How to determine the anaerobic threshold? Workouts to increase pano: tempo running Determination of the anaerobic threshold in the laboratory

The best method for finding the anaerobic threshold is testing in a sports research laboratory. During testing in the laboratory, the athlete runs for several minutes at different speeds. To determine the concentration of lactate in the blood, blood is taken from a finger. Typically, the anaerobic threshold test consists of six stages of 5 minutes each. The running speed increases from stage to stage. There is a one-minute break between each step to take a blood sample. The first leg is run at slower than marathon pace, and the last leg is run at 5K race pace. By plotting changes in the concentration of lactate in the blood at different speeds, the physiologist will be able to tell what pace and what heart rate correspond to the level of the athlete’s anaerobic threshold.

If you do not have access to laboratory testing, you can perform an anaerobic threshold test yourself on a treadmill or treadmill using a portable Accusport Lactate meter (Boehringer Mannheim). Accusport Lactate -

A portable device that has proven its worth and measures lactate levels with an accuracy comparable to laboratory tests. It costs several thousand rubles. This is significantly less than the cost of lactate analyzers used in laboratories, but still expensive unless you and your friends are buying it together.

A less technologically advanced method for assessing the anaerobic threshold is to calculate it based on competition results. If you are an experienced runner, your AN pace will be approximately the same as competition pace for distances from 15 km to half marathon (21 km). The reason for this is that the anaerobic threshold determines the pace that a runner is able to maintain over a given distance. (At shorter distances, an athlete may be slightly above their anaerobic threshold, and a marathon is usually run at a pace just below the anaerobic threshold.) If you have previously competed primarily at short distances, your ANP pace will be about 6-9 seconds per km (s). /km) slower than the competition pace for 10 km.

The appropriate pace that stimulates the growth of the anaerobic threshold can also be found by heart rate indicators. The anaerobic threshold rate is usually reached at a heart rate of about 80-90% of the heart rate reserve or

about 85-92% of maximum heart rate. However, because the relationship between anaerobic threshold and heart rate varies depending on genetics and fitness level, it is likely that the most accurate metric for determining AnP pace is race pace from 15K to half marathon distances. By setting the AnP tempo, you can find the heart rate that corresponds to this tempo.

Table 3.3 Average values ​​of the anaerobic threshold for people of different training levels

Raising the anaerobic threshold

Although anaerobic threshold training (ANT) is the most important form of training for distance runners, many runners do not know how to increase their anaerobic threshold. The method for increasing your anaerobic threshold is actually very simple - run at or just above your anaerobic threshold. While ANP training may seem like a form of speed work, it's more accurate to think of it as a measure of your endurance—your ability to maintain a pace for long periods of time. That is why they are included in this chapter on improving endurance, although they include running at speeds significantly faster than distance training.

AnP training is divided into three main types. When performing AnP training, the main goal is to run at a pace at which lactate begins to slightly accumulate in the blood. If you run at a slower pace, you won't be able to achieve the significant training impact to raise your anaerobic threshold. If you run faster than the anaerobic threshold, lactic acid will begin to rapidly accumulate in the body, which will not allow the runner to maintain a high pace for a long period of time. As we already know from Chapter 2, where we talked about VO2 max training, the most effective training is not necessarily training at the limit of your capabilities. The workouts that have the greatest training impact

Training for the development of AnP is included in the training plans of chapters 6-10 in the volume and quantity necessary to improve performance at specific distances. The following training plans will promote the development of the anaerobic threshold, and at the same time prevent the development of overtraining. The three main types of AN training are tempo running, intervals at the AN level (ANP intervals) and uphill running at the ANP level (mountain ANP training). In all cases, the intensity should be moderate - that is, the intensity should be quite high, but one that you are able to maintain for a long time; if you exceeded your pace by 6 s/km, then you need to move slowly over the next few minutes. If you experience pain or stiffness in your muscles the day after your ANP workout, you may have run too fast.

Tempo run. A classic workout to increase the anaerobic threshold is tempo running - continuous running at the AnP level for 20-40 minutes. A tempo workout could look like this: 3 km - easy jog as a warm-up, 6 km - running at a competitive pace for 15-21 km, a short jog for cool-down. The workout can be done on a treadmill or on the road. Initially, it is advisable to do tempo workouts on a treadmill or other marked course so that you can track your pace. By using a heart rate monitor on a marked course, you can use your heart rate readings during your workout to help you choose the right pace for subsequent tempo sessions. Usually, after a few sessions, athletes develop a sense of tempo at the AnP level. Research shows that runners, once they have found their ANP pace, can replicate it with great accuracy. Minor starts of 5-10 km can serve as a good alternative to tempo training. However, you need to be careful here - do not allow yourself to get carried away with the race, covering the distance to the limit of your capabilities.

AnP intervals. Approximately the same training impact as from tempo training can be achieved by breaking the tempo run into 2-4 segments. This type of training, also called "slow intervals", was proposed by sports physiologist Jack Daniels. For example, three repetitions at the AnP level lasting 8 minutes each with 3-

jogging for a minute between repetitions gives a total of 24 minutes of running at the AnP level. This type of AnP training has one drawback - the lack of additional psychological stress characteristic of continuous tempo running. This drawback can play a cruel joke on you during competitions.

Mountain AnP training. A good method to increase your anaerobic threshold is to run uphill for a long time. If you are lucky enough (or unlucky enough) to live in an area with fairly rugged terrain, then you can do ANPT training with an emphasis on working uphill. Let's say you have a 15km route that includes four 800m climbs and one 1500m climb. If you do the climbs at an ANP intensity, you'll end up racking up about 20 minutes of running at that intensity .

