So I get an email from Coach Shanks "What would your thoughts be on doing a Blood Lactate Test?" My thoughts? Why not! It's a great way to really see how the body is reacting to the stresses you are putting it through, plus it just sounds cool. So we hash out the details and decide to meet nice and early at Dynamo Multisports where he teaches some killer athlete specific indoor cycling classes.
I show up at 6am (which is way to early for me) and we get everything all set up. It's a pretty simple test to preform, but that doesn't mean its easy on the athlete. He sets you up on a computrainer which is a really cool indoor trainer that can measure and vary you wattage output. You then do 4 minute stages where he watches your heart rate and cadence, maintains your resistance on the trainer, and takes a blood sample at 3 minutes with a matching RPE value. Each stage consists of an increase in power by 20 watts, and you basically go until you can't go anymore... sounds fun right?
Oh yeah and the room use to be a kitchen. I don't know why but I kind of found that interesting. Anyways the first couple stages are actually pretty easy. It's nothing to intense and Shanks and I actually spent most of the time talked about his music selection, which was pretty sweet. Unfortunately this wasn't the case for the whole test...
Lets put it this way; Shanks caption for this photo when he sent it to me was " your in the pain cave here!" The test became difficult and it only went up from there. The whole time all you are thinking about is that you can't quit, but man do you want to! It's a good kind of pain and you know you're getting great data out of it so you keep pushing hoping that Shanks tells you he's got all the info he needs, instead he keeps encouraging you to keep going. At every 3 minute mark he has to take you blood so that mean you have to get pricked. It's not painful and if he can use the same prick every time he will, just watch out he squeezes your finger like he's trying to pop a pimple. Once you finish he analyzes all the data and is able to come up with new training zones based off of your lactate levels. It was a great experience and was a fairly simple way to get definitive workout zones. Now is the time to put those new zones to use and keep pursuing that never ending goal of inspiration.
2 comments:
Talk about a sweet training/test experience. I'm curious, though, what were your old training zones and what kind of adjustments will be made for the new training zones?
Also, I notice that the test was done on a bike, so does this make the new zones bike specific only? If a runner was looking to have this done, would they need to run or would a bike suffice?
And, what does this kind of test actually tell the athlete?
Keep up the blog, this is great stuff. I do want to see more of your weekly training numbers posted: mileage, time, etc.
Greta questions! My heart rate zones for the run changed by an average of 18.75 bpm for each zone and my zones for the bike changed by an average of 14.5 bpm for each zone. This basically showed that I was actually doing all my training almost one entire heart rate zone above what I thought I was at.
The test is done on a bike so your run heart rate zones have to be calculated using a formula, so they are not as accurate, but you can do this same test on a treadmill for someone who only needs running heart rate zones.
To keep it a simple explanation the test measure how well your body handles lactate. Lactate is a byproduct from energy expenditure and is usually converted to more energy (with the help of oxygen) at lower intensity exercises. When you cross a certain threshold and you body no longer uses oxygen to create energy the level of lactate build up in your blood. This test uses those measurable levels to determine what heart rate you should be training at to reach certain exercise goals.
I hope that helps and thanks for all the support!
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