If you are a cyclist, marathoner, a competitive swimmer, or an athlete in any event that requires refined aerobic fitness then it follows that realizing how to apply pacing information is both crucial to the perfection of your pace and performance.
A GPS heart rate monitor watch in combination with other measurement devices, like power meters and cadence sensors for bicyclists, or foot pods for runners, provide you an ample variety of metrics to take advantage of.
At the end of the day it is all about locating your lactic acid limit in relation to cadence, distance, and time. Churn out too much lactic acid in the muscle fibers too early in a competition and you can’t keep the pace, so knowing exactly where your body can function for protracted periods is a good tool to increase your speed.
Scientifically measuring lactic acids is not something that many people have the equipment to do. What we will be discussing here is a method that will provide you with a close approximation of your lactic threshold as indicated by the measurement of heart rate.
First, it is important to note that this test is not one that you want to attempt until you have a significant aerobic training base.
We are going to be doing an all-out 30 minute workout interval taking part in the event of your selection. Once again, this method is strictly recommended to well-conditioned athletes and must not be used by someone who has not put in significant base training time.
The intent is to analyze your heart rate for every minute while exercising at the highest possible level of effort. Your average heart rate for the interval of the final 20 minutes ought to be located close to your personal lactate threshold. This means it is handy to have a heart rate monitor that can calculate average heart rate like a Polar or a Garmin.
Here Is How The Test Works For Measuring of Lactate Threshold
You can complete this test by running, cycling, swimming or else participating in an alternative endurance event that can be sustained for a 30 minute interval. You will need to obtain a heart rate monitor watch that calculates average heart rate.
To get underway with our test you need to get active for 15 minutes of warm up and stretching because this is a sustained exertion at race pace. When your 30 minute interval begins start by going at a moderate speed for the first 10 minutes. For the last 20 minutes of our test you need to be going at your maximum maintainable pace.
Your average heart rate calculated in beats per minute during this 20 minute interval is your lactate threshold heart rate.
Making Use of This Data To Advance Performance
Through continued base training where you maintain 70% to 80% and then inter-mixing conditioning days at 95% to 105% of your lactate threshold heart rate you can build up your ability to keep up longer efforts at greater speed.
During your competition season you should consider trying this twice a week – a 20 to 30 minute maximum output. The alternative method is to use shorter intervals of 5 minutes on and 5 minutes off with repeated maximum efforts.
Over time you ought to see some significant improvement for the better in your ability to function at a higher beats per minute and to recover more quickly.
