Make Threshold Training Work for You
Improve your endurance, speed and stamina
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Threshold training will often play a significant role in an athlete’s endurance program. A focussed threshold block, when properly implemented, can increase fitness levels in cyclists, runners and swimmers.
What is threshold training?
To most people, any type of ‘threshold training’ involves the maximum intensity someone is able to hold for up to 1 hour (if they’re cyclists or runners) or1-1.5K in the pool. However, we actually have two different thresholds and they’re both really important to understand.
The difference between lactate thresholds and ventilatory thresholds
You may have heard about the 1st threshold and 2nd threshold, or LT1/VT1 and LT2/VT2… these terms have become a lot more popular recently thanks to distance athletes using lactate measuring devices on YouTube.
LT simply means lactate threshold or turn point and VT means ventilatory threshold or turn point.
The first threshold comes around when exercise intensity initiates a disturbance in physiological homeostasis, intake of oxygen (O2) increases as does amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaled. This usually coincides with the lactate concentration in the blood rising above normal resting levels.
Once this turn point is reached, we can simply define the exercise intensity as moderate. If you continue to exercise moderately or increase effort, you will soon find yourself closer to or at a vigorous intensity.
At this point, you’re working above the disturbance line of physiological homeostasis and on your way to reaching the 2nd threshold or the top end of vigorous activity.
Here we begin to breath in greater amounts of O2 but we stop being able to exhale the same volume of CO2 - this is called your maximum tidal volume. Lactate in the blood stream also rises and will continue to rise above 4mmol/L (depending on definition). If intensity remains the same at this stage you are unable to clear as much lactate as is being made and eventually exercise will cease.
Threshold training example for distance running
Let’s break this down into a simple example.
Think of the 1st threshold as your marathon or Ironman 70.3 distance intensity (Ironman distance for the extremely trained person), a fit person can hold intensity at or close to the 1st threshold for 3-4 hours without a drop in performance.
If using a zoning system think of this as the top of your zone 2 or bottom half of zone 3, you may also hear it referred to as ‘tempo’.
The 2nd turn point is what most people understand to be ‘threshold intensity’ or 10k run pace, sprint distance triathlon or a 40km cycling time trail. A fit person can exercise at or close to the 2nd threshold for 40 – 60mins. This intensity can also be referred to as zone 4.
How to implement threshold training
Hopefully the different thresholds make a bit more sense now... but how can we use threshold training to help us exercise more effectively?
Coaches often prescribe training zones or intensities for sessions, using power meters, heart rate, speed or pace to determine an athlete’s threshold. Each method has their own benefits and limitations, though they all share one thing in common – they are predicting and not measuring.
The only true way to calculate lactate threshold or ventilatory threshold is with a lactate meter or ventilation device.
Should you exercise above or below your lactate threshold?
When exercising below the 1st threshold we get physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, we can do more training hours here as essentially, we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also a benefit of adaptation. When exercising between the 1st and 2nd thresholds we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
This is why many coaches utilise the 80:20 rule.
Improve endurance performance with the 80:20 rule
If we want to increase our endurance performance, or ability to sustain pace, speed or watts over longer distances we should be very mindful of spending most of our time below our 1st threshold.
A great general rule of thumb (used by a lot of coaches) is the 80:20 rule. Simply put, 80% of time training is easy and 20% of the time training is very hard. There’s a lot of research that backs up this type of training, but let’s take a minute to understand why it works so well.
Exercising below the 1st threshold causes physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, so we can do more training hours here as we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also has the benefit of adaptation.
If you exercise between the 1st and 2nd thresholds, we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
The only exception to this rule is when doing event specific training, particularly for marathons or half Ironmans.
In these events a lot of time is going to be spent in zone 3, at or between the 1st and 2nd thresholds. It’s smart to train at that intensity to understand realistic paces and power – you definitely want to know what you’re up against! This block might only last for 6-8 weeks during a build up towards the race.
Outside of these events and thinking for an everyday amateur athlete, it’s important to understand where on the threshold scale your coach wants you to be. Ensure when your program requires you to be above the 2nd threshold you go hard and when below the 1st threshold you go easy!
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - HARD WORK
GYMNASTICS
The focus this week is on pull-ups, Chest to Bar and ring dips! We will break down these movements and provide options for all levels and abilities!
PURE STRENGTH
Monday's session will focus on paused front squats and then single leg work to build the quads. Wednesday, we will work to a tough set on the incline press and then some amrap pressing with some RDLs and some tricep pump work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus
OHS squat: 1-1-1-1-1
1 snatch pull into 1 snatch into a Heavy snatch for the day.
