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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
Long EMOM with a mixture of machines and body weight exercises.
GYMNASTICS
This Tuesday, we’re focusing on pull-up progressions! Strict, kipping, and butterfly will appear, followed by lat and core supersets.
On Thursday evening, we’ll focus on handstand hold progressions before having some fun with handstand walks and finishing off the session with core and strength work.
HYROX
This is the Last Simulation before race week. We will lower the volume but keep the intensity high to make sure you are ready for race day!
ENGINE: Long EMOM with a mixture of machines and body weight exercises
MOBILITY
This week, we have the topic: Why are your calves and hamstrings always tight? What can we do to remedy this? Get yourself booked in, and I will show you! This is a great session for everyone, but it is extra beneficial to those runners out there!
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength, we have a chance to progress our 20 RM RDL, followed by some heavy press and strict press cluster sets.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on the squat clean. With a fun complex followed by some pulls. Perfect technique session, working on the barbell timing and full depth in the clean
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Jebel Jais Ride
Today our weekly endurance ride is at Jebel Jais! If you're interested to join email us here.
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Monday
There is no in person session this week at LRC. Those who are Unlimited Members, your Training Peaks have been programmed still.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 600m repeats. Which will start at 5km pace and progress to 3km pace, so that the pace increases within each rep.
Wednesday
There is no in person session this week at LRC. Those who are Unlimited Members, your Training Peaks have been programmed still.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running a negative split session, meaning that the second half is faster than the first. After 30 mins of easy running, lock into a 20 mins block of effort from 7 - 9 RPE.
Saturday
Time: 5:15am
Location: Cape Town
Session: Two Oceans
Today the 56km runners will be taking on Two Oceans.
Sunday
Time: 6:00am
Location: Cape Town
Session: Two Oceans
Today the 21km runners will be taking on Two Oceans.
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Eid Mubarak, we hope you all have a great long weekend! Class times are different this week, so please check the schedule on Mindbody! We have a great week lined up, so see you all on the gym floor!
Monday:
We start the week with an epic partner workout. Grab a partner, and let's start the week with a bang!
Conditioning:
40 min amrap in pairs
50 Cal Row
6 wall walks
50 CB Clean and Jerk
6 Wall Walks
50 Box Jump Overs
6 Wall Walks
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, we have some push-and-pull work in our strength area, focused on overhead pressing, and then 2 12-minute AMRAPs for you to get stuck into.
Strength:
Every 90 sec x 8 Alt between
A: 8 Dual DB Z press
B: 20 Alt Gorilla Rows
Conditioning:
12 min amrap
30 Wall balls
30/25 cal ski
30 Double Unders
Rest 3 Mins
12 min amrap
30/25 Sal Ass bike
20 V Ups
20 Russian KB Swings
Wednesday:
Wednesday, we are hitting some paused back squats in the strength, and then we get after a real grind of a WOD with some burpee pull-ups, front squats, and running.
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 6 - 3/3/2/2/1/1 Tempo Back Squats @21X1
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time
5 Front Squats
Pool Run
5 burpee pull-ups
Thursday:
Thursday, snatch complex with some accessory, followed by the workout ACID BATH.
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 8 - 1 Snatch Pull + 1 hang Power Snatch +
1 Power snatch
rest 3 mins
Every 2 mins x 3 - 5 Snatch Grip Deadlift
Conditioning:
For time
500m ski
500m row
1000m c2 bike
Friday:
FUF - Finishing the week with some push-pull work in the strength, before an all-in barbell workout to end the week! What Better!
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 push press
rest 3 mins
Every 2 mins x 4 complete 6 DB bench Press @ 30x1 + 3-5 strict pull ups
Conditioning:
5 min amrap
9 Deadlift
6 Hang Power Clean
3 STOH
Rest 3 mins x 3
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 Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Jebel Jais Ride
Today our weekly endurance ride is at Jebel Jais! If you're interested to join email us here.
