REF-536 · Mujika, Chatard, Padilla, Guezennec & Geyssant, 1996 · European Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol. · Paper
Tapering in Competitive Swimmers
Hormonal & performance responses
Protocol & Participants
n=8 highly trained competitive swimmers followed through a winter season: 12 weeks of intense training, then 4 weeks of taper
Blood samples and competition performance in each swimmer's speciality at weeks 10 (mid-season), 22 (pre-taper) and 26 (post-taper)
Hormones: total testosterone (TT), non-SHBG-bound testosterone (NSBT), cortisol (C), LH, TSH, T3, T4, plasma catecholamines; also creatine kinase and ammonia
Key Results
Competition performance: a slight, non-significant decline during intense training (0.52 ± 2.51%, NS), then an improvement during the taper (2.32 ± 1.69%, p < 0.01)
Plasma hormone concentrations, creatine kinase and ammonia: NO statistically significant change during either training or taper
Ratios tracked performance: changes in TT:C correlated with performance changes during training (r = 0.86, p < 0.01) and taper (r = 0.81, p < 0.05); NSBT:C likewise (r = 0.77 and r = 0.76, both p < 0.05). Mid-season NSBT:C was related to the amount of training (r = 0.82, p < 0.05)
Authors' summary: the monitored hormones and metabolic indices were unaltered by 12 weeks of intense training and 4 weeks of taper; the TT:C and NSBT:C ratios appeared to be effective markers of performance capacity across the season
Practical Application
In 8 highly trained swimmers, 4 weeks of taper after 12 weeks of intense training improved competition performance by 2.32% (p < 0.01), while plasma testosterone, cortisol and the other hormones did not change significantly; only the testosterone:cortisol ratios moved with performance (r = 0.76-0.86). Taper works in the pool as elsewhere — and do not expect a blood test to "show" it
Reduce volume, keep intensity: this study does not describe the taper's content; the general recipe is in REF-107 (Bosquet meta-analysis) and REF-110 (Mujika). Not from this paper; the base's own practice: cut volume by roughly half, hold intensity and session frequency, over 1-3 weeks
Do not stop swimming entirely — feel for the water/technique is lost. Not from this paper; the base's own practice
Hormone ratios were correlates in n=8, not a validated monitoring tool for an individual athlete
Limitations
1996, n=8, observational with no control group — associations only
Hormonal ratios are correlates, not a demonstrated mechanism; absolute hormone concentrations did not change
The taper's content (volume/intensity) is not described in the abstract
How this entry was checked and changed
Why this level
regraded 2026-09-27 from B+: uncontrolled longitudinal cohort, n=8
Content correction 2026-09-27
"Hormonal markers (testosterone/cortisol ratio) change favorably during a taper" -> abstract: no significant hormone changes; only the T:C ratios correlated with performance changes
Added the actual result: competition performance +2.32% after a 4-week taper, n=8; −0.52% (NS) during intense training
"Reduce volume by 40-60%, 1-3 weeks" labelled as the base's own practice (the study's taper was 4 weeks; its content is not in the abstract)
Level B+ -> B (uncontrolled cohort, n=8); Sport line "running, swimming, triathlon" -> "swimming"; Tier set to Tier 3 per "highly trained"
Note: DOI 10.1007/s004210050087 redirects to the same paper's alias DOI 10.1007/BF02226933 (PMID 8911829); DOI line left unchanged