Lactate Threshold - Endurance training

[CPT Jack]

I've recently read about LT (Lactate Threshold) in Outdoor Magazine and have found a few bits of info on the internet regarding training to raise the LT. Lactate is more commonly known as Lactic Acid and your LT, based on heart rate, is the point at which your muscles move from aerobic fuel-burning to anaerobic fuel burning. A lot of parameters come into play and so I'm wondering if anyone out there is in the know and can help me formulate a training plan for Enduro riding. An event lasts about 3 hours, so stamina/endurance is the key.

According to the University of Oregon, you can increase you LT by 6-10 beats over a year as you train your muscles to convert energy more efficiently and break down Lactate - preventing buildup & flooding - (If I understand this correctly!). Obviously there are other factors that come into play including VO2max. - P.S., I read the easiest way to increase this is simply to lose weight.

Any smart guys out there who can shed some light on this? I've just ordered a heart rate monitor & plan on initally conducting interval training just below my LT (70-75% MHR) with the (short) intervals going up to 85% MHR (Max. Heart Rate).

I've been in the gym 2 solid months now & while my recovery has improved dramatically, I'm still running out of gas far too early!

 

[team-green32]

aerobic fuel-burning = good you take energy from fat/stored carbs

anaerobic fuel burning = bad you take energy from muscles

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Anaerobic threshold training has been a mainstay in bicycle racing and rowing for over 20 years. Here's a link with some excellent resources
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/coachsci/vol76/table.htm

Pay particular attention to the refernces to the Conconi test, which has become the defacto way to measure AT.

There is also an excellent book on the subject called Lactate Threshold Training by Peter Janssen. It's available at most high end bicycle shops and probably the better book stores.

 

[Anssi]

Originally posted by CPT Jack
Lactate is more commonly known as Lactic Acid and your LT, based on heart rate, is the point at which your muscles move from aerobic fuel-burning to anaerobic fuel burning.

Well, lactate is not exactly lactic acid, but close enough. Also, you have to remember that moving from aerobic to anaerobic energy production is a gradual shift.

According to the University of Oregon, you can increase you LT by 6-10 beats over a year as you train your muscles to convert energy more efficiently and break down Lactate - preventing buildup & flooding - (If I understand this correctly!).

Oh yes.

Obviously there are other factors that come into play including VO2max. - P.S., I read the easiest way to increase this is simply to lose weight.

VO2max as an absolute value can not be significantly increased by losing weight, but VO2max/kg obviously can and the latter is quite important in weight-bearing activities (such as MX).

Any smart guys out there who can shed some light on this? I've just ordered a heart rate monitor & plan on initally conducting interval training just below my LT (70-75% MHR) with the (short) intervals going up to 85% MHR (Max. Heart Rate).

If you're serious about this, you can get yourself properly tested. E.g. my measured resting heart rate is 42 and maximum 179. I'm 26 years old, so most ways of indirectly calculating my MHR would put it at about 195. My measured LT is 115, and calculating it from the calculated MHR using the 70-75% rule would put it at 136-146 so if I used that I would train much too hard (and I did, partly resulting in having my basic endurance in such a sorry state).

Oh yeah, the LT also varies by type of exercise. My 115 was on an exercise bike and would likely be in the 125-130 range when running.

 

[sfc crash]

look at bicycle racing in relation to body building enhancement, all your "better" body building boards should address this. lots of stuf out there to help you increase that blood/O2 thingy ma bob. science is good. they aught to be able to point you in the direction of the suplements also.