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	Technique of Tapering

Athletes need to be in a top shape, especially before a competition. For the same, there are many techniques which athletes resort to, in order to gain an edge over their competitors. One among them is tapering. Tapering is a way to get the athlete to, as the name suggests, taper down the exercise regime in order to provide the muscles adequate time to recuperate just before the competition. This helps in enhancing the performance of the runner, irrespective of whether he is a short distance or a long distance runner.

Tapering was officially thought of by the combined efforts of Frank Cotton and Forbes Carlile in 1947. Cotton, a professor of Physiology and Carlile, a Swimming Coach of the highest order, would make sure that their swimmer’s training would be reduced as the competition got nearer. Ideally, it should start from anywhere between 1 to 3 weeks before the event. Generally, the recuperating time, or the tapering time is directly proportional to the length of the race. Based on scientific studies, it is best to reduce the exercise intensity by half in the first 3 days and up to 3/4ths, by the 6th day in a tapering period of 14 days. During the remaining period a gradual decrease in the intensity is to be ensured.

The basic mechanism that occurs during the tapering period is quite simple. For a long period prior to an event, the body is being trained and is being stressed out to increase its endurance. However, when the stress and the training levels are reduced substantially, it helps in the body to recuperate and repair the damage caused due to the constant hard training periods. This increases the efficiency of the athlete when he finally enters the event.

Many of the legends in the world of sports have made their mark with the help of this technique. Some of them, such as Joan Benoit could win the Marathon at the U.S. Olympics Trail in 1984 because of a forced rest due to a knee surgery just before the event. Same goes for Carlos Lopes, winner of the marathon in 1984 Olympics, who could not train substantially either, due to an accident, just ten days before the event due to which he had to increase his rest period longer than he wished for.

Such examples and more fully substantiate the importance of tapering but still there are many athletes in the current scenario who do not follow this technique for fear of going out of shape just before a competition. An increased awareness will surely help in bringing out the best of all these athletes in the modern world.

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