Part 2 of a series by Craig Upton

@##=#<1,L>@##=#A wise man once said to me, “Training is bad for you. It makes you and your body sick. Rest is good for you, it’s what rebuilds you.”

A healthy person will adapt to the stimuli put on it, whether it be altitude, weather or training. As an example if you fly to an altitude of 12,000 feet you will have trouble breathing. But, after a few days, you will adjust to the altitude and thin air. Then, after further adaptation, you can perform normal activities. Similar effects are experienced when traveling to different climates, and in training. Over time your body will adapt to training loads and/or intensity and will be able to perform at higher levels. This is called “Over-Compensation.”

Over-Compensation works like this:

1. You train and complete a large volume of exercise. As a result of this, your body tires and performance drops.
2. Next step is the “recovery phase.” Go home and rest, during this time your body rebuilds itself.
3. Your body is intuitive and will rebuild itself to a state that it can handle the training you are doing. It can now handle the same training more easily (with less muscle breakdown) because it is stronger than before. Or, you can use the body’s adaptations to do increased duration or intensity of your training.
4. Sadly, if you don’t continue to exercise, you will return to your innate state of original fitness.

How do we make Over-Compensation Happen?

First, you need a healthy body. If you are sick, stressed, have inflammation, are over trained or unhealthy, your ability to get adaptations is inhibited. Second, you need adequate training volume and intensity. This is the delicate piece, how much volume and how much intensity is enough to promote optimum adaptation. Training too hard and/or too long will break down the body too much and impede the process of Over-Compensation. Third, enough rest. The majority of an athletes training time should be made of rest and recovery. Without enough recovery between important training sessions impedes the body’s ability to achieve over-compensation.

Bottom line: Rest is the most essential part of training for inducing fitness adaptations.

Part 1: Following the Program
Part 3: Racing the Big Races Without Feeling Small
Part 4: Hill Training: Not as Hard as You Thought