How To Train - Chapter Eight
500 Days In
We are 500 days into our journey and have had time to see the benefits of consistent training. We are going to explore two more foundational concepts:
Fitness is expressed as a flattening, and rightward shift, of the lactate curve.
There is an optimal sequence to training periodization. We start with a focus on health, shift towards metabolic fitness, add general capacity, and then finish with specific preparation.
The figure above is from a series of bike tests. We’re going to focus on the difference between the red curve (Upper, August 2022) and orange curve (Lower, August 2023).
The upper red curve shows lactate rising as soon as the test begins. This is called a linear curve because lactate rises as soon as power increases. When lactate rises on the second step, you should start subsequent tests at a lower power value. In this case, 100 watts would have been a better starting point.
The lower orange curve shows an extended period (150 to 210 watts) with lactate at steady baseline values. This type of curve is called a normal curve. While the curve is called normal, the profile is not normal in the general population. The linear curve is what you’re likely to see when you test initially.
Be cautious about drawing definitive conclusions between two tests. That’s why I included details on five tests (total) in the figure. With a series of tests, you will be able to clearly identify trends if they are present.
In the case of my data:
We see the curves moving down and to the right.
We see heart rate, for a given power, reducing.
We see lactate, for a given power, reducing.
Importantly, you won’t always see an improvement in heart rate or lactate profiles, particularly if you test after an illness. If you look at the heart rate data (in parenthesis) for the green and solid black lines, you will see my point. The exact numbers in a test don’t matter. What matters is the trend over time, especially when you are comparing similar periods in your annual cycle (say August 2022 vs August 2023).
