Strong to the Finish: How to Taper Strength Training for Peak Race Performance
November 10, 2025
By Coach Collen McLain
5 min to read
Kinesis Integrated is a personalized strength training app for endurance athletes. Trusted by Olympians and elite athletes, our app helps you build strength, prevent injuries, and hit new PRs.
After months of high training volume, heavy lifting, and consistent work, hearing the word taper brings a sense of relief and excitement to endurance athletes.
At Kinesis Integrated in Boulder, Colorado, we believe the taper isn’t just a break, it’s a performance tool! A properly structured strength training taper allows your body to recover, rebuild, and fully realize the fitness you’ve earned through weeks of effort.
This guide will help you understand how to taper your strength training for peak race performance, maintain neural drive, and arrive at the start line fresh, strong, and confident.
The Purpose of a Taper
The purpose of a taper is simple:
👉 Reduce muscular damage
👉 Maintain strength and neural drive
👉 Allow recovery to peak performance levels
Just as you taper your running, cycling, or swimming volume before race day, your strength training also needs a structured reduction in workload.
A good taper allows you to absorb training stress, restore your nervous system, and enhance performance output without losing the strength you’ve built.
At Kinesis, we treat tapering as both an art and a science, adjusting it to each athlete’s training load, competition schedule, and recovery needs.
Intensity Adjustment: Keep the Intent High
One of the most common misconceptions about tapering is that it means “lifting light.”
Keep working intensity between 60–80% of your 1RM (one-rep max)
Focus on performing the concentric phase (the lifting portion) with maximum intent
Avoid pushing to failure or high fatigue
This strategy preserves neural drive which is your nervous system’s ability to efficiently recruit muscle fibers helping you stay explosive and responsive on race day.
💡 Kinesis Tip: Think “fewer reps, same focus.” Move with speed and purpose to prime your neuromuscular system without accumulating extra fatigue.
Volume Adjustment: Less Is More
The goal of tapering is to reduce fatigue, not fitness.
Here’s an example of how to taper strength training volume across three weeks leading into race day:
You can apply a similar strategy to accessory and bodyweight work reduce total sets and reps, while maintaining good form and intent.
Remember: The hay is in the barn. This phase is about expressing the strength you’ve built not adding new work.
Exercise Selection: Choose Familiar, Low-Fatigue Movements
During tapering, you can reduce the range of motion (ROM), lower eccentric load, or use isometric variations to minimize muscle damage while maintaining activation.
Here are some taper-friendly strategies:
Reduce Range of Motion
Maintain load and intensity, but shorten movement depth.Example: Perform half or quarter squats instead of full-depth squats. This maintains neural drive while decreasing muscular stress.
Limit the Eccentric Phase
Reduce the muscle-damaging “lowering” portion of lifts.
Example: Release the bar at the top of trap bar deadlifts (if your gym setup allows).For plyometric training, replace traditional jumps with box jumps landing higher reduces impact and eccentric load.
Keep Familiar Movements
Avoid learning new exercises during your taper. Stick to familiar lifts that your body is already adapted to this minimizes soreness and preserves technical consistency heading into race week.
Putting It All Together
A well-structured strength taper helps your body consolidate training gains and prepare for peak output.
Remember these key principles:
Maintain intensity (keep the load moderate to high)
Reduce volume (cut total sets and reps)
Choose smart exercises (minimize fatigue and soreness)
By respecting the taper process and aligning it with your sport-specific workload, you’ll arrive at race day strong, fresh, and primed to perform.
FAQ: Strength Tapering for Endurance Athletes
What is the purpose of tapering strength training before a race?
The taper allows your body to recover from accumulated fatigue while maintaining strength and neuromuscular readiness. It helps you feel stronger, fresher, and more explosive on race day.
How long should my strength training taper last?
Most athletes taper for 2–3 weeks before a major race. At Kinesis, we adjust taper length based on your sport, competition schedule, and training volume longer events like marathons or Ironman triathlons often require a slightly longer taper.
Should I reduce both volume and intensity?
Reduce volume (total reps and sets) but maintain moderate intensity (60–80% of 1RM). This balance keeps your muscles and nervous system primed without adding unnecessary fatigue.
Can I still strength train during race week?
Yes, but keep it short and explosive. Focus on light neural activation sessions with fast lifts and minimal volume (e.g., 2 sets of 3–5 reps). Avoid any heavy or novel exercises that might cause soreness.
What exercises work best during taper weeks?
Stick to familiar, efficient movements such as:
Half or quarter squats
Step-ups or low box jumps
Core stability holds (planks, side planks, Copenhagen holds)
Trap bar deadlifts (with reduced eccentric load)
These exercises maintain strength and coordination without increasing recovery demands.
Can tapering strength training prevent race-day fatigue?
Yes, proper tapering enhances neuromuscular efficiency and reduces accumulated fatigue, helping you feel sharper and more responsive on race day.
How does Kinesis Integrated tailor tapers for athletes?
At Kinesis Integrated, we use movement assessments, training data, and recovery metrics to customize each athlete’s taper. Our goal is to synchronize your strength, endurance, and recovery phases for peak performance.
Ready to Optimize Your Race Prep?
Join us at Kinesis Integrated in Boulder, Colorado for individualized strength programming that carries you from your first block to your final taper.
Take the free comprehensive movement assessment inside the Kinesis App, or visit us at Kinesis Integrated Performance in Boulder, Colorado for a full in-person evaluation.
Finish strong, because your best race starts in the gym.
At Kinesis, we help endurance athletes stay healthy and perform year-round. Whether you’re training for Boston, UTMB, or your local 10K, our strength plans plug into your routine and make you stronger where it counts.
Our app auto-builds a race-specific plan in minutes so you climb harder, descend cleaner, and finish fresher. Start for free here.
