was focused on that great objective. We
had 5 months to prepare, and we put together a long and detailed plan for that time.

Preparation
For the first phase of the plan, we headed to Andorra for 3 weeks with about 30 players,
to start a very hard preparation. The program consisted of 8 to 10 hr of training per day
for 2 days, followed by a day of active rest (e.g., a football game). It was not easy to cope
either physically or psychologically with the demands of the program. But only with
such an amount of work would every team member achieve flawless physical fitness,
enabling the players to respond adequately during the most psychologically difficult
moments of a match.

Dragan Matutinovic
Dragan Matutinovic has coached elite water polo at both club and national team levels
for more than 20 years. At club level, he has won two European Cups and a number
of national leagues in various European countries. At national team level, he has won
silver and bronze medals at European and World Championships and also the Olympic
Games. Dragan is now the head of player development of the Croatian Water Polo
Federation.

Coach Dragan Matu-

tinovic shouts to his
team during the Euro-
pean water polo final
four in 2001. In the
1992 Olympic games,
Matutinovic led the
Spanish men’s water
polo team to win the
silver medal using
strategies that began
with intense physical
training and ended with
enabling the athletes
to remain focused yet
relaxed.
© AP Photo/Bozidar Vukicevic
Tapering for Team Sports 187

From the very first day I started to set targets for the players, for example, 1 hr of
jogging in the morning: The target was to reach the top of a nearby mountain by the
last day of the winter preparation. The players knew how far they had to go by the last
day. They were eager to achieve this goal, so each day they would cover more and more
kilometers, until they all reached the target that had been set, a target just as difficult as
playing the Olympic final. The training volume for swimming was also huge, reaching up
to 10,000 m a day swum at solid pace. They managed to do this too, setting phenomenal
swimming times and attaining an amazing level of physical endurance, which was the
foundation for the objective they were pursuing.
After finishing all that hard strength and swimming fitness training, we moved on to
improving the tactical components of the game, to creating the type of game we would
play during the Olympic Games. We played lots of friendly matches and tournaments
all over the world against national teams that played very different types of water polo.
During that time, we never stopped training our strength and endurance. All tactical
variants were repeated until we reached perfection. The team’s discipline was impec-
cable, and I made it my goal to motivate the players every day so that they would give
the maximum of themselves.
At the end of the 5 months and after having gone through all the preparation phases,
we picked our 13 players from the initial group of 30: those who were prepared physically
and psychologically to face all the difficulties implied by a tournament like the Olympic
Games, in which we had to play seven matches in 7 days.

The Games
And so the 13 best-prepared players entered the Olympic Village. After all those
running and swimming kilometers, all those trips and matches, all those hours and
hours perfecting all the tactical variations (extra man, man down, positional offense,
counterattack, defense), we came to the most important 7 days, the week prior to the
Games when we had to forget all the previous suffering. We had to concentrate and
motivate for the beginning of our Olympic Games.
An additional difficulty came from the fact that because we were playing in Barce-
lona, the pressure was huge and so were the expectations. During those final 7 days,
we coaches had to prepare the players for the Olympic tournament and for the psycho-
logical effect of possible defeats during the first phase. Our role was to relax the players
during the days before the tournament so that they could play free of pressure, relaxed
but concentrated, instead of thinking they had to do something. That is when the work
of Dr. Miguel Masgrau was extremely helpful. Using acupuncture and other alternative
methods he helped the players be prepared physically and mentally, so the Games could
begin. We were prepared to perform, to face all the requirements of such a competition
and attain the result we had been aiming for, the final of the Olympic Games.

Applying Dragan Matutinovic’s Expert Advice AT A Glance

In this section Dragan Matutinovic describes a successful approach to a team’s preparation
for a major tournament, in this case the 1992 Olympic Games. In his section, Matutinovic
proposes a training methodology that reflects some of the training methods used in the
former Eastern block countries. Nevertheless, there are some common concepts in this
and the previous reports, such as the importance of establishing a clear goal from the
outset and believing it could be achieved. Key ideas include setting specific, difficult
targets for the players to increase their physical and mental strength and determination;
creating a playing style early in the preparation process and competing against teams
that played very different types of games; and helping the players to stay motivated,
focused, relaxed, and free of external and internal pressure in the days before and
during the event.
188 Tapering and Peaking for Optimal Performance

And that is exactly what we did! Not only did those players win an Olympic silver
medal (after losing the final to Italy in overtime), but every single one of them continued
to play for the national team and won several more medals at international tournaments
in the following years, including World and European Championships and Olympic
Games. It is my belief that the foundation of the preparation for the 1992 Barcelona
Olympic Games remained with the players during the following competitions, because it
had been so hard that anything that came after that became much easier to cope with.
The most important thing that I must underline is that all this would have been
impossible without the incredible talent and quality of the players. I am still proud of
all my players, all my assistants, the federation which helped us so much, and all those
who helped us during that time, because without them none of this would have been
possible.
 glossary

ADP rephosphorylation  Addition of a high-energy phosphate group to a molecule

of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to form ATP.
aldosterone  Mineralocorticoid steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex that
prevents dehydration by stimulating sodium and water absorption at the kidneys.
anabolic hormone  Testosterone-like hormone that stimulates growth by increasing
protein synthesis.
androgen  Natural or synthetic compound that stimulates or controls the growth,
development, and maintenance of male sex characteristics.
androgenic–anabolic activity  Effects of the hormone testosterone: promoting and
controlling growth, spermatogenesis, and maintenance of male sex characteristics.
ATP hydrolysis  Breakdown of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine diphosphate
(ADP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi), with addition of elements of water and releasing
a large amount of energy.
autocrine  Mode of chemical messenger action in which the messenger binds to recep-
tors on the cell that secreted it, affecting the function of the secretory cell itself.
B-cell lymphocyte  Lymphocyte that upon activation proliferates and differentiates
into plasma cells that produce and release antibodies.
biphasic response  Two differentiated and distinct responses that are separated in
time and characterized by an immediate reaction, a time of quiescence, and a recur-
rent reaction.
blood lactate concentration  Concentration in the blood of a three-carbon molecule
formed when lactic acid produced by anaerobic glycolysis dissociates to lactate and
hydrogen ions.
blood lactate–swimming velocity curve  Curve describing the evolution of blood
lactate concentration in response to increasing swimming velocities.
Borg’s Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)  A numerical scale for rating perceived
exertion.
bye  In a tournament, the position of a player or team not paired with a competitor in
an early round and thus automatically advanced to play in the next round.
cardiac index  Cardiodynamic parameter that relates cardiac output to body surface
area, thus relating performance of the heart to the size of the individual.
cardiac output  Volume of blood ejected by the left ventricle each minute.
catabolic hormone  Hormone that stimulates the cellular breakdown of complex
organic molecules.
catecholamine  Biologically active amines (organic compounds derived from ammo-
nia), such as dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, all of which have similar
chemical structures and powerful effects similar to those of the sympathetic nervous
system.
cortisol  Main corticosteroid hormone released by the adrenal cortex; regulates vari-
ous aspects of organic metabolism, including stimulation of gluconeogenesis, increased
mobilization of free fatty acids, decreased use of glucose, and stimulated catabolism
of proteins.
C-peptide  Peptide that is made when proinsulin is released from the pancreas into
the blood and then split into insulin and C-peptide, the level of which is a gauge of
how much insulin is being produced in the body.

