Train Low Compete High, Part 1: How Does It Work?

This will be a two-part article series. In the first part, we'll cover the theory behind the concept of train low compete high, while part two will offer more practical applications, along with direct tips and advice. You can find part two, with the practical applications, here.

The purpose of this article isn't to scare you or suggest that you're doing something wrong if you're running miles without an energy supply, or if you've decided to complete the Vasaloppet using only water. Instead, this post aims to add some nuance to the often black-and-white narratives found in news articles, as well as the LCHF and carbohydrate communities.

The outcome shows that train low isn’t the performance revolution it's sometimes made out to be. While the method can provide certain positive training effects, research indicates that high training quality, good recovery, and adequate energy supply are often more crucial for development. Train low can therefore be a helpful complement, but it should be applied thoughtfully and in the right context.

To address that question thoroughly and clarify many concepts, a series of short articles would be necessary. Essentially, it's about training when your glycogen stores are low (stored carbohydrates), then competing when your stores are replenished (compete high), while also supplying carbohydrates during the competition (1).

The aim of training with low glycogen stores (train low) is to condition the body to increase fat utilization, thus conserving its own carbohydrates by enhancing fat oxidation at a given workload. This doesn’t sound too bad, but what does the research indicate when we assess actual performance in individuals following a low-carbohydrate diet in various forms?

If you tackle long workouts without sports drinks, over time you'll handle it brilliantly. Initially, it might be tough, but your body adapts. If you're training just for the feel of it, not chasing numbers or results, and are content with just getting around, that's perfectly fine! However, if your goal is to get in shape, improve your times, or perform in a competition, a bit more planning is required.

For example, if you're shedding a few extra pounds while running without worrying about pace or how hard it feels, you don't need to add energy (carbs or fat) during your sessions — that kind of defeats the purpose of running for weight loss. But if you have a race scheduled or are chasing a specific goal, that's a different story. On the starting line, you don't want to worry about blisters, gut issues, or whether the gel you planned to take at 15 kilometers will land right.

As with everything, it's about preparation: you need to train for what you want to excel at. This also means the gear and energy you plan to use in a competition should be well-tested. Some quick sessions should be done in the speedy shoes to maintain a higher pace, and energy intake should be planned so your body learns to handle it — both for running longer and harder. Unsurprisingly, we can also train the body to become much more efficient at absorbing sports drinks (2).

Many who train fasted or with very low glycogen stores do so to stimulate the cells' signaling system for among other things, mitochondria growth. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the muscles — and for that matter, all cells — where energy comes from. The theory of more mitochondria sounds very appealing. However, the risk is that the focus on increasing cellular signaling, which perhaps accounts for 2–3 percent of the training effect, becomes too great. Then, you might lose a significant part of the quality in your training sessions. The training effect isn't solely PGC-1α signaling!

In the quest for more mitochondria, many find they can't maintain the speed needed to perform in competition. Thus, they don't get better at the crucial parts important during a race.

About half of the mitochondria in our legs can, with their capacity, meet our maximum oxygen uptake (3). Four-legged animals have a much closer relationship between the number of mitochondria and their maximum oxygen uptake capacity (VO2max). Humans, with only two legs to run on, seem to have an overcapacity of about 50 percent when it comes to mitochondria (3).

Nevertheless, it has been shown that we can produce more mitochondria, so claiming additional amounts are unnecessary is incorrect. To use a metaphor: if your house is flooded, you don’t buy a water pump and put it upstairs, hoping that a vacuum will make the water disappear from the lower floor. No, you focus on the ground floor where the problem actually is.

Besides low glycogen stores, which stimulate PGC-1, the presence of lactic acid is also a strong influencing factor (4). The key is that you can’t avoid training yourself for more mitochondria as long as you include intervals and high-intensity training periodically.

This quote may be somewhat simplified as much is still unclear about overtraining. In a large review released in November 2013, the role of carbohydrates as performance enhancers through accelerating recovery is discussed (5). Training to exhaustion and getting used to pushing yourself is routine for many athletes. The ability to repeat tough sessions is what ultimately yields results. However, completely exhausting yourself has downsides: a reduced immune system, a more worn-out body, and a more tired mind. These effects are temporary, but to perform better in the next session, the body needs time and fuel for recovery. Here, carbohydrates during and/or immediately after training play a significant and important role. We haven't discussed proteins in this article, as it's not intended to address the entire diet plan, but of course, protein intake in connection with training is also important — perhaps a topic for a future article.

Wasn't it Gunde Svan who said he couldn’t eat more and therefore couldn’t train more? Imagine if he’d had access to more easily consumed energy?

"It is important to recognize, however, that no sporting medals are awarded for the muscle with the highest concentration of cellular signaling molecules or metabolic enzymes. Instead, victory goes to athletes who are the swiftest, highest, strongest, or otherwise best able to perform in their event (6)." – Louise Burke, PhD

There is evidence for Train Low, indicating it can positively impact performance over a longer period (7). BUT this must be weighed against the training benefits of being able to train harder, longer, and more frequently, while also improving your ability to use sports drinks during competition with a reduced risk of gut issues.

During the build-up period—when training volume isn't overwhelming and the long runs aren't particularly long—you can stick to water and a banana after your session. Throughout the season, you will naturally have periods of lower glycogen stores if you do double sessions or fast during morning training (1). Our advice is not to overthink it. Training stimulates improvement as long as there's progression and you challenge your body. Keep hitting those quality sessions, train consistently, and you'll surely boost mitochondrial growth and capillarization (creating new blood vessels). That's what the research suggests today. You've probably already done a lot right—keep enjoying your sport, we sure do 🙂

We also want to emphasize that the world isn't black and white—neither is sports. Currently, it's clear that quality training is better than "now I'm going to torture myself and avoid energy intake" training, at least when the goal is performance. But there's a difference if, like Simon, you're training for UltraVasan 2015 or a half marathon. The longer the race, the more practical effective fat oxidation becomes. Sure, you might not be able to run as fast, but weigh that against the advantage of not having to carry as much sports drink, gels, and bars over ninety kilometers—in extreme cases, train low might be more beneficial than for a half marathon.

Ps. Since the cheerful 60s, we've known how low glycogen stores affect muscle fatigue, and today we can see in detail that even where the glycogen is stored matters (8). Imagine what will be discovered in another 10 years :)

– Nutritional modulation of training-induced skeletal muscle adaptations

– Carbohydrate Availability and Training Adaptation: Effects on Cell Metabolism