The Reason for Lactate Threshold Efforts within Base period
aren't exactly clear. Todays post is here to give you a clearer picture.
Picture CO Menachem Brodie
Every cyclist want to be stronger, to have more Watts per Kilogram, and to climb faster. So why do so many think that long hours in the saddle in base period are the key to this achievement?
It seems that even with all the advances that are made in the world of sports performance, that cyclists in particular have a tough time understanding the role of Lactate Threshold /neuromuscular recruitment in training.
What do I mean by this?
Many cyclist STILL believe that just by going out on their bike as many days a week as possible, at a low intensity will allow them to progress and get stronger. Unfortunately, this is a very 1970's way of training, and wastes much of the riders time, and resources ($, time, Energy).
While being out on the road CONSISTENTLY is an absolutely vital piece of becoming a better cyclist, one of the very many things that one must focus on, is increasing the neuromuscular connection. How do we do this?
There are a few ways that one can increase the Lactate Threshold/ neuromuscular connection. But first, let's get into what exactly the neuromuscular connect is.
Malcom Gladwell talks a little bit about the neuromuscular connection in his book "Outliers: The story of Success". In the book he talks about the time practicing a skill, and how the time in focused practice results in a much more thicker insulation of the nerves, by the myelin sheath that surrounds it.
Cycling, and well, any sport or skill, has this effect on the nervous system. It's part of the amazing ways that the body adapts to repetitive tasks that we do, so it can be accomplished with less effort/greater ease. This is why the professional riders- be it Optum Pro Cycling P/b Kelly Benefits Strategy team in the USA, or Team SKY in the ProTour, can put up the power numbers they can- their nervous systems have adapted.
But how do cyclists who are looking to get to the best watts per kg they can take advantage of this?
Recently, we've seen a shaking to the core of the cycling world, with the realization that high intensity work has a significant impact on the abilities of the rider, and really helps them progress forward- QUICKLY.
This is something that Expert coaches, like myself and Triathlon Coach Brett Sutton, have understood for years. Now, I do not want you to think that I know Brett well- I do not. But what I do know, is that his philosophy for training, is strikingly similar to what I've been doing with Human Vortex Training Athletes since I began coaching endurance athletes 8 years ago:
Using higher intensity efforts during the Base period, in order to help the athlete progress their tolerance of hard efforts, and to keep and build their speed.
HVT Athlete Ryan Munko
Tour of The Valley 2013
Photo CO Fred Jordan
High Intensity, when distributed properly across the foundational (base) and build period, lead to significant improvements in performance.
Now, this doesn't mean that my athletes have been doing ONLY high intensity work in the base period- far from it. In fact, we try to take advantage of any and ALL nice days that happen to peak through the often cold and long Northeastern winters. BUT, what we have done, is utilize the focused indoor trainer ride/ indoor training time (endless pool, treadmill, etc), to allow each rider/athlete to hit the specified energy system, AND attain a big Neuromuscular effort (I.e. speed)- via having to push through pain and discomfort, and forcing the body to figure out ways to adapt to the demands we are placing on it.
Does this work for performance? ABSOLUTELY. And with phenomenal results.
Every Year HVT Athletes come into the season and "surprised" their opposition with how fit they are... but as mentioned before, I am not the only coach out there who utilizes indoor training time. Just read this great blog post by Brett Sutton about Indoor Training.
There is growing evidence suggesting that lactate itself is NOT a limiting factor in performance. In fact, the research suggests that Lactate is, in and of itself, CONTRIBUTING to performance, by being "recycled" and used to combine with Acetyl-CoA in order to provide the starting point for continued energy production!
Studies have been done as far back as 2001, at Wayne State University (Nebraska), and University of Udine (Italy), that have brought to light that what we think we know about Lactate Threshold Training, may not in fact be true at all!
So what does this mean as far as the "lactate threshold" efforts that I, and so many other expert coaches assign to our athletes?
Does it mean we're all blind? Does it mean that we aren't experts? Should everyone stop doing Lactate Threshold efforts?!?!
Not at all. Not even close.
While I cannot speak on behalf of other coaches, I will tell you why I believe 100% in utilizing Lactate Threshold efforts in training:
I believe that it's not the energy system gains that are the most vital part of these efforts, it's the neuromuscular impact that they have on the body.
During LT work, your muscles are being pushed to the absolute MAX they can sustain for a given period of time.
This is just like the doing the 8*3 with heavy weights when I used to prepare for my Powerlifting meets: Lactate threshold efforts serve as the week-in-week-out "heavy lifting" that the body is able to positively handle, and adapt to- for the energy systems, the connective tissues, and the contractile tissues. The last two serving as stimulus to the Neuromuscular System to adapt, and progress- especially at speed.
This, and the mental toughness one gains from doing these Lactate Threshold efforts, is why they are integral parts of the base period- when done in the right amount, at the right time, for the right athlete.
The mental toughness, and mental training is a whole other post....Check back for more on that topic.
Or, if you want to learn more about the basics of Interval Training, and how to do it right, watch my YouTube Video:
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