How Do I Taper To Hit Peak Fitness?

There’s no point training hard right up to a big event if it leaves you too tired to perform. That’s where the art of the taper comes in

- Michael Donlevy

Most of us feel we need to train more, not less, but cutting down on training at the right moment can help you hit peak fitness for a particular event.

In the words of Ric Stern of cyclecoach.com, ‘Tapering allows you to reduce your total workload prior to a race, so you can arrive at the start feeling mentally and physically refreshed.’

‘If you taper properly, you’ll produce the best performance you can for the amount of training you’ve put in,’ says British Cycling coach Will Newton. ‘If you don’t taper it’s such a pity – you’ve put in a huge effort for months but you’re going to under perform because you’re tired.’

‘Not tapering could – but won’t definitively – lead to burnout or undue fatigue,’ adds Stern. ‘Or it may not. That will depend on where you are in your training build-up and how you’re affected by your current training load.’

Look at it this way, though: training is about building fitness, which is an ongoing process. The closer you get to your race, the more you’re training for fitness gains that won’t be felt until after that race has happened. Which is pointless.

‘It’s different for everyone,’ says Newton. ‘Some people need three weeks, while others need one day. Some people have three days off and their performance is shocking. The key is to practise during training for your B or C races. Do this taper, did it work? No? Try a longer taper. Try a shorter taper. Experiment in races that don’t matter.’

Turning down the volume