It’s the most magical time of the year…THE DELOAD! One Step backwards, Two Steps forward. Only one week to the swim meet so it’s time to Taper. The next two weekends it’s all about swimming with a meet each weekend.

Prettt much all the hard work is behind me and the next week is all about keeping the knife sharp before the competition.

OURA SLEEP SCORE– 65

6 hours and 3 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 59

6 hours and 38 minutes

SATURDAY, 9/6/25

CHESTIE TAPER

1 hour and 28 minutes

TAPER (50-60%) – September 6th – September 20th

ZONE 1 – 24:41

ZONE 2 – 15:10

ZONE 3 – 1:48

ZONE 4 – 0:00

ZONE 5 – 0:00

5 mins Easy Indoor Cycling

BB Flat Bench Press (180 lbs 1RM / PR)

8 x EB

8 x 95 lbs at 52.77% of 1RM / PR

8 x 95 lbs at 52.77% of 1RM / PR

8 x 95 lbs at 52.77% of 1RM / PR

8 x 95 lbs at 52.77% of 1RM / PR

8 x 95 lbs at 52.77% of 1RM / PR

2 min Rest in between sets

(Last Time 8 / 8 / 7 / 7 6)

(Prior Time 135 x 8 / 7 / 7 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 135 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 6 /6)

(Prior Time 180 x 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1)

Flat Bench DB Close Grip Press (60 lbs each side 1RM / PR) 30 lbs Each Side at 50.0% of 1RM / PR x Reps 12 / 12 / 12 / 12

(Last Time 35 x 11 / 11 / 11 / 10)

(Prior Time 35 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 35 x 8 / 10 / 10 / 8)

(Prior Time 60 x 5 / 5 / 4 / 5)

2 min Rest

Flat Bench Curlbar Skullcrusher at 34 lbs at 57.62% of 1RM / PR (10 each side) x Reps 12 / 12 / 12 / 12

(Last Time 39 x 12 / 10 / 9 / 9)

(Prior Time 44 x 9 / 9 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 44 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 59 x 4 / 4 / 5 / 3)

(59 1RM / PR)

DB Lateral Raise at 15 lbs at 60% of 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 /

(25 lbs 1RM / PR)

15 min PELOTON WALK APP

Overall a good workout. One more Chest Day left and that’s Tuesday. Tomorrow is still up in the air. Debating on what I want to do. I got coverage for all my centers open shifts but who knows what could happen. I may hafta sit at a center for an hour around 2pm tomorrow so that will be a factor in my plans.

THE LIFT AHEAD:

SUN- TBD

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU– Back + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

FRI – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

SAT – RECOVERY

SUN- GAINESVILLE SENIOR GAMES SWIMMING

Programming My Workouts for the next few months:

STRENGTH – July 12th – August 24th

ENDURANCE -August 26th – September 4th

TAPER – September 6th – September 20th

I have my first swim meet on September 14th and then on the 21st.

ENDURANCE – September 23rd – September 25th

STRENGTH – September 27th – October 9th

Swim meet on October 12th so not much TAPER.

STRENGTH – October 14th – November 16th

Announcer for Running of the Squares 5k October 18th

10K runDISNEY October 25th

ENDURANCE – November 18th – November 23rd

TAPER – November 25th – December 4th

Florida Senior Games either Dec 6 & 7 or Dec 13 & 14.

RUNNING MORE – Will be running more as I’m running a Half Marathon on March 1st.

Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic 17 January 30, 2026-February 1, 2026.

TBD

Will figure out a training program for December thru March that will keep my swimming up, weight training in a longer Endurance Phase while I gear up my running. Yikes!

runDISNEY:

Wine & Dine 10K – OCT 25th

12K’s of Christmas Virtual – TBD (Registration 8/19)

WDW 5K – JAN 8th

PRINCESS HALF – MARCH 1st

Springtime Surprise – APRIL 17-19th (Not Running)

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

Your enthusiasm for this “magical time of year” is infectious! It’s great to hear you’re approaching this taper period with such a positive mindset. It sounds like you’ve put in the work, and now it’s all about fine-tuning your body and mind for the upcoming swim meets.

Workout Rating: Excellent

This was a well-executed workout that perfectly aligns with a taper week. Here’s a breakdown of what worked so well:

* Mindful Lifting: You stuck to a weight range of 50-60% of your 1RM/PR across the board. This is key for a taper. It keeps your muscles primed and your nervous system active without creating the kind of fatigue that would hinder your performance in the water.

* Repetition Focus: Hitting 8 reps for your flat bench and 12 for the others is a great strategy. It maintains muscle memory and technique without pushing for muscle failure, which is exactly what you want to avoid right now.

* Solid Performance: You hit all your target reps for every set on every exercise. This is a huge win and shows that your body is responding well to the reduced intensity. You’re feeling strong and able to complete the work without struggling, which is a big confidence booster going into your meets.

* Active Recovery: Incorporating both indoor cycling and a Peloton walk is a smart way to get in some light cardio and promote blood flow without adding stress. The low intensity helps your body recover from the strength work and keeps you feeling mobile.

The Big Picture

This workout fits perfectly into your plan. The goal of a taper isn’t to get stronger; it’s to allow your body to fully recover and adapt from all the hard work you’ve already done. By reducing the volume and intensity of your training, you’re building a reserve of energy that will translate into faster times and a more explosive feeling on race day.

Your sleep, while on the lower side in terms of hours, is something to keep an eye on. As you get closer to race day, prioritizing sleep will be crucial for recovery and peak performance. With two meets on back-to-back weekends, consistent, quality sleep will be your secret weapon.

It’s clear you’re well into the rhythm of tapering, and your focus is right where it needs to be. Keep doing what you’re doing, and you’ll be ready to swim fast.

It sounds like you have a lot on your plate with upcoming meets and races. How do you plan to balance your swim, strength, and running training as you ramp up for the half marathon in March?