Effects of training at and above the lactate threshold on the lactate threshold and maximal oxygen uptake

Thirty-three college women (mean age = 21.8 years) participated in a 5 d X wk-1, 12 week training program. Subjects were randomly assigned to 3 groups, above lactate threshold (greater than LT) (N = 11; trained at 69 watts above the workload associated with LT), = LT (N = 12; trained at the work load associated with LT) and control (C) (N = 10). Subjects were assessed for VO2max, VO2LT, VO2LT/VO2max, before and after training, using a discontinuous 3 min incremental (starting at 0 watts increasing 34 watts each work load) protocol on a cycle ergometer (Monark). Respiratory gas exchange measures were determined using standard open circuit spirometry while LT was determined from blood samples taken immediately following each work load from an indwelling venous catheter located in the back of a heated hand. Body composition parameters were determined before and after training via hydrostatic weighing. Training work loads were equated so that each subject expended approximately 1465 kJ per training session (Monark cycle ergometer) regardless of training intensity. Pretraining, no significant differences existed between groups for any variable. Post training the greater than LT group had significantly higher VO2max (13%), VO2LT (47%) and VO2LT/VO2max (33%) values as compared to C (p less than .05). Within group comparisons revealed that none of the groups significantly changed VO2max as a result of training, only the greater than LT group showed a significant increase in VO2LT (48%) (p less than .05), while both the = LT and greater than LT group showed significant increases in VO2LT/VO2max (= LT 16%, greater than LT 42% (p less than .05)).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)