What Does Michael Phelps Have to do with Actuarial Science?

Both in swimming and actuarial exam prep, there is a long period of training before a final competition (exam). The end goal is the same: maximize performance on competition day.

However, Phelps and other swimmers use a technique that is largely overlooked by actuarial students: tapering. For swimmers, tapering means gradually reducing their training volume and intensity to be fully rested the day of competition.

Does tapering work for actuarial exams?

To answer this question, we’ll dig into the basic theory behind tapering: The Fitness-Fatigue Model.

Fitness-Fatigue Model

The Fitness-Fatigue model of exercise performance is very intuitive:

Performance = Fitness – Fatigue

(Numbers made up for illustration purposes)

The basic idea of training sessions is to increase your level of fitness while sustaining a short-term increase in fatigue. This is analogous to studying for actuarial exams; for each study session, your goal is to increase your level of knowledge while sustaining a short-term increase in fatigue. The effect on performance from a study session will hopefully look like:

Every student understands the idea of increasing your “fitness” to pass the exam, but many underestimate the second method to increasing performance: reducing your level of fatigue. If you are burnt out from studying, you can benefit just as much from reducing your fatigue as you would from engaging in more intense study sessions.

This becomes increasingly important the week before your exam, after you’ve spent months of preparation and have likely built up a reasonable amount of fatigue. At this point, you can reach for marginal increases in your knowledge of the material, or you can focus on maintaining the same level of “fitness” while reducing your fatigue. The ideal exam prep follows this pattern:

How to Use the Fitness-Fatigue Model for Study Prep

1. Tapering before your exam

As suggested above, you should focus on reducing fatigue during the week of your exam when maximizing performance is most critical. When you first plan your study schedule, you should anticipate fewer study hours and decreased intensity for the last week leading up to the exam. We have typically used the 3-5 days before the exam to review our “one-pager” cheat sheets (discussed in Chapter 4 of our book) while limiting our studying to 1 hour per day. This light studying helps maintain the current level of knowledge while reducing fatigue.

2. Study breaks throughout entire exam prep

You should monitor and manage your fatigue levels throughout your entire study prep – not just during exam week.

The short study sessions that we discuss in Chapter 5 of our book help minimize fatigue on a regular basis, along with scheduling 1 day off per week. However, the optimal usage of the Fitness-Fatigue model is highly individual due to the many factors that can influence fatigue (stress from work, school, etc.), so you should make sure to monitor your own fatigue level and know when you can benefit from a break.

(Of course, there must be some level of existing fatigue to benefit from a break – we are not recommending that students use the Fitness-Fatigue model to rationalize frequently skipped study sessions.)

We are strong proponents of maintaining a healthy work-life balance while studying for your actuarial exams, and utilizing tapering and strategic rest days has been a critical tool in achieving that goal. Whether you have an upcoming family vacation, holiday celebration, or other life event, you can remember the Fitness-Fatigue model to take a guilt-free break from studying for your upcoming exam.

As always, we’d love to hear your questions, comments, and experiences regarding study breaks – please reach out in the comments below or using our Contact form.

Study Smart, Pass Fast, Live Life
Mike & Roy