Table 3.4 Examples of training that can improve ANP

Tempo run

20-40 minutes at AnP pace

AnP intervals

4 X 1.5 km at ANP pace with recovery jogging

lasting 5 minutes

3 X 2.5 km at ANP pace with recovery jogging

lasting 5 minutes

2 X 4 km at ANP pace with recovery jogging

lasting 5 minutes

Mountain AnP-

Circle 15 km with climbs with a total length of 5-7

training

km covered at ANP pace

Adaptation to training aimed at increasing ANP

We know from Chapter 2 that you can significantly increase your VO2 max through training. Unfortunately, VO2 max only increases in the first few years of training and then typically plateaus. Therefore, if you've been training fairly intensively for a few years, you've probably already achieved most of your VO2 max potential. As VO2 reaches a plateau and the anaerobic threshold continues to rise, the adaptive changes that allow a runner to run at a higher percentage of VO2 without lactic acid accumulation must occur within the muscle cells. In a study comparing elite and elite road cyclists, Edward Coyle and colleagues found that

75% of the variation in VO2 AnP (oxygen consumption at AnP level) in athletes was explained by their VO2 max (maximum oxygen consumption) and aerobic enzyme activity (Coyle et al. 1991). MOC sets the upper limit of an athlete's VO2 AnP, and aerobic enzyme activity and other factors within cells determine the difference between MOC and VO2 AnP.

Research shows that an increase in the anaerobic threshold occurs as a result of both a decrease in the level of lactate production and an increase in the rate of its neutralization. The most important adaptive changes leading to an increase in the anaerobic threshold are (1) an increase in the number and size of mitochondria, (2) an increase in the activity of aerobic enzymes, (3) an increase in capillary density, (4) an increase in the concentration of myoglobin.

Increase in the number and size of mitochondria. AnP-

training increases both the number and size of mitochondria, which are factors in aerobic energy production in muscle cells. This allows the muscles to produce more energy aerobically, which increases oxygen consumption at the AN level and, therefore, the pace at the AN level.

Increased activity of aerobic enzymes. Aerobic enzyme activity represents the amount of energy that can be produced aerobically in the mitochondria. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions. Increasing your aerobic energy production rate means you can produce more energy in a shorter period of time. Endurance training increases the amount of these enzymes, which in turn increases mitochondrial efficiency.

Increased capillary density. Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels. Typically, each muscle cell is surrounded by several capillaries. They are the transport system for the cell, delivering oxygen and nutrients to it and removing byproducts such as carbon dioxide from it. Training at the ANP level increases the number of capillaries per muscle cell, and, consequently, the efficiency of delivery and removal of substances from it, which allows you to maintain a high rate of aerobic energy production.

Increased myoglobin. The function of myoglobin in muscle cells is similar to the function of hemoglobin in the blood - it carries oxygen - in this case from the cell membrane to the mitochondria. Training at the AnP level increases the concentration of myoglobin in

Rice. 21. The relationship between the intensity of physical activity (swimming speed) and the accumulation of lactate in the blood.

Lactate threshold is defined as the point at which lactate begins to accumulate in the blood during exercise of increasing intensity above resting levels. If the intensity of muscle activity is light or moderate, lactate levels are only slightly higher than at rest. Increasing the intensity results in faster lactate accumulation. At low swimming speeds (Figure 21), lactate levels are equal to or close to resting levels. With an increase in swimming speed of more than 1.4 m-s _| blood lactate levels rise rapidly. This point of discontinuity in the curve corresponds to the lactate threshold.

Lactate threshold -

This is the point at which, during exercise, lactate rapidly accumulates in the blood above resting lactate levels.

The intensity of the load at which a systematic increase in the level of lactate in the blood occurs is called the lactate threshold.

workload at which a nonlinear increase in blood lactate concentration begins

There are few topics in practical physiology that have been more researched or discussed more hotly than the lactate threshold.

According to some researchers, the lactate threshold reflects a significant shift towards anaerobic glycolysis, which produces lactate. Therefore, a significant increase in blood lactate levels with increasing effort is called the anaerobic threshold.

In the first half of the last century, Douglas et al. found that at a certain level of exercise, the concentration of lactate in the blood increases, which is accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of bicarbonate ions and increased respiration. Later, Wasserman and Holtmann developed the concept of the “anaerobic threshold of the body” and non-invasive methods for determining it, linking the increase in lactate concentration with the resulting oxygen debt. Currently, the anaerobic lactate threshold hypothesis is subject to sharp criticism from physiologists and biochemists. The results of experiments using radioisotope techniques in a state of muscle rest and data obtained by Connett et al. show that lactate is also formed under conditions of sufficient oxygen supply. Thus, lactate production is not necessarily associated with anaerobic conditions, that is, the formation of ATP during oxygen deficiency. It is now generally accepted that measuring the concentration of lactate in the blood does not provide information about the rate of its formation, but only reflects the balance between the release of lactate into the blood and its elimination from the blood. Modern techniques of biochemistry allow us to study pulmonary ventilation, buffer systems of the body, the dynamics of acidification and neutralization of lactate by direct rather than indirect methods, confirming or disproving the concept of the anaerobic threshold.

Why is lactate threshold important?

The lactate threshold for a given person doing a particular job is relatively constant. Research shows that the intensity of exercise at the lactate threshold corresponds to the maximum intensity of work that can be maintained at a constant level. This means that the higher the lactate threshold, the higher the intensity of continuous work. Simply put, with the same V02 check values, you will be able to run for a long time, for example, at 70% or only 50% of your maximum capabilities, depending on the value of the lactate threshold.

