I recently read a few (scientific) things about tapering. The key facts that I learned, especially from sources like Bosquet et al. 2007 (“Effects of Tapering on Performance: A Meta-Analysis”) and Mujika & Padilla 2003 (“Scientific Bases for Precompetition Tapering Strategis”) are:
Keep intensity of your workouts but reduce volume by over 41-60%
A 2 week tapering period seems to be the most efficient
Reducing exponentially (slow or fast decay) seems to a good strategy; but there are also step and linear models
For example I decided to go with a exponential strategy and build myself a handy equation (hi there, ChatGPT): V(t)=e^(–0.0495 · t)
This equation calculates the tapering volume (V) on the specific tapering day (t) in a exponential way. For example on my first tapering day during a 2 week period I’ll do 95% of my training volume and on the 14th day it is 50%. That means that my volume decays exponentially from 100% (day 0) to 50% (day 14).
Is it possible in the future to implement a way to adapt different tapering strategies etc. in Coach Jack?
Hi Stephan, this Bosquet study is interesting it l read it in detail and don’t remember reading it before. I will ask Andrea, he studies all this stuff and feels for most people a shorter taper is better. That study does point out 8-14 days is optimum and suggests cycling has some nuances that are different than swimming and running but overall it seems reasonable to follow their suggestions. I remember one reason Andrea points out to do shorter tapers is you start to lose fitness so most people would rather keep their fitness up at the expense of that extra ~1% of performance, including pros that have many races. But if you really have a single A race that is the most important race of the year this gets more critical. “i.e. the olympics…”
Again I will ask him his thoughts on this study. I am working on ideas on how people can quickly build their own custom blocks like this using AI. Obviously you can do it manually. Even ask Chat GPT to build you zwo files is my guess. You provide your last full week and ask it to generate ZWO files for the 2 weeks. But we want to incorporate that type of thinking into TrainerDay / Coach Jack. I am working on Coach Jack AI stuff now so I will try to incorporate this idea into my design/thinking.
Yes, I talked Andrea and he said pros basically never take a 2 week taper and that it is even less important for most people doing less than 15 hours a week. Here is what ChatGPT said when I asked regarding that study vs what pro cyclists actually do.
But to your point, I and we still fully believe in the idea of people self experimenting and want to support that so I very much like your request and want to provide this level of freedom in a simple fashion. Andrea also agreed with the nature of what that study suggested, just that 2 weeks is too long in 95% of the cases for cyclists.
Thank you Alex for your opinion and for asking Andrea.
So what do you (and Andrea) suggest in terms of length and reducing volume? Because yes: I also want to experiment and my next event is in two weeks (so I still can shorten the taper)
Coach Jack taper is close to what he suggests which is for the last week just just do what you did the previous week but cut everything in 1/2 regarding both total volume and intensity volume, meaning the intensity can stay the same just reduce the number of intervals last 3-6 days before and last 1-2 days before are recovery days. 7-8 days before could still be a full long ride or slightly reduced volume.