189
190 glossary

creatine kinase  Muscle enzyme that facilitates the breakdown of phosphocreatine

to creatine and inorganic phosphate; is occasionally increased in the blood following
strenuous or eccentric exercise, most probably as a result of altered permeability of
tissue cell membranes.
cytokines  Protein intercellular messengers secreted by macrophages, monocytes,
lymphocytes, and other cells that influence cells of the immune system.
deformability  The ability of cells, such as red blood cells, to change shape as they
pass through narrow spaces such as the microvasculature.
diastolic cavity  Interior chamber of the heart during the relaxation phase of the
cardiac cycle.
economy of movement  Energy cost of moving the body at a given submaximal
exercise intensity.
erythrocyte superoxide dismutase  In red blood cells, enzyme that catalyzes the
destruction of superoxide anions to hydrogen peroxide, playing a critical role in the
defense of cells against the toxic effects of oxygen radicals.
erythropoiesis  Erythrocyte (i.e., red blood cell) production.
eumenorrheic  Having normal menstruation.
extravascular hemolysis  Breakdown of red blood cells with release of hemoglobin
in the spleen and liver.
ferritin  Iron-binding protein that stores iron in the body.
fractional shortening  Measure of left ventricular performance; it measures and
calculates a ratio of the change in the diameter of the left ventricle between the con-
tracted and relaxed states.
free radical scavenging  Action of antioxidant chemical substances that protect body
cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.
glutathione  Antioxidant amino acid produced in the liver to protect body cells from
the damaging effects of free radicals.
glycoprotein  Protein containing a relatively small carbohydrate group attached to a
large protein.
haptoglobin  A glycoprotein that binds free hemoglobin released into the circulation
to conserve body iron.
hematocrit  Percentage of total blood volume occupied by blood cells or formed ele-
ments.
hematopoiesis  Blood cell formation and differentiation.
hemodilution  An increase in blood plasma that results in a dilution of the blood’s
cellular contents.
hemoglobin  Protein composed of four globular polypeptide chains, each bound to a
single molecule of heme, located in red blood cells and responsible for the transport
of most blood oxygen.
hemolysis  Breakdown (lysis) of red blood cells with liberation of hemoglobin.
hemolytic condition  State is which there is a predominance of red blood cell break-
down over red blood cell production.
hypervolemia  An abnormal increase in the volume of blood plasma.
immunoglobulin  A circulating antibody, of which there are five classes: IgA, IgD,
IgE, IgG, IgM.
insulin-like growth factor-I  Peptide that has growth-promoting effect by mediating
the mitosis-stimulating effect of growth hormone.
glossary 191

intramuscular creatine phosphate supercompensation  Hypothetical elevation of

creatine phosphate concentration inside the muscle cells beyond baseline values.
intravascular hemolysis  Breakdown of red blood cells within the blood vessels.
J-curve  Model describing the relationship between exercise workload and infection,
which suggests that moderate exercise training may decrease the frequency of infec-
tions whereas excessive, exhausting exercise can lead to the opposite, a situation that
has been described by a J-curve.
lactate recovery curves  Evolution of blood lactate concentration during recovery
from exercise.
leptin  A protein hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy
expenditure, including appetite and metabolism.
leukocyte  White blood cell.
lipoperoxidation  Oxidative degradation of lipids occurring when free radicals capture
electrons from the lipids in cell membranes, resulting in cell damage.
luteal phase  Latter half of the menstrual cycle, which begins the day after ovulation
with the formation of the corpus luteum and ends in either pregnancy or luteolysis.
luteinizing hormone  Anterior pituitary hormone that in females assists follicle-stimu-
lating hormone in follicle stimulation, triggers ovulation, and promotes the maintenance
and secretion of endometrial glands; in males, it stimulates spermatogenesis.
lymphocyte  A leukocyte of the lymphatic system that is responsible for specific
immune defenses.
mean corpuscular hemoglobin  The average mass of hemoglobin per red blood cell in
a sample of blood, calculated by dividing the total mass of hemoglobin by the number
of red blood cells in a volume of blood.
mechanical fragmentation  Breakdown of red blood cells by the continuous buffet-
ing in the circulation.
meta-analysis  A statistical procedure in which the results of several studies are pooled
together and analyzed as if they were the results of one large study.
mitochondrial capacity  Capacity of mitochondria to generate adenosine triphosphate
through oxidative phosphorylation.
mitochondrial enzymes  Biomolecules, generally proteins, that catalyze chemical
reactions inside mitochondria, which aerobically generate most of the cell’s supply of
adenosine triphosphate.
muscle glycogen  A highly branched polysaccharide composed of a long chain of
glucose molecules that is the major form of carbohydrate storage in the body.
muscle oxygenation  Amount of oxygen that is present in the muscle.
neuroendrocrine fatigue  Fatigue associated with dysfunction of the central nervous
system and the endocrine system.
neutrophil  Phagocytic microphage that is very numerous and usually the first of the
mobile phagocytic cells to arrive at an area of injury or infection, also releasing chemi-
cals involved in inflammation.
O2 pulse  Amount of oxygen uptake per heartbeat, used as a measure of cardiovascular
efficiency.
open window  Time of impaired immunological function following strenuous exercise
that increases the risk of subclinical and clinical infection.
osmotic resistance  Degree of resistance of red blood cells to a decrease of the salt
content of their environment.
192 glossary

perception of effort  Stress a subject perceives when performing physical exercise.

