Have You Ever Wondered?
• Why do many runners feel that their legs are “heavy” during the week before a race?
• Is it beneficial to continue training hard until the final days before competition?
• Can excessive rest negatively affect race readiness?
• How can we reduce fatigue without losing the adaptations we have worked so hard to build?
The answer lies in tapering, one of the most important yet often misunderstood phases of endurance training.
The Science
Tapering and Performance Optimization
Tapering is the planned reduction of training load before a competition, with the goal of reducing accumulated fatigue and optimizing race performance.
The underlying rationale is simple:
Athletes are not trying to improve their fitness during the final days before a race. Instead, they seek to allow the adaptations that have already been assimilated to be expressed in the best possible way.
Properly implemented tapering may contribute to:
•reducing accumulated fatigue
• maintaining neuromuscular readiness
• replenishing energy stores
• improving the sensation of freshness
• maintaining training intensity without excessive strain
A sudden or excessive reduction of all training stimuli may lead to feelings of sluggishness or a loss of neuromuscular activation. Conversely, maintaining small and controlled doses of intensity helps athletes remain race-ready.
According to the literature, the most effective tapering strategy is based on a substantial reduction in training volume while maintaining both training intensity and training frequency.
Effects of Tapering on Performance: A Meta-analysis
THE APPLICATION
How to Implement Tapering Properly
In practice, tapering does not mean complete rest.
It means a strategic reduction of the overall training load, allowing the body to recover without compromising race readiness.
Reduction of Training Volume
The primary intervention during tapering is the reduction of overall training volume.
This may include:
• fewer total kilometers
• shorter training sessions
• fewer repetitions in demanding workouts
• reduced overall mechanical load
This reduction should be progressive rather than abrupt, allowing athletes to maintain their sense of rhythm and neuromuscular activation.
Maintaining Intensity
Intensity should not disappear completely from the training program.
Small and controlled stimuli at race pace or even slightly higher intensities help:
•maintain neuromuscular readiness
• preserve the sensation of speed
• prevent feelings of sluggishness
• reinforce familiarity with race pace
Recovery and Energy Availability
During tapering, recovery becomes even more important.
Quality sleep, proper nutrition, adequate hydration, and sufficient energy availability help athletes reach race day with the lowest possible level of accumulated fatigue.
Particularly during the final days before competition, the objectives are:
•adequate sleep
• appropriate fueling
• sufficient hydration
• avoidance of unnecessary fatigue
• maintenance of daily routines
• psychological calmness
KEY PRINCIPLES OF APPLICATION
Tapering should:
• primarily reduce overall training volume
• maintain controlled doses of intensity
• avoid excessively demanding final workouts
• support recovery and energy availability
• be adapted to the athlete’s needs, level, and training history
CRITICAL POINT
The final week before a race is the period during which we aim to reduce fatigue while preserving the adaptations already achieved.
Excessive training stress during this phase may lead to:
• accumulated fatigue
• feelings of heaviness in the legs
• reduced race freshness
• impaired performance
COACHING PRINCIPLE
Tapering allows previously assimilated adaptations to be expressed on race day.
Proper reduction of training load is not a sign of relaxation, but an integral part of race preparation.
In essence, tapering represents the mechanism through which training adaptations are transformed into competitive performance