HRM - AT - LT - :LBP training advice and resources sought.



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Chris Crawford

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Hi experts - I recently had a lactate test done on a velodyne stationary cycle using a lactate pro
blood test by a sports trainer. I'm glad to get some results but after doing a little research on
the web, I'm confused about how to apply these results to training.

This particular sports trainer and many others, I've noted, are advocating power training (i.e. SRM,
powertap, etc.) over heart rate training as this seems to be more fashionable now, however, I'm not
willing to invest the $700 in a powertap and would rather just stick with a simple HRM even though
it may not be perfect.

The test showed that my anaerobic threshold was at 155-160 bpm @275 watts. As far as I can
determine, this was assessed only by looking at the non-linear deflection of the watts/BPM curve
(although he was testing lactate along the way).

He then determined that my lactate balance point (LBP) - the power level at which I can clear
lactate faster than it accumulates was at a heart rate of 135-140. This was accomplished by backing
was off from the AT to let the body flush lactate and then steadily increasing the power until
lactate was no longer decreasing but started to accumulate again.

My questions are these:

Should I be training using intervals at the LBP (HR = 135), as some web sites advise, or more at my
AT (HR = 155), as this trainer advises? He advises 2 work outs a week of 30 minutes total at AT -
starting at 15x2 min intervals and increasing to 2x15.

How much time should I spend over AT in anaerobic sprinting without doing too much damage to recover
from. I cycle about 100 miles/week year round?

The HRM training books I've looked at seemed unhelpful and full of fluff so I was wondering if these
issues were addressed scientifically on the web or in some book I haven't seen.?

Thanks in advance Chris
 
On Wed, 25 Jun 2003 09:38:58 -0600, Chris Crawford <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi experts - I recently had a lactate test done on a velodyne stationary cycle using a lactate pro
>blood test by a sports trainer. I'm glad to get some results but after doing a little research on
>the web, I'm confused about how to apply these results to training.
>
>This particular sports trainer and many others, I've noted, are advocating power training (i.e.
>SRM, powertap, etc.) over heart rate training as this seems to be more fashionable now, however,
>I'm not willing to invest the $700 in a powertap and would rather just stick with a simple HRM even
>though it may not be perfect.
>
>The test showed that my anaerobic threshold was at 155-160 bpm @275 watts. As far as I can
>determine, this was assessed only by looking at the non-linear deflection of the watts/BPM curve
>(although he was testing lactate along the way).
>
>He then determined that my lactate balance point (LBP) - the power level at which I can clear
>lactate faster than it accumulates was at a heart rate of 135-140. This was accomplished by backing
>was off from the AT to let the body flush lactate and then steadily increasing the power until
>lactate was no longer decreasing but started to accumulate again.
>
>
>My questions are these:
>
>Should I be training using intervals at the LBP (HR = 135), as some web sites advise, or more at my
>AT (HR = 155), as this trainer advises? He advises 2 work outs a week of 30 minutes total at AT -
>starting at 15x2 min intervals and increasing to 2x15.

This will depend entirely on your goals. The mixture of intensities, times and frequencies will be
dicated by the type of races or health goals you have. A person training for an IM will spend a
higher percentage at lower HR's than someone training for a sprint.

>
>How much time should I spend over AT in anaerobic sprinting without doing too much damage to
>recover from. I cycle about 100 miles/week year round?

Again dictated by multitude of factors include goals, age, ability to recover etc. Two
people same age one may be perfectly OK doing high intensity workouts 3-4 times a week the
another may breakdown under the same training.

>
>The HRM training books I've looked at seemed unhelpful and full of fluff so I was wondering if
>these issues were addressed scientifically on the web or in some book I haven't seen.?

Depends on how scientifically or how laymen you want to go. I highly reccomend Joe Friel
triathlete training bible. It pretty much lays out wokouts, how much, what type and when in
the season to do them. You'll still have to figure out your goals and find out what your
body can handle but the book sets up some solid guides. If you want some really indepth
scientific stuff, check out the Lore of Running by Tim noakes. Although this deals mostly
with running it reads more like a scientific journal than a book and weighs about ten lbs.

~Matt

>
>Thanks in advance Chris
>
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>
>
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