Training at your Lactate threshold

[mac_220]

Hi Ric and everyone else,

I have just been reading through the result of my exercise test. It mentions two things:

1. the best way to increase you LT Heart rate (for me currently 160 bpm) is by training in a zone just under LT HR. Apprently, it responds most effectively when performing sessions along the lines of 1 hour in the LT LT-10, so for me 150 to 160 Bpm.

2. when performing intervals performance increases most dramatically when during the recovery period you cross your LT heart rate, and should recover to LT-10=150, then start the next interval. Intervals part of the session should be performed at RQ=1Heart Rate-10 Bpm, for me my RQ=1 is at 186 so i would perform the intervals at 176 to 186.

Can anyone provide some feedback on these recommendations.

Regards,

Mark

 

[Smartt/RST]

Hi Ric and everyone else,

I have just been reading through the result of my exercise test. It mentions two things:

1. the best way to increase you LT Heart rate (for me currently 160 bpm) is by training in a zone just under LT HR. Apprently, it responds most effectively when performing sessions along the lines of 1 hour in the LT LT-10, so for me 150 to 160 Bpm.

2. when performing intervals performance increases most dramatically when during the recovery period you cross your LT heart rate, and should recover to LT-10=150, then start the next interval. Intervals part of the session should be performed at RQ=1Heart Rate-10 Bpm, for me my RQ=1 is at 186 so i would perform the intervals at 176 to 186.

Can anyone provide some feedback on these recommendations.

Regards,

Mark

On point #1: it would help to know what you mean by LT (at RST, we take the consensus among the exercise science community which states that LT is 1mmol > baseline, which is a medium tempo endurance pace, not 40k TT pace).
Point #2: the term 'interval' can describe too wide of a range of intensities for me to know exactly what you're getting at here as well. However, given a RQ=1, I'm assuming the recommendations are talking about increasing VO2max/Maximal Aerobic Power. I would never use HR as a guide for recovery here. VO2max/MAP training should be based on time/intensity relationships, with HR as a guide for the 2nd half of the work interval.
In both cases, I would partially agree with the general idea of using a 'zone' that is immediately below your LT and RQ=1 heart rates; however, I would also say that depending on your level of fitness, training history, where you are in the course of your annual training and what the goal of the interval is, you could also include 'at to just above' those 2 specific HRs.