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01-11.-2005, 02:21 AM
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#1 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 74
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Physiological testing???
Hi guys,
I live on a college campus and have been lucky enough to find a lab that would be willing to do some testing on me. What testing would I benefit from? What numbers would be helpful to know? I assumed V02 max and LT threshold would be good. Is there anything else I should know going in there? Tips? Thanks! John |
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01-11.-2005, 03:18 AM
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#2 |
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 4,115
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Re: Physiological testing???
FWIW, I have also been considering getting some lab tests done around the first of the year. I haven't fully defined the data that I want to collect, but in addition to VO2MAX and LT, I plan to test my blood lactate at multiple points on the power curve (e.g., in 25w increments from 125w-600w). I want to see how closely my blood lactate power curve compares with the 4th power curve that is the basis of NP. I am also interested in my blood lactate recovery rates after I cut back on power, but I haven't fully decided on a protocol for that. It would be something like, ride at 325w for 2 mins, take a blood lactate reading and then ride at 150w for ~5 mins and take a blood lactate reading every 30sec. My main interest is variable power pacing strategies.
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01-11.-2005, 03:19 AM
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#3 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 343
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Re: Physiological testing???
The usual caveat - check with your doctor first.
Also, if you're currently training, take a few days easy or off completely before each test - they should be extremely strenuous and you want to be well-rested. If you are going to repeat the tests at some point, also get them to do body comp analysis so you can track % body fat. This isn't too useful if you only do it once as there is a decent margin of error (if you do it more than once, it is useful to track trends which should be noticeable beyond the margin of error provided they use the same technique, calipers, etc each time.) Obviously, have the tests done on your own bike if possible. If not, get as anal as possible about replicating your setup. have fun!  |
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01-11.-2005, 03:41 AM
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#4 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,622
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Re: Physiological testing???
Quote:
Determining your LT will require measuring your blood lactate concentration at various intensities, so you're not really asking for anything special there (except perhaps for more points than some labs would usually use). As for the shape of the curve and the rate of recovery, I don't think you'll learn much from them...in all likelihood your blood lactate won't rise as steeply as suggested by the 4th order weighting (since the stages will be too short to allow for equilibration between muscle and blood), and the rate of decline in blood lactate really doesn't say anything about your own personal rate of "recovery" from hard efforts. |
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01-11.-2005, 05:31 AM
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#5 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 639
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Re: Physiological testing???
Andy,
Is there a defined protocol to use for lactate testing to define warmdown/recovery intervals or efforts? I have heard speak of this lately from coaches with lactate testers. One would be able to define a custom cool-down routine. It is usually harder than one would expect...not zone 1 IMHO. |
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01-11.-2005, 06:32 AM
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#6 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,622
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Re: Physiological testing???
Quote:
None that I've heard of/none that would have a rational physiological basis (except perhaps for the fact that the intensity needs to be matched to your individual LT to achieve the most rapid fall in blood lactate...not that the latter necessarily means anything, though.) |
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01-11.-2005, 11:37 AM
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#7 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 178
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Re: Physiological testing???
Quote:
The real insight i've found is seeing how the lactate/power curve has 'right' shifted over time - ie i have lower lactate levels for any given power output than i did when i first got tested. It's useful to have this info as it helps set your intensity levels for interval training and provides a better understanding about where your limits are. It also provides 'proof' that you have improved  . The test won't make you a better rider, but will help structure your training to make you a better rider. Breathing through the mouthpiece is a bit strange at first (your nose is clamped). Mkae sure you're well rested before the test - no hard exercise the day before was what i was told. Also eat some high GI food 1-2 hrs before the test. It's also good to be in reasonable shape prior to doing it as 1) the test itself hurts and you have to push to the limit 2) you spend $ to do it so why waste money if you're out of shape Once the lactate accumulates....oh man it hurts!!  Good luck. |
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01-11.-2005, 12:00 PM
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#8 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 74
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Re: Physiological testing???
Does anyone have a scan of a document they give you, or something like that?