.jpg)
Non coached Monday Ride
There will be a non coached Monday ride for our athletes. Working on the ability to push at the end of a ride with some repeated efforts. Turn Upto the loop and look for the InnerFight kit.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba
Track Tuesday
Back to some basic hard work this week! 500’s with 90s rest. A great run set!
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Sports City Track
Walker Wednesday
A classic FTP set this week, 5 X 8min @ FTP with 2min recoveries. Will need big legs for this one!
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Online
The Coffee Run
This week we are back to the hill efforts, with around 150m repeated of effort and coaches on hand to give feedback on your form! What could be better!?
Start time: 05:59
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
The Saturday Ride
This ride will be around 85km with the mandatory Zads stop. It should take roughly 2.5 hours and is the very best way to start your Saturday.
Start time: 05:29
Session Length: 2.5 hours
Location: Bottom of the stick car park
The Sunday long run
This run will be around the iconic Al Qudra lakes. Come along and run a distance that's right for you!
Start time: 05:29
Session Length: 2.5 hours
Location: Al Qudra Lakes
.jpg)
Join our in-person sessions for the summer will be on Tues, Fri, and Sun.
Tuesday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This is a speed session with the wider InnerFight Endurance community & coaches to help you run fast. This week we have consecutive 500m repeats off a 90 sec rest.
Friday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be heading back to the canal bridge for our monthly hill reps.
Sunday*
Time: 5:29am
Location: Love Lakes
Session: The Long Run
The team will meet in AQ for a 10km or 14km run around love lakes. Keep the pace nice and easy here and remember to bring water.
*Track Tuesday, Coffee Run, and Sunday Long Run will host male and female runners.
Our Monday and Wednesday LRC sessions will return on Monday 26th August.
.jpg)
In the final two weeks of the block, we are spreading the tests out. This week, we start off with a repeat strength test, 15 minutes to find a 1RM sandbag clean into a grindy sandbag workout. Tuesday, we finish our straight arm strength progressions into a 20-minute partner couplet. Wednesday, we look to find a new 1RM front squat into a very tough quarterfinals repeat from 2021. Thursday, we took a look at benchmark Diane. Finishing the week off with a 1RM snatch & another repeat of a 2023 CrossFit Games workout!
Monday:
Strength:
Heavy Sandbag Cleans
Conditioning:
For Time:-
30 Sandbag Cleans
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
30 Sandbag Squats
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
4 x Carpark SB Carry
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
RX = 70 / 50kg
Tuesday:
Strength:
L Sit Hold + Handstand Hold + Pike Raises + Low Ring Plank Hold
Conditioning:
Partner Workout - 20min AMRAP
500m Ski
20 Burpee Box Get Over 40
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Deficit Handstand Push Ups + Deadlifts
Conditioning:
Diane
21 - 15 - 9
Deadlift 100 / 70kg
Handstand Push Ups
Thursday:
Strength:
Front Squat
Conditioning:
For Time
120 Wall Balls 9/6kg
120 Calorie Row
Friday:
Strength:
Heavy Snatch
Conditioning:
It's Friday. Show up, and we will have a good time!
Threshold training will often play a significant role in an athlete’s endurance program. A focussed threshold block, when properly implemented, can increase fitness levels in cyclists, runners and swimmers.
What is threshold training?
To most people, any type of ‘threshold training’ involves the maximum intensity someone is able to hold for up to 1 hour (if they’re cyclists or runners) or1-1.5K in the pool. However, we actually have two different thresholds and they’re both really important to understand.
The difference between lactate thresholds and ventilatory thresholds
You may have heard about the 1st threshold and 2nd threshold, or LT1/VT1 and LT2/VT2… these terms have become a lot more popular recently thanks to distance athletes using lactate measuring devices on YouTube.
LT simply means lactate threshold or turn point and VT means ventilatory threshold or turn point.
The first threshold comes around when exercise intensity initiates a disturbance in physiological homeostasis, intake of oxygen (O2) increases as does amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaled. This usually coincides with the lactate concentration in the blood rising above normal resting levels.
Once this turn point is reached, we can simply define the exercise intensity as moderate. If you continue to exercise moderately or increase effort, you will soon find yourself closer to or at a vigorous intensity.
At this point, you’re working above the disturbance line of physiological homeostasis and on your way to reaching the 2nd threshold or the top end of vigorous activity.
Here we begin to breath in greater amounts of O2 but we stop being able to exhale the same volume of CO2 - this is called your maximum tidal volume. Lactate in the blood stream also rises and will continue to rise above 4mmol/L (depending on definition). If intensity remains the same at this stage you are unable to clear as much lactate as is being made and eventually exercise will cease.
