The figure is based on two axes of a graph with the vertical axis depicting performance improvement at the top of the page, decline at the bottom and a steady ‘base level’ half way in between. The horizontal axis represents ‘time’ and this axis intersects the vertical one at the ‘base level’ point. A separate blue colour line starts at this intersection of the axis and is horizontal for a period of time labelled by a phase called ‘before training’ i.e. there is no change in performance before training. Once it enters a time phase labelled ‘training’ the blue line dips downwards to denote a decline in performance. The blue performance line then gradually turns upward showing improvement as it enters a recovery phase which is shown as lasting 24–48 hours. It climbs sharply upwards and when it crosses the base level of performance it enters what is labelled a ‘supercompensation’ phase in which performance is slightly improved in relation to the base level. This phase is depicted as lasting 48–96 hours after training phase. By the end of this phase the blue performance line has gradually returned to base level. Each training (pink), recovery (red) and supercompensation (yellow) phase is shaded in different colours as described in the brackets earlier in this sentence: this draws attention to the different phases and the shape of the blue performance line in each.