Tapering is an extremely individual component of training which a coach or swimmer must develop to work to so that there is at the very least a plan of attack. There are no miracles in a taper or in the final race preparation phase of training cycle or season. Tapering is about a physical and mental preparation to perform at the highest possible level for the particular individual. It is therefore not possible to have a 'team' taper that will work equally well for all its members. Tapering is about a refinement of skills along with a gradual reduction of physical stress so as to allow the individual to develop peak fitness for a particular event on a given date. Tapering is about swimming fast and performing at your best. Successful tapering is about being confident and having pressure-free athletes. However, with the above in mind, it is important to have at least a model to work to so that a taper contains the least amount of variables possible and it is planned and recorded in details so that it may be applied to the individual then refined and repeated. Coaches and swimmers practice workouts each day, but only get the opportunity to taper once or twice a year and usually in different conditions, so it is important to record the process. The swimmer and coach must accept that less training is required to hold previous physical training gains than was originally needed to obtain them, so tapering should not lead to a loss of conditioning.