What is Carbohydrate Periodization ?
Carbohydrate periodization is one of the hottest topics in the world of sports nutrition. What we mean by this is we deliberately fuel well for those hard/intense training sessions and when competing, but when training at lower intensities we restrict carbohydrates to amplify all the cell signals involved in driving training adaptation. Therefore, sometimes you train low, but you always compete high. What we're doing is fueling the work required
In this blog post ill be taking you through the finer details of what does it mean to periodize your carbohydrate intake. The whys and how of training low and training high carb periodization strategies.
My goal for you after reading this blog post will be to have a deeper understanding of the working mechanics of the carbohydrate periodization model and how to pull it together for yourself when it comes to your current training and how to adapt it for your different training cycles.
What is carbohydrate periodization?
Carbohydrate periodization is a big fancy word, simply put it’s a dietary model where you manipulate the carb content of your meals through the day depending on your goals and training intensity. Otherwise known as “fuel the work required”. For example, some meals will be high carb and other meals low carb and these meals will interchange through the week based on the training you have each day.
High-intensity sessions
On hard training days where you have an intense training session (HIIT, intervals, training above threshold) or multiple training sessions you would typically increase your carb intake across your meals for that day of training, following one of the training high strategies we will get into later. Results in more carbs in, higher sustained output = performance gains.
Low-intensity sessions
On the flip side if you are taking a day off to rest or you have a low-intensity training session planned (steady-state cardio, below threshold, recovery work) you would typically decrease your carb content across your meals for that day. Results in fewer carbs, placing the emphasis on the body to utilize other fuels = increase the efficiency of fuel selections per given exercise intensity.
What we're aiming for
There are many benefits of carbohydrate periodization all leading to performance gains.
The principles behind this model is to manipulate your physiology so you can burn fat as a fuel at higher intensities preserving your glycogen stores via training low strategies, amplifying cell singling and training adaptation. Training high increases your body’s ability to use glycogen as a fuel for high-intensity work. Plus utilizing training high strategies, you are also training your gut to handle fuelling when exercising alongside fine-tuning your race-day nutrition.
Training low & how to pull it off
Going low carb has been in the spotlight for a few years now, and it is growing more and more in the endurance community. But with this comes a lot of confusion, a lot of torturous training sessions ,and unfortunately performance drops.
What is training low?
Simply put it's training with little to no carbohydrates before/during/after sessions, combined with depleted muscle stores of glycogen (muscles fuel source).
Why bother training low?
The aim of training low is to match your fuel requirement to the stage of training you are in i.e. base, build, peak otherwise known as “fuel the work required”. With the intent to increase your fat oxidation (ability to use fat as a fuel source when exercising) ultimately improving your fat max, using fat as a fuel while working at a higher intensity, than you would have been before, all to preserve those precious glycogen stores. Preventing you from emptying the tank too early into a race.
How do you train low?
Well, there is many ways in which we can do this, the good news is it’s a flexible approach, so depending on your own choices it can be made to work for you.
There is 6 key ways to train low;
- Low Carb diet (rule of thumb 20-30% of your calorie allowance)
- Sleep low (last meal of the day is low carb, no topping up with carbs after an evening session)
- No Crabs during training sessions.
- No Carbs in the recovery window post-training.
- Training after an overnight fast.
- Training twice a day (no carb refuelling between sessions)
One thing I will say if you decide to train low or use some of carb periodization strategies is to give yourself time to adjust. It does take a little while to feel like your getting anything out of it, but be patient because it will pay off big time.
Training high & how to pull it off
You’ve probably come across carb-loading before, eating loads of carbs the night before or maybe you have been reading about being on a high carb diet all season long. Well, there is pros and cons to this in relation to body comp, gut distress and optimising fuel usage when exercising. So here we're looking at one side of the story Training High.
What is training high?
Simply put it's training with high carbohydrate availability whether that’s all day or before/during/after sessions, combined with fully stocked up muscle stores of glycogen (muscles fuel source).
So why bother training high?
The aim of training high is to maximise your carbohydrate oxidation (breaking down and utilizing carbs for energy) allowing you to consume more during a race, being able to work harder for longer. With training high, you also are training your gut, in many ways to build up a tolerance to consuming carbs in many forms during a race ie liquids/gels/solids. All while training your system to consume that magic number of 90g of carbs per hour. With the end goal of not emptying the tank / hitting the wall, producing more energy for a given time, resulting in a faster pace and a quicker race time.
How do you train high?
There’re a few ways in which you can do this, and guess what you get to eat more carbs, happy days right.
There are 3 key ways to training high;
- High Carb diet (upwards of 60% of your calorie budget donated to carbs)
- Training with high carb availability (can be done by eating carbs pre & during your sessions or high carb meals throughout the day)
- Practising your race-day nutrition (simulating your diet for the days leading up, the morning of and throughout the race simulation session)
One thing to remember is you are fuelling the work required, so if your training blocks are peppered with low-intensity sessions or recovery sessions, you need to revert to training low for these sessions – FUEL THE WORK REQUIRED.
