Train Low – Compete High: What Men Can Learn from Clarissa's Ride
Part 4 of our series shifts the focus to men: Learn how to use Train Low – Compete High to boost fat burning and train smarter for endurance.
🍫 One Ride, Many Lessons – This Time for the Men
Clarissa’s ride from Basel to Barcelona didn’t just push boundaries – it raised the question: When does the body burn fat or carbohydrates as fuel? What does your metabolism really need to perform consistently over several days? And when does sugar help – or hurt?
In the previous parts of our Ride or Die – How to… series, we focused heavily on women – and for good reason. Female athletes face unique physiological challenges due to hormonal cycles. Fat oxidation works for them too, but it requires strategic and well-timed training to avoid negative impacts on hormonal balance and recovery.
📍 Read Part 1: Why Women Should (and Must) Train Fat Oxidation
Today, we shift the spotlight:
What about men?
How can they use periodized training to unlock their full metabolic potential – with less risk and more consistency?
The Advantage: Men Have a More Stable Metabolism
Men benefit from a hormonally stable system without cycle-based fluctuations. This allows for more consistent training stimuli and predictable adaptations. Periodized strategies like Train Low – Compete High often work more effectively and visibly for men.
Info Box
What Does “Train Low – Compete High” Actually Mean?
The idea behind Train Low – Compete High is simple:
- Train Low means doing one or two workouts per week with low or no carbohydrate intake. This helps your body learn to burn more fat as fuel.
- Compete High means showing up to your race or hard sessions fully loaded with glycogen – so you can perform at your peak.
Goal: Teach your body to use fat for long, steady efforts and carbohydrates for high-intensity bursts.
💡 This leads to greater endurance, fewer energy crashes – and more control on long rides.
When Is “Train Low – Compete High” Useful?
This method is especially valuable if you’re preparing for long or multi-day endurance events, such as:
- Bikepacking races, ultra rides, or stage races
- Events with limited fueling options (e.g., unsupported races, desert or alpine routes)
- Disciplines requiring steady output over hours, like long-distance triathlon
In these formats, your glycogen stores will eventually deplete. If your body has learned to rely on fat efficiently, you’ll stay strong – even when the sugar runs low.
Why not just train with carbs all the time? Because your body won’t adapt. Without deliberate “low” sessions, your metabolism stays lazy and inefficient.
💡 With Train Low, you build the base. With Compete High, you unleash the performance.
Smart “Train Low” Strategies
1. Fasted Morning Workouts
- Early rides before breakfast
- Optional: 25g protein beforehand to prevent muscle breakdown
- Ideal for low-intensity sessions
Tip: Limit to 1–2 sessions per week
2. Double Sessions
- Session 1: High intensity with carbs
- Session 2: Easy, low-carb or no-carb
- Supports both fat and carbohydrate systems
Important: Take 25g protein between sessions to protect recovery
3. Long Endurance Rides Without Carbs
- 3–6 hours in Zone 2, water + electrolytes only
- Mentally and physically demanding
Bonus Tip: If caffeine doesn’t work for you, try mouth rinsing with sugar water and spitting it out – it signals energy availability without actually consuming carbs.
Overview: Key “Train Low” Strategies at a Glance
Strategy | Goal | Intensity | Effort Level | Special Notes / Tips |
Fasted Training | Activate fat metabolism | Low (Zone 2) | Low | Morning sessions before breakfast. Optional: 25 g protein beforehand. |
Double Sessions | Stimulate both energy systems | High + low | High | First session with carbs, second one without. 25 g protein in between. |
Long Rides Without Carbs | Deep fat adaptation | Low to moderate | Very high | 3–6 hours with only water + electrolytes. Mentally challenging. |
The Key Is Balance: Combine Low & High
Only doing “Train Low” can backfire: You might improve fat metabolism but lose top-end power. The solution? Mix it up:
- 1–2 low-carb endurance sessions per week
- 1–2 high-intensity workouts with full carb support (e.g. VO₂max, threshold intervals)
This boosts metabolic flexibility and peak performance.
Don’t Skip Recovery
After fat-oxidation sessions, recovery is critical:
- 20–25g protein to support muscle repair
- 60–70g carbohydrates to restore glycogen stores
🔹 Tip: Recovery is not extra – it’s part of the plan.
👉 For men over 40, we recommend our NoDoubt SilverGreen Protein.
It delivers high-quality protein to preserve muscle mass and is specially formulated to speed up recovery after 40.
Conclusion: What Men Can Learn from Clarissa’s Challenge
Clarissa had to make do with what she had. You don’t.
Periodized training works especially well for men, thanks to a stable hormonal system. When you apply Train Low – Compete High intentionally, you get:
- ✅ Better fat-burning capacity
- ✅ More stable energy management
- ✅ Higher performance on race day
📚 Previous Parts of the Series:
Part 1: Ride or Die
👉 Why women should (and must) train fat oxidation
Read now
Part 2: Hydration in Sport
👉 Balancing thirst, performance and risk
Read more
Part 3: Fat or Carbs?
👉 How your body decides what to burn
Explore
Protein for Active People over 40:
NoDoubt SilverGreen
From the age of 30, our body undergoes natural changes that affect our fitness and health. Muscle mass decreases, especially in the 40s, and muscle regeneration slows down considerably. This leads to a decline in your strength and performance.
Discover solutions that enable you to counteract muscle loss at an early stage and maximize your performance from the age of 40.
Proteins for Women Under 40:
NoDoubt AmberBlaze
Women have long been neglected in sports science. The female cycle was seen as a disruptive factor, which meant that recommendations were often based on male needs and ignored the specific requirements of women.
Discover solutions that tackle nutrient deficiencies from the ground up and maximize female performance.
