Taper Week
Taper Time. Why?
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Taper Time. Why?
Picture this, you feel like you are in the best shape of your life, you have a race in the next week or two, and your coach and/or your training plan tells you to ease off a bit, calls it a “Taper”, and you suddenly feel like you are losing all your fitness. Sound familiar?
I can confirm that no one is trying to do this to you to make you lose your fitness. Despite how alien this concept might feel, a taper for a race is super important. A taper can be defined as “a systematic reduction of training volume and sometimes intensity. Done for the purpose of recovery and often done prior to an important event”.
The idea is to have you as rested and ready for your event as possible. If you keep training at high intensity right up until your event, the chance of you being exhausted and performing well below potential is highly likely.
In a taper period (usually 1 - 3 weeks, but depends on the race distance), you can expect to see reduction in training volume and often intensity. You might still have the odd tough session, but this will usually be in a shorter duration to what you are used to.
In order to fully lean into the taper, it helps to understand the primary benefits that can come from having a good taper:
Increased glycogen stores
Repair of micro tears in muscles and connective tissues
Increased mental freshness
Decreased chance of injury and sickness
Increased red blood cells and total blood volume
There is really no need to be concerned that you will lose fitness in your taper phase, as long as you have bouts of intense exercise integrated into a taper, there will be no loss of fitness. Additionally, muscular and cardiovascular benefits of exercise are not realised until at least 7 to 10 days after an exercise session.
You might still feel like you are just eager to run and have too much time on your hands though. So, why not spend the time planning for the upcoming event and ensure that you have everything else in check? Focus on your mobility and stretching exercises, nail your nutrition and hydration, and take some time to study the course map of your event and make sure any race day logistic plans are in place.
The hard work is done, enjoy the downtime, and remember how far you have come!
ENGINE
Working on holding our MIKKOS score calories for longer blocks of time.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will focus on rope climbing, doubleunders, and handstand push-ups in gymnastics. We will focus on the skill elements to help you with these movements! Whether you have these movements down or not, this class will help you improve in all these movements so you're ready to attack classes!
HYROX
We start to put together the pieces and do a mini HYROX
MOBILITY
We will go over full-body flow routines focusing on flexibility for full-body alignment.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength, we start the week with some percentage work on the close grip bench press, followed by heavy rows and a shoulder pump to finish. Wednesday, we worked up to a heavy single on the deadlift, with some tough drop sets followed by some heavy single leg work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus this week, and we get into over-head squats before working into some Snatch High Pulls and Hang Snatch and then finish with some heavy Snatch singles!
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Track Tuesday
Week two of our over/unders block, this week we move to 1km efforts.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Wednesday Ride
Wednesday ride* 5.59am BOTS. << use links/details from a few months back
4 X 8min at your best effort, what have you got?
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
Our classic builders set this week, 5min builds based on effort! A great tempo run.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
Back to a long ride today, 105km in the group with some structured intervals to follow.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday long run
Team IFE on Tour are 3 weeks out from the marathon in Munich, so they need to run long. Why not come along and support with some miles to? Message sh@innerfight.com to find out more.
Start time: 05:29am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: From InnerFight
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Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
Today we will hold tempo for 2 long blocks and one shorter block. Keep asking yourself if you are running a 7/10 effort during this session.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week our over/unders have increased from 800m to 1000m. Paces are the same as last week. This is your chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance Community and Coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
We will be running our intervals around the Olivia apartments this week for 1 loop and then in the park for a shorter loop. Try and pick up the pace on the shorter park loops.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week our efforts will build from 4/10 to 7/10 over 3 blocks of builders. You therefore have 3 attempts to hit that 7/10 feeling. We recommend that you do not start off too fast on this one.
Sunday
Time: 5:29am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Long Run
We will be running from InnerFight this Sunday. There are various options from 15km to 35km depending on which races you have coming up. If you would rather run for time, that is also fine! Routes will be shared in WhatsApp and on TrainingPeaks.
