I want to get my blood lactate tested and am considering purchasing this unit which seems to be quite accurate. I think my levels will change as i get fitter so it would be nice to have my own unit that i could retest every 2 months or 3 months during the year while training/racing. Do you think this would be a beneficial unit to have in developing training zones/racing paces, etc? Why? or Why not?
You can simulate very closely your lactate threshold with simple training tests (read online) that are easy to repeat throughout the year.
Taking your own blood lactate levels is only helpful after you do the “test” correctly, plot your curve, then analyze the results since not everyone’s LT is right at 4.0 mmol. If you really want this done, get it done at your local University lab, train with the knowledge you get, repeat later.
rroof, if you check out his link you will see that fact uses a method very different from your standard 4mmol. They look at the trend in lactate. Most of the high level lactate testers use lactate pro tool it is regarded as the best portable machine. Not sure if you are using the fact-canada protocol or you just wanted the analyzer, but the protocol they use again does not use the traditional 4mmol value.
? What? The Lactate Pro is simply measuring your blood lactate level, whether it is 1.9 or 11.4 mmol. That is it. The machine is excellent, but that is not the question.
I get tested using one of those twice per season. I don’t own it, but I believe the test costs $80 (although it is included in a coaching plan that I use). Based on that price, $450 for the kit seems like a pretty good deal.
When I get my tests done, I run through a test on a computrainer (actually not a CT, but a similar piece of equipment, kind of like a fit bike with a CT built in). I keep cadence at 90, and wattage increases every 4 minutes. Blood Lactate is tested every two minutes and plotted against wattage, HR, and PE and my training zones are derived from this data. As somebody else mentioned, I believe 4 mml generally defines LT, but it is interesting to see the data plotted. You can see blood lactate spike once you hit the threshold.
I believe you can also build a good threshold test for running as well using one of these units, but I haven’t ever done this.
FYI, the times (4 minutes and 2 minutes) listed in my explanation might be wrong, but it is something close to that and my blood lactate is tested twice at each wattage increase.
No experience with “the lactate pro” but I train off of my threshold with a friend who is an exercise physiologist and we do blood draws while on the bike and treadmill then plot them out and it worked great for me. I had my best results this year which is the only season I have used this method. Good Luck
I want to get my blood lactate tested and am considering purchasing this unit which seems to be quite accurate. I think my levels will change as i get fitter so it would be nice to have my own unit that i could retest every 2 months or 3 months during the year while training/racing. Do you think this would be a beneficial unit to have in developing training zones/racing paces, etc? Why? or Why not?
Appreciate any input/ advice.
Cheers and have a merry xmas!
SLOWYou would need someone else to do the test for you, it’s a little fiddly making sure the strips are properly inserted into the machine, not contaminated in the process (invalidates data otherwise), that your blood sample is clean etc - can’t do that properly while you are also trying to ride the bike. Samples need to be taken at same interval each time.
You also need supporting consumables (test and calibration strips, the pin prick thingy - they ain’t cheap), latex gloves, etc as well as sharps and medical waste disposal kit (and collection).
Then software to assess the results, of which there are different providers.
All for a test you’ll probably do at most a few times a year.
May as well just ride with a power meter and get info every ride on how your fitness is progressing. Far more useful.
? What? The Lactate Pro is simply measuring your blood lactate level, whether it is 1.9 or 11.4 mmol. That is it.
The machine is excellent, but you were mentioning about 4 mmols not being a good protocol for everyone so I thought you were saying that fact-canada’s protocol was saying this…you are right the old school 4 mmol’s is not accurate for everyone, but the link to fact-canada was what I was commenting on…the don’t use the old school 4 mmol method.