periodization  Organized approach to training that involves progressive cycling of
various aspects of a training program during a specific amount of time.
plasma  Liquid portion of blood.
Profile of Mood States (POMS)  A 65-item Likert-format questionnaire that provides
a measure of total mood disturbance and six specific mood states (tension, depression,
anger, vigor, fatigue, confusion).
progressive taper  A taper in which the training load is reduced in a gradual manner,
as opposed to a sudden constant reduction.
prolactin  Peptide hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates the
functional development of the mammary gland in females; prolactin release is sometimes
used as an indirect measure of the neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine activity.
Recovery–Stress Questionnaire for Athletes  An instrument that systematically
reveals the recovery–stress state of athletes, indicating the extent to which they are
physically or mentally stressed, whether they are capable of using individual strategies
for recovery, and which strategies are used.
reduced training  A nonprogressive, standardized reduction in the quantity of train-
ing. This procedure has also been referred to as “step taper.”
renin  Hormone secreted by the kidneys that acts as an enzyme that catalyzes conver-
sion of a plasma protein called angiotensinogen into angiotensin I, thus participating
in the regulation of extracellular volume and arterial vasoconstriction.
respiratory exchange ratio (RER)  Ratio between net output of carbon dioxide and
the simultaneous net uptake of oxygen.
reticulocyte  Immature red blood cell.
serum  Blood plasma from which fibrinogen and other clotting proteins have been
removed as a result of clotting.
stroke volume  Volume of blood ejected by the left ventricle of the heart in one con-
traction.
submaximal energy expenditure  Amount of calories expended to perform an
exercise of submaximal intensity.
substrate utilization  Use of carbohydrate, fat, and protein as a fuel source.
Super 14 club competition  The largest rugby union club championship in the south-
ern hemisphere, consisting of four teams from Australia, five from New Zealand, and
five more from South Africa.
systolic cavity  Interior chamber of the heart during the contraction phase of the
cardiac cycle.
T-cell  Lymphocyte derived from precursor that differentiated in the thymus; responsible
for cellular immunity and the coordination and regulation of the immune response.
taper  A reduction of the training load during several days prior to a major compe­
tition.
testosterone  The predominant testicular androgen or male sex hormone, essential
for spermatogenesis as well as growth, maintenance, and development of reproductive
organs and secondary sexual characteristics of males.
thyroxine  Iodine-containing amine hormone secreted by the thyroid gland that
increases the rate of cellular metabolism and contractility of the heart.
transferrin  Iron-binding protein carrier for iron in plasma.
glossary 193

triiodothyronine  Iodine-containing amine hormone secreted by the thyroid gland that

increases the rate of cellular metabolism and the rate and contractility of the heart.
Type I muscle fibers  Muscle fibers that have a high oxidative and a low glycolytic
capacity, associated with endurance-type activities.
Type II muscle fibers  Muscle fibers that have a low oxidative capacity and a high
glycolytic capacity, associated with speed or power activities.
vasopressin  Peptide hormone synthesized in the hypothalamus and released from the
posterior pituitary that increases water permeability of the kidney’s collecting ducts;
also called antidiuretic hormone (ADH).
ventilatory function  Measure of dynamic lung volumes and maximal air flow
rates.
ventilatory threshold  Occurrence during exercise of progressively increasing intensity
at which there is a nonlinear increase in ventilation.
ventricular septal wall  Wall dividing the left and right ventricles of the heart.
.
V
  O2max  Maximal capacity for oxygen consumption by the body during maximal
exertion.
This page intentionally left blank.
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 index

Note: The italicized f and t following page numbers refer to figures and tables, respectively.

A Bishop, D. 115, 116f muscle oxygenation 19-20, 19f,

acclimatization 84-85, 151-152 Bleus, Les 117 20f
ACTH (adrenocorticotropic blood, water-binding capacity of resting heart rate 20, 21t
hormone) 41 24. See also hematology submaximal heart rate 22-23
adenosine diphosphate (ADP) blood ammonia 32 ventilatory function 23-24
rephosphorylation 32 blood lactate carnitine palmityl transferase 49
adenosine monophosphate (AMP) maximal exercise and 29, 30t catabolic hormones, recovery and
32 as measure of athlete adaptations 5
adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) 31 catecholamines 22, 44
50 submaximal exercise 31 Cavanaugh, D.J. 46t, 90t, 94
adenosine triphosphate (ATP) submaximal HLa:RPE ratio 64 cell-mediated immunity 53
during tapering 41, 42f Charlesworth, Ric 169-174,
hydrolysis 32
blood lactate–swimming velocity 172t-173t
Adlercreutz, H. 5
curve 31 Child, R.B. 36t, 91t
ADP rephosphorylation 32
blood pH 38 citrate synthase 49, 50f, 72
adrenaline 44
blood plasma, definition of 26 CK. See creatine kinase
adrenocorticotropic hormone
blood pressure 23 Cn (cortisone) 43-44
(ACTH) 41
blood urea 38 coaches. See training programs, by
aldosterone 43f
blood volume 24, 25f, 72 coach
allergic reactions 131
“body clock” 83-84, 131 Coetzee, Derik 174-179, 175f, 176t,
altitude training 23, 84-85
body fat percentage 28 177f, 177t
ammonia, blood 32
Bonifazi, M. 30t, 39t, 91t, 93 Cohen, J. 98
AMP (adenosine monophosphate)
Borg’s Rating of Perceived Exertion Commonwealth Games, women’s
32
(RPE) 63 field hockey training for 171
anabolic hormones, recovery and 5
Bosquet, L. 10-11, 72-73, 73t, 76, computer simulations 107-110,
androgenic–anabolic activity 40
77f, 79t, 81t, 97-98 107f, 108f, 109f
androgens 5. See also testosterone
Bowman, Bob 123-129, 124f, contractile properties 49, 51-52,
antioxidants 54, 54f
126t-127t, 128t, 129t 52f
antioxidant supplements 54 Burguera, Hektor Llanos 1f
anxiety, taper duration and 83 cortisol (C)
Burke, E.R. 36, 36t
archery 161-166, 165t cortisone:cortisol ratio 43-44
burnout, periodization and 175
aspartate aminotransferase 37 11-hydroxysteroid
Busso, T. 4-5, 7, 99, 99f, 103-106,
Atlaoui, D. 43-44 dehydrogenase and 43-44
104f, 105f, 107-110, 107f,
ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) performance and 5-6, 5f, 6f
108f, 109f
50 salivary 43
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) C during tapering 38, 41, 42f, 43,
hydrolysis 32 C. See cortisol 43f
Australian Institute of Sport 147 canoeists, psychological changes in cortisone (Cn) 43-44
Avalos, M. 101 58t, 61 Costill, D.L. 21t, 30t, 31, 36, 36t,
captain’s run training session 179 38, 39t, 45, 46t, 90t, 93, 94
B Coutts, A. 17t, 36t, 39t, 40, 41, 44,
carbon dioxide partial pressure 38
Balague, G. 65-67, 66t cardiac function and morphology 58t, 62, 91t, 115
Bangsbo, J. 116-119, 117t, 118f 20-23. See also heart rate C-peptide 43f, 45
Banister, E.W. 10, 37, 99, 100-101, blood pressure 23 creatine kinase (CK)
100f, 103 cardiac dimensions 23 individual variation in 37
base excess 38 cardiac output 23 intramuscular
B-cell leukocytes 54 maximal heart rate 22 supercompensation 29
Berger, B.G. 58t, 91t resting heart rate 20, 21t from muscle tissue breakdown
Berglund, B. 58t submaximal heart rate 22-23 6, 35
bicarbonate 38 cardiac index 23 as stress marker during training
biochemical markers 35-38 cardiorespiratory adaptations 15-27 6, 7, 35
creatine kinase 6-7, 29, 35-37, blood pressure 23 during tapering 35-37, 36t, 37f
36t, 37f, 115 cardiac dimensions 23 in team-sport tapering and
creatinine 38 economy of movement 18, 19f peaking 115
glutamic pyruvic transaminase hematology 24-27, 25f, 27f creatinine 38
37 maximal heart rate 22 cyclists
urea and uric acid 38 maximal oxygen uptake 15-18, blood lactate 29, 30t
biphasic response 47, 48f 17t, 71, 76f, 85 duration of taper 82t

