Threshold Training for Better Endurance and Increased Capacity | Hardworkout Magazine
Key takeaways
- The anaerobic threshold is the intensity range at which lactate production begins to exceed the body's ability to absorb and use lactate at the same rate.
- Threshold training improves aerobic energy production in the muscles, partly through increased mitochondrial capacity, so you can work at a higher intensity before reaching the threshold.
- Your threshold can improve even when VO2 max changes little, which means maximum oxygen uptake alone does not determine the pace or power you can hold over time.
- A 30-minute all-out steady test can estimate threshold heart rate: use the average heart rate from the final 20 minutes.
- One threshold session per week is a good starting point, and well-trained individuals may do two provided there is enough recovery time between them.
When your fitness improves, you can maintain a higher pace or greater effort over time. After a period of regular training, more targeted sessions are often required to continue progress.
What does threshold training actually involve?
Threshold training allows you to train relatively hard for longer periods without pushing yourself to exhaustion. You can use the same principle whether you are training on a bike, rowing machine, treadmill, elliptical machine, or stair machine.
What you should know about threshold training
Anaerobic threshold describes the intensity range where lactate production begins to exceed the body's ability to absorb and use lactate at the same rate.
Threshold training allows you to train relatively hard for longer periods without pushing yourself to exhaustion.
Read more Read less
Regular training around the threshold can improve aerobic energy production and enable you to maintain a higher intensity before the threshold is reached.
The threshold can improve even if VO2 max changes little, and both are important for how high an intensity you can maintain over time.
A lactate test provides a good basis for finding the threshold, while a 30-minute test can be used to estimate the threshold heart rate.
Heart rate, perceived exertion, and speed or wattage can be used together to control intensity during threshold sessions.
Threshold sessions can be performed as intervals or continuous training, depending on experience and capacity.
One threshold session per week is a good starting point, while well-trained individuals can perform two if there is sufficient time for recovery.
What is the threshold?
Anaerobic threshold describes the intensity range where lactate production begins to exceed the body's ability to absorb and use lactate at the same rate.
The term is also referred to as lactate threshold or lactic acid threshold. Muscles produce lactate even at low intensity, and production increases as you train harder. At the same time, lactate is absorbed in muscles and other tissues, where it can be further used as an energy source.
When intensity increases above the threshold, lactate is produced faster than the body can absorb and use it. The lactate level in the blood then rises increasingly quickly, and the intensity can only be maintained for a limited time.
Is lactate what makes your muscles tired?
Lactate is not a waste product that in itself makes the muscles tired.
Why train around the threshold?
Threshold training improves the ability to maintain relatively high intensity over time.
Regular training around the threshold leads to adaptations in the muscles that improve aerobic energy production, among other things through increased capacity in the mitochondria.
This means that over time you can train at a higher intensity before reaching the threshold.
On a bike, this can mean more watts, while on a treadmill you can maintain a higher speed or greater incline. On a rowing machine and other cardio machines, you can maintain a higher pace or resistance.
[](https://hardworkout.no/pulsklokke/)
Threshold and VO2 max
VO2 max and threshold tell different things about fitness.
VO2 max shows how much oxygen the body can maximally take up and use, and sets an upper limit for aerobic capacity. However, how well you perform over longer periods also depends on how close you can stay to this limit without becoming exhausted.
Can your threshold improve without a higher VO2 max?
Therefore, the threshold can improve even if VO2 max changes little.
In other words, the maximum oxygen uptake is not the only factor that determines how high a speed or power you can maintain over time.
How to find the right intensity
The threshold can be measured with a lactate test or estimated using heart rate, perceived exertion, and a 30-minute test.
- Lactate test: The intensity is increased stepwise, and small blood samples are taken between each step. Changes in lactate levels are assessed along with heart rate and speed or wattage to find the area where the threshold lies.
- 30-minute test: After a good warm-up, maintain the highest possible steady intensity for 30 minutes. The average heart rate for the last 20 minutes can be used as an estimate of the threshold heart rate.
- Perceived exertion: Around the threshold, the training should feel hard but controlled. Breathing is noticeably strained, and it is difficult to carry on a normal conversation, but you should be able to say short sentences.
- Heart rate: Once you have found the threshold heart rate, it can be used to guide your training. Remember that heart rate is influenced by temperature, sleep, hydration status, and how well you have recovered.
Why does your threshold heart rate differ between bike, treadmill and rower?
The threshold heart rate can vary between different training forms. A value you have found on a bike may therefore not be directly applicable to a treadmill or rowing machine.
On devices that display speed or wattage, you can use this to ensure that the intensity remains steady throughout the session.
How long should a threshold interval be?
The length of the intervals and the total time around the threshold can be increased as you become accustomed to the training.
Start with 10–15 minutes of easy warm-up and gradually increase the intensity before the first interval.
- Little experience: 4 x 5 minutes, with 90 seconds of active rest.
- Some experience: 4 x 8 minutes, with 1-2 minutes of active rest.
- Well-trained: 3 x 10–12 minutes, with 2 minutes of active rest.
- Continuous threshold training: 20-30 minutes without breaks.
During the active rests, continue with the same activity but significantly reduce the pace or resistance.
Start controlled and try to maintain a steady intensity throughout the main part. If you have to significantly reduce the pace or resistance in the last intervals, you have probably started too hard.
[](https://hardworkout.no/etterforbrenning-epoc-styrketrening-hiit-hvileforbrenning/)
Training Afterburn: How Strength Training (and HIIT) Boosts Your Resting Metabolism