Blood Lactate Test: Lactic acid is the substance that makes the muscles burn during exercise, and produces high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood, which leads to increased ventilation and a higher rate of fatigue. The lactate threshold (LT) is the highest intensity at which the body can recycle lactic acid as quickly as it is produced.

At this intensity, you are working very hard, but can still maintain exercise because lactic acid levels in the blood and muscles are steady, not increasing. Increasing the intensity just slightly causes lactic acid to build up and brings premature fatigue and delayed recovery.

Training near lactate threshold decreases the amount of lactic acid being produced and increases lactate removal at a given output. At this intensity, the fast-twitch fibers can be trained to produce less lactic acid and the slow twitch fibers can be trained to burn more lactic acid, both of which raise the lactic acid threshold and allow you to work harder at a higher intensity.

This is the key for athletes: in the presence of adequate fuel (nutrition), racing at lactate threshold allows you to push at maximum sustainable pace without fatigue. That means faster race times. Furthermore, this is an invaluable number to have for training, since lactic acid levels are controlled and recovery from this type of training is quicker than from other high-intensity training methods - therefore lactate threshold training has the best cost:benefit ratio of any other training or racing intensity.

During your lactate test at Champions Sports Medicine, you perform a series of graded exercise protocols and a small sample of blood is taken from the finger or earlobe to track lactate levels. Each lactate test includes detailed follow-up reports and information on how to utilize your personal lactate threshold in training and racing.

Champions Sports Medicine offers both field (outdoor) and laboratory testing for the swim, bike, and run. You can also perform a lactate power test to determine peak anaerobic capacity, an excellent marker to track for both aerobic and sprint athletes.

 

Cost: