Lactic acid ? The HR tops out before LA becomes an issue

Fatamorgana

Does anyone else find this, that their HR / lungs simly top-out before lactic acid ever becomes a feature on training rides?

Alex_Simmons/RST

Fatamorgana wrote:

Does anyone else find this, that their HR / lungs simly top-out before lactic acid ever becomes a feature on training rides?

Since blood lactate levels are intrinsically linked to aerobic capabilities and relative intensity, then no. We are not limited by our lung capacity (unless you have a pulmonary illness/disease/injury).

Fatamorgana

So you are saying that my aerobic capacity is poor in relation to the body / leg muscles abilities or that the intensity at which I perform is not great enough to induce a lactate release?

Alex_Simmons/RST

Fatamorgana wrote:

So you are saying that my aerobic capacity is poor in relation to the body / leg muscles abilities

You leg/muscle capacities are your aerobic capacity.

Fatamorgana wrote:

or that the intensity at which I perform is not great enough to induce a lactate release?

If you are working hard enough to be able to sustain an effort beyond a few minutes, it will be primarily aerobic in nature and as long as it's above "recovery" level effort, and is of sufficient volume wise relative to recent training (and you are not over done training wise), it will be providing some form of stimulation for your body to improve its aerobic capacity. You are producing lactate all the time, even at rest.

As to "how much, how hard and how often one should ride?", well that's another question.

Herbsman

Have you tried pedaling harder?

ShutUpLegs

Herbsman wrote:

Have you tried pedaling harder?

Mountain bikers don't pedal

Fatamorgana

That being the case, and that we're looking at short bursts of high cadence (my cadence on the road bike is far higher than on the mtn bike which typically sees me holding onto gears and pushing a smaller cog than ever I do on the rd bike) then I still have to witness this lactic acid element that is spoken about.

I get it when running (or used to), but never on the bike.

I also witness more moments of greater, short burst effort on the mtb bike when riding XC than I do on the rd bike. My HR / lungs are the first to restrict any further high-cadence effort and I have to back down from close to my HR max (?), & as you say, that simply can't be sustained at the upper levels for very long before becoming aerobic again.

ShutUpLegs

Fatamorgana wrote:

I also witness more moments of greater, short burst effort on the mtb bike when riding XC than I do on the rd bike. My HR / lungs are the first to restrict any further high-cadence effort and I have to back down from close to my HR max (?), & as you say, that simply can't be sustained at the upper levels for very long before becoming aerobic again.

Google threshold training