203
204 index

cyclists (continued) training load and 83, 86t, 107- free testosterone (FT) 38
economy of movement 18 110, 108f, 109f French national football team 117-
energy balance 28 variable dose–response model 119
frequency of training during 103 frequency of training during
tapering 79, 80t tapering 78-80, 79f, 79t, 80t
immunological responses 53 E FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)
intensity of training during economy of movement 18, 19f 43f
tapering 71, 72f, 73t Eliakim, A. 58t, 61, 91t
maximal heart rate 22 endurance athletes. See also specific G
maximal oxygen uptake 16-18, sports gender differences
17t maximal oxygen uptake 16 in creatine kinase 36
muscle fiber size 50 red blood cells 24 in mood state alterations 60
muscle glycogen 32 training program of Bowman in performance gains from
muscle metabolic properties 50 123-129, 126t-127t, 128t, tapering 93-94, 93f, 94f, 96
muscle oxygenation 19, 19f 129t in strength maintenance during
observational study of step training program of Fiz 130-134, taper 125
tapers 9 130f, 132t, 134t Gibala, M.J. 46t, 90t
observed performance gains from training program of Van Lierde glutamate 115
tapering 90t-91t, 93 135-137, 135f, 136f glutamic oxalacetic transaminase 37
perception of effort by 63, 63f energy balance 28 glutamic pyruvic transaminase
psychological changes 58t, 61 environmental factors in tapering (GPT) 37
respiratory exchange ratio 28 83-86 glutamine–glutamate ratio 115
resting heart rate 21t enzymatic activities 49-50, 50f. See glutathione 54
strength and power 46t, 49 also specific enzymes glycogen. See muscle glycogen
submaximal heart rate 22 erythrocytes. See red blood cells concentration
tapering patterns for 10-11, 11t erythrocyte superoxide dismutase glycoproteins 6, 25
testosterone and cortisol levels 54 Golding, Julian 140, 140f
38, 39t erythropoiesis 6, 24-26, 25f golf 166-168, 166f
training program of Queally 142- European Championships, women’s GPT (glutamic pyruvic
146, 142f, 144t-145t water polo training for 179- transaminase) 37
ventilatory function 23-24 185, 180f, 183t, 184t granulocytes 53
volume of training during exponential taper group dynamics 182
tapering 75, 76f, 77f fast-decay vs. slow-decay 8, 8f, 9 growth hormone 43f, 44-45
cytochrome oxidase 49, 50, 51f meta-analysis of 10-11, 11t gymnasts 151-152, 153t-155t
cytokines 55 extravascular hemolysis 24
H
D F
Habana, Bryan 175f
D’Acquisto, L.J. 17t, 21t, 22, 28, Fairweather, Simon 161-166, 162f, haematology 24-27, 25f, 27f
30t, 31, 90t 165t haemoglobin. See hemoglobin
Danish national football team 116- Fartlek running 131 Halson, S.L. 22
117, 117t, 118f fatigue, accumulated hammer throwers 101
Dawkins, R. 111 avoiding 175, 176t, 179 handball players 58t, 61, 91t
deformability, red cell 26 as negative influence of training haptoglobin 6-7, 25-26
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) 4-5, 4f, 5f haptoglobin–hemoglobin complex
43f from oversolicitation 104 25
delayed-type hypersensitivity response to training dose 103 Harber, M.P. 16, 17t, 18, 50, 51-
response 52 taper duration and 83, 109, 109f 52, 91t
detraining, tapering and 71 fatigue, travel 83-84 Hassan, Yusuf 174-179, 175f, 176t,
diastolic cavity 23 fatigue and adaptation model 100- 177f, 177t
digestion, jet lag and 84 103, 101f, 102f Haykowsky, M.J. 20
dopamine 44 Felicien, Perdita 156, 156f heart. See cardiac function and
dose–response relationships Ferret, J.M. 117-119 morphology
in duration of taper 81-82, 82f ferritin 26 heart rate
in fatigue and adaptation model field hockey, women’s 169-174, heart rate:RPE relationship 63-
100-101 172t-173t 64, 63f
in variable dose–response model Finn, Michelle 156 resting 20, 21t
103-106, 104f, 105f Fiz, Martin 130-134, 130f, 132t during tapering and peaking 118f
in volume reduction during Flynn, M.G. 20, 21t, 23, 30t, 31, heat acclimatization 84-85, 151-
tapering 77f 36, 36t, 38, 39t, 58t, 60, 63, 152
Dressendorfer, R.H. 17, 17t, 18, 90t Hellard, P. 102f
21t, 24, 39t, 79, 91t follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) hematocrit 6-7, 24-26, 27f
duration of taper 43f hematology 24-27, 25f, 27f
accumulated fatigue and 83, football (soccer), tapering in 116- hematopoiesis 24
109, 109f 119, 117t, 118f hemodilution 24
gender differences in 96 force–power curves 52f hemoglobin
performance and 81-83, 81t, 82f, fractional shortening 23 haptoglobin–hemoglobin
82t, 86t free radical scavenging capacity 54 complex 25
index 205