Monday
There is no in person session this week at LRC. Those who are Unlimited Members, your Training Peaks have been programmed still.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 600m repeats. Which will start at 5km pace and progress to 3km pace, so that the pace increases within each rep.
Wednesday
There is no in person session this week at LRC. Those who are Unlimited Members, your Training Peaks have been programmed still.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running a negative split session, meaning that the second half is faster than the first. After 30 mins of easy running, lock into a 20 mins block of effort from 7 - 9 RPE.
Saturday
Time: 5:15am
Location: Cape Town
Session: Two Oceans
Today the 56km runners will be taking on Two Oceans.
Sunday
Time: 6:00am
Location: Cape Town
Session: Two Oceans
Today the 21km runners will be taking on Two Oceans.
Eid Mubarak, we hope you all have a great long weekend! Class times are different this week, so please check the schedule on Mindbody! We have a great week lined up, so see you all on the gym floor!
Monday:
We start the week with an epic partner workout. Grab a partner, and let's start the week with a bang!
Conditioning:
40 min amrap in pairs
50 Cal Row
6 wall walks
50 CB Clean and Jerk
6 Wall Walks
50 Box Jump Overs
6 Wall Walks
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, we have some push-and-pull work in our strength area, focused on overhead pressing, and then 2 12-minute AMRAPs for you to get stuck into.
Strength:
Every 90 sec x 8 Alt between
A: 8 Dual DB Z press
B: 20 Alt Gorilla Rows
Conditioning:
12 min amrap
30 Wall balls
30/25 cal ski
30 Double Unders
Rest 3 Mins
12 min amrap
30/25 Sal Ass bike
20 V Ups
20 Russian KB Swings
Wednesday:
Wednesday, we are hitting some paused back squats in the strength, and then we get after a real grind of a WOD with some burpee pull-ups, front squats, and running.
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 6 - 3/3/2/2/1/1 Tempo Back Squats @21X1
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time
5 Front Squats
Pool Run
5 burpee pull-ups
Thursday:
Thursday, snatch complex with some accessory, followed by the workout ACID BATH.
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 8 - 1 Snatch Pull + 1 hang Power Snatch +
1 Power snatch
rest 3 mins
Every 2 mins x 3 - 5 Snatch Grip Deadlift
Conditioning:
For time
500m ski
500m row
1000m c2 bike
Friday:
FUF - Finishing the week with some push-pull work in the strength, before an all-in barbell workout to end the week! What Better!
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 push press
rest 3 mins
Every 2 mins x 4 complete 6 DB bench Press @ 30x1 + 3-5 strict pull ups
Conditioning:
5 min amrap
9 Deadlift
6 Hang Power Clean
3 STOH
Rest 3 mins x 3
ENGINE
Long EMOM with a mixture of machines and body weight exercises.
GYMNASTICS
This Tuesday, we’re focusing on pull-up progressions! Strict, kipping, and butterfly will appear, followed by lat and core supersets.
On Thursday evening, we’ll focus on handstand hold progressions before having some fun with handstand walks and finishing off the session with core and strength work.
HYROX
This is the Last Simulation before race week. We will lower the volume but keep the intensity high to make sure you are ready for race day!
ENGINE: Long EMOM with a mixture of machines and body weight exercises
MOBILITY
This week, we have the topic: Why are your calves and hamstrings always tight? What can we do to remedy this? Get yourself booked in, and I will show you! This is a great session for everyone, but it is extra beneficial to those runners out there!
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength, we have a chance to progress our 20 RM RDL, followed by some heavy press and strict press cluster sets.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on the squat clean. With a fun complex followed by some pulls. Perfect technique session, working on the barbell timing and full depth in the clean
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
There is no in person session this week at LRC. Those who are Unlimited Members, your Training Peaks have been programmed still.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. This week we will be running 600m repeats. Which will start at 5km pace and progress to 3km pace, so that the pace increases within each rep.
Wednesday
There is no in person session this week at LRC. Those who are Unlimited Members, your Training Peaks have been programmed still.
