What Blood Lactate ACTUALLY Means

Blood lactate has made a resurgence in the endurance world yet again, so it’s important to go back to basics to understand when you take a sample, what does the number on the screen actually mean? What are the mechanisms behind the results? And why it doesn’t tell us the full story on what or why the numbers change over time? This is a must watch if you’re getting into taking blood lactate samples in your training.

[@sonivex]

Great video mate! Been loving the content.

[@mmmfosters]

Thanks Nick, nice informative video. I recently had a lab lactate test (cycling) and have just purchased my own meter - not tried it out yet. I’m hearing a lot about over/under workouts helping to improve lactate clearing / shuttling. But it’s never clear which point to go over /under - lactate threshold or lactate turn point. What’s your view for the best adaptation? Thanks

[@nikitaw1982]

180 minus age and do ur running training at that heart rate. Maffetone method. My question is when start running lots of small muscles get fatigued quick, thats what producing lactate and what raises ur heart rate? If small muscle groups dont have the strength and stamina to support the joint its associated with is when RSI type injurys occur which is why the people who do it say its great. Ur only jogging as long as the weakest link can handle it determined by ur heart rate?
Also running while not fatigued means nervous system better able to coordinate all ur muscles...at moment of impact when ur running ur basicly balacing on one foot with all limbs and core doing different things whilst getting shocked off to the side. If focus is not having a heart attack cause going to hard then coordination an after thought.
Im trying to get motivated to do it as Im injury prone as too impatient to do a lot of slow running. Currently doing a running strength program to build up body to handle running.

[@NJSportScience]

I have a number of clients com into the lab having attempted Maffetone. Sometimes it works, a lot of the time it doesn't. That's always going to be an issue when you apply a generic equation across an incredibly broad population whom all have various different characteristics that input into what their HR will respond like during an exercise bout.
If you're looking at peripheral fatigue in smaller muscle groups it's probably your stabilisers rather than prime movers so to some degree you might get less economical movement which may drive HR. Any lactate production would be due to an increased input from fast twitch fibres due to lacking muscular endurance (for that given speed relative to the individual), not necessarily small muscle groups because this would happen in the large prime movers.
The path you're taking in terms of strength and development of some foundational work is definitely the right one. Most running injuries are the result of too much load for the current physical capacity. Largely this happens by building running load too quickly and the running load being too high compared to the current capacity (aka ability to handle the load).

[@freeflyesperance3392]

Nice Vid Nick. Contemplated getting a lactate meter. Are there particular benefits of lactate measurement that a amateur athlete would get compared with a amateur athlete that just sticks with common- heart rate strap data and Garmin watch metrics like training load, hrv, training readiness etc? PS seen VO2 come up 2 points in 2 months from implementing 1x VO2 specific 4mins on 4mins off for total of 20mins at VO2 pace, workout every 4-5 days. Any tips on increasing VO2 faster? Perhaps HIIT?

[@NJSportScience]

Thanks mate!
For the most part it’s probably just a cost thing. You can definitely manage absolutely fine without it but if you have the cash to burn on the testing strips I’d mainly use it in long “race pace” simulation sessions and/or tracking what happens beyond say 60mins or in the 30mins after taking a gel and how that impacted performance. Almost little case studies on your own performance. It’s definitely not a necessity whereas I’d argue HR is.
Great to hear your VO2 progress. 4min intervals are a great session. I’d consider shortening the rest interval if that session starts becoming “easy” so to speak. In terms of improving quicker unfortunately no real tips here other than consistently doing the basics really well.

[@freeflyesperance3392]

@@NJSportScience thanks Nick! I’ll have a dip at altering the rest for sure!
Sounds like body composition will be a far better area to work on to improve my performance than fine tuning intensity from lactate. Appreciate the great insights