intensive training and 24 jet lag and 84 LH (luteinizing hormone) 41, 43f
tapering and 6, 7, 25, 26, 27f immunoreactive IGF binding LICT (low-intensity continuous
hemolysis 24-26, 25f protein-1 (IGFBP-1) 44 training), testosterone levels
hemolytic condition during training immunoreactive IGF binding and 40f
6 protein-3 (IGFBP-3) 44-45 linear taper 8, 8f
Henry, Jodie 147-151, 147f, immunosuppression 53 lipoperoxidation 54
148t-149t, 150t individual differences Llanos, Eneko 69, 69f
hGH (human growth hormone) in gains from tapering 95 Llanos, Hektor 1f
43f, 44-45 in personality 148 “loss of feel” 79
Hickson, R.C. 71, 72f, 75, 76f, 78, in training responses 101 low-intensity continuous training
79f trial and error in training (LICT), testosterone levels
high-intensity interval training protocols 146 and 40f
(HIIT) 40f injuries luteal phase of menstrual cycles,
HLa:RPE ratio 64 minimizing, in rugby players muscle glycogen levels in 33
Hoffmann reflex 46 175-178, 177f luteinizing hormone (LH) 41, 43f
Hooper, S.L. 21t, 23, 36t, 37, 44, prevention through periodization lymphocytes 52, 53, 54
46t, 47, 58t, 60-61, 64, 90t, 175
M
91t, 96 during tapering 133
hormonal adaptations 38-45 insulin 43f, 45 macrocycles 124
adrenocorticotropic hormone insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) Maestu, J. 39t, 45, 91t
41 44-45 marathon runners, training
catecholamines 22, 44 intensity during taper schedule for 130-134, 132t,
C-peptide 43f, 45 studies on 71-74, 72f, 73t, 74t 134t. See also runners
follicle-stimulating hormone 43f for swimmers 125 Margaritis, I. 16, 17t, 28, 54f, 58t, 91t
growth hormone and insulin-like for triathletes 136 Martin, D.T. 9, 21t, 23, 39t, 46t,
growth factor 43f, 44-45 for water polo players 181 58t, 61, 63, 90t, 91t
insulin 43f, 45 interferon- 52 massage 164
leptin 45 interleukins 52, 55 Masters Tournament 167, 168
luteinizing hormone 41, 43f intramuscular creatine phosphate mathematical modeling 99-111
testosterone. See testosterone supercompensation 29 computer simulations 107-110,
thyroid-stimulating hormones 45 intravascular hemolysis 24 107f, 108f, 109f
Houmard, J.A. 7, 9, 16, 17t, 18, iron deficiency, intensive training fatigue and adaptation model
19f, 21t, 22, 28, 30t, 36t, 39t, and 24 100-103, 101f, 102f
46t, 58t, 90t Ironman Triathlon 135-137, 135f, pros and cons of 111
Hoy, Chris 142 136f systems theory 99-100, 99f, 100f
HR:RPE relationship 63-64, 63f iron status 24, 26 of taper duration 82-83
11-HSD (hydroxysteroid Ivankov, Ivan 151-152 variable dose–response model
dehydrogenase) 43-44 Izquierdo, M. 28, 39t, 46t, 91t 103-106, 104f, 105f
human growth hormone (hGH) Matutinovic, Dragan 186-188, 186f
43f, 44-45 J maximal heart rate 22 .
humoral immunity 53 Jacklyn, Tony 167 maximal oxygen uptake (V   O2max)
hurdling 157-160, 158t-160t J-curve model 53 altitude and 85
hydration, at altitude 85 Jeffries, Joshua 151f definition of 16
-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase jet lag 83-84, 151-152 intensity of training during taper
49, 50 Jeukendrup, A.E. 16, 17t, 20, 21t, and 71
11-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 22, 23, 30t, 90t measurement of 16
(11-HSD) 43-44 Johns, R.A. 18, 30t, 46, 46t, 79, taper-induced performance and
hypervolemia 24 90t, 93 15-18, 17t, 27
hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal jumping events 66, 66t volume of training during
axis 44 tapering and 76f
hypothalamus 43, 84 K McConell, G.K. 17t, 21t, 30t, 31, 90t
Kallur, Susanna 156f McFadden, Greg 179-185, 180f,
I Keller, Klete 125, 128 183t, 184t
IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-I) Kenitzer, R.F., Jr. 30t, 31, 81, 90t, McFarlane, Mike 139-141, 140f,
44-45 96 141t
IGF binding proteins 44-45 Kubukeli, Z.N. 81 McNeely, E. 73, 74t
IGFBP-1 (immunoreactive IGF Kuoppasalmi, K. 5 mean corpuscular hemoglobin 25
binding protein-1) 44 mechanical fragmentation,
IGFBP-3 (immunoreactive IGF L erythrocyte 26
binding protein-3) 44-45 Lacoste, L. 4-5 men. See gender differences
immunoglobulins 54-55 lactate. See blood lactate menstrual cycles, muscle glycogen
immunological responses 52-55 lactate dehydrogenase 37, 49 levels in 33
cytokines 55 lactate recovery curves 31 men’s water polo 186-188, 186f
immune cells 52, 53-54 lactic acid accumulation 133 mental preparation 128-129, 163,
immunoglobulins 54-55 Lenton, Lisbeth 147f 165, 182
immunosuppression mechanisms leptin 45 meta-analysis of tapering pattern
53 leukocytes 54 10-11, 11t
206 index

metabolic adaptations 27-33 neuromuscular adaptations 45-52 individual differences in gains

