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- What is the “anaerobic threshold,” and how does it relate to lactate?
- Although there is a lack of consensus regarding terminology, there is little disagreement among coaches regarding the training concepts associated with this terminology. Originally some sports scientists thought there was a point of exertion at which the body began to use anaerobic energy heavily. This point corresponded to a sudden change in patterns of oxygen consumption compared to carbon dioxide production along with a rapid accumulation of lactate in the blood. Since it was a rapid change, the term "threshold" was applied to it. Because lactate accumulation was believed to be due to increased anaerobic energy use caused by lack of oxygen, the term “anaerobic” was applied. Hence the term “anaerobic threshold” is used to describe this sudden change.
- The term "anaerobic threshold" is commonly used to describe a phenomenon that occurs in all athletes – the level of speed or effort that generates a constant level of lactate in the blood. Any increase in effort or speed above this level will cause lactate and its associated acids to steadily increase, and this will eventually force the athlete to stop activity. The amount of time it takes to discontinue exercise will depend on how far above the maximum steady-state effort the athlete is, the event in which the athlete is competing, the type of athlete (strength or endurance), and their conditioning.
- The elevation in lactate levels is an indication that some muscle fibers do not have the capacity to support the aerobic load. However, other fibers have ample capacity for aerobic energy and these fibers utilize the lactate produced by fibers of limited aerobic capacity. Below the lactate threshold, all lactate produced is used for aerobic energy or other purposes. When we measure lactate in the bloodstream, we witness the movement of lactate. Much of the lactate will be transported to the fibers that have aerobic capacity where it will be converted back to pyruvate and “aerobically” processed. Above the lactate threshold, lactate accumulates because the body does not have the ability to use it all.
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- Why are thresholds important?
- Aerobic Threshold. It roughly corresponds to the pace at which a marathon is run. For long distance runners it is very helpful to know this point and analyze your progress based on how much this point changes with training. A well-conditioned athlete can run, bike, or row for several hours at this pace and not slow down. Ironman triathletes and distance riders also compete in a step near this level.
- For most athletes, the other threshold (what we call the “lactate threshold”) is the most important step or level they need to know. The lactate threshold (don't forget – we use this to refer to the maximum fixed lactate state) is the fastest pace that an athlete can maintain for an extended period of time without accumulating additional amounts of lactate. Many trainers believe this step will put the most stress on the muscles. Obviously if athletes increased their speed, they would exert more stress and promote more adaptation in the fibers that have not been recruited until they reach intense levels of exercise that are above the lactate threshold.
- However, efforts above the lactate threshold generate excess lactate and will shut down muscles in no time. Therefore the total volume of exercise will be less. In addition, frequent efforts at levels above the lactate threshold can damage the cellular structure of the muscles.
- How long can an athlete train at these thresholds?
- This will obviously vary from athlete to athlete depending on how well conditioned they are, the type of training, their muscle composition, their diet, their tolerance for discomfort, the environment, and other factors. You can sustain the pace at 1,0 mmol on the base (aerobic exercise) for hours. The athlete burns a high percentage of fat in this step and our bodies have enough fat for several hours of exercise (even athletes with a low percentage of body fat). Much of the training for distance and endurance athletes is directed at training the muscles to burn more fat.
- An athlete can generally train at the lactate or anaerobic threshold (LT or MLSS) for about 60-90 minutes. The limiting factor is the fuel for energy (glycogen) and this will depend largely on the types of training recently used and on the diet. When an athlete is low on glycogen, the muscles cannot sustain the LT stride or effort and the athlete will lose speed. It takes 36-72 hours to fully replenish glycogen levels.
- An athlete who trains for an extended period at the LT level or higher will only be able to complete a similar training session until the glycogen in the body has been replaced. Not all athletes have these same results. We know of a marathon runner who regularly trains above the threshold and is one of the most competitive in the country. However, we also know a triathlete who is one of the fastest in the history of the sport, but she cannot sustain frequent training sessions at levels above the threshold.
- Should an athlete train at levels higher than LT?
- Of course. The real question is how much should an athlete train at levels above the LT? And as we have shown, this varies from athlete to athlete. It is an area of much controversy. There are studies that show that training at high intensities provides excellent results and there are studies that show that training at lower levels provides the best results. One trainer said “if you are in a hurry, then you will have to include many high intensity training sessions. There is no other way to train muscle fibers that are not recruited to stress levels.
high-intensity hedgehog.” - Another coach sees it differently and says "you are training just for the sake of training." Training sessions at the beginning of the training season are generally below the threshold so that the athlete can develop a good foundation for their more intense sessions in the future. This trainer compares training to a ladder. It is first necessary to train on the first step, before you can train on the next. As one climbs the ladder, the body has a greater capacity to withstand training at high intensities. This obviously depends on the sport, the amount of time available to train, and the scheduling of important competitions.
- What types of tests are done to find the lactate threshold?
- There are several types of tests used to measure the lactate an athlete produces. These analyzes are generally referred to as “protocols.” The most common type of analysis is the graded exercise test. It has several other names, such as "step test" or "progressive exercise test." Essentially, this test is a series of exercises at progressively increasing intensity levels.
- Depending on the sport, the athlete may ride a bike on a track or ergometer, swim several laps in a pool, run on a track, row on an ergometer, or complete some other type of exercise in a steady state. The athlete starts out at a low level of effort. After completing the exercise, the coach or sports scientist will take a blood lactate test and measure other things, such as heart rate, perceived exertion, or oxygen consumption measurements if they have the specialized equipment necessary for this. After completing the first step, or the first stage, the athlete completes the second step at a higher level of effort. The athlete then completes several additional steps, according to the instructions of the coach or the person supervising the tests. The athlete usually completes the analysis by attempting a level of exercise that will cause him to reach a state of exhaustion. At each step, and as it is depleted, lactate is analyzed and other measures are taken. (This may appear to be very complicated. The measurements taken are: lactate analysis, which can be easily done with a portable lactate analyzer, heart rate and perceived exertion, which is calculated by the athlete himself. A coach or a trained assistant can do this with just a little practice while the athlete exercises. We know experienced athletes who conduct these tests on their own on a track or ergometer. However, most athletes find it to be difficult for them to take measurements themselves, especially when they are at levels substantially above the threshold.)
- From these tests a coach can calculate the lactate threshold. This type of testing will decrease the range of the LT and experienced coaches will be able to calculate it quite well when they know the athlete and by seeing the shape of the curve. Coaches will need to do a confirmation test to be sure of their calculations. This is just a steady state training session at the roughly calculated LT (lactate threshold). The coach will need to take a couple of lactate measurements during a training session to confirm if the athlete is actually training on threshold.
- What kinds of factors, other than the athlete's physical condition and body type, can affect the lactate threshold?
- There are several factors and a coach using lactate analysis must be aware of them. Essentially, a trainer looking at lactate threshold has to be as consistent as possible from test to test. The coach should use the same protocol each time, ensure that the athlete has enough rest, do the tests at the same time each day, preferably the same day of each week, control the diet so that the athlete has enough carbohydrates, limit consumption of caffeine before a test, test at the same temperature and humidity levels, and at the same altitude. This seems to be an impossible task. It is actually quite easy to control these factors if one is aware of them. Also, these factors will affect most tests a coach does, not just the lactate test.
- Source: lactate.com
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