Old vs New terms re: workout levels

[giannip]

Am I correct in thinking that doing a workout segment at "Aerobic Threshold" would be similar to one's lower L4 level and "Anaerobic Threshold" would be something like high L4?

Apologies if I didn't phrase the question correctly. I was just reading some example workouts where for e.g 10min are broken down to 3min moderate (Tempo?) / 3 min Aerobic Th. and 4min Anaerobic Th.

Was just interested to see if I "translated" it correctly

 

[daveryanwyoming]

Yep, that's about right.

The term Anaerobic Threshold (AT) was really popular for a long time and still is in some coaching circles. It was often used to describe the intensity of a long roughly 1 hour time trial which we'd call FTP in power terms. And of course L4 is the power level which includes FTP. So yes, if you're going back to an older book like Lemond's then swap upper L4 or FTP in when you see AT.

FWIW, AT has fallen out of favor because it implies a discrete boundary between aerobic and anaerobic energy production. No such discrete boundary exists, we produce power both aerobically and anaerobically at all intensity levels. The closest thing to an "Anaerobic Threshold" is probably Maximal Aerobic Power which is up in the range of power that elicits VO2 Max response and is substantially higher than FTP and not sustainable for anywhere near a full hour.

But bottom line, when you see advice to train at AT, think near FTP or L4 in Coggan's schema.

-Dave

 

[giannip]

Yep, that's about right.

The term Anaerobic Threshold (AT) was really popular for a long time and still is in some coaching circles. It was often used to describe the intensity of a long roughly 1 hour time trial which we'd call FTP in power terms. And of course L4 is the power level which includes FTP. So yes, if you're going back to an older book like Lemond's then swap upper L4 or FTP in when you see AT.

FWIW, AT has fallen out of favor because it implies a discrete boundary between aerobic and anaerobic energy production. No such discrete boundary exists, we produce power both aerobically and anaerobically at all intensity levels. The closest thing to an "Anaerobic Threshold" is probably Maximal Aerobic Power which is up in the range of power that elicits VO2 Max response and is substantially higher than FTP and not sustainable for anywhere near a full hour.

But bottom line, when you see advice to train at AT, think near FTP or L4 in Coggan's schema.

-Dave

Phew! Just got back from my "getting back to some sort of fitness" spin and I'm glad I got that sort of right

Thanks for the reply.