The third goal of this period is to provide a new and greater stimulus to the muscle which will help to insure continued muscle protein synthesis for increased strength of contraction. The second period is when people are generally surprised about their own strength abilities. Connective tissue and neural adaptations have about reached their peak, but some evidence exists that there is continued slower adaptation. The largest goal of this period is to provide a new and greater stimulus to the muscle as well as an opportunity to test your new strength. This can be achieved in the presence of a lifting partner in the gym or at some local, regional, state, or national meet.
Some people have no intention of competing and are relatively quiet about their own goals.
This should not be discouraged. All individuals benefit from strength gain. Often, only one assistance exercise is performed during this period. If you do not intend to compete, tapering is probably not very necessary. Diet, sleep, stress, and genetics all play an enormous role in exercise progression.