I wouldn't mind going in there and having an "outline" of what I want from the test. |
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01-11.-2005, 12:42 PM
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#9 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 178
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Re: Physiological testing???
Quote:
See page 4 - this is the type of lactate/power profile the lab will give you at the end along with your HR at each point. What you want is this profile for you complete with LT, IAT (ie TT power) and MHR i guess. If you own a power meter, you can then set all your training levels based on LT and IAT. If you don't have a PM, then HR based zones becomes your option along with perceived effort in setting your training zones. Since it's your first test, it's more a 'learning' thing. The real value (IMO) is how you use the data from the test to better structure your training - that's another topic in itself. There's no more preparation for it other than being well rested AND motivated to push to your limit (this is important). |
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01-11.-2005, 02:29 PM
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#10 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 4,115
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Re: Physiological testing???
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01-11.-2005, 04:22 PM
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#11 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 74
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Re: Physiological testing???
Quote:
Thank you all for all of your help, I appreciate it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but is it not true that you don't have to go THAT hard for a LT test? As soon as you are a hundred or so watts above your LT you will be able to easily see an increase in lactate on a graph, right? My guess, from RPE, and based on what I can sustain for 30 minutes or so (325 watts), is that I have an LT around 310. I'm currently a Cat 3, and I've been riding for about 9 months or so (Started my first USCF season this summer in the 4's after my collegiate season). I would probably label myself a "fast responder" based on the information in Joe Friels Book. However, I really don't want to know my VO2Max unless it is ridiculously high. I don't want to feel as if I'm genetically limited, if you know what I mean. Does anyone else feel this way?   |
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01-11.-2005, 05:50 PM
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#12 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 178
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Re: Physiological testing???
Quote:
As you said, you could determine all this with a PM, but you don't get the blood lactate profile. I guess the incremental value for a PM owner is pure interest value or in your case, if you want to test a specific hypoithesis re VPP. |
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01-11.-2005, 06:18 PM
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#13 | |||
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 178
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Re: Physiological testing???
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01-11.-2005, 10:27 PM
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#14 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,234
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Re: Physiological testing???
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01-11.-2005, 11:35 PM
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#15 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: London, England
Posts: 270
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Re: Physiological testing???
I would want to have my VO2max, efficiency, HR @ Lactate threshold, and HR @ OBLA (onset of blood lactate accumulation) tested.
By far and away the most important though is the VO2max test because it makes transparent the power output that you could theoretically sustain (you can come up with an FT Heartrate in field tests). The following is entirely based on reading what other people had to say, and making some assumptions as well, hence if its' misleading or wrong please correct me. Anyways… 1) it seems to be established that the body can liberate 20,000 kj of energy per minute per litre of oxygen consumed when fueled with the fastest burning carbs. 2) If your absolute VO2max comes back from the test as 5 litres a minute then in theory your VO2max power output could be: ((20,000 x 5) * efficiency) / (1min*60 seconds) 3) Most cyclists appear to be 21-23% efficient, hence using a number of 22% ((20,000 x 5) * .22) / (1min*60 seconds) = 366 watts at VO2 max 4) Your threshold power output is going to be this number, multiplied by the percentage of VO2 max you can sustain for a given duration. 5) There is a relationship you can use to estimate this, from threshold HR, based on some empirical analysis done in the past... (thresholdHrInPercent - .37) * (1 / 0.64) Again for example, at 90% of max HR... Sustainable % of VO2max = (((.90 * 100) - 37) * (1 / 0.64)) / 100 = .828 Sustainable power = 366 * .828 = 303watts 5) For these reasons, the importance of a high VO2 max is plain to see, as is the importance of doing everythign you can to improve it. I have had a VO2max test, the absolute number was a little over 5L/min, yet I can only sustain 290 watts for 20 mins 9averaging 90% of MHR). What that means in light of the above, I'm not sure. If the issue is poor efficiency then I will soon find out because I have signed up to be part of a Phd research study on cycling efficiency. It will be very interesting to see my real world efficiency numbers.
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