Tapering and Peaking

 Important part, as a coach this is where you prove yourself. Having a keen eye and impose and implement techniques  Practicallity – micro management on daily basis.  Period of overload, mistaken taper too long, too short, too intense, too much or not enough volume  The starting point of your plan o Address periodizxed blocks, transitions, age, experience, transitions and how it relates to stress overload adaptation and recovery o 7-14 days (general taper)  The load that can be handled dictates the length  If in doubt under estimate, be conservative when in doubt.  Workouts that sustain positive effect  Concider fitness level and ability, volatility of competition (positives and negatives)  Give them workouts that they will succeed in and not fail = building confidence  May decrease volume, while increasing intensity, recover challenge… many to concider  Nuture the final weeks preparing for the event o Micro management every day commitment  Instill confidence and trust  Coach helps stabilize performance and focus  Planning phase o Confidence o Race day prep and routine (warm up and cooldown) o Put in a couple time / week in taper warmup for practice conciderations: equipment, transitions, race strategy, environmental issues, travel and sleep, recovery. o Conssitency  Behavioral modifications = increase performance (when preparation meets opportunity) o Simulate environmental conditions  Attention to detail gets results  Schedule management o Resident athlete o Working athlete . Rest and recovery issues  Have them move obligations or responsibility around race day. So that they can focus on their event.

Specifics of a taper:  Peak with all energy systems optimized without suffering detraining  Identify training needs related to the specific event  Specific energy system stimulus 3x / week  Goal: time and mph = specific stimulus (speed or power specifics)  Equipment specific to mimic the demands of the race.  Decrease volume, or increase or no change in intensity  Conciderations to take notice of o Decrease volume 5-10%, decrease intensity 5 –10 % from week to week o Week 1 – decrease volume o Week 2 – decrease intensity (be cautious) not as much decrease as wth the variable volume o Increase recovery time, 5-10% may reach 1:1, W:R o Increase confidence based on feeling and freshness o 1 day per week on race equipment  Pay specific attention to weight and nutritional energy demands: sometime when athlete cut back training and expenditure and do not cut back caloric intake they over compensate and gain weight.  Strength training – cut out at the beginning of the taper. CV response to stimulus will act to maintain the resistance training adaptations.  As a coach pay attention to the consistency and repeatability of the training  No consistency decrease volume until you meet criterium  Take more recovery days (no more than 2 repeated bouts)  Do not be afraid to rest the athlete, while keeping hard days hard.  Ultra marathon and stage race conciderations

Offsetting anxiousness  You need to complete confidence and trust by your athlete

Key points:  Positive’in control  Give me 5 minutes and I will give you an answer  Think  Confide in the idea  Show your athlete – develop belief

Be analytical, time spent with athletes and attention to detail, micro managaement skills.

 Have a crisis plan (B), practice through prep phase and specialization phase, problems or obstacles under stress. o Flats o Broken equipment o Etc….  Prepare them, quiz them, in this, then what do you do?  Practice scenarios  Reguardless of the outcome,m the athlete needs to be educated on their responsibilities and expectations.  Where did we go wrong?  Listen to complaints, then go get facts.  Training is the primary function, however ,psychological maturity will allow them to race and maintain throughout the season. Tempo and cadence.  Constant pressure, unload for peak performance with multiple even athletes  Train through races, skip one race before final race, unless race is close with decrease energy factor (load easier closer to the event).  Energy system specific, sharpens race skills, cost is low without travel component.  Stage race preparation taper: o What is considered a stage race . Treat as a one day race

Key components:

 Reduce volume  No more than 2 days of consecutive training  Confidence = succeed (build)  Planned execution o How you mentally prepare and physiologically adapt