Rice. 22. Shift of the lactate curve to the right - increasing the capabilities of the aerobic energy supply system

Rice. 23. Shift of the lactate curve to the left - a decrease (overstrain) in the capabilities of the aerobic energy supply system.

Shift in lactate curve during standard exercise. An increase in the capabilities of the aerobic energy supply system is accompanied by a decrease in the amount of lactate when performing a standard mixed aerobic-anaerobic load or an increase in performance at the same lactate levels.
In Fig. 22 shows an example of assessing aerobic capacity and the effectiveness of the adaptation process as a whole in terms of running speed and blood lactate concentration. A significant increase in speed during examinations with an interval of 1 year is accompanied by the same concentration of lactate in the blood, which indicates effective adaptation and increased capabilities of the aerobic energy supply system. A shift of the lactate curve to the left is evidence of overload and a decrease in the capabilities of the aerobic energy supply system (Fig. 23).

How is lactate threshold determined?

Typically, an incremental test is performed in which the lactate content of arterial blood collected through a catheter is periodically measured. The workload is gradually increased until it reaches the maximum allowable load. A graph of the dependence of the concentration of lactate in the blood on the magnitude of the workload is constructed and the inflection point of the linear dependence is determined.

Is it possible to determine the lactate threshold without using an arterial catheter?

Yes. The lactate threshold can be estimated from gas exchange data obtained by indirect gas calorimetry. In this case, immediately after reaching the lactate threshold and a change in arterial pH, respiratory arrest or a disproportionate increase in breathing occurs in response to a change in workload. This stop is called the respiratory threshold.

Rice. 24. External and internal breathing

Studying the effect of physical activity on pulmonary ventilation leads to an understanding of the respiratory system as a single and interconnected process: ventilation (external, pulmonary respiration), cardiovascular transport system and internal respiration (Fig. 24).

Rice. 25. Interaction of various energy supply systems for physical activity

The interaction of the respiratory, cardiovascular and microcirculatory systems in the process of oxygen delivery and removal of metabolic products to ensure ATP synthesis in mitochondria is shown in Fig. 25. Each system must operate optimally to best meet the needs of the working skeletal muscle. The system that limits the load is always the least trained.

Which body system is the limiting factor, the reason for limiting physical activity?

According to the central theory, the reason for the limitation of maximum physical activity is the insufficient amount of oxygen delivered to the skeletal muscles. Oxygen delivery is provided by the cardiovascular system. The important role of the cardiovascular system in maintaining oxygen absorption is shown by the Fick equation. Once stroke volume reaches its maximum value, further increases in cardiac output can only occur due to an increase in heart rate. If the heart rate exceeds 200 beats/min, the time it takes for the heart to fill with blood decreases and stroke volume actually decreases. Thus, a balance is required between a sufficiently high heart rate and a possibly short ventricular filling time. Since minute volume and respiratory rate can increase even with a consumption of 0 2 equal to MIC, i.e., when the maximum heart rate has already been reached, The limiting factor is usually considered to be the cardiovascular system. Plus, the need to deliver blood to the vessels of the skin to ensure sweating and heat transfer causes a competitive distribution of blood flow between the skin and skeletal muscles.

Does breathing limit physical performance?

Despite the fact that in a number of diseases the respiratory system can limit physical performance, in healthy people breathing is not considered a factor limiting physical activity. The diaphragm has two to three times greater oxidative capacity and capillary density compared to other skeletal muscles, uses glycogen sparingly and is resistant to fatigue. Fat oxidation predominates in it, which makes it less dependent on the content of glycogen and carbohydrates. In healthy people, even with maximum physical exertion, the blood leaving the lungs is almost completely saturated with oxygen, which indicates the high functional capacity of this system.

Can the respiratory system ever limit physical activity?

1) Pulmonary ventilation is usually not a factor limiting muscle activity in healthy people, even at maximum effort.

2) The respiratory system may limit muscle activity in people with respiratory diseases.

3) In athletes and trained people who perform prolonged heavy physical work, breathing can limit the load when competition between the respiratory and skeletal muscles for blood flow and oxygen becomes the limiting factor.

