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Updated: Aug 2, 2026
Determining the Contribution of the Energy Systems During Exercise
Published on: March 20, 2012
Noninvasive estimation of the maximal lactate steady state in trained cyclists
T C Swensen1, C R Harnish, L Beitman
1Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Ithaca College, NY 14850, USA. tswensen@ithaca.edu
Purpose:
The purposes of this study were to estimate noninvasively the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) in trained cyclists on a windload simulator with a velocity based technique and to determine whether the HR at MLSS (HR(MLSS)) elicited a similar blood lactate concentration (BLC) during field testing.
Methods:
To determine and verify MLSS, 10 male cyclists performed five to seven laboratory trials on separate days, including a VO2max test; a 5-km time trial (TT); and two or more 30-min trials at specific percentages of each subject's average 5-km TT speed (AVS5km). Mean+/-SD for the following variables were obtained at MLSS: velocity was 90.3+/-2.7% of the AVS5km, BLC was 5.4+/-1.6 mM, RPE was 15+/-2.1, VO2 was 80+/-6.3% of VO2max, and HR was 167+/-9.5 beats x min(-1), which was 88+/-3.8% of the mean maximum HR. Field tests included three laps of an 8-km road circuit at HR(MLSS) +/-3 beats x min(-1) and one lap at maximum sustainable velocity (a road TT).
Results:
There were no significant differences in BLC, HR, and RPE between the three steady-state road laps and the lab MLSS trial. There was also good agreement between the road and lab MLSS velocity/TT velocity ratios.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that 5-km TT cycling velocity, as measured on a windload simulator, may be used to estimate MLSS and the HR at MLSS for training purposes.
