Training & Nutrition - Lacate Threshold Testing

Took some of my riders in for lactate threshold testing. The Uni is subsidised so costs are minimal. Used a progressive test on riders own bikes, attached to a Kingcycle starting at 100watts and increasing by 25watts every three minutes. Blood lactate was measured from samples taken from the finger using a lab analyser.

Results were printed out on a graph showing lactate, power and heart rate. An aerobic threshold was determined from the HR/Power at 2mmol of lactate and the anaerobic threshold was determined from the HR/Power at 4mmol of lactate.

For the riders the HR zones prescribed were a lot higher than one would get using a equation like 220-age X .70 - .85.

Food for thought so went back to the books. Many advocate aerobic training done continuously around the 2mmol level or intervals around the 4mmol level. Other dismissed the concept straight away saying that lactate was individual and questioned the validity of 4mmol as the anaerobic threshold.

Went through some papers I had at home and one showed a group of 13 whose maximum lactate steady state was around 7mmol with some participants able to sustain 10mmol for over 60min.

So where are people at with lactate testing?

Hamish Ferguson

The way I understand it, 4mmol is just an estimate - the theory is that the average person will reach LT at around 4mmol of lactate in the blood. However, this isn't the case with everyone, and training can influence it as well. I've always determined LT by graphing the workload, HR, and lactate response for the entire test, and finding the point at which the "line" breaks from being linear to more exponential. Sometimes I've just eyeballed it, and sometimes I actually calculated it, but it's been a little different for everyone.

Took some of my riders in for lactate threshold testing. The Uni is subsidised so costs are minimal. Used a progressive test on riders own bikes, attached to a Kingcycle starting at 100watts and increasing by 25watts every three minutes. Blood lactate was measured from samples taken from the finger using a lab analyser.

Results were printed out on a graph showing lactate, power and heart rate. An aerobic threshold was determined from the HR/Power at 2mmol of lactate and the anaerobic threshold was determined from the HR/Power at 4mmol of lactate.

For the riders the HR zones prescribed were a lot higher than one would get using a equation like 220-age X .70 - .85.

Food for thought so went back to the books. Many advocate aerobic training done continuously around the 2mmol level or intervals around the 4mmol level. Other dismissed the concept straight away saying that lactate was individual and questioned the validity of 4mmol as the anaerobic threshold.

Went through some papers I had at home and one showed a group of 13 whose maximum lactate steady state was around 7mmol with some participants able to sustain 10mmol for over 60min.

So where are people at with lactate testing?

Hamish Ferguson


Nice post.

Brought back some unpleasant memories!!

The way I understand it, 4mmol is just an estimate - the theory is that the average person will reach LT at around 4mmol of lactate in the blood. However, this isn't the case with everyone, and training can influence it as well. I've always determined LT by graphing the workload, HR, and lactate response for the entire test, and finding the point at which the "line" breaks from being linear to more exponential. Sometimes I've just eyeballed it, and sometimes I actually calculated it, but it's been a little different for everyone.

True that everyone is different and that folks that have been more sedentary will see it lower as compaired some one with trained V02 will not see the same amounts in the blood since their respiration is more effiecent. As for 4mmol =what is normal (should be said what is average) not what is unique and exceptional.
Great Subject
Velocity