What is typically involved in the 'tapering' process during training?

The tapering process in training is designed to reduce fatigue while maintaining performance levels as an athlete approaches a competition or peak performance. During tapering, the focus is typically on decreasing the overall training volume and sometimes the intensity, allowing the body to recover and adapt to training stress. By decreasing intensity, athletes can enhance their performance through better recovery and increased energy levels on competition day. This phase is vital for optimizing the body's physiological readiness to compete effectively.

The other options do not align with the tapering process. Increasing training volume contradicts the principle of tapering, which aims to reduce workload. Maintaining high intensity training is counterproductive during tapering, as it can lead to fatigue rather than recovery. Starting a new training cycle does not fit into the tapering framework, as tapering is about refining and reducing existing training before a key performance event.