(Written by Hadia White (Mehab Clinician, Author and all round Wonder Woman),
Participant Ollie Pateman (Hyrox Worlds Athlete)
Understanding Lactate Threshold: The Key to Endurance Performance
When it comes to improving endurance performance, the intensity of your training plays a crucial role. One of the most important concepts in this realm is the lactate threshold, a marker that can help athletes optimize their training and improve their cardiorespiratory responses.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Metabolism
During aerobic exercise, glucose is metabolized with the presence of oxygen, producing energy. In contrast, anaerobic exercise occurs when oxygen is limited, and glucose is broken down into lactate. This lactate can be cleared by fueling other energy systems or converted back into glucose.
What is Lactate Threshold?
The lactate threshold is the point during incremental exercise where blood lactate levels begin to rise exponentially, leading to muscle fatigue. This threshold marks the upper limit of aerobic metabolism, where the body can sustain exercise for extended periods. Beyond this point, the capacity of the neuromuscular system to generate strength diminishes, resulting in reduced velocity or power.
Blood Lactate Levels and Fatigue
Resting blood lactate levels typically range from 1mmol/L to 2mmol/L, with a steady state maintained around 4mmol/L during moderate exercise. As exercise intensity increases, lactate accumulates in the blood faster than it can be cleared, leading to fatigue. Through consistent training, the body can become more efficient at clearing lactate, allowing muscles to function longer before fatigue sets in.
So why may it be important?
Lactate threshold is crucial for diagnosing endurance performance. There is a strong correlation between an athlete's lactate threshold and their endurance capabilities. By understanding and training at this threshold, athletes can determine the intensity at which they can perform for prolonged periods without significant fatigue.
The blood lactate curve, derived from a graded incremental test to exhaustion, helps monitor lactate threshold. Factors such as muscle fibre composition, enzyme activity, and capillary and mitochondrial density influence this curve. A downward shift in the curve, often due to depleted glycogen stores, should not be misinterpreted as reduced endurance performance.
The Role of Maximal Lactate Steady State
Maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) is the highest intensity at which lactate production and clearance are balanced. At intensities just above this threshold, exercise can be sustained for up to four hours, whereas MLSS can only be maintained for about 45-60 minutes.
Training to Improve Lactate Threshold
Improving your lactate threshold involves a combination of speed work and slow endurance training, which helps build both aerobic and anaerobic pathways. Zone 2 training should be done at a pace where lactate levels remain stable. True lactate threshold training is performed at or just below your threshold pace and varies depending on the sport and distance, such as a 10k or marathon.
Lactate Threshold and VO2max
A higher VO2max indicates a better ability to clear lactate from the blood. Initially, it was believed that lactate production was due to insufficient oxygen during exercise. However, it has been discovered that lactate production involves both aerobic and anaerobic processes, related to metabolic rate rather than solely oxygen availability.
Calculate your VO2max : Vo2 max = maximum hear rate / resting heart rate
MHR = maximum heart rate (beats/minute) = number of heart beats in 20 seconds multiplied by 3.
RHR = resting heart rate (beats/minute) = number of heart beats in 20 seconds multiplied by 3.
Practical Applications
Knowing your lactate threshold can guide how long you can maintain a specific pace during training and races. By training at or near your lactate threshold, you can enhance your endurance capacity and overall performance.
In summary, understanding and utilizing the lactate threshold is essential for athletes looking to maximize their endurance performance. By incorporating targeted training strategies and monitoring progress, athletes can effectively improve their ability to sustain high-intensity exercise and delay the onset of fatigue.
References:
Garnacho-Castaño, M.V., Dominguez, R. and Maté-Muñoz, J.L., 2015. Understanding the meaning of lactate threshold in resistance exercises. International journal of sports medicine, 36(05), pp.371-377.
are They, H.V., 2009. Lactate Threshold Concepts. Sports Med, 39(6), pp.469-490.
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