Working Out Above Your Lactate Threshold, How Many Can Say They've Done it?

[HNNstyle]

How many here can say that they've done a workout above your lactate threshold and what was your workout routine? I found this to be an accomplishment since it seems to be extremely hard to achieve. For those that don't know, you can tell that you've reached your lactate threshold when you entire body starts to burn on the inside. You really can't miss this sensation.


So far, the only time I've reached it is with the workout routine below.

Basically, I will do a 12 min jog with six 40 second sprints inside of the 12 min jog. I will do 4 cycles of this with 5 minute breaks in-between. During the 5 min breaks, I lift machine weights as they are much safer then free weights when doing this type of workout. The machine weights that I lift will depend on what I feel like working out for the day. It could be upper body or lower body but it will generally be 3 or 4 types of exercises to fit inside of the 5 min breaks.

So far, exercising above your lactate acid threshold doesn't seem to be something that can be done on a regular daily basis because it really wouldn't be practical. I've tried and was only able to maintain this workout for 3 weeks at 4 times a week. The reason is because you have to have the willpower to fight through tiredness and the ability to ignore pain in your feet. You also won't be able to walk comfortably the next day.

Edit: I hit the burning sensation on the fourth cycle.

 

[KMc]

You can't really determine where your LT (also called anaerobic threshold) is just by when you start "feeling the burn". You really need to measure your heart rate. LT/AT is only around 80% of your max heart rate, which should be pretty easy to hit on almost every workout.

 

[HNNstyle]

You can't really determine where your LT (also called anaerobic threshold) is just by when you start "feeling the burn". You really need to measure your heart rate. LT/AT is only around 80% of your max heart rate, which should be pretty easy to hit on almost every workout.

I think we are talking about something completely different. I believe you are referring to something along the lines of lifting weights and feeling localized burn in your muscles after doing a certain number of reps. I'm talking about feeling the burn throughout your entire body for a good 8 mins of my fourth cycle. It's more of being able to maintain the burning sensation instead of just scratching the surface.



Here is the website of the workout I am referring too, along with a quote that might help explain the level of intensity.

If you are aiming at training above your lactate threshold you need to go fast enough to feel that the last few seconds feel almost impossible to keep running. Everything in your body should be burning.

 

[Pantlegz]

cardio is overrated. I get a similar sensation after a set of heavy squats, or on days I do 3 very heavy then 8 fairly heavy right afterwards. Heavy deadlifts will do it sometimes too but normally the lightheadedness overpowers the burn.

 

[HNNstyle]

cardio is overrated. I get a similar sensation after a set of heavy squats, or on days I do 3 very heavy then 8 fairly heavy right afterwards. Heavy deadlifts will do it sometimes too but normally the lightheadedness overpowers the burn.

Can you explain your routine and the weights that you use? I want to try it out and see if i get the same type of burn.


Edit: I'm not saying that I can do your workout ASAP but I'm sure I can take a few weeks to build my muscles up to your level. I couldn't do the workout routine that I mentioned above on day one. It took me 3 weeks to get to that level of endurance.

 

[KMc]

I'm referring more to a continuous type of exercise like running or cycling. All I was pointing out is that if you are just going by the sensation alone, you might actually be above your LT for longer than you think. That might also explain why it feels difficult to achieve/maintain. Also, as your fitness improves, your body gets better at managing that lactic acid, and the burning sensation might become even more elusive.

 

[HNNstyle]

I'm referring more to a continuous type of exercise like running or cycling. All I was pointing out is that if you are just going by the sensation alone, you might actually be above your LT for longer than you think. That might also explain why it feels difficult to achieve/maintain. Also, as your fitness improves, your body gets better at managing that lactic acid, and the burning sensation might become even more elusive.

What do i have to do to measure my Lactate Threshold?


Edit: I googled the answer and I think it's hard to maintain this workout because it's not practical. As in, I don't like having a limp added to my walk the next day.