Pulling it all together for your season
When it comes to carb periodization and pulling it all together it can be quite tricky as there are a few variables we need to consider first.
So, to make life that bit easier there are 3 keys that we can use to dictate what way you can periodize your carbohydrate intake.
1 By training session intensity
The intensity of your training session will always be the key in determining what route you take as to training high or low carbohydrate arability. Because we're always “fuelling the work required”.
High-intensity sessions
Carbs are king when it comes to intensity, therefore if you are planning on doing an intense training session (RPE of 6 and above) you’ll want to go with one of the train high options, to support your training performance.
Low-intensity sessions
When it comes to lower intensity sessions or long-duration sessions (RPE of 5 and below, or 60min+) you will want to choose from
train low options to mmaximizetraining adaptions, and support the workload intensity.
2 By training phase
Base
Typically characterized by lower intensity longer duration sessions, the main aim in this phase is to increase fat oxidation (using fat as a fuel) therefore training low strategies will optimise this.
Build
Typically characterized by introducing interval-based higher intensity sessions alongside your lower intensity long duration session. Therefore, to maximize bot Fat & Carb oxidation you need to choose strategies from both training low & training high. Follow the rules of exercise intensity fuelling the work required.
Peak
Typically characterized by frequent higher intensity short duration sessions simulating competition-style intensities. Now is a great time to train the gut/maximize carb oxidation and practice race day fuelling plans, therefore you will go with train high strategies
3 By training Goal
Increasing fat max
If your goal is to increase your fat max (your bodies ability to use fat as a fuel) with the main intention to tap into your fat stores when training, to adapt the body to preserve your glycogen stores when competing to prevent glycogen depletion (hitting the wall). You will need to train low.
Training the gut
If your goal is to increase the number of carbs you can absorb and handle while competing aiming for 90 grams per hour and or you want to practice your race-day nutrition before you compete then you need to pick from train high strategies.
I would just like to thank you for checking us out and having a look at our blog. And please do remember that I’m here to help you in any way I can so don’t be shy and get in touch with any of your questions, Id be more than happy to help you.
Don’t forget to download our E-book on the Food exercise and the Gut. This is an essential guide to solving any GI issues you may have during your training while also preventing any GI episodes from happening when you are competing next. Grab the eBook
Here are the main areas that I cover in this eBook that can help you take your performance to the next level.
- Finally, understand what’s happening to your Gut when competing.
- How to optimal train your gut to absorb more carbs
- How to fuel for correctly for your training.
- Know what supplements can help and not waste your time and money.
- How to build an insurance policy preventing GI upset from happening to you.
References
Burke, L., Hawley, J., Jeukendrup, A., Morton, J., Stellingwerff, T. and Maughan, R., 2018. Toward a Common Understanding of Diet–Exercise Strategies to Manipulate Fuel Availability for Training and Competition Preparation in Endurance Sport. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 28(5), pp.451-463.
Hammond, K., Fell, M., Hearris, M. and Morton, J., 2019. Carbohydrate Metabolism During Exercise. Muscle and Exercise Physiology, pp.251-270.
Impey, S., Hammond, K., Shepherd, S., Sharples, A., Stewart, C., Limb, M., Smith, K., Philp, A., Jeromson, S., Hamilton, D., Close, G. and Morton, J., 2016. Fuel for the work required: a practical approach to amalgamating train-low paradigms for endurance athletes. Physiological Reports, 4(10), p.e12803.
Impey, S., Hearris, M., Hammond, K., Bartlett, J., Louis, J., Close, G. and Morton, J., 2018. Fuel for the Work Required: A Theoretical Framework for Carbohydrate Periodization and the Glycogen Threshold Hypothesis. Sports Medicine, 48(5), pp.1031-1048.
Mata, F., Valenzuela, P., Gimenez, J., Tur, C., Ferreria, D., Domínguez, R., Sanchez-Oliver, A. and Martínez Sanz, J., 2019. Carbohydrate Availability and Physical Performance: Physiological Overview and Practical Recommendations. Nutrients, 11(5), p.1084.
Campbell, J. and Turner, J., 2018. There is limited existing evidence to support the common assumption that strenuous endurance exercise bouts impair immune competency. Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 15(2), pp.105-109.
Dimitriou, L., Hill, J., Jehnali, A., Dunbar, J., Brouner, J., McHugh, M. and Howatson, G., 2015. Influence of a montmorency cherry juice blend on indices of exercise-induced stress and upper respiratory tract symptoms following marathon running—a pilot investigation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(1).
Walsh, N., 2018. Recommendations to maintain immune health in athletes. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(6), pp.820-831.
