Lactate
Testing
Lactate measurement is used by sport scientists, coaches and
athletes to accurately determine Heart Rate training zones,
recovery and much more. Lactate is a metabolic product that
can be measured by taking a drop of blood at a finger tip
the same way diabetics monitor their blood sugar level. The
blood lactate level increases with exercise intensity and
shows clearly the transition from aerobic to anaerobic activity.
Since the measurement is completely individual it gives a
precise method for testing and monitoring training intensity
and recovery.
Lactate measurement is far more precise than the outdated
and inaccurate method of using percentages of maximum heart
rate to set training zones. Because heart rate is an individual
response, heart rate training zones need to be determined
by measurement of physiological variables not set by mathematical
formulas.
What is Lactate:
Lactate is mainly produced at muscle cells, erythrocytes and
brain cells, and metabolized by the liver. Lactate is an end
product of anaerobic glucose metabolism and plays an important
role in the acid-base balance in the body. As lactate concentration
increases in the blood during exercises due to lack of oxygen
at the muscle, lactate can be measured to evaluate physical
performance or to establish proper exercise intensity of exercise
for athletes.
What do we use to Test Lactate?
The Lactate Pro is the meter of choice world wide for elite
teams and sport scientists for both for monitoring athlete
training and sport research.
THE TEST:
Performance Step Test of Speed or Wattage Vs. Heart
Rate
This part of the test has a fairly linear section and is used
to compare performance changes over time. One can see at a
glance how the athlete has improved his or her performance
over the years. This test must always be done on the same
equipment identically set up in order to make the comparison.
This test is done in three-minute steps, the wattage is held
constant for the three minutes and the heart rate is taken
at the end of the three-minute step. The complete test consists
of approximately eight steps.
Lactate Balance Point Test
In this portion of the test, the 'curve' of Lactate versus
Heart Rate is plotted on the same graph as the linear “step
test”. The curve actually illustrates the progress of
lactate clearance. The first blood lactate is taken immediately
following the last point of the Performance Step test. After
this, the steps are four minutes long, but the Athlete is
asked to work with a fixed heart rate (not wattage) since
we want a curve of Lactate versus Heart Rate.
The effort during the four-minute steps will actually vary
but the heart rate must remain fairly constant. Steps are
four minutes long at a constant heart rate with a lactate
check at the end of each step. The first step is at a heart
rate approximately 40 beats below the high effort. Then we
begin to increase the effort in small steps in order to find
where lactate accumulation begins. The steps are in 5-10 beat
increments.
Re-testing
Depending on the goal of the athlete, and the training phase
they are in, it may be necessary to repeat the FACT test every
4 to 8 weeks. The Lactate Balance Point Heart Rate may change
with training. It usually will increase as the athlete becomes
more fit, however, fatigue can produce a drop in the LBP heart
rate. The LBP heart rate is depressed by a high intensity
effort such as a race. After a hard race the LBP will be significantly
lower and takes 2-3 days to recover to the pre-race level.
Training should be at 20-30 beats below the pre-race LBP heart
rate for at least two days following a race to promote recovery.
For more information about the FACT test go to www.fact-canada.com/Fact-Info.html |