  • 6. The concept of disadaptation, loss of adaptation and readaptation, the “price” of adaptation.
  • 7. The main functional effects of adaptation (economization, mobilization, increasing reserve capabilities, accelerating recovery processes, stability and reliability of functions).
  • 8. Indicators of fitness under resting conditions, under testing (standard) and maximum (competition) loads.
  • 9. The concept of immediate, delayed and cumulative training effect.
  • 10. Functional reserves of the body and their classification. Mobilization of functional reserves.
  • 11. Postures and static efforts. The Lingard phenomenon.
  • 12. Classification of sports movements and exercises according to physiological criteria.
  • 13. Physiological characteristics of sports exercises of aerobic power.
  • 14. Physiological characteristics of sports exercises of anaerobic power.
  • 15. Characteristics of cyclic exercises of different relative power: maximum, submaximal, large and moderate.
  • 17. General characteristics of stereotypical acyclic movements.
  • 18. Characteristics of strength and speed-strength exercises. Explosive efforts.
  • 19. Targeted exercises, their effect on various body systems.
  • 20. Characteristics of movements assessed in points, their impact on oxygen demand, consumption and oxygen debt, the functioning of autonomic systems, the development of sensory systems and skeletal muscles.
  • 21. Characteristics of situational movements and sports (sports games, martial arts and cross-country).
  • 22. Leading physical qualities that determine performance in your sport. Physiological methods for their assessment.
  • 23. Muscle hypertrophy, types of hypertrophy. The influence of various types of working muscle hypertrophy on the development of muscle strength and endurance.
  • 24. Mechanisms of intramuscular and intermuscular coordination in the regulation of muscle tension. The influence of sympathetic nerves on the manifestation of muscle strength.
  • 25. Maximum muscle strength. Maximum voluntary strength. Physiological mechanisms of regulation of muscle tension. Strength deficit.
  • 26. Physiological features of muscle strength training with dynamic and static exercises.
  • 27. Physiological mechanisms for the development of speed (speed) of movements. Elementary forms of manifestation of speed (single movements, motor reaction, changing cycles of movements).
  • 28. Physiological factors determining the development of speed and strength qualities. Features of the manifestation of speed and strength qualities in your sport.
  • 29. Speed-strength exercises. Central and peripheral factors determining the speed-strength characteristics of movements.
  • 31. Genetic and trainable factors of endurance.
  • 32. Changes in heart rate during dynamic and static muscle work. Monitoring the intensity of aerobic exercise by heart rate. Heart rate as a criterion for the severity of muscle work.
  • 33. Maximum anaerobic power and maximum anaerobic capacity are the basis of anaerobic endurance.
  • 35. Threshold of anaerobic metabolism (pano) and its use in the training process. Concept of aerobic capacity and efficiency.
  • 36. Muscle composition and aerobic endurance. Blood supply to skeletal muscles under various modes of contraction and its relationship with performance.
  • 38. The concept of flexibility. Factors limiting flexibility. Active and passive flexibility. The influence of warm-up, fatigue, and ambient temperature on flexibility.
  • 40. Motor skills and abilities. Physiological mechanisms of motor skills formation. The significance of sensory and operant temporal connections.
  • 41. The importance of previously developed coordination (unconditioned reflexes and acquired skills) for the formation of motor skills.
  • 42. Stability and variability of components of motor skills. The significance of the motor dynamic stereotype and extrapolation in the formation of a motor skill.
  • 43. Stages of motor skills formation (generalization of excitation, concentration of excitation, stabilization and automation of the skill).
  • 44. Automation of movements, its dependence on the size of the body mass being moved, fatigue, and excitability of cortical zones.
  • 45. Autonomic components of motor skill, their stability.
  • 46. ​​Programming a motor act. Factors preceding movement programming (afferent synthesis, decision making).
  • 47. Feedback and additional information and their role in the formation and improvement of motor skills. Speech regulation of movements.
  • 48. Motor memory, its importance for the formation of motor skills.
  • 49. Stability of motor skills. Factors that impair the stability of skills. Loss of skill components when systematic training is stopped.
  • 51. Warm-up, its types and impact on body systems. The effect of warm-up on performance. Warm-up duration. Features of warm-up in your sport.
  • 52. Working in, its duration when performing exercises of various types. Physiological patterns and mechanisms of development.
  • 53. “Dead point” and “second wind”. The main changes in the body during these conditions.
  • 55. Fatigue during muscular work. Features of fatigue in exercises of varying power and with different types of physical exercise.
  • 56. Theories of fatigue. Central and peripheral mechanisms of fatigue. Features of the manifestation of fatigue in your sport.
  • 57. Compensated (hidden) and uncompensated (overt) fatigue. Chronic fatigue, overwork and overtraining.
  • 58. Recovery processes during and after muscular work and their general characteristics. Recovery phases.
  • 60. Oxygen demand in exercises of varying power. Oxygen debt and its fractions.
  • 61. Means that accelerate recovery processes. Active rest, its importance for increasing performance and efficiency after various types of muscular work.
  • 62. Age periodization of the development of physiological functions in ontogenesis.
  • 63. Age-related features of the development of motor qualities and the formation of motor skills.
  • 70. Development of motor qualities in women.
  • 71. The influence of training on increasing the functional capabilities of the female body.
  • 72. Physiological features of sports training for women.
  • 73. The influence of various phases of WMC on the sports performance of women.
  • 74. Physiological characteristics of muscle activity under conditions of elevated ambient temperature. Water-salt regime of an athlete.
  • 75. Working hyperthermia in athletes. The influence of elevated body temperature on performance when performing physical exercises of various maximum durations.
  • 76. Hypoxia in mid-altitude conditions and its effect on aerobic and anaerobic performance.
  • 77. Physiological basis for increasing aerobic endurance during training in mid- and high-altitude conditions.
  • 78. Physiological characteristics of muscle activity in conditions of low environmental temperature (using the example of winter sports).
  • 79. Hypokinesia and its influence on the functional state of the body of children and adults. Physiological justification for the use of physical activity for health purposes.
  • 80. The influence of physical exercise on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and the muscular system of mature people during physical education.
  • 81. Human physical health and its criteria. Physiological bases for normalizing the general physical performance of people of different sexes and ages.
  • A decrease in the concentration of lactate in the blood contributes to an increase in a very important indicator -

    anaerobic metabolism threshold (ANT), the load value at which the concentration of lactic acid in the blood exceeds 4 mmol/l. PANO is an indicator of the aerobic capacity of the body and has a direct connection with athletic performance in endurance sports. In trained athletes, PANO is achieved only when oxygen consumption is more than 80% of MPC, and in untrained individuals - already at 45-60% of MPC. High aerobic capacity (MPC) in highly qualified athletes is determined by high cardiac performance, i.e. IOC, which is achieved by increasing mainly the systolic blood volume, and their heart rate at maximum load is even lower than that of untrained individuals.

    An increase in systolic volume results from two main changes in the heart:

    1) increase in the volume of the heart cavities (dilatation);

    2) increased myocardial contractility.

