Supercompensation: Recover to Progress

The progression of physical capacities through training involves alternating between exercise and recovery. Often neglected in both directions by cyclists and triathletes, this phenomenon is called supercompensation. Explanations.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: PEdALED / Mavic / Shimano / Maratona dles Dolomites / DR

Training itself is based on fundamental principles, linked to the body’s natural adaptation capacities. It involves stimulating physical capacities, creating a temporary depletion of energy reserves, and taking advantage of the complete recovery phase to add a new session with a slightly higher baseline level. This is called supercompensation. It is difficult to progress without understanding the phenomenon, either because sessions are too far apart due to lack of time or a desire to recover too much, or on the contrary because they accumulate somewhat haphazardly out of a desire to do (too) well, thus generating latent fatigue detrimental to progression.

How does it work?

The well-being felt after a training session is not limited to the endorphins secreted after exertion. It is also the beginning of a period dedicated to recovery. A deserved, but above all necessary, cycle. We all have a more or less limited energy potential, which gradually depletes during exertion, and more or less quickly depending on the intensity of the exercise. The body then reacts naturally, by reconstituting its reserves, or even a little more than it had initially. As if the aggression constituted by the exercise caused an adaptation during the rest period. It “supercompensates”. For a limited period, the body’s capacities are therefore superior to the baseline level.

By judiciously scheduling rest periods, it is therefore possible and natural to progress from one ride to the next

By judiciously scheduling rest periods, it is therefore possible and natural to progress from one ride to the next. But beware: if the rest time is too long between two sessions, you no longer benefit from supercompensation. After a certain time, the body returns to its baseline capacities, no more, no less. A single session per week is just enough to maintain a modest level. From two sessions per week, you can start to progress in certain areas. But to optimize all physical capacities, you need to increase the number of weekly sessions, and above all, assign them a very specific objective. This is explained by the different rest time required for supercompensation, depending on the energy system solicited.

Filling up the tank

After exertion, the body reconstitutes the glycogen stores depleted during the effort. A true fuel for exertion, glycogen is stored in the muscles and liver. During the rest phase, it is not only reconstituted, but also slightly increased to better withstand the stress of energy depletion. With a carbohydrate-rich diet, it takes about six hours to reconstitute 50% of the initial stock, 48 hours for total reconstitution, and 72 hours for true supercompensation. Without carbohydrate intake, it takes much longer to reconstitute a semblance of reserves. Soliciting a glycogen-depleted body again can quickly prove counterproductive, and lead to pronounced exhaustion, especially since, for lack of fuel, the body is then forced to draw its energy from other substrates (proteins, for example). In the case of a severe low-carbohydrate diet combined with a heavy training load, the main risk is losing muscle mass.

In the case of a severe low-carbohydrate diet combined with a heavy training load, the main risk is losing muscle mass.

Some phosphate compounds necessary for muscle contraction, such as ATP and phosphagen, reconstitute much faster than glycogen. It only takes a few minutes to recover from a short sprint, and a few hours to recover from a kilometer done “all out”. Conversely, as their reserves are almost inexhaustible, fats used during a long effort at very low intensity do not intervene in the process. However, an effort, even a long one, never completely preserves glycogen reserves. Not to mention an inevitable nervous exhaustion, which also requires a certain amount of rest, if only to regain the desire to pedal. What to remember is that to accelerate the recovery process after an exhausting effort, you must combine rest and nutrition. A carbohydrate-rich snack within an hour of a race or hard training takes advantage of a window conducive to glycogen storage.

Boosting supercompensation with “supercompensation”

There are natural ways to boost supercompensation, especially for all experienced cyclists looking for more than just a simple improvement in physical condition: peak form. For this, the game consists of voluntarily putting oneself at risk of overtraining. Accumulating fatigue by chaining training sessions or races (as is the case in a stage race), with incomplete recovery. This is the principle of early-season training camps. Gradually, fatigue sets in and potential decreases. The fact remains that after a few days of passive or active rest, the level is higher than at the start, as if by a rebound effect. This is called supercompensation. But the risk, of course, is to fall into fatigue if this kind of experience is accumulated. As a preventive measure, it is therefore necessary to include decompression periods, or even breaks, in the weekly, monthly, or annual training plan, intended not only to assimilate the workload, but also to fully recharge the batteries.

Good programming is always complex

The complexity of a training plan to follow in order to optimize progression is explained by all the energy systems solicited during a cycling effort, or by the capacities required in triathlon, each of which requires a different time to be supercompensated. In the case of the triple effort, the risk is always to do too much, especially if the training plans for the three disciplines are not correlated, which happens too often in amateur triathlon clubs. Working on VMA in running and MAP on the bike sometimes on the same day or week is something we’ve seen before. With the risks of overtraining that this entails.

In the case of the triple effort, the risk is always to do too much.

To understand how supercompensation works and how it is taken into account in a training plan, let’s take the example of a cyclist whose sole objective is to ride long distances alone at the best possible average speed. Initially, one ride on the weekend and another ride during the week will be enough to make him progress, if he finishes each time at the limit of exhaustion. Over the weeks, by allowing three days of rest between rides, he will progress: more power, more endurance, a lower heart rate for a given intensity, with ultimately a better average and more ease to ride at a certain pace.

Progress is very rapid at first, but in case of stagnation, it is then necessary to move to the next level, by adding one or even two more rides per week. These are not intended to improve endurance, since the time required for supercompensation of such a ride is indeed 72 hours, but to improve power, speed, and strength, in order not to ride longer, but above all to ride faster. Composing with such short and intense rides is possible since the type of effort required, especially if it is interval training, requires shorter supercompensation than in the case of a long ride.

It is therefore necessary to know how to alternate different types of sessions, at different intensities, and judiciously combine them with each other to continue to progress.

It is therefore necessary to know how to alternate different types of sessions, at different intensities, and judiciously combine them with each other to continue to progress. Without forgetting complete rest, of course, which is necessary from time to time to fully regenerate the body. Programming training over a week, a month, one or more years is therefore an art that requires experience and self-knowledge, and above all, does not forget that rest is one of its essential phases.

So-called “active recovery” sessions

During the supercompensation phase, it is still possible to train, but at a moderate intensity. This can be what is called active recovery, but also rides whose purpose is to work on technique: for example, on pedaling stroke, in hyper-cadence or even pure strength, or seated-out-of-the-saddle work, etc. During the season, however, the risk of mental saturation induced by diligent practice should not be neglected. And know that while an active recovery ride is good for the body on paper, completely disconnecting from cycling or from sport in general for a few hours or a few days is much better for morale.

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