Performance Testing

The performance testing includes a minimally invasive lactate threshold test to help the athlete-client learn their target training heart rate zones. This test is either administered on a bike or treadmill depending on the athletes strongest specialty. The bike is a specialized system consisting of a bike connected to a computer system to set the power wattage and to read heart rate and cadence during the test. The bike is fully adjustable to match the athlete's riding position. The cycling test takes place at Landry's Bicycle shop located near the BU bridge on Commonwealth Ave. The run test is administered on a treadmill in a private gym at Joint Ventures located in Kenmore Square.

What is Blood Lactate Threshold?
An athlete is continuously producing and clearing lactate. The blood lactate threshold is the point at which lactate begins to markedly accumulate in the blood.

Blood lactate concentration = lactate production - lactate clearance

How does the blood lactate threshold arise?
Lactate production markedly increases as exercise intensity increases. A possible reason for this occurrence is that fast-twitch muscle fibers become increasingly involved in muscle contraction as heavy workloads arise. These muscle fibers increase the production of lactate much more than slow-twitch (aerobic) muscle fibers do. As a result, blood lactate markedly increases because the athlete can not clear the lactate from the blood as fast as it is being produced. This point at which lactate is being produced at a faster rate than it can be cleared is the blood lactate threshold. When graphed, a sharp rise in the blood lactate level of the athlete is noticed.

Why should an athlete do a blood lactate threshold test?
A blood lactate threshold test will determine the heart rate at which the athlete's blood lactate markedly accumulates. By knowing the heart rate at which their blood lactate threshold occurs, the athlete can either train slightly below, at, or slightly above their blood lactate threshold depending on the intensity of their workout. The blood lactate threshold, like VO2 max and heart rate, is another value the athlete can use to determine their fitness level and develop training programs.

Why would an endurance athlete want to increase their blood lactate threshold?
The longer an athlete is able to delay their blood lactate threshold from occurring, the closer they will be able to exercise to their VO2 max. The closer an athlete is able sustain exercise performance to their VO2 max without reaching their blood lactate threshold, the greater the possibility that they will perform better. Some trained endurance runners can run up to 90% of their VO2 max without reaching their blood lactate threshold. Thus, a goal of an endurance athlete would be to increase their blood lactate threshold.

Endurance training intensities slightly below, at, or slightly above the blood lactate threshold can shift the blood lactate curve "downward" and to the "right". By increasing the blood lactate threshold, an athlete can perform at a greater percentage of their VO2 max with a lower accumulation of blood lactate. This means that the athlete can increase their sub-maximal pace while delaying the onset of blood lactate threshold muscle fatiguing mechanisms.

How does an athlete's blood lactate threshold increase?
Here are some of the physiological adaptations that may occur as a result of endurance training:

Increasing the aerobic capacity of slow twitch muscle fibers.
Converting anaerobic muscle fibers (fast fatiguing) to more aerobic (fatigue resistant) muscle fibers.
Increasing the lactate clearing potential of the liver and kidneys through training and staying healthy.
Increasing the ability of lactate to be re-used as energy during exercise.

How is a blood lactate threshold test administered?
The athlete's blood lactate is measured taking a very small sample of blood from either the fingertip or the ear lobe at rest and at the ends of each stage of the particular protocol. Stages progress in intensity and may last between 1-3 minutes while the entire test may last approximately 15 minutes. If possible, lactate testing should be done on the athlete while being tested during their specific sport. The athlete may not be as efficient in other sporting activities and may produce higher lactate values than they normally would while engaged in their specific sport.