テーパリング

大事な試合にピークパフォーマンスを合わせるために、さかのぼって数日〜数週間前から、強度を維持し（調整する場合もある）量や頻度を調整してトレーニングを行うことで、フィットネスを下げずに疲労を少しずつ抜いていく技術のこと。しかしトレーニング全体の強化戦略の一部として総合的に検討し取り入れる必要があるため、テーパリングを行えば必ずピークパフォーマンスを発揮できるわけではない。 “The taper is a progressive nonlinear reduction of the training load during a variable period of time, in an attempt to reduce the physiological and psychological stress of daily training and optimize sports performance. The aim of the taper should be to minimize accumulated fatigue without compromising adaptations. This is best achieved by maintaining training intensity, reducing the training volume (up to 60-90%) and slightly reducing training frequency (no more than 20%). The optimal duration of the taper ranges between 4 and more than 28 d. Progressive nonlinear tapers are more beneficial to performance than step tapers. Performance usually improves by about 3% (usual range 0.5-6.0%), due to positive changes in the cardiorespiratory, metabolic, hematological, hormonal, neuromuscular, and psychological status of the athletes.” 引用：Iñigo Mujika, et al：Scientific bases for precompetition tapering strategies. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, July 2003 - Volume 35 - Issue 7 - p 1182-1187