lactate/anaerobic threshold

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by shming123
i was just wondering, you do you find your lactate threshold and anaerobic threshold? Thanks.

How long have you been riding? If you haven't been riding very long your fitness will most likely improve quickly, therefore your anaerobic threshold will shift. Once your fitness levels out a bit, you should be able to get the hang of what heart rate you can sustain.

To put it very simply, if you use a heart rate monitor, you should eventually be able observe approximately (within a few beats) what heart rate will put your legs "into a sprint", meaning the level at which the given effort cannot be sustained for more than ~30 to 90 seconds

Many pro time-trialers say that the fitter they are the closer they can get to their maximum heart rate within going anaerobic. Some of them say they can sustain 96% of maximum without "blowing up"

If this isn't clear because I've presumed prior knowledge, let me know.🙂

you'll need to go to a sports science/exercise physiology lab, making sure they have the correct equipment, or you may be able to find a coach or sports scientist who offers such a test, with the correct kit.

at a minimum, they'll need a decent power meter such as an SRM or Power Tap, a blood lactate anaylser, an ergometer or a good quality trainer. additionally, you might want analysis of your expired respiratory gases to get your VO2, and your VO2max if you go to the end.

point is though: what the heck do you want the info for, it's pretty much useless for coaching/training?

ric

i was just wondering... i have a simple idea of what lactate threshold are anaerobic threshold are, but could you explain them in detail? i've only been riding for about a month, but i used to run prior to that so my fitness is pretty good. Thanks.

lactate threshold, is defined within the scientific literature, usually as the workload that elicits a 1 mmol/L increase over exercise baseline levels (i.e., ~ 2.xx mmol/L) or the workload that elicits a fixed value of 2.5 mmol/L.

workload is measured in power output for cycling, and m/s or km/hr in running. it has nothing to do with HR readings.

additionally, this workload intensity, is somewhat load to moderate, and is about 10 to 15% less power, than that which can be sustained during a 1-hr TT.

anaerobic threshold, is an outdated term that is a misnomer. the term is no longer used, and i would be wary of anyone using this term who is supposed to be working in e.g., sports science, coaching etc. (unless they're explaining it's an outdated term).

previously, it was used to signify the effort associated with a TT, but, a TT even if ridden with a constant monotonic power output does not produce a fixed lactate reading, but one that would continually increase (or at least increase for a good while).

Thus LT is below TT effort, and other than being used in a lab to quantify a specific measure it doesn't have much if any use in the field.

ric