Endurance is the cornerstone of sports disciplines such as marathon, cycling or triathlon. For those looking to optimize their performance and exceed their limits, Anaerobic threshold training is a particularly effective training method.
What is the anaerobic threshold?
The anaerobic threshold is the precise point at which the body begins to accumulate lactic acid faster than it can eliminate it. In other words, it is the point at which the demand for oxygen exceeds the body's ability to absorb and use it efficiently. This buildup of lactic acid leads to increased feelings of fatigue and, over time, compromises the ability to maintain a sustained effort.
For endurance athletes, pushing this threshold is a priority. By increasing your anaerobic threshold, you can maintain a faster pace over longer distances before feeling excessive fatigue. This translates into significant improvements in athletic performance, whether it's running, cycling, or swimming.
The Benefits of Anaerobic Threshold Training
Incorporating anaerobic threshold training into a training routine offers several key benefits for the endurance athlete.
1. Improved speed and endurance
Anaerobic threshold training helps delay the point at which lactic acid buildup begins to limit effort. By training at intensities close to this threshold, the body becomes more efficient at using oxygen and producing energy. As a result, you will be able to maintain a higher pace for an extended period of time. For a long-distance runner, this means running faster without reaching extreme fatigue.
2. Improved recovery
By enhancing the body’s ability to buffer and clear lactic acid, threshold training promotes faster recovery. This translates into less muscle soreness after exercise and a faster return to peak performance in subsequent workouts. This enhanced recovery is a huge benefit, especially for athletes with intensive training schedules or close competitions.
3. Increased fatigue resistance
Working at levels of effort close to the anaerobic threshold also develops the athlete's mental and physical resilience. Learning to tolerate the discomfort of intense effort while maintaining performance is an invaluable asset. Over the course of sessions, the ability to maintain a sustained effort becomes more natural, allowing for more effective management of critical moments in competition.
How to integrate anaerobic threshold training into your program?
To reap the benefits of threshold training, it is essential to structure your sessions properly. Here are some examples of the types of workouts that can be incorporated into your routine:
- Threshold intervals: This type of training consists of sets of prolonged efforts (between 10 and 30 minutes) at a pace slightly higher than your long-distance running pace. These intervals can be repeated several times with relatively short recovery periods between each set.
- Tempo runs: These sessions consist of maintaining a sustained effort over a continuous period (usually 20 to 60 minutes), just below your anaerobic threshold. This type of exercise is ideal for accustoming the body to prolonged and intense effort.
- Hill climbs: Hill training allows you to work on power and push back the anaerobic threshold. The intense but measured effort allows you to challenge the cardiovascular system without causing excessive joint stress.
How to determine your anaerobic threshold?
To effectively integrate anaerobic threshold training, it is essential to know precisely at what intensity level this threshold is located. There are several methods to assess one's anaerobic threshold, ranging from laboratory tests to more accessible approaches that can be carried out in the field.
1. Laboratory tests
The most accurate way to determine your anaerobic threshold is to perform a laboratory test. These tests are usually performed under the supervision of sports specialists and involve a series of progressive efforts on a treadmill or ergometer, while measuring the accumulation of lactic acid in the blood. At the same time, heart rate and oxygen consumption (VO2) are also analyzed.
These tests allow you to know with great precision the anaerobic threshold, expressed in heart rate, speed (km/h) or power (watts). They are particularly useful for professional athletes or passionate amateurs who are looking to refine their training program in a precise manner.
2. Field tests
For those who prefer a more practical and economical approach, field tests can be performed to estimate the anaerobic threshold. Here are two common methods:
- The 30-minute running test: Run at a steady but steady pace for 30 minutes on flat ground. It is important to maintain a constant effort throughout the test. By measuring the average heart rate over the last 20 minutes of the effort, an estimate of the anaerobic threshold is obtained. This method is simple and provides a good approximation without sophisticated equipment.
- The ventilatory threshold test: Another way to roughly assess your threshold is to run or cycle at increasing intensity until you reach a point where it becomes difficult to hold a conversation without panting. This point often marks the transition to increased use of anaerobic pathways. Although less precise, this test remains an accessible and useful indicator for a first benchmark.
3. Use of technology
Today, many sports watches and performance tracking apps incorporate algorithms that can estimate anaerobic threshold based on heart rate, speed, and accumulated effort data from workouts. While these estimates are less accurate than a lab test, they provide a solid starting point for guiding your workouts.
4. Listening to personal feelings
Finally, listening to your own sensations can play a complementary role. When the effort becomes uncomfortable but sustainable over a prolonged period, it is likely that you are close to your anaerobic threshold. This feeling, refined with experience, allows you to adjust the intensity of the training according to the objectives of the day.
Tips for optimal implementation
Anaerobic threshold training is demanding and must be integrated with caution. The balance between high-intensity sessions and recovery is crucial to avoid the risk of overtraining and injury. It is advisable to limit these sessions to once or twice a week, combining them with rest or active recovery days. Adequate hydration and a planned carbohydrate diet are also essential to support the body during these phases of intense effort.