    One of the constant changes in the activity of the heart during the development of endurance is

    resting bradycardia (up to 40-50 beats/min and below), as well as working bradycardia caused by

    a decrease in sympathetic influences and a relative predominance of parasympathetic ones.

    36. Muscle composition and aerobic endurance. Blood supply to skeletal muscles under various modes of contraction and its relationship with performance.

    Endurance largely depends on the muscular system, in particular on muscle composition, i.e. ratio of fast and slow muscle fibers. In the skeletal muscles of outstanding athletes specializing in endurance sports, the proportion of slow fibers reaches 80% of all muscle fibers of the trained muscle, i.e. 1.5-2 times more than in untrained individuals. Numerous studies show that the predominance of slow fibers is genetically predetermined, and the ratio of fast and slow muscle fibers practically does not change under the influence of training, but some fast glycolytic fibers can turn into fast oxidative fibers.

    One of the effects of endurance training is an increase in the thickness of muscle fibers, i.e. their working hypertrophy is of the sarcoplasmic type, which is accompanied by an increase in the number and size of mitochondria inside muscle fibers, the number of capillaries per muscle fiber and per cross-sectional area of ​​the muscle.

    Significant biochemical changes occur in muscles during endurance training:

    1) increase in the activity of enzymes of oxidative metabolism;

    2) increase in myoglobin content;

    3) increase in glycogen and lipid content (up to 50% compared to untrained muscles);

    4) increasing the ability of muscles to oxidize carbohydrates and especially fats.

    A trained body has relatively more energy

    during prolonged work it is obtained due to the oxidation of fats. This promotes economical use of muscle glycogen and reduces lactate in muscles.

    37. Dexterity as a manifestation of the coordination abilities of the nervous system. Agility indicators. The importance of sensory systems, basic and additional information about movements on the manifestation of dexterity. The ability to relax muscles, its effect on coordination of movements.

    Dexterity is the ability to perform complex coordinated movements, the manifestation of high coordination abilities of the nervous system, i.e. complex interaction of excitation and inhibition processes in motor nerve centers.

    Agility also includes the ability to create new motor acts and motor skills, and quickly switch from one movement to another when the situation changes.

    The criteria for agility are coordination complexity, accuracy of movements and speed of execution.

    The program (spatio-temporal structure of muscle excitation) of complexly coordinated movements, as well as basic information arriving through various sensory systems, leave certain traces in the nervous system, which, when performed repeatedly, contributes to the memorization of both the program and the resulting sensations, i.e. formation of motor memory.

    The sequence and time parameters of various phases of movements that are simple in structure are preserved in memory quite well, but movements that have a complex structure, i.e. requiring dexterity are less durable. Therefore, even highly qualified athletes do not show their best results every time when repeatedly performing complex movements.

    Excessively frequent and prolonged performance of complexly coordinated movements can lead to the development of overtraining due to overstrain of the mobility of nervous processes. At the same time, the development of coordination abilities contributes to the economization of functions. Thanks to the fine coordination of muscle contraction, energy consumption for work is reduced, there is no excessive excitation of motor centers, and the processes of excitation and inhibition clearly interact.

    Consequently, the development of dexterity increases performance and delays muscle fatigue.

  • How to determine the heart rate of the pulse threshold of anaerobic metabolism of PANO independently for 20 minutes? This term is also known as “anaerobic threshold” or “lactate threshold”. In English it is called “Threshold Heart Rate” and is asked to be entered into some activity tracking programs as a baseline value for calculations.

    Back in the spring, I bought Joe Friel’s e-book “The Triathlete’s Bible” on the website of the Mann Ivanov and Ferber publishing house. 350 electronic rubles turned out to be the best investment for me, and I read the book avidly for a week and a half. After reading it I said “Oh! Cool!" and forgot 95% of the information :) Now I started looking through it again, and found a lot of new things. It's time to rethink summer training and control tests, one of which is the calculation of PANO for cardio loads.

    Determination of anaerobic threshold

    ANNO is short for anaerobic metabolic threshold. It sounds unusual, but in fact everything is very simple. During physical activity, the body can basically work in two modes (except for sprinting, where all the work is done by ATP).

    First mode- this is when the muscles have enough oxygen to produce the necessary power. And all the decay products have time to be eliminated from the body. In this mode, the body can work for quite a long time, as long as it has enough energy stored before the start of training.

    Second mode- when the load on the muscles becomes too strong, and the muscles, firstly, no longer have enough oxygen (the lungs do not have time to deliver it from the air in the required amount), and secondly, lactic acid no longer has time to be removed from the muscles. In this case, lactic acid begins to accumulate in the muscles, and the so-called “acidification of the body” occurs. In anaerobic mode, the body can work only from a few seconds to several minutes.

    What determines the threshold for anaerobic metabolism? - can be explained using a simple example. Let's say we have a container with a small hole from which water pours out. As long as we add water from above slower than it pours out, the container will not fill. But as soon as we start adding water faster than it leaves, the container will first fill and then overflow.

    Exactly the same situation occurs in the body - the level of the anaerobic threshold shows at what heart rate of the PANO lactic acid will begin to accumulate in the muscles, and what pulse of the PANO must be maintained to prevent this phenomenon.

    How to determine the anaerobic threshold of PANO yourself

    I don’t think that everyone who runs or cyclists can afford to have their PANO determined in the laboratory. Firstly, this is a rather expensive pleasure, and secondly, not in every city you can find a sports laboratory in which such tests are carried out.

    In general, there is no “standard” value for the anaerobic threshold of PANO, expressed in heart rate. It will be individual for everyone, and the heart rate of the PANO will also be different for people of different ages. The older I get, the lower the PANO heart rate will be, because the heart muscle “gets tired” with age, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle in front of a computer/TV/beer/cigarettes. Do not use the formula 220 minus age to determine your maximum heart rate - the result will in fact be incorrect.