blood ammonia 32 contractile properties 29, 30t, from tapering 95
blood lactate kinetics 29-31, 30t, 49, 51-52, 52f intensity of training during
41, 42f, 64 enzymatic activities 49-50, 50f tapering and 71-74, 72f,
energy balance 28 muscle-fiber metabolic properties 73t, 74t
mineral metabolism 33 50 meaningfulness of taper-induced
muscle glycogen 29, 32-33, 33f, muscle fiber size 50 gains 97-98, 97f
72, 85 strength and power 45-49, 46t, observed gains from tapering
substrate availability and 47f, 48f, 49f 89-94, 90t-91t, 92t, 93f, 94f
utilization 28-29 neutrophils 52, 53, 54 positive and negative influence
microcycles 124, 128t NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) 19 of training on 4-5, 4f, 5f
Millard, M. 36t non–SHBG-bound testosterone psychological variables in 61, 64
Millet, G.P. 83 (NSBT) 40 team sport definition of 114
Mills, Alice 147-148, 147f noradrenaline 44 volume of training during taper
mineral metabolism 33 nutrition 182 75-78, 76f, 77f, 77t, 78f
mitochondrial capacity, economy of performance goals, setting 94
movement and 18 O periodization, in training 175,
mitochondrial enzymes 49 observational studies 9, 10t 182-183
mood states 57-62 Olazabal, José María 166-168, 166f periodized psychological skills
definition of 57 Olympic Games, training for training 65-67, 66t
deterioration during tapering 96 archery 161-166, 162f, 165t Perry, Michelle 156f
global 57, 57f cycling 142-146, 142f, 144t-145t Phelps, Michael 124f, 125,
mental preparation 128-129, men’s water polo 186-188, 186f 126t-127t, 129t
163, 165, 182 swimming (Bowman) 123-129, placebo effect 95
Profile of Mood States studies 124f, 126t-127t, 128t, 129t plasma, definition of 26
50f, 59-61, 59f, 61f swimming (Rollason) 146-151, Player, Gary 168
Recovery–Stress Questionnaire 148t-149t, 150t POMS (Profile of Mood States) 50f,
for Athletes 43, 61-62, 62f women’s field hockey 170f, 171- 59-61, 59f, 61f
studies on 58t 174, 172t-173t positive influence (PI) of training
Morgan, W.P. 57f, 58t, 59, 96 open window model 53 4-5, 4f, 5f
Morris, Jenny 170f osmotic resistance 26 precision sports
Mujika, Iñigo 1, 4, 12, 13f, 25, 26, overload training archery 161-166, 165t
30t, 32, 36, 36t, 37, 39t, 40-41, prior to tapering 11-12, 12f golf 166-168, 166f
40f, 41f, 42f, 54, 72, 73, 74t, taper duration and 83, 107-110, Prins, J.H. 46t, 47
75, 77f, 79, 81, 82, 89, 90t, 108f, 109f Profile of Mood States (POMS) 50f,
91t, 92t, 93, 93f, 94f, 95, 96, overpacing 133 59-61, 59f, 61f
97, 97f, 100, 101, 102f, 103, overreaching progressive taper, meta-analysis of
114 maximal heart rate and 22 10-11, 11t
multiple peaking, in team sports mood state and 61 prolactin 43f
114-115 overtraining vs. 22 psychological changes 57-67
muscle fibers 50, 51-52, 52f preseason 115 Borg’s Rating of Perceived
muscle glycogen concentration overreaching–recovery protocol 23 Exertion 63, 63f
heat training and 85 overtraining, overreaching vs. 22 heart rate (HR):RPE relationship
increasing during taper 32, 33f oxygen partial pressure 38 63-64, 63f
intensity of training during taper oxygen pulse (O2 pulse) 23 mental preparation 128-129,
and 72 163, 165, 182
P
during luteal phase of menstrual mood state 57-62, 57f, 58t, 59f,
cycles 33 pace, finding the perfect 131-132 61f, 69f
respiratory exchange rate and Papoti, M. 30t, 46t, 47f, 91t perception of effort 58t, 62-64
29 peak blood lactate. See blood lactate periodized psychological skills
muscle mass loss 28 peaking, multiple 114-115 training 65-67, 66t
muscle oxygenation 19-20, 19f, 20f Peek, Allison 170f Profile of Mood States studies
muscle strength, intensity of taper perception of effort 50f, 59-61, 59f, 61f
and 72 Borg’s Rating of Perceived psychological fitness 157
Exertion 63, 63f Recovery–Stress Questionnaire
N definition of 62-63 for Athletes 43, 61-62, 62f
natural killer cytotoxicity 52 heart rate (HR):RPE relationship sleep quality 7, 23, 64-65, 65t,
near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) 63-64, 63f 84-85
19 influence of taper on 58t, 83 Pyne, D.B. 113
Neary, J.P. 17t, 19-20, 19f, 20f, 21t, taper duration and 83
23, 32, 49, 50, 58t, 63, 91t performance Q
negative influence of training duration of taper and 81-83, 81t, Queally, Jason 142-146, 142f,
4-5, 4f, 5f. See also fatigue, 82f, 82t, 86t 144t-145t
accumulated frequency of training during
“neural–metabolic sets” 143 tapering and 78-80, 79f, R
neuroendocrine fatigue 23 79t, 80t race-pace intervals 73
neuroendocrine response to gender differences in gains from Raglin, J.S. 46, 46t, 58t, 59, 59f, 60,
training dose 106 tapering 93-94, 93f, 94f, 96 90t, 96
index 207

Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) immunological responses 53 step taper

