The body is always seeking to maintain a state of equilibrium so it will constantly adapt to the stress from its environment. Training is simply the manipulation of the application of stress and the body’s subsequent adaptation to that stress to maintain equilibrium.
It’s no secret that being consistent and putting in hard work is the backbone of success. However, for physical training, have you ever considered the timing and the intensity of your sessions and how well they’re balanced with recovery?
It's about laying down your goals and objectives for a workout and what level of recovery is required in order to maximize the benefit of that workout. You might’ve seen your performance reduced if you hadn’t given enough recovery after your high-intensity sessions. What’s the solution you might ask? Well, an understanding of overcompensation or super-compensation theory might explain it.
Super-compensation is the theory that after training, the body recovers above and beyond pre-training fitness levels. This adaptation is the essence of physical training and enables us to improve our fitness.
There are 4 stages in super-compensation theory:
- Training/Exercise:
First, we must apply a training stimulus to our bodies at the right intensity. It’s incredibly important that the intensity of this training be appropriate for the individual. In short, the first step involves an improvement in an individual’s fitness level.
2. Recovery:
Training causes fatigue (for example dehydration, micro damages in our muscles). This requires an appropriate amount of time for recovery. Super-compensation theory only works when the individual fully recovers from the training stimulus and has peaked into a super-compensation zone. Repeatedly overtaxing the body without properly recovering often leads to plateaued or declining performance.
3. Supercompensation:
This adaptation to the initial training stress allows the individual to execute at a higher level than before. The body recovers beyond baseline fitness levels in anticipation of future exercise.
4. De-training:
Our body follows a “use it or lose it” pattern. If no further training takes place during the super-compensation phase, the body will return to pre-training fitness levels.
The amazing thing about our bodies is that after exercise, we recover beyond pre-training levels. This is super-compensation, and it occurs at every level of our physiology, from muscle fiber size to mitochondrial density to glycogen storage. In effect, your body prepares itself for a higher level of stress to the system.
How to train for super-compensation?
Keep detailed training logs that include your workouts, nutrition, hours of sleep, work and personal stressors, etc. Everything that happens between the end of one workout and the beginning of another is an important factor in your training. Identify the points of recovery which leads to improved performance and adjust your training periods accordingly.
Conclusion:
Keep in mind that every individual is different. Spend the time experimenting and get your training week dialed in. The experience will be your guide as you learn to balance load and recovery for maximum effect. Hence, eat well, sleep well, train consistently and progress slowly.
