What to do in the days leading up to a competition to get in shape?
Let's talk about tapering, that phase of training in which you seek to adjust the loads to give your 100% in competition.
First of all, it is important to note that sport is not an exact science. Every athlete, whether elite or amateur, has their own particularities, preferences, strategies and response to stimuli and rest. That is why it is important to always have the support of a professional during the process that will lead you to the race or challenge that you have set for yourself.
If you are just a few weeks or days away from a competition, several concerns may arise: should I rest? Should I increase the loads? How do I train in the days before a challenge? We want to get in shape, to collect what you achieved with sacrifice in each training session. According to Felipe González, Terret Athlete, “These two weeks are known as tapering or fine-tuning, they are so important that they can positively or negatively affect a process that takes months.” Basically, we are talking about a time in which we concentrate on giving the body a rest without reducing the intensity to reach the peak of performance to achieve the objectives.
Professor Felipe also tells us that “if you increase the load too much it is bad, if you lower it too. You have to be very meticulous in the dosage. The theory says that the number of hours should be reduced gradually and considerably without losing intensity in training. The body rests, but physical condition is not lost.”
He also recommends that “in the last 4 or 5 days, carbohydrate consumption is increased so that glycogen stores are high.” This entire phase must be accompanied by sports and nutrition professionals who will allow us to be in top form to collect the medal we hope for.
Finally, tapering is also the moment when we give our mind a rest, visualize the goals we set for ourselves and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of the competition or challenge we are going to face. It is very important that we see our emotional and physical process as something that goes hand in hand. We also have to give a rest to a mind that we have subjected to early mornings, challenges, frustrations, pain, uncertainty and fears.
Make the last few weeks before your race the best landing strip for what you've wanted to achieve for so many months.
Cristian Marín - Alternating Current