Simulation and Taper
Weeks 7-8.
What happens in Phase 3
The work is done. These two weeks are for sharpening and proof. Strength volume drops, race-pace exposure gets sharper, and you close with the same benchmark you opened with. Less volume does not mean doing less; it means doing exactly enough to arrive fresh and fast.
Your weekly structure
Race-style output with short, clean row touches, lighter strength, a recovery and mobility day, and the final benchmark on Week 8, Day 5. Keep your intensity sharp and your volume low.
Week by week
- Week 7: Sharpen race-style output while dropping strength load. Keep row touches short and clean and trust the engine you built in Phase 2.
- Week 8: Taper into the final benchmark. Move well, sleep well, fuel well, then retest the 1000m row plus stations and beat your Week 1 split at the same RPE.
Intensity and RPE
Race-pace touches at RPE 8, everything else easy. This is the one phase where holding back is the work. Resist the urge to test yourself before the retest.
Tips for Phase 3
- Trust the taper. Fitness is not lost in two lower-volume weeks; freshness is gained.
- Rehearse the benchmark rhythm in your sharpening sessions so nothing feels new on test day.
- On benchmark day, pace the opener you know you can hold, not the one you wish you could.
What comes next
Line up the test with the benchmark protocol, then compare against your Week 1 numbers. Revisit the program guide to plan your next block.
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