Definition of Lactate Threshold

Lactic Threshold is a term used to loosely describe the point at which it begins to hurt more than it should. Think of it as the transition from comfortably hard to hardly comfortable. Loads of people have loads of different interpretations of what it is and what it should be called but for the sake of this factsheet we will call it your lactic threshold and describe it as the point at which your lactic acid production overcomes your body's ability to flush it away".

What is the Lactate Threshold?

At rest and under steady-state exercise conditions, there is a balance between blood lactate production and blood lactate removal (Brooks 2000). The lactate threshold refers to the intensity of exercise at which there is an abrupt increase in blood lactate levels (Roberts & Robergs 1997). Although the exact physiological factors of the lactate threshold are still being resolved, it is thought to involve the following key mechanisms (Roberts & Robergs 1997) which is:

1)Decreased lactate removal
2) Increased fast-twitch motor unit recruitment
3) Imbalance between glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration
4) Ischemia (low blood flow) or hypoxia (low oxygen content in blood)

Lactate Threshold and Endurance Performance

Traditionally, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) has been viewed as the key component to success in prolonged exercise activities (Bassett & Howley 2000). However, more recently scientists have reported that the lactate threshold is the most consistent predictor of performance in endurance events. Studies have repeatedly found high correlations between performance in endurance events such as running, cycling, and race-walking and the maximal steady-state workload at the lactate threshold (McKardle, Katch, & Katch 1996).

The point in all of us where lactic acid begins to accumulate rapidly, to a point of debilitation happens before we reach our theoretical aerobic ceiling or VO2max. It's at what point this rapid accumulation starts, our lactic threshold, that determines how well we race. A graphic example of people reaching their lactic thresholds can be seen on a hill of any race when the hammer goes down. The one's that have hit it are the ones going backwards.

For less well trained athletes, lactic threshold is around 60% of their VO2max. For the better trained, it's around 65-80%; and for elite riders and the ProTour boys, it's 85-90% of their incredibly high VO2max. So they have a double whammy over us. Not only do they have a greater capacity, they can use more of it before hitting their thresholds.

Significant or importance for athlete,coaches and scientist in training and research:

1. Athlete:

- As an athlete we should know how this things work or using for them, in generally the athlete learn when they should cover their heart rate and how to recover from tired. Lactate threshold usually use in endurance sports such as cycling, running and race walking. Example in cycling through increasing your cycling economy, lactate tolerance and power output you can make significant improvements in the efficiency of your aerobic engine thus allowing you to cruise at a faster speed.

- We haven’t raised the ceiling but we’ve increasing the percentage of the level we can use before lactic pooling begins and that’s what wins races. So,from that an athlete know when the right time to speed or to control their cardiovascular.

2. Coaches:

- Coaches play important rules to train their athlete, they need to know what types of endurance training that consist lactate threshold. Sometimes as a coach they also can advise their athlete to maintain their speed or cardio when in the training session or races. Coaches will provide their athlete with a good training session and duration, training is totally different Depending on location, mountain bike riding is generally not the best implementation of LT training.Example in doing a workout, coaches also can educated their athlete about the value of maintaining appropriate intensity. Make sure they understand that they are not sustaining 171 to 177 beats per minute so that they can finish the forty minute segment, but because that intensity produces the best results.