.jpg)
We will kick the week off on Monday with heavy single-leg work and move on to a fast interval workout. Tuesday is about the sandbags with a tough set of EMOMs followed by a partner workout. Wednesday, we have more focus on our strict pull-ups and then a gymnastics and running-based workout. Thursday, we will hit some technical work on a clean complex and follow it up with some heavy clean singles, followed by a tough and fast-paced workout with rowing cleans and wall balls. Friday, we finish the week with some heavy Jerks in the skill and then a gruelling chipper.
Monday:
Strength:
Walking Dumbell Lunges
Conditioning:
In a 2 min window
25 KB Sumo deadlift (2x24/16)
Amrap DU
rest 2 mins
In a 2 min window
16 Weighted Box Step Ups 1 x KB 24/16
AMRAP Cals Bike
rest 2 mins
x3
Tuesday:
Strength:
Building Weight Sandbag To Shoulder
Conditioning:
In Pairs
100 sandbags to shoulder (80/50)
Every 4 mins
1 car park lap farmers carry 2 x 32/24
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Strict Pull Ups
B) KB Push Press + Pull Ups + Side Plank
Conditioning:
16 min amrap
Pool Run
10 burpee pull-ups
3 wall walks
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Clean Pull + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat
B) Squat Clean
Conditioning:
For time:
500/400m row
30 squat clean (60/40)
50 WallBalls
Friday:
Strength:
A) Push Jerk
Conditioning:
It's an awesome triplet to end the week! Therapyyyyy!
Taper Time. Why?
Picture this, you feel like you are in the best shape of your life, you have a race in the next week or two, and your coach and/or your training plan tells you to ease off a bit, calls it a “Taper”, and you suddenly feel like you are losing all your fitness. Sound familiar?
I can confirm that no one is trying to do this to you to make you lose your fitness. Despite how alien this concept might feel, a taper for a race is super important. A taper can be defined as “a systematic reduction of training volume and sometimes intensity. Done for the purpose of recovery and often done prior to an important event”.
The idea is to have you as rested and ready for your event as possible. If you keep training at high intensity right up until your event, the chance of you being exhausted and performing well below potential is highly likely.
In a taper period (usually 1 - 3 weeks, but depends on the race distance), you can expect to see reduction in training volume and often intensity. You might still have the odd tough session, but this will usually be in a shorter duration to what you are used to.
In order to fully lean into the taper, it helps to understand the primary benefits that can come from having a good taper:
Increased glycogen stores
Repair of micro tears in muscles and connective tissues
Increased mental freshness
Decreased chance of injury and sickness
Increased red blood cells and total blood volume
There is really no need to be concerned that you will lose fitness in your taper phase, as long as you have bouts of intense exercise integrated into a taper, there will be no loss of fitness. Additionally, muscular and cardiovascular benefits of exercise are not realised until at least 7 to 10 days after an exercise session.
You might still feel like you are just eager to run and have too much time on your hands though. So, why not spend the time planning for the upcoming event and ensure that you have everything else in check? Focus on your mobility and stretching exercises, nail your nutrition and hydration, and take some time to study the course map of your event and make sure any race day logistic plans are in place.
The hard work is done, enjoy the downtime, and remember how far you have come!
Track Tuesday
Week two of our over/unders block, this week we move to 1km efforts.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Wednesday Ride
Wednesday ride* 5.59am BOTS. << use links/details from a few months back
4 X 8min at your best effort, what have you got?
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
Our classic builders set this week, 5min builds based on effort! A great tempo run.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
Back to a long ride today, 105km in the group with some structured intervals to follow.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday long run
Team IFE on Tour are 3 weeks out from the marathon in Munich, so they need to run long. Why not come along and support with some miles to? Message sh@innerfight.com to find out more.