    To determine your lactate threshold, you can do a very simple test. Its results in the vast majority of cases almost completely coincide with the laboratory determination of ANNO. Previously, it can be determined “offhand” using the Heart Rate Zone Calculator for Training.

    The lactate threshold (acidification threshold) test lasts 30 minutes. During this time, you need to run or bike an individual race. Alone, without rivals. All 30 minutes you need to run as if you are in a race. But don’t overdo it - after this time is over, you don’t need to play the box because your heart rate was close to pre-heart attack :)

    For the first 10 minutes we run to get our hearts going and our muscles moving. We just run, don’t measure or record anything. After this, we turn on the recording on your smartwatch heart rate monitor and record your heart rate in the last 20 minutes of the race. Then we look at average heart rate of these 20 minutes - and we see exactly what we were looking for: anaerobic threshold heart rate.

    This is how you can determine PANO when running both with Garmin and with other fitness trackers. Remember that the load all 30 minutes should be as full as possible. But not too strong at the very beginning - otherwise you simply won’t have enough energy for this test.

    Anaerobic threshold test

    Anaerobic Threshold Test Statistics

    How I did it. I recommend immediately writing down all the conditions and subtleties under which the test was taken. In order to repeat it in the most approximate conditions when determining the ANSP point in the future. Before you run out or go for a test - rest for at least a day. I rested for two days - from this point of view, the test turned out to be “clean”.

    Lactate test timeline

    • 8:00No need to eat 2 hours before the test. Today I woke up at 8, ate a quarter of a loaf of bread so that I would have energy for the start of the test and... went to sleep some more, since I was planning until 4 in the morning how I would determine the anaerobic threshold :)
    • 10:30 Weigh yourself and measure your heart rate at rest. I woke up at 10:30, weighed myself (weight 83, height 187.5), resting heart rate 60, a little whistling in my ears. By the time I washed my face, got up to speed, and ate my vitamins, 20 minutes passed.
    • 10:50 Prepare the equipment, write down the parameters. Thus, at ten minutes to eleven I got to the bike (today I measured the threshold of anaerobic metabolism PANO specifically for it, since it is different for running and for cycling). I installed a regular rear wheel instead of a training one and pumped it up to 8.5 atmospheres. The cadence-speed sensor of the Garmin GSC 10 malfunctioned again and flatly refused to cling to the Fenix ​​3. I tried to change the battery - it didn’t help. I spat, I decided to go like this - the only thing I won’t see is the cadence. I filled the hydropack with salted water and prepared my training uniform. Today it was plus 13 and dripping a little, so I put on an autumn jacket and a yellow windbreaker on top against the rain. Because some time ago I realized what “Effective temperature” is, after I drove 60 km in shorts at +5 degrees.
    • 11:30 Do a full workout. I finally got to the warm-up. For some reason, the quarter-loaf in my stomach disappeared somewhere, it growled treacherously, and I regretted that I had not eaten again immediately when I woke up. My typical warm-up consists of the 5 Tibetan Pearls with the addition of hamstring stretches, push-ups, and oblique ab workouts. Then I do a couple of special warm-up exercises,

    and I finish everything with 5 exercises to warm up the leg muscles. This takes about 15-20 minutes in total; I stopped stressing about this for about three months. Now I think of the warm-up and cool-down simply as part of the workout to determine my anaerobic threshold. It’s cheaper to do it yourself than to spend 3 weeks restoring a pulled muscle or ligament.

    Anaerobic threshold: leaving for measurement

    Red running track in my stadium

    • 12:04 Choose a flat and calm route 5-12 kilometers long. By 12 o'clock I had finally done all the warm-ups and got suited up. He looked longingly into the kitchen (he could have eaten at 10:30) and rolled out towards the stadium. The weather was cloudy, the rain had recently stopped, and the road was wet. I didn’t want to get out onto the highway at all, as there was enough “extra adrenaline” from the cars passing by. As a result, the pulse easily jumps to 165 after some unfortunate driver with eyes on his ass and a chicken brain. And the lactate threshold will be determined incorrectly. While the running tracks at the stadium are paved with large rubber crumbs, the rolling resistance is quite decent. Therefore, the bike “gets stuck” and you have to put in more effort than on asphalt.
    • 12:12 We ride at a competitive pace for the first 10 minutes. After 7 minutes I reached the stadium, picked up the pace and timed the first 10 minutes before calculating my lactate threshold. The wind was from the west at 15 km/h, and every half lap I leaned on the sunbed to ride against the wind in the folded state. Since I was riding in a windbreaker, I was not cold and I was slightly sweaty. I tried to take off my windbreaker - I drove around, realized that it was cold in the wet - I put the windbreaker back on.

    Measurement of heart rate zone and lactate threshold

    100% of the time I was riding in the anaerobic zone

    • 12:23 Turn on the recording from the heart rate monitor and drive for another 20 minutes. I “overclocked” finished recording one track on Garmin, and started recording the next one. To calculate the anaerobic threshold. And he began to push and pull the pedals hard. As a result, in the third minute I remembered that “ Don’t overdo it at first, otherwise you won’t finish.”. Seventh minute: I'm in first just thought about it “Why the hell do I need this”. At the 10th minute I slowed down the pace slightly, as the energy began to run out (this can be seen on the graph). 12th minute: shifted gear up 1 star. And at the 17th minute the countdown to completion began. Constantly, for every lap of driving against the wind, the heart rate jumped to 156-157. But when riding downwind, I rested a little and my heart rate dropped to 152-153. The speed gradually dropped. Thus, at the beginning I was driving 28 km/h, and at the end it was already 26 km/h. At the 20th minute, I pressed the STOP button with relief - the anaerobic metabolism threshold test was completed! And at the end I drove one more lap to gradually slow down the pace. In the end, I grabbed a hydropack with water to quench my thirst.