Threshold training example for distance running
Let’s break this down into a simple example.
Think of the 1st threshold as your marathon or Ironman 70.3 distance intensity (Ironman distance for the extremely trained person), a fit person can hold intensity at or close to the 1st threshold for 3-4 hours without a drop in performance.
If using a zoning system think of this as the top of your zone 2 or bottom half of zone 3, you may also hear it referred to as ‘tempo’.
The 2nd turn point is what most people understand to be ‘threshold intensity’ or 10k run pace, sprint distance triathlon or a 40km cycling time trail. A fit person can exercise at or close to the 2nd threshold for 40 – 60mins. This intensity can also be referred to as zone 4.
How to implement threshold training
Hopefully the different thresholds make a bit more sense now... but how can we use threshold training to help us exercise more effectively?
Coaches often prescribe training zones or intensities for sessions, using power meters, heart rate, speed or pace to determine an athlete’s threshold. Each method has their own benefits and limitations, though they all share one thing in common – they are predicting and not measuring.
The only true way to calculate lactate threshold or ventilatory threshold is with a lactate meter or ventilation device.
Should you exercise above or below your lactate threshold?
When exercising below the 1st threshold we get physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, we can do more training hours here as essentially, we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also a benefit of adaptation. When exercising between the 1st and 2nd thresholds we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
This is why many coaches utilise the 80:20 rule.
Improve endurance performance with the 80:20 rule
If we want to increase our endurance performance, or ability to sustain pace, speed or watts over longer distances we should be very mindful of spending most of our time below our 1st threshold.
A great general rule of thumb (used by a lot of coaches) is the 80:20 rule. Simply put, 80% of time training is easy and 20% of the time training is very hard. There’s a lot of research that backs up this type of training, but let’s take a minute to understand why it works so well.
Exercising below the 1st threshold causes physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, so we can do more training hours here as we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also has the benefit of adaptation.
If you exercise between the 1st and 2nd thresholds, we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
The only exception to this rule is when doing event specific training, particularly for marathons or half Ironmans.
In these events a lot of time is going to be spent in zone 3, at or between the 1st and 2nd thresholds. It’s smart to train at that intensity to understand realistic paces and power – you definitely want to know what you’re up against! This block might only last for 6-8 weeks during a build up towards the race.
Outside of these events and thinking for an everyday amateur athlete, it’s important to understand where on the threshold scale your coach wants you to be. Ensure when your program requires you to be above the 2nd threshold you go hard and when below the 1st threshold you go easy!
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - HARD WORK
Non coached Monday Ride
There will be a non coached Monday ride for our athletes. Working on the ability to push at the end of a ride with some repeated efforts. Turn Upto the loop and look for the InnerFight kit.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba
Track Tuesday
Back to some basic hard work this week! 500’s with 90s rest. A great run set!
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Sports City Track
Walker Wednesday
A classic FTP set this week, 5 X 8min @ FTP with 2min recoveries. Will need big legs for this one!
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Online
The Coffee Run
This week we are back to the hill efforts, with around 150m repeated of effort and coaches on hand to give feedback on your form! What could be better!?
Start time: 05:59
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
The Saturday Ride
This ride will be around 85km with the mandatory Zads stop. It should take roughly 2.5 hours and is the very best way to start your Saturday.
Start time: 05:29
Session Length: 2.5 hours
Location: Bottom of the stick car park
The Sunday long run
This run will be around the iconic Al Qudra lakes. Come along and run a distance that's right for you!
Start time: 05:29
Session Length: 2.5 hours
Location: Al Qudra Lakes
Join our in-person sessions for the summer will be on Tues, Fri, and Sun.
Tuesday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This is a speed session with the wider InnerFight Endurance community & coaches to help you run fast. This week we have consecutive 500m repeats off a 90 sec rest.
Friday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be heading back to the canal bridge for our monthly hill reps.
Sunday*
Time: 5:29am
Location: Love Lakes
Session: The Long Run
The team will meet in AQ for a 10km or 14km run around love lakes. Keep the pace nice and easy here and remember to bring water.
*Track Tuesday, Coffee Run, and Sunday Long Run will host male and female runners.
Our Monday and Wednesday LRC sessions will return on Monday 26th August.
In the final two weeks of the block, we are spreading the tests out. This week, we start off with a repeat strength test, 15 minutes to find a 1RM sandbag clean into a grindy sandbag workout. Tuesday, we finish our straight arm strength progressions into a 20-minute partner couplet. Wednesday, we look to find a new 1RM front squat into a very tough quarterfinals repeat from 2021. Thursday, we took a look at benchmark Diane. Finishing the week off with a 