63 intensity of training during meta-analysis of 10-11, 11t
Readhead, Clint 174-179, 175f, tapering 71, 72f, 73t overview of 8-9, 8f
176t, 177t iron status 26 Stewart, A.M. 74, 75f, 78, 78f, 80,
recovery maximal heart rate in 22 80t, 81, 81t
anabolic and catabolic hormones maximal oxygen uptake 16, Stone, M.H. 21t, 23, 30t, 39t, 90t
in 5 17t, 18 strength and power, during
lactate 31 meaningfulness of taper-induced tapering 45-49, 46t, 47f, 48f,
overreaching–recovery protocol gains 97 49f
23 muscle contractile properties 29, strength-trained athletes
for rugby players 177t, 178 30t, 51-52 energy balance 28
for water polo players 182 muscle glycogen 32 hGH, IGF-I, and IGFBP-3 45
Recovery–Stress Questionnaire for observed performance gains from observed performance gains from
Athletes (RESTQ–Sport) 43, tapering 90t-91t tapering 90t-91t
61-62, 62f perception of effort 63 strength and power in 46t
red blood cells performance goal setting 94 testosterone and cortisol 39t, 40
distribution width 25-26 psychological changes 58t strength training, for water polo
hemolysis vs. erythropoiesis 24- red cell balance 25, 26 players 182
26, 25f resting heart rate 20, 21t stroke volume 23
intensive training and 24 reticulocyte counts in 6 submaximal energy expenditure,
red blood cell count 24, 26, 27f strength and power in 46t, 47- economy of movement and
red cell volume 72 48, 49f 18, 19f
tapering and 6, 7, 24, 25f submaximal heart rate 22, 23 submaximal heart rate 22-23
renin activity 24 tapering patterns for 10, 11t submaximal HLa:RPE ratio 64
respiratory alkalosis 85 testosterone–cortisol ratio 38, substrate utilization 28-29
respiratory exchange ratio (RER) 39t, 40 succinate dehydrogenase 50, 51f
28-29 training program of Fiz 130-134, Super 14 club competition 178
resting heart rate 20, 21t 132t, 134t supercompensatory effect 22, 115
RESTQ–Sport (Recovery–Stress training program of McFarlane superoxide free radicals 50
Questionnaire for Athletes) 139-141, 140f, 141t swimmers
43, 61-62, 62f training program of Winckler altitude training 85
reticulocyte counts 6, 7, 25 155-160, 158t-160t blood lactate 29, 30t, 31
“reversed periodization” 146 ventilatory function 23-24 blood pressure 23
Rietjens, G.J.W.M. 17t, 21t, 28, volume of training during cardiac dimensions 23
30t, 91t tapering 75-76, 76f, 77f catecholamines 44
Rizzo, Philippe 151-152 Ryder Cup 167, 168 contractile properties 51
Rollason, Shannon 146-151, cortisol 43
148t-149t, 150t S creatine kinase 36-37, 36t
Rousseau, Florian 142 saw tapering pattern 12, 12f duration of taper 81-82, 81t,
rowers secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) 82t, 103
altitude training 85 52, 54 economy of movement 18
blood ammonia 32 serum, definition of 26 energy balance 28
blood lactate 29, 30t, 31 serum haptoglobin 6-7, 25-26 fatigue and adaptation model
hormonal adaptations 41, 43, 45 sex-hormone binding globulin 101, 102f
immunological responses 54 (SHBG) 38 frequency of training during
individual differences in tapering Shepley, B. 16, 17t, 26, 29, 30t, 46t, tapering 79, 80t
96 47-48, 49, 49f, 72, 76, 90t glutamic pyruvic transaminase
intensity of training during SIgA (secretory immunoglobulin A) 37
tapering 73, 74t 52, 54 hemoglobin and hematocrit 25
observed performance gains from sleep quality immunological responses 53, 54
tapering 91t altitude and 85 individual differences in tapering
psychological changes 58t jet lag and 84 95
RPE (Borg’s Rating of Perceived during taper 7, 23, 64-65, 65t insulin-like growth factor-I 44
Exertion) 63 slow-wave sleep 64, 65t intensity of training during
rugby players 115, 174-179, 176t, Smith, H.K. 30t, 91t, 96 tapering 73, 73t, 74, 74t, 75f
177f, 177t Smyth, Des 167 maximal heart rate 22
runners Snyder, A.C. 58t, 64 maximal oxygen uptake 16, 17t
blood lactate 29, 30t, 31 soccer (football) 116-119, 117t, meaningfulness of taper-induced
blood pressure 23 118f gains 97, 97f
blood volume 24 sprint-event training schedules mental preparation 128-129
creatine kinase 36-37, 36t for hurdlers 157-160, 158t-160t microcycles 124, 128t
duration of taper 82t for sprint cyclists 142-146, 142f, muscle fiber size 50
economy of movement 18, 19f 144t-145t observed performance gains from
energy balance 28 for sprint runners 139-141, tapering 89, 90t-91t, 92t,
enzymatic activities 49 140f, 141t 93-94, 93f, 94f
fatigue and adaptation model 101 for sprint swimmers 146-151, perception of effort 63f
frequency of training during 148t-149t, 150t performance goal setting 94
tapering 79, 80t Steinacker, J.M. 39t, 45, 58t, 91t psychological changes 58t, 60, 60f
208 index