    Graph of heart rate versus speed during a lactate test for 20 minutes. Every peak in heart rate is riding against the wind. Each drop in heart rate is a micro-rest for half a circle.

    • 12:49 Cool down and recovery. After drinking about half a liter of water, I climbed on my bike and rode home. The lactate threshold test was successfully completed. The boys at the stadium stared at me in the back with envious glances, and the sun came out. Immediately upon arrival, I drank a protein shake with a bunch of L-carnitines and other L-proteins. Then, I ate the whole thing with two hundred grams of cake, so as not to collapse into a hungry faint. While I was eating, my muscles cooled down, and I began to cool down.

    Results of determining the threshold of anaerobic metabolism

    As a result, I figured out for myself how to determine PANO in sports, both for running and for cycling. My lactate threshold is currently 154 bpm.

    In the next post, I will tell you how to use the anaerobic metabolism threshold PANO for the calculator to calculate heart rate zones for training.

    Alex "On the Bike" Sidorov

    Dish of the day: In the video, two cool guys from GCN (watch their failed attempts at the end 🙂) show how to do 5 simple exercises for cooling down after training.

    Endurance sports have their own methodology. The key concept here is the anaerobic threshold (AT). This term is most often used in cycling, running, cross-country skiing, race walking, swimming and rowing. AnP is the main starting point when choosing training loads, as well as in making plans for competitions. Based on this indicator, a training regimen is selected and the level of athletic training is determined during testing. There are two: aerobic and anaerobic. How are they different and how to determine the threshold?

    Aerobic and anaerobic threshold

    The level of exercise intensity is determined by the threshold of anaerobic metabolism (TAT). When this point (threshold) is reached, the concentration of lactate in the blood sharply increases, and the rate of its formation in the body becomes significantly higher than the rate of utilization. This growth usually begins if the lactate concentration exceeds 4 mmol/l. The threshold for anaerobic metabolism is reached at approximately 85% of maximum heart rate, as well as at 75% of maximum oxygen consumption.

    The first increase in lactate concentration fixes the first threshold point - the aerobic threshold. Before this stage there is no significant increase in anaerobic metabolism.

    Aerobic and anaerobic sports activity differ in the energy resources that the body uses during training.

    Aerobic or cardio exercises use oxygen as a resource. Anaerobic (strength) exercises use “ready fuel” from muscle tissue, on average it lasts for 12 seconds, after which the workout becomes aerobic again.

    These two types of loads differ in the process of performing exercises:

    • With anaerobic training, weight parameters increase, repetitions and rest between approaches are quantitatively reduced.
    • In aerobic training, weight parameters are reduced, repetitions are increased quantitatively, and breaks are minimal.

    Effect of anaerobic load

    Anaerobic strength loads contribute to the growth of muscle mass, its strengthening and strengthening. It is very important to maintain proper nutrition, otherwise muscle building will be carried out by using less active muscle groups. Women have lower testosterone levels, so they are not at risk.

    During power-type loads, less calories are consumed than in the type where the muscles consume them in large quantities. In other words, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn during the day, even if there is no physical activity.

    If the threshold of anaerobic metabolism is reached during strength training, the metabolic process accelerates, and it affects fat burning. The effect lasts for one and a half days. If muscle weight exceeds fat mass, even in the absence of overall weight loss, body size will decrease.

    The benefits of strength training

    By including anaerobic exercise in your training, you can achieve incredible results and reduce the risk of many diseases. Their benefits are as follows:

    • Bone density is constantly evolving.
    • The cardiovascular system is strengthened.
    • Preventing the possibility of developing diabetes. Anaerobic exercise is used in the complex treatment of the disease.
    • The risk of developing cancer is reduced.
    • The general condition of the body and sleep improves.
    • The body is cleansed of various toxins.
    • Cleansing the skin.

    Anaerobic threshold: definition

    The threshold of anaerobic metabolism is the transition from an aerobic energy supply system to an anaerobic one, where an increase in speed and the formation of lactic acid is transferred from the slow phase to the fast one. In athletes, this example can be observed during intense running. Every sprinter strives to determine his anaerobic threshold.

    It is very important at medium and long distances at increasing speed to control the growth of lactic acid in the muscles.

    With a correctly chosen training program, the rate of lactate accumulation shifts towards increasing running speed and approaches the maximum heart rate (HR). In other words, a runner can run longer at a high heart rate by maintaining a high pace.

    Everyone who works to improve athletic performance strives to know their anaerobic threshold. Training is carried out at a pace above this threshold and slightly below it.

    You need to know your working intensity zones, pace, heart rate at which the threshold is reached, the jump in blood lactate levels.

    Laboratory research

    The best method for determining ANNO is laboratory testing. When taking the test in laboratory conditions, the athlete runs for several minutes at different speeds. To determine his lactate level, blood is drawn from his finger.

    The standard test has six sections lasting five minutes each. As you pass each new stage, your running speed increases. A one-minute break between them allows you to take a blood test. The first stage is slower than marathon pace, and the last stage is slower than 5K race pace. After taking the readings, the physiologist builds a graph, from which you can see where the threshold of anaerobic metabolism corresponds to certain heart rate numbers and running pace.

    The graph allows you to clearly see where lactate levels begin to increase sharply.

