marcag wrote:
Alan Couzens wrote:
marcag wrote:
Alan Couzens wrote:
sryke wrote:
Alan Couzens wrote:
so I instruct my athletes to buy their own portable lactate analyzer (& no I don't get any kickbacks).Really, this works? I can somehow picture how this would work for lower intensity steps but once you get past 4mmol or so?
I assume this would mean taking the sample from your finger tips? You don't contaminate the samples with sweat easily?
I've often pondered getting a device but I'm not really sure if this really works when doing on your own.
It's certainly easier if you have a friend/significant other who can help out (makes the initial outlay cheaper too if you go in on a lactate tester with a training buddy or 2 and agree to test each other!)
But you can definitely do it on your own if you organize beforehand, especially if using aerobars for the test:
* Set up a table to the top right corner of the bike (assuming right-handed)
* Lay out alcohol swabs already opened
* Have test strips lined up at the ready
* Have a stack of gauze pads
For each stage - alcohol wipe -> spike finger -> gauze wipe -> sample
When sampling, hold the tester like a pencil i.e. with the strip pointing down into the blood droplet. Capillary action of the strip will suck the blood up.
Movement isn't usually too much of a problem, especially on the aerobars, until the effort gets close to maximal. At that point, a 2 second pause in pedaling to get the sample won't throw things off too much.
Are you using this to measure MLSS or VLamax ?
Both.
Since moving more towards triathlon I've been more interested in MLSS than anaerobic tests but, after hearing Sebastian talk about the inverse relationship between VLamax and Fat Oxidation, I started to look into the metabolic data that I have to see if that relationship bore out &, sure enough, it does. So, while I still encourage athletes to get the 'full picture' with periodic metabolic testing, VLamax can provide a really useful (& cheap) way to check-in on the metabolic side of things on a more frequent basis.
Can you share your protocol for both ? Or point me to a link ?
In the past, for MLSS, I would do a 3 and 20min test and calculate CP. I would then do 4x8 at CP minus 5 and test lactate at the end of each 8min and see if it was steady
More out of curiosity than anything/
thx
Thanks Marc,
We do something similar...
* I do a traditional lactate step test with the athlete first and apply modified D-max to the curve to get an initial threshold estimate.
* Then on a different day we do 3-5 x 10 min at
1) ~10% below the Dmax threshold
2) ~5% below the Dmax threshold
3) at the Dmax threshold
4) ~5% above the Dmax threshold
5) ~10% above the Dmax threshold
and nominate MLSS as the max stage with steady lactate (<1mmol/L rise from minutes 5-10) We only go to the first stage that elicits >1mmol/L. IOW, it's pretty rare to need 5.
This sort of set - 3-5 x 10 min progressive long intervals in and around threshold is a pretty common session for my athletes so there are plenty of opportunities to pull out the lactate tester and further dial in/confirm the MLSS.
Alan Couzens, M.Sc. (Sports Science)
Exercise Physiologist/Coach
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alan_Couzens
Web: https://alancouzens.com
Last edited by:
Alan Couzens: May 12, 19 17:54