https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercompensation



I haven't read much about this, but it does make some sense. However, it appears to be a complex phenomenon that probably varies from individual to individual, as well as varying by factor. So, part of the supercompensation is the body pulling in extra nutrients for recovery.

So, based on the Wikipedia chart above, the body has the maximum sugar intake/load in just under 24 hours. That would make sense as the body is working to recover.

Mitochondria damage, however, appears to take longer to recover... 48 hours?

This might actually mean that different sports would see different benefits. So, for example, a 100 meter sprinter might see peak benefit 1/2 day after the exercise, when sugar levels will peak.

On the other hand, an endurance athlete such as a 100+ mile road racing cyclist may benefit from an extended rest area to allow the muscle to fully recover.

I wonder if there would be benefits of varying the intensity of one's workout. So, for example, after a hard effort, cyclists often talk about a recovery ride. Perhaps the idea is to chew up some of the glycogen, but still allow mitochondria and muscle fibers to recover. Then peak recovery 48 hours or so after the initial ride.

With bike touring, I haven't had a lot of long tours, but I seem to encounter two phenomena. First there is the "morning after ride". Whew, that second day can be tough after a hard day on the road. However, there is also a training phenomenon. So, a few days into the tour, one gets stronger, and the morning after effect lessens, and one is actually stronger and can crank out more miles than the first day.

It probably has multiple factors including training, habituation, and perhaps this supercompensation.