swimmers (continued) for women’s water polo 179- McFarlane, Mike 139-141, 140f,
red blood cell balance 25, 26, 27f 185, 180f, 183t, 184t 141t
resting heart rate 20, 21t testosterone. See also testosterone– Queally, Jason 142-146, 142f,
sleep quality during tapering 7, cortisol ratio 144t-145t
23, 64, 65t function of 5 Rollason, Shannon 146-151,
strength and power in 45-47, intensity of training during taper 148t-149t, 150t
46t, 47f, 48f and 72 Van Lierde, Luc 135-137, 135f,
submaximal heart rate 22 luteinizing hormone and 41 136f
tapering patterns for 10, 11t, 12- as marker of anabolic tissue Vatkin, Vladimir 151-152, 151f,
13, 12f, 13f activities 38 153t-155t
taper optimization for 107-110, non–SHBG-bound 40 Winckler, Gary 155-160,
108f, 109f during tapering 43f 158t-160t
testosterone–cortisol ratio during total 38, 40 training programs, by sport
tapering 5-6, 5f, 6f, 38, 39t, volume of training during taper for archers 164-166, 165t
40-41, 40f, 41f, 42f and 76 for endurance swimmers 123-
training program of Bowman 123- testosterone–cortisol ratio 129, 126t-127t, 128t, 129t
129, 126t-127t, 128t, 129t as marker of training stress 38 for golfers 166-168, 166f
training program of Rollason performance and 5-7, 6f for gymnasts 151-152, 153t-155t
146-151, 148t-149t, 150t in runners 38, 39t, 40 for hurdlers 157-160, 158t-160t
variable dose–response model studies on 39t for marathon runners 132t,
103-106, 105f in swimmers 5-6, 5f, 6f, 38, 39t, 133-134
volume of training during 40-41, 40f, 41f, 42f for men’s water polo 186-188,
tapering 76, 77f, 78f during tapering 38-44, 39t, 40f, 186f
systems theory 99-100, 99f, 100f 41f, 42f, 43f for rugby players 178-179
systolic cavity 23 in team-sport tapering and for sprint cyclists 143-146,
peaking 115 144t-145t
T Thomas, L. 7, 11, 99, 99f, 104, for sprint runners 141t, 155-
tactical teamwork 181 105f, 107-110, 107f, 108f, 160, 158t-160t
Tanaka, H. 39t 109f for sprint swimmers 147-150,
tapering. See also tapering patterns Thomas, Petria 147f 148t-149t
aims of 4-7 threshold saturation 101 for triathletes 136-137, 136f
design optimization 107-110, thyroid-stimulating hormones 45 for women’s field hockey 169-
107f, 108f, 109f thyroxine 45 174, 172t-173t
historical definitions of 3 time zones 83-84 for women’s water polo 179-
mathematical modeling of 4-5, 4f T-lymphocytes 52, 53, 54 185, 180f, 183t, 184t
meta-analysis of patterns 10- total antioxidant status (TAS) 54f transfer function 99, 99f, 105f
11, 11t total testosterone (TT) 38, 40 transferrin 26
observational studies of 9, 10t Tournant, Arnaud 142 Trappe, S. 46-47, 46t, 47f, 51, 91t
reduced training vs. 7, 8f training travel fatigue 83-84
tapering patterns 7-9, 8f biological stress markers in 5-6, triathletes
computer simulations of 107- 5f, 6f creatine kinase 36t
110, 107f, 108f, 109f negative and positive influences energy balance 28
exponential 8-9, 8f, 10-11, 11t of 4-5, 4f exponential vs. step taper 9
increased training load at end tapering vs. reduced training fatigue and adaptation model
11, 12, 12f 7, 8f 101
saw 12, 12f threshold saturation 101 hemoglobin and hematocrit 25
step 8-9, 8f, 10-11, 11t training load maximal oxygen uptake 16, 17t
two-phase 11-12, 12f jet lag and 84 observed performance gains from
tapering schedules. See training taper duration and 83, 86t, 107- tapering 90t-91t
programs, by coach; training 110, 108f, 109f psychological changes 58t, 61-62
programs, by sport training programs, by coach testosterone and cortisol 39t,
TAS (total antioxidant status) 54f Bowman, Bob 123-129, 124f, 40, 41
Taylor, S.R. 60, 90t 126t-127t, 128t, 129t training program of Van Lierde
T-cells 52, 53, 54 Charlesworth, Ric 169-174, 135-137, 136f
team sport tapering 113-119 172t-173t triiodothyronine 45
difficulty of research in 113-114 Coetzee, Hassan, and Readhead Trinity, J.D. 47, 47f, 91t
for a major tournament 116- 174-179, 175f, 176t, 177f, TT (total testosterone) 38, 40
119, 117t, 118f 177t tumor necrosis factor- 52, 55
for men’s water polo 186-188, 186f Fairweather, Simon 161-166, two-phase tapering pattern 11-12,
multiple peaking 114-115 162f, 165t 12f
for the regular season 115, 116f Fiz, Martin 130-134, 130f, 132t Type II muscle fibers 50, 51-52, 52f
for rugby players 174-179, 176t, Matutinovic, Dragan 186-188, Type I muscle fibers 50, 51-52, 52f
177f, 177t 186f
for women’s field hockey 169- McFadden, Greg 179-185, 180f, U
174, 172t-173t 183t, 184t urea/uric acid 38
index 209

V water polo World Championships

Vanderkaay, Peter 125, 128 men’s 186-188, 186f archery 162
Van Handel, P.J. 17, 17t, 18, 29, women’s 179-185, 180f, 183t, marathon 135-137, 135f, 136f
30t, 31 184t men’s artistic gymnastics 151-
Van Lierde, Luc 135-137, 135f, weightlifters 152, 151f, 153t-155t
136f blood ammonia 32 women’s water polo 180-185,
variable dose–response model 103- blood lactate 30t, 31 180f, 183t, 184t
106, 104f, 105f blood pressure 23 World Cup
vasopressin 24 fatigue and adaptation model 101 rugby 174-179, 175f, 176t, 177f,
vastus medialis muscle, in cyclists hormonal adaptations 38, 39t, 177t
19-20, 19f 40 women’s field hockey 171
Vatkin, Vladimir 151-152, 151f, observed performance gains from World Series (golf) 167
153t-155t tapering 90t-91t
Y
ventilatory function 23-24 resting heart rate 20, 21t
ventilatory threshold 24 submaximal heart rate 23 Yamamoto, Y. 10, 36, 36t, 37
ventricular septal wall 23 White, Jake 174-175, 175f Z
visualization 128, 131, 134 Winckler, Gary 155-160, 158t-160t
. Zarkadas, P.C. 17t, 90t
  O2max. See maximal oxygen
V women, muscle glycogen during
uptake luteal phase in 33. See also
Vollaard, N.B. 91t gender differences
volume of training during taper women’s field hockey 169-174,
75-78, 76f, 77f, 77t, 78f 172t-173t
women’s water polo 179-185,
W 180f, 183t, 184t
WAC (World Archery World Archery Championships
Championships) 162 (WAC) 162
about
the author

Iñigo Mujika, PhD, is a sports physiologist at USP Araba

Sport Clinic in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, and an
Associate Professor at the Department of Physiology,
Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, at the University

Photo courtesy of Iñigo Mujika

of the Basque Country. Previously, Mujika was also the
head of the department of research and development
at the Spanish professional football team Athletic Club
Bilbao, Basque Country. As a researcher, sport science
practitioner, and coach, Mujika is widely considered one
of the most respected experts on tapering and peaking for
optimal performance.
Since 1992, Mujika has been devoted to the research
of tapering and peaking for sport performance. He has
published over 20 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 6 book chapters, and 10 other pub-
lications on tapering-related issues. He has also presented nearly 70 lectures on tapering
at conferences and seminars worldwide.
As a sport physiologist, Mujika works closely with elite athletes and coaches in a vari-
ety of individual and team sports. From 2003 to 2004, Mujika was senior physiologist at
the Australian Institute of Sport. In 2005, he worked as physiologist and trainer of the
professional road bicycle racing team Euskaltel Euskadi. He is also a coach of world-class
triathletes, having coached Olympians Ainhoa Murua to Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008,
and Eneko Llanos to Athens 2004.
Mujika is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and serves as associate
editor of the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. He holds a doctoral
degree in biology of muscular exercise (1995) from the University of Saint-Etienne in
France and a second doctorate in physical activity and sport sciences (1999) along with an
Extraordinary Doctorate Award from the University of the Basque Country. In 2002 and
2007 he received the National Award for Sport Medicine Research from the University
of Oviedo in Spain. He has also received two awards for his work with triathletes: Best
Coach of Female Athlete (2006) from the Spanish Triathlon Federation and the High
Performance Basque Sport Award (2007) from the Basque Sport Foundation.
Fluent in four languages (Basque, English, French, and Spanish), Mujika has lived
in California, France, South Africa, and Australia. He currently resides in the Basque
Country. Mujika enjoys surfing, cycling, swimming, strength training, and hiking, as
well as cinema and traveling.

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