Lactate Threshold Testing
Lactate Threshold Testing: What is it? Why test it?
Lactate threshold (LT) is the level of work that an athlete can sustain for approximately one hour. As long as he stays at this pace, the athlete's lactate level will remain constant. However, at small effort levels above this point, lactate will begin to rise and the athlete will quickly reach exhaustion. Knowing the lactate threshold can help athletes at any level know how to properly pace their workout or race.
LT has been shown to be one of the single best indicators of endurance performance. LT levels rise in accordance with fitness levels. Thus an athlete can show significant gains throughout a single season if his training is done at the proper intensities. As the athlete gets fitter, his workload for reaching LT will rise.
Once an athlete knows his LT based on pace, watts or heart rate, he can set training intensities that will best lead to improvements in fitness level. Lactate threshold should be measured several times during the race season to assess performance and monitor and adjust training schedules accordingly.
At FunctionSmart, we offer Lactate Threshold testing at an affordable price so that athletes and their coaches can monitor their levels throughout the season. Please click here for the FAQ's