 

[episodic]

Try cycling at 18mph - no matter what - hills - 18mph - downhill - go faster - flats 18mph - never let up.

 

[mechBgon]

For bicycling, LAT's estimated at about 85% of max HR. Someone training for bike racing would get into that zone quite a lot. In a mountain-bike race or a race-paced training lap, my baseline ~1-hour "cruise" effort is about 93% of max HR, with surges beyond that.

Personally, when mountain biking, I can tell if I really left it all out there by the fact that my digestion is, uh, seriously disrupted for the next 12 hours. I don't think it's just the effort, but also the pounding and constant use of the core muscles.

 

[episodic]

For bicycling, LAT's estimated at about 85% of max HR. Someone training for bike racing would get into that zone quite a lot. In a mountain-bike race or a race-paced training lap, my baseline ~1-hour "cruise" effort is about 93% of max HR, with surges beyond that.

Personally, when mountain biking, I can tell if I really left it all out there by the fact that my digestion is, uh, seriously disrupted for the next 12 hours. I don't think it's just the effort, but also the pounding and constant use of the core muscles.

Can't comment on mountain biking, as there is none around here sadly - but I've been road riding for over 2 years now.

I've been stressing myself. Had a minor set back over the summer with an accident - but recovered (mostly) from that. Here rollers are the norm - so it is up and down. The best thing I ever did was get out of my head coasting. I use to surge up - coast down. Since I've surged up - surged down, I've made real gains in speed/ability. I'm a newb, and have no real peers around here but a couple of older guys that only ride occasionally. No community around here bike wise - I'm it.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

What do i have to do to measure my Lactate Threshold?


Edit: I googled the answer and I think it's hard to maintain this workout because it's not practical. As in, I don't like having a limp added to my walk the next day.

Your definition of lactate threshold is based solely on sensation. The problem is that the burn you feel actually has very little to do directly with lactate. Lactate is rather a result of inability to metabolize things quickly enough. The burn is due to extracellular potassium, excessive cellular acidity (due to CO2 production and more - not lactate), CNS inhibition and perception, etc.

As a sprinter, I could get my lactate levels up to 1.4-1.5 before konking out. Many endurance athletes can only stand levels of 1.1-1.2. This is measured indirectly by processing the expired gas from your breathing. Directly, this is measured by blood draw. Either way, what you define the lactate threshold actually has nothing to do with lactate directly. Lactate levels increase as a result of the same things that cause the burn, but lactate itself does not cause it.

 

[darkxshade]

If hitting the wall on a long run counts then yea, I've done it.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Can't comment on mountain biking, as there is none around here sadly - but I've been road riding for over 2 years now.

I've been stressing myself. Had a minor set back over the summer with an accident - but recovered (mostly) from that. Here rollers are the norm - so it is up and down. The best thing I ever did was get out of my head coasting. I use to surge up - coast down. Since I've surged up - surged down, I've made real gains in speed/ability. I'm a newb, and have no real peers around here but a couple of older guys that only ride occasionally. No community around here bike wise - I'm it.

I've seen a guy riding straight into a 20+ mph wind and continually do it for miles at closer to 25mph. If you've never ridden around real bicyclists you will be in for a shock. When I rode a lot I could average 17-18mph for a solid two hours. I got on the bike and started pedaling and wouldn't stop til I got off the bike. At my best I couldn't nip on the heels of a real bicyclist. I'd get up to 20mph+ just to try and hang for a bit and still couldn't and this was their riding pace as in they'd do this all day.
I could of swore those guys had a friggin motor attached to their bike. If you think I'm exaggerating you need to find a local trail with some semi pro/pro guys and see for yourself. I have had a whole new respect for bicycling since seeing these guys first hand.

 

[jsedlak]

Me.

I tested my CTP60 to be around 290-300 watts. It's been awhile (offseason base mileage ftw) but I think I was doing 3 minute intervals are done around 400 watts, 5 minute intervals around 350.