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Published on: October 17, 2019
Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis.
Laurent Bosquet1, Jonathan Montpetit, Denis Arvisais
1Department of Kinesiology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada. laurent.bosquet@montreal.ca
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|September 1, 2007
Summary
Optimize athletic performance with a 2-week tapering strategy. Reduce training volume by 41-60% exponentially, maintaining intensity and frequency for peak results.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Performance Optimization
Background:
- Tapering is crucial for athletic performance.
- Optimizing taper strategies requires understanding component effects.
- Previous research lacks a comprehensive meta-analysis on taper components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To meta-analyze the effects of taper components on competitive athlete performance.
- To identify optimal tapering strategies for performance enhancement.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of six databases for relevant studies.
- Inclusion criteria: competitive athletes, detailed tapering protocols, criterion performance measures.
- Meta-analysis of 27 studies, calculating effect sizes for performance changes based on taper variables.
Main Results:
- A 2-week taper duration significantly enhances performance (effect = 0.59).
- Exponential reduction in training volume (41-60%) yields optimal results (effect = 0.72).
- Maintaining training intensity and frequency during taper shows moderate performance benefits (effects = 0.33 and 0.35, respectively).
Conclusions:
- A 2-week taper with 41-60% exponential volume reduction is the most effective strategy.
- This meta-analysis offers a data-driven framework for optimizing tapering in sports.
- Findings are applicable to athletes, coaches, and sport scientists for performance maximization.
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