Start time: 05:29am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: From InnerFight
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
Today we will hold tempo for 2 long blocks and one shorter block. Keep asking yourself if you are running a 7/10 effort during this session.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week our over/unders have increased from 800m to 1000m. Paces are the same as last week. This is your chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance Community and Coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
We will be running our intervals around the Olivia apartments this week for 1 loop and then in the park for a shorter loop. Try and pick up the pace on the shorter park loops.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week our efforts will build from 4/10 to 7/10 over 3 blocks of builders. You therefore have 3 attempts to hit that 7/10 feeling. We recommend that you do not start off too fast on this one.
Sunday
Time: 5:29am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Long Run
We will be running from InnerFight this Sunday. There are various options from 15km to 35km depending on which races you have coming up. If you would rather run for time, that is also fine! Routes will be shared in WhatsApp and on TrainingPeaks.
We will kick the week off on Monday with heavy single-leg work and move on to a fast interval workout. Tuesday is about the sandbags with a tough set of EMOMs followed by a partner workout. Wednesday, we have more focus on our strict pull-ups and then a gymnastics and running-based workout. Thursday, we will hit some technical work on a clean complex and follow it up with some heavy clean singles, followed by a tough and fast-paced workout with rowing cleans and wall balls. Friday, we finish the week with some heavy Jerks in the skill and then a gruelling chipper.
Monday:
Strength:
Walking Dumbell Lunges
Conditioning:
In a 2 min window
25 KB Sumo deadlift (2x24/16)
Amrap DU
rest 2 mins
In a 2 min window
16 Weighted Box Step Ups 1 x KB 24/16
AMRAP Cals Bike
rest 2 mins
x3
Tuesday:
Strength:
Building Weight Sandbag To Shoulder
Conditioning:
In Pairs
100 sandbags to shoulder (80/50)
Every 4 mins
1 car park lap farmers carry 2 x 32/24
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Strict Pull Ups
B) KB Push Press + Pull Ups + Side Plank
Conditioning:
16 min amrap
Pool Run
10 burpee pull-ups
3 wall walks
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Clean Pull + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat
B) Squat Clean
Conditioning:
For time:
500/400m row
30 squat clean (60/40)
50 WallBalls
Friday:
Strength:
A) Push Jerk
Conditioning:
It's an awesome triplet to end the week! Therapyyyyy!
ENGINE
Working on holding our MIKKOS score calories for longer blocks of time.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will focus on rope climbing, doubleunders, and handstand push-ups in gymnastics. We will focus on the skill elements to help you with these movements! Whether you have these movements down or not, this class will help you improve in all these movements so you're ready to attack classes!
HYROX
We start to put together the pieces and do a mini HYROX
MOBILITY
We will go over full-body flow routines focusing on flexibility for full-body alignment.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength, we start the week with some percentage work on the close grip bench press, followed by heavy rows and a shoulder pump to finish. Wednesday, we worked up to a heavy single on the deadlift, with some tough drop sets followed by some heavy single leg work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus this week, and we get into over-head squats before working into some Snatch High Pulls and Hang Snatch and then finish with some heavy Snatch singles!
Taper Time. Why?
Picture this, you feel like you are in the best shape of your life, you have a race in the next week or two, and your coach and/or your training plan tells you to ease off a bit, calls it a “Taper”, and you suddenly feel like you are losing all your fitness. Sound familiar?
I can confirm that no one is trying to do this to you to make you lose your fitness. Despite how alien this concept might feel, a taper for a race is super important. A taper can be defined as “a systematic reduction of training volume and sometimes intensity. Done for the purpose of recovery and often done prior to an important event”.
The idea is to have you as rested and ready for your event as possible. If you keep training at high intensity right up until your event, the chance of you being exhausted and performing well below potential is highly likely.
In a taper period (usually 1 - 3 weeks, but depends on the race distance), you can expect to see reduction in training volume and often intensity. You might still have the odd tough session, but this will usually be in a shorter duration to what you are used to.
In order to fully lean into the taper, it helps to understand the primary benefits that can come from having a good taper:
Increased glycogen stores
Repair of micro tears in muscles and connective tissues
Increased mental freshness
Decreased chance of injury and sickness
Increased red blood cells and total blood volume
There is really no need to be concerned that you will lose fitness in your taper phase, as long as you have bouts of intense exercise integrated into a taper, there will be no loss of fitness. Additionally, muscular and cardiovascular benefits of exercise are not realised until at least 7 to 10 days after an exercise session.
