Lactate threshold percent of Vo2max?

Looking at some lactate curves got me thinking.
At which power/speed interval (percent of Vo2max) does the lactate threshold occur?
I guess this is partly genetic and also trainable?
How much can one train this?
Is it different in bike and run?

To increase the lactate threshold one can both right shift the whole curse (increase vo2max) or more the lactate threshold
to an higher percent of vo2max?
Can someone confirm or clarify ? :slight_smile:

I have measured a lactate threshold everything between 80% and 90% of vo2 max. I’d say 80-85% is quite typical for a trained endurance athlete. The higher, the better. Maybe I was able to push mine to 90 simply because I wasn’t able to increase my Vo2 max more, but I think a value over 90% is exceptional. Vo2 max is possible to increase only to a certain degree and doesn’t tell much about a triathletes actual performance level, while the lactate threshold essentially is everything. I’m not sure what the relative value would be for an untrained person, but it is possible to push lactate threshold further simply by training at a pace near threshold effort. Raising vo2 max would also push further the lactate threshold, but as I said it is only possible to increase vo2 max by some 10-20%.

Looking at some lactate curves got me thinking.
At which power/speed interval (percent of Vo2max) does the lactate threshold occur?

That depends not only on the individual, but on the exact criteria used to identify/define lactate threshold. For endurance trained athletes, though, lactate threshold (no matter how defined) will generally fall somewhere between 70% and 90% of VO2max.

I guess this is partly genetic and also trainable?

Yes.

How much can one train this?

As a percentage of VO2max? On average, about 10%, sometimes more.

Is it different in bike and run?

Unless you’re a trained cyclist being tested during uphill running, then yes.

To increase the lactate threshold one can both right shift the whole curse (increase vo2max) or more the lactate threshold
to an higher percent of vo2max?

Yes.

Can someone confirm or clarify ? :slight_smile:

Yes. :slight_smile:

To increase the lactate threshold one can both right shift the whole curse (increase vo2max) or more the lactate threshold

We have three pages you may be interested in.

First a page on the lactate threshold which explains what is behind it. If you know what causes the threshold, then it is easier to train it.

http://www.lactate.com/lactate_threshold.html

A page on thresholds which includes training information

http://www.lactate.com/threshold.html

Some of the information repeats between these two pages

A page where we animate what happens to the lactate curve when the aerobic capacity and anaerobic capacity changes

http://www.lactate.com/aerobic_anaerobic_animation.html

Hope this helps you.


JerryC, enjoyed the information summarized via this link. Very clear about cost-benefit for training plan design relevant to aerobic/anaerobic balance. Thanks for sharing this here! Beth Leasure-Hudson