Why Lactate Profile Testing Is The Next Big Development In Road Cycling

Is this why Pogacar is quite so good!? He's one of the pros at the forefront of lactate testing, here's what lactate profiling is, how it can be used to improve your cycling and why this isn't the last time you'll hear lactate being mentioned in the world of road cycling.
We then undertake a cycling lactate test ourselves to see how we measure up against the pros and discover that our FTP was way out!
With thanks to Synergy Performance for their time and expertise, you can check out their services at:
www.synergyperformance.co.uk/
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⚫️ In this video
0:00 Introduction
0:56 What is a lactate test?
1:55 Is lactate profiling better than an FTP test?
3:20 Is lactate testing just for the pros?
4:00 What is lactate?
5:00 The test
6:15 Test 2
7:30 The results
13:57 Can I improve?
17:20 Outro
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[@romeroc5]

This is a great video and highlights the benefits of Z2 80/20 training. I wish there was a way to easily identify a reputable place here in Northern California to get a metabolic profile like this done for myself. So hard to find people who truly know what they are doing today. So many people buy the equipment offer services like this but are not good at administering the test. Kind of like bike fitting. People buy a motion tracking systems and claim to be experienced fitters.

[@claudioavila719]

He's assuming too much that the high LT1 is due to higher fat oxidation, it simply means that the anaerobic glycolytic system isn't as upregulated and lactate clearance is matching its production. His energy could still be coming from aerobic glycolysis which does not produce lactate as a byproduct. The energy contribution balance between fat and carb in aerobic conditions can only be discerned by an indirect calorimetry, not by lactate.

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

This is so good. Excellent topic. Excellent dialog. You made the creation of this video look easy, which probably means the preparation was excellent. Big thumbs up!

[@edwinwong9547]

Great video backed by data and clear explanations. Learned a lot, thank you. Would love to see a follow up of how training subjectively and objectively raises your thresholds.

[@Se0what]

Im aboute to graduate with majors in nutrition and exercise physiology. This physiologist was great at interpretting the data and making it easy to digest. Cheapau

[@cliffmatey]

About to graduate, but can't even spell simple words. Dear oh dear.

[@Lemond75]

@@cliffmatey you’re assuming that he or she are graduating from an English speaking university, or that English is their first language.

[@Se0what]

@@Lemond75 Thanks, english is my 3rd language, but I'm the type to still make mistakes in my native tongue anyway😉

[@percyveer2355]

@@cliffmatey who cares.

[@motostarmx1777]

@@percyveer2355 😁😁😁😁😁

[@markusseppala6547]

Pretty high LT1 compared to LT2, good base fitness, a VO2 block would probably raise your threshold a lot.

[@roadcc]

It’s now on the plan!

[@runnerdan785]

Fantastic video Jamie. Well done

[@martinkroutil]

Good info, thanks a lot for this video.

[@swites]

Thats a high Lt1 for an amateur. This is the test I need, so I understand my body a bit more. Have a feeling my Lt1 is a bit of a weakness for me...

[@synergy_performance]

You're correct. Some great numbers. We are more than happy to help, drop us an email at [e-mail]

[@grahambell9831]

Excellent, informative video. Content clearly explained. 👏

[@wsbygt]

Great info, thank you!

[@chrisdominey6219]

Great video really insightful.

[@i77ac10]

For the chart at 14:13 showing Jaime vs UK Elite vs World Tour Pro: Where would the UK Elite and World tour pro LT1 and LT2 be? It almost looks like Jaime’s LT1 is higher than the UK Elite.

[@nathanielrosa1]

Very interesting thanks

[@greghart6310]

Super interesting.

[@leemorganartworx4366]

Great video

[@TonySalazarTotalFit]

Great video! Could you share the app or program he uses to read the data in the computer? Also, would love to see a follow up video of yourself 6 weeks later form this test and check the improvements; granted that you were able to train without any obstacles, if you know what I mean! Thanks!

[@YoutubeAnthony]

I went to local lab in miami that said the HR zone numbers from VO2 max testing were so similar to the lactate threshold testing, that they stopped doing lactate threshold. Based VO2 test seeing the oxygen exchange and finding where it switches from burning carbs to fats they can pin point that upper zone 2. Did these lactate hr results compare to your VO2 max results? Lots of great info in this video thanks for posting!

[@richardmiddleton7770]

What's confusing is the fact that he is clearly a fat burner, thus saving his glycogen reserves for harder efforts, so why would he need to fuel with more carbs for say 1 minute on 3 minutes off intervals? If he did that he's going to lose that fat burn ability and not necessarily increase his anaerobic power much? 🤷‍♂️

[@Markhypnosis1]

The fat burning is for zone 1 and 2 rides, which will save the glycogen for the harder efforts as you say. Once fat adapted then the body can switch between the two, it becomes metabolically flexible and doesn't lose the ability to burn fat.

[@test-fg9qv]

Lactate / Power graph when power is the variable and HR the constant factor? Untrainend my threshold is 200W and after a few trainings 300W, THR is always (+/-) the same.

[@hisanobu6]

How is this result compared to your 5+20min ftp test? Is it the same?

[@suisinghoraceho2403]

We know lactate is more accurate. However, is it that good to make it worth the trouble to jump through the hoops to get it done? Also, how often do you need to do it? I can sort of see this go the way of bike fitting if you don’t need to do it often. If price point is around £80~100 per test, then people could do this once each season.

[@synergy_performance]

This will vary from person to person. I would say everyone I have tested has left with a valuable amount of insight that has shifted the way they approach their training or riding. I would recommend a full profile (as conducted in the video) once every 6months but we can also use lactate markers from short in field tests every 2-4 weeks for more serious athletes. A full profile is £160, which is negligible compared the gains you will get from an equipment upgrade of simular value

[@kevinderung8524]

for comparisons sake, what was your FTP coming into the test? With this test saying you are in zone 2 (burning fat for energy) while staying under 250 watts it would seem your FTP would be about 390?

[@Eirikkinserdal]

It's not linear 😂

[@synergy_performance]

Jamie had a predicted FTP within 320-360 range. 10 riders with the same FTP will all have different fat burning capacities and therefore having different unique training zones. Hence why this is an effective method for time crunched cyclists, as you could be under training when riding aerobically using traditional zone based on % of FTP

[@benjamintreble3805]

How are you calculating VLAmax 0.14? Pretty sure the GC contendors are lucky to be at 0.2. Seems far too low for a non-professional rider.

[@Jacob99174]

Yes

[@ccamire]

In conclusion people who are fat adapted will have a higher threshold Also lactic acid is bad for your health

[@percyveer2355]

excellent video. please tell me it is possible to carry out these tests/analysis at home

[@synergy_performance]

In a way this is possible yes. Drop me an email and I can explain further

[@suisinghoraceho2403]

@@synergy_performanceokay, the in a way bit is interesting😊😊😊

[@crazylagggs]

Your saddle height is too high, hips are moving so much. Interesting video though!

[@roadcc]

Bike fit video coming soon to see if we can sort that out! He seems to like rocking wherever we put it!

[@PhiyackYuh]

Its because the hips are rocking doesnt mean saddle is too high. Lots of factors to consider outside saddle height.

[@motostarmx1777]

@@PhiyackYuh if this van is a rocking..dont come knocking :)