Effects of training specificity on the lactate threshold and VO2 peak

We examined the effects of training specificity on the lactate threshold (LT) and VO2peak. Sixteen male subjects completed VO2peak/LT protocols on the cycle ergometer (CE) and treadmill (TM) before and after a training program. The subjects were assigned to run training (N = 5), cycle training (N = 6), and control groups (N = 5). Subjects trained 4 day/week for 10 weeks at approximately 89% of pre-training VO2peak. Results indicated that run training increased VO2 at LT (VO2LT) within both the CE and TM protocols (17.9 to 22.5 ml/kg.min-1 for CE, 22.7 to 36.0 ml/kg.min-1 for TM, p less than 0.05) with the 58.5% increase in VO2LT for TM being greater than the 30.3% increase for CE (p less than 0.05). Cycle training resulted in a 38.7% increase in CE VO2LT (19.7 to 27.4 ml/kg.min-1, p less than 0.05) with no significant improvement in TM VO2LT (23.6 to 24.0 ml/kg.min-1). Similar increases in VO2peak were observed for CE and TM protocols for both cycle and run training groups (VO2peak increased by 11.9 to 20.7% in both CE and TM regardless of training mode). No changes were observed in the control group for any variable. The present data suggest that increases in LT resulting from training may be specific to the mode of exercise.