You might still feel like you are just eager to run and have too much time on your hands though. So, why not spend the time planning for the upcoming event and ensure that you have everything else in check? Focus on your mobility and stretching exercises, nail your nutrition and hydration, and take some time to study the course map of your event and make sure any race day logistic plans are in place.
The hard work is done, enjoy the downtime, and remember how far you have come!
Monday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Tempo
Today we will hold tempo for 2 long blocks and one shorter block. Keep asking yourself if you are running a 7/10 effort during this session.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This week our over/unders have increased from 800m to 1000m. Paces are the same as last week. This is your chance to run fast with the wider InnerFight Endurance Community and Coaches.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: Ladies Only Intervals
We will be running our intervals around the Olivia apartments this week for 1 loop and then in the park for a shorter loop. Try and pick up the pace on the shorter park loops.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week our efforts will build from 4/10 to 7/10 over 3 blocks of builders. You therefore have 3 attempts to hit that 7/10 feeling. We recommend that you do not start off too fast on this one.
Sunday
Time: 5:29am
Location: InnerFight
Session: Long Run
We will be running from InnerFight this Sunday. There are various options from 15km to 35km depending on which races you have coming up. If you would rather run for time, that is also fine! Routes will be shared in WhatsApp and on TrainingPeaks.
We will kick the week off on Monday with heavy single-leg work and move on to a fast interval workout. Tuesday is about the sandbags with a tough set of EMOMs followed by a partner workout. Wednesday, we have more focus on our strict pull-ups and then a gymnastics and running-based workout. Thursday, we will hit some technical work on a clean complex and follow it up with some heavy clean singles, followed by a tough and fast-paced workout with rowing cleans and wall balls. Friday, we finish the week with some heavy Jerks in the skill and then a gruelling chipper.
Monday:
Strength:
Walking Dumbell Lunges
Conditioning:
In a 2 min window
25 KB Sumo deadlift (2x24/16)
Amrap DU
rest 2 mins
In a 2 min window
16 Weighted Box Step Ups 1 x KB 24/16
AMRAP Cals Bike
rest 2 mins
x3
Tuesday:
Strength:
Building Weight Sandbag To Shoulder
Conditioning:
In Pairs
100 sandbags to shoulder (80/50)
Every 4 mins
1 car park lap farmers carry 2 x 32/24
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Strict Pull Ups
B) KB Push Press + Pull Ups + Side Plank
Conditioning:
16 min amrap
Pool Run
10 burpee pull-ups
3 wall walks
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Clean Pull + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat
B) Squat Clean
Conditioning:
For time:
500/400m row
30 squat clean (60/40)
50 WallBalls
Friday:
Strength:
A) Push Jerk
Conditioning:
It's an awesome triplet to end the week! Therapyyyyy!
ENGINE
Working on holding our MIKKOS score calories for longer blocks of time.
GYMNASTICS
This week, we will focus on rope climbing, doubleunders, and handstand push-ups in gymnastics. We will focus on the skill elements to help you with these movements! Whether you have these movements down or not, this class will help you improve in all these movements so you're ready to attack classes!
HYROX
We start to put together the pieces and do a mini HYROX
MOBILITY
We will go over full-body flow routines focusing on flexibility for full-body alignment.
PURE STRENGTH
In Pure Strength, we start the week with some percentage work on the close grip bench press, followed by heavy rows and a shoulder pump to finish. Wednesday, we worked up to a heavy single on the deadlift, with some tough drop sets followed by some heavy single leg work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus this week, and we get into over-head squats before working into some Snatch High Pulls and Hang Snatch and then finish with some heavy Snatch singles!
