The logic of peaking for a meet
Peaking is the process of arranging training in the final weeks before a competition so that maximal strength is expressed on meet day. The core idea is the fitness-fatigue model: training builds fitness but also accumulates fatigue, which masks that fitness. Peaking aims to preserve the fitness gained over a training block while shedding the fatigue that hides it.
In practice this means training volume falls as the meet approaches while intensity (the load relative to a one-rep max) is held high or nudged slightly upward, so the body stays accustomed to heavy weight without doing fatiguing amounts of total work.
The taper and meet day
The final phase is a sharp taper, typically the last one to two weeks, where total work drops substantially to allow full recovery and supercompensation. Heavy singles or doubles at high percentages are often used to maintain neural readiness while keeping fatigue low.
The taper length and structure depend on the lifter, the prior training load, and how quickly they recover. Done well, the athlete arrives fresh, sharp, and able to express peak strength on the platform.