    Naturally, this test is beyond the capabilities of amateur runners, it is expensive, and not every city has such research laboratories. Athletes perform this procedure constantly, since the anaerobic threshold can change over time. There are other ways to determine ANSP.

    Running against the clock

    To pass the test, you will need a path with a slope of 1%, any surface where you can move quickly and unhindered and measure the exact distance traveled. The equipment you will need is a heart rate monitor and a stopwatch. To determine your anaerobic threshold, you need to take the test with renewed vigor, rested and fresh.

    At first, the running pace is easy, warming up. Then time yourself for half an hour and run as fast as possible. The main thing here is to avoid a common mistake - a high pace at the beginning, and a complete decline due to fatigue at the end. This affects the test results. To determine the anaerobic threshold, the pulse is measured 10 minutes after the start, then at the end of the run. The indicators are summed up, the result is divided in half - this is the heart rate at which your body reaches its PANO.

    Many studies confirm the accuracy and reliability of this test if it was carried out in compliance with all necessary conditions. Recommended for all amateur runners.

    Measurement with a portable lactometer

    If it is not possible to measure the level of anaerobic threshold in laboratory conditions, you can use the Accusport Lactate portable lactometer when running on a treadmill or treadmill. This device has proven its accuracy; it correctly shows the lactate level. The study is comparable to laboratory studies. The device costs several thousand rubles. If you compare the price with the cost of lactate analyzers that are used in the laboratory, it is much cheaper. Often such a device is bought by pooling, in sections, in sports schools.

    Competitive performance

    How to determine the anaerobic threshold based on competitive performance? This method is less technologically advanced. The indicator is calculated based on the figures of competitive results. For experienced runners, ANP corresponds approximately to the pace at distances from 15 km to a half marathon (21 km). The thing is that it is at these distances that the runner’s pace is determined by the value of the anaerobic threshold. An athlete often overcomes short distances, exceeding his ANP; in a marathon, the pace is slightly lower than his ANP. If a runner performs more often over short distances, then the pace of the anaerobic threshold will be 6-9 s/km slower at a competitive 10 km pace. Based on heart rate readings, you can also find the pace that stimulates the anaerobic threshold (TAT), this is a pulse of 80-90% of the reserve and 85-92% of the maximum heart rate. However, this relationship varies for each athlete, depending on the body’s capabilities and genetic characteristics.

    How to increase your anaerobic threshold (ANT)

    Training at your own level is very important for long-distance runners, but many do not know how to increase their anaerobic threshold. This method is quite simple - you just need to run at a level above AnP.

    At first glance, AnP training seems like just speed work, but it should be considered as a way to increase endurance and maintain a given pace for a long time.

    AnP training is divided into three types. Their main job is to keep running at a pace when lactate in the blood begins to accumulate. If the running is too slow, then the training effect does not affect the increase in the anaerobic threshold. If you run too fast, lactic acid prevents you from maintaining a high pace for a long time. Training has the desired effect when it is possible to maintain the appropriate intensity.

    The main types of training that increase ANP are tempo running, ANP intervals and mountain ANP training. The intensity during all workouts should be moderate, that is, high, but such that you can maintain it for a long time. If the pace exceeds 6 s/km, then try to move slower. If you feel muscle pain the next day, it means your running speed was exceeded.

    Tempo run

    Tempo running is a classic training of the anaerobic threshold, running is maintained on the PANO for 20-40 minutes. It looks like this:

    • As a warm-up - 3 km of easy running.
    • Competition pace is 6 km.
    • To cool down, do a short jog.

    The workout is performed on the road or treadmill. It is better to train on a marked course so that you can track the stages and pace. By using a heart rate monitor, you can use your heart rate readings to help you choose the right values ​​for your next workout. After just a few days, athletes feel their desired pace at the AnP level. As studies show, those athletes who once grasped their ANP tempo, then reproduce it with greater accuracy. 5-10 km starts are a good alternative to tempo training. But here you need to be more careful in covering the distance, not getting carried away with the race, using your strength to the limit.

    AnP intervals

    A similar impact can be achieved by dividing the entire race into several segments (2-4). This type of training, called “slow intervals,” was proposed by sports physiologist Jack Daniels. For example, at the AnP level, running for 8 minutes is repeated three times, with three minutes of jogging between intervals. In general, it turns out to be 24 minutes of running at the AnP level. This has its own drawback: there is no psychological stress, which is typical for a continuous tempo race. During the competition, this may have an incorrect effect on the behavior of the runner.

    Mountain AnP training

    The anaerobic threshold rises well during a long uphill run. If you are lucky and live in an area with hilly or mountainous terrain, then you can perform AnP training with an emphasis on climbing in height. Imagine that you have a route that is 15 km long, where there are four climbs, each of which is about 800 meters and, for example, one of 1.5 km. By tackling the climbs at your AnP level, you will be able to complete a 20-minute run with the same intensity as you spent on mountain climbs.

    Main adaptive changes

    Constant training allows you to significantly increase your own It can increase only in the first years of training, then it reaches a plateau. If your training in the first years was quite intense, then, most likely, the opportunities to increase your VO2 max have already been realized. However, the anaerobic threshold is able to increase; adaptive changes at a high percentage of MIC occur in muscle cells.

    The anaerobic threshold increases when lactate production decreases and when the rate of lactate neutralization increases. The most important adaptive changes that increase the anaerobic threshold include the following factors:

    • the size and number of mitochondria increases;
    • capillary density increases;
    • the activity of aerobic enzymes increases;
    • hemoglobin concentration increases.

    Proper training under the guidance of knowledgeable instructors helps to increase the anaerobic threshold and achieve high results in sports.