Track Tuesday
Week two of our over/unders block, this week we move to 1km efforts.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1 hour
Wednesday Ride
Wednesday ride* 5.59am BOTS. << use links/details from a few months back
4 X 8min at your best effort, what have you got?
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
The Coffee Run
Our classic builders set this week, 5min builds based on effort! A great tempo run.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
Saturday Ride
Back to a long ride today, 105km in the group with some structured intervals to follow.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: BOTS - https://goo.gl/maps/6AwtJXW8nA45Cy9H8
Sunday long run
Team IFE on Tour are 3 weeks out from the marathon in Munich, so they need to run long. Why not come along and support with some miles to? Message sh@innerfight.com to find out more.
Start time: 05:29am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: From InnerFight
Taper Time. Why?
Picture this, you feel like you are in the best shape of your life, you have a race in the next week or two, and your coach and/or your training plan tells you to ease off a bit, calls it a “Taper”, and you suddenly feel like you are losing all your fitness. Sound familiar?
I can confirm that no one is trying to do this to you to make you lose your fitness. Despite how alien this concept might feel, a taper for a race is super important. A taper can be defined as “a systematic reduction of training volume and sometimes intensity. Done for the purpose of recovery and often done prior to an important event”.
The idea is to have you as rested and ready for your event as possible. If you keep training at high intensity right up until your event, the chance of you being exhausted and performing well below potential is highly likely.
In a taper period (usually 1 - 3 weeks, but depends on the race distance), you can expect to see reduction in training volume and often intensity. You might still have the odd tough session, but this will usually be in a shorter duration to what you are used to.
In order to fully lean into the taper, it helps to understand the primary benefits that can come from having a good taper:
Increased glycogen stores
Repair of micro tears in muscles and connective tissues
Increased mental freshness
Decreased chance of injury and sickness
Increased red blood cells and total blood volume
There is really no need to be concerned that you will lose fitness in your taper phase, as long as you have bouts of intense exercise integrated into a taper, there will be no loss of fitness. Additionally, muscular and cardiovascular benefits of exercise are not realised until at least 7 to 10 days after an exercise session.
You might still feel like you are just eager to run and have too much time on your hands though. So, why not spend the time planning for the upcoming event and ensure that you have everything else in check? Focus on your mobility and stretching exercises, nail your nutrition and hydration, and take some time to study the course map of your event and make sure any race day logistic plans are in place.
The hard work is done, enjoy the downtime, and remember how far you have come!
Taper Time. Why?
Picture this, you feel like you are in the best shape of your life, you have a race in the next week or two, and your coach and/or your training plan tells you to ease off a bit, calls it a “Taper”, and you suddenly feel like you are losing all your fitness. Sound familiar?
I can confirm that no one is trying to do this to you to make you lose your fitness. Despite how alien this concept might feel, a taper for a race is super important. A taper can be defined as “a systematic reduction of training volume and sometimes intensity. Done for the purpose of recovery and often done prior to an important event”.
The idea is to have you as rested and ready for your event as possible. If you keep training at high intensity right up until your event, the chance of you being exhausted and performing well below potential is highly likely.
In a taper period (usually 1 - 3 weeks, but depends on the race distance), you can expect to see reduction in training volume and often intensity. You might still have the odd tough session, but this will usually be in a shorter duration to what you are used to.
In order to fully lean into the taper, it helps to understand the primary benefits that can come from having a good taper:
Increased glycogen stores
Repair of micro tears in muscles and connective tissues
Increased mental freshness
Decreased chance of injury and sickness
Increased red blood cells and total blood volume
There is really no need to be concerned that you will lose fitness in your taper phase, as long as you have bouts of intense exercise integrated into a taper, there will be no loss of fitness. Additionally, muscular and cardiovascular benefits of exercise are not realised until at least 7 to 10 days after an exercise session.
You might still feel like you are just eager to run and have too much time on your hands though. So, why not spend the time planning for the upcoming event and ensure that you have everything else in check? Focus on your mobility and stretching exercises, nail your nutrition and hydration, and take some time to study the course map of your event and make sure any race day logistic plans are in place.
The hard work is done, enjoy the downtime, and remember how far you have come!
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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