Friday
Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be running a negative split session, meaning that the second half is faster than the first. After 30 mins of easy running, lock into a 20 mins block of effort from 7 - 9 RPE.
Saturday
Time: 5:15am
Location: Cape Town
Session: Two Oceans
Today the 56km runners will be taking on Two Oceans.
Sunday
Time: 6:00am
Location: Cape Town
Session: Two Oceans
Today the 21km runners will be taking on Two Oceans.
Eid Mubarak, we hope you all have a great long weekend! Class times are different this week, so please check the schedule on Mindbody! We have a great week lined up, so see you all on the gym floor!
Monday:
We start the week with an epic partner workout. Grab a partner, and let's start the week with a bang!
Conditioning:
40 min amrap in pairs
50 Cal Row
6 wall walks
50 CB Clean and Jerk
6 Wall Walks
50 Box Jump Overs
6 Wall Walks
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, we have some push-and-pull work in our strength area, focused on overhead pressing, and then 2 12-minute AMRAPs for you to get stuck into.
Strength:
Every 90 sec x 8 Alt between
A: 8 Dual DB Z press
B: 20 Alt Gorilla Rows
Conditioning:
12 min amrap
30 Wall balls
30/25 cal ski
30 Double Unders
Rest 3 Mins
12 min amrap
30/25 Sal Ass bike
20 V Ups
20 Russian KB Swings
Wednesday:
Wednesday, we are hitting some paused back squats in the strength, and then we get after a real grind of a WOD with some burpee pull-ups, front squats, and running.
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 6 - 3/3/2/2/1/1 Tempo Back Squats @21X1
Conditioning:
10 rounds for time
5 Front Squats
Pool Run
5 burpee pull-ups
Thursday:
Thursday, snatch complex with some accessory, followed by the workout ACID BATH.
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 8 - 1 Snatch Pull + 1 hang Power Snatch +
1 Power snatch
rest 3 mins
Every 2 mins x 3 - 5 Snatch Grip Deadlift
Conditioning:
For time
500m ski
500m row
1000m c2 bike
Friday:
FUF - Finishing the week with some push-pull work in the strength, before an all-in barbell workout to end the week! What Better!
Strength:
Every 2 mins x 5 - 5 push press
rest 3 mins
Every 2 mins x 4 complete 6 DB bench Press @ 30x1 + 3-5 strict pull ups
Conditioning:
5 min amrap
9 Deadlift
6 Hang Power Clean
3 STOH
Rest 3 mins x 3
ENGINE
Long EMOM with a mixture of machines and body weight exercises.
GYMNASTICS
This Tuesday, we’re focusing on pull-up progressions! Strict, kipping, and butterfly will appear, followed by lat and core supersets.
On Thursday evening, we’ll focus on handstand hold progressions before having some fun with handstand walks and finishing off the session with core and strength work.
HYROX
This is the Last Simulation before race week. We will lower the volume but keep the intensity high to make sure you are ready for race day!
ENGINE: Long EMOM with a mixture of machines and body weight exercises
MOBILITY
This week, we have the topic: Why are your calves and hamstrings always tight? What can we do to remedy this? Get yourself booked in, and I will show you! This is a great session for everyone, but it is extra beneficial to those runners out there!
PURE STRENGTH
This week's pure strength, we have a chance to progress our 20 RM RDL, followed by some heavy press and strict press cluster sets.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in weightlifting, we are focusing on the squat clean. With a fun complex followed by some pulls. Perfect technique session, working on the barbell timing and full depth in the clean
Monday Ride
A ride dedicated to group riding skills and some fitness. Coach Rob Foster leads this ride, if you'd like to join email Rob Foster.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Bike DXB
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park
Friday - Coffee Run
Our weekly tempo run. Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.
Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time: 05:59 am
Start Location: Common Grounds
Saturday - Jebel Jais Ride
Today our weekly endurance ride is at Jebel Jais! If you're interested to join email us here.
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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