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Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that both agree on a polarization model (not many workouts target the grey zones, race pace, LT or sweet spot training), but they differ on how to train the hi in the hi-lo model?
Everything Olbrecht does is based on how it will affect the two energy systems (aerobic and anaerobic glycolytic.) He has a model of energy metabolism developed at the Sports School in Cologne that provides the effects of any type of workout so the choice of sprints is based on this model which he has verified with the testing of over a 1000 athletes. This model has been verified for swimming, running and rowing and I believe cycling is in the process of verification.
So his high stuff is based on how these types of workouts affect each system. What he recommends will depend on the distance and the current conditioning level of the athlete. So I think he believes the higher the better for this specific objective (building anaerobic capacity and along with it aerobic capacity for some fiber types) but not too much because the hard efforts can break down too much.
Few coaches/training advisers of endurance athletes consider the anaerobic system in their training plans but it is an essential part of Olbrecht's system even for one preparing for the Ironman.
Departing from this hi-lo approach, he will include a couple workouts near the threshold during the pre-competition if he believes the anaerobic capacity is too high for the race. This type of workout near the threshold will lower anaerobic capacity and make the athlete faster as they are now able to access more of their VO2 max after recovering from such a workout.
Essentially such a workout raises the threshold. The lactate curve will shift to the right not because the aerobic system is stronger but because the anaerobic system is weaker. But these workouts are very stressful so they are surrounded by long slow workouts to prevent much deterioration of the aerobic system and at most one or two are scheduled leading up to the race.
For his athletes in shorter events, the number of high intensity workouts will represent a much higher percentage of their program. One of his athletes broke the Olympic 50 m and 100 m freestyle records in London so her high intensity workouts will be much more frequent. Olbrecht also says the anaerobic system responds much quicker to training than the aerobic system.
Again, not every athlete responds the same but a lot of athletes get better after they learn to train slower. He mentioned one in the last couple years who resisted it but after being convinced by a coach to follow instructions, this athlete then won a world championship.
One of the things not mentioned in all this is that for elite athletes their threshold is around 90% of VO2 max while a good recreational or serious triathlete is at a much lower percentage of VO2 max. So threshold workouts for the elite athlete are much more stressful than a similar workout for a good but far from elite athlete. There is a much higher level of contraction and along with this there is a lot more metabolic activity per second including substantially more heat generated.
It is a paradox. Who can better withstand a threshold workout, a world class athlete or a good recreational athlete. The answer is the recreational athlete. But the elite athlete's threshold pace may be close to or faster than the VO2 max pace of the recreational athlete. The black hole is much more significant for the elite athlete.
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Jerry Cosgrove
Sports Resource Group
http://www.lactate.com https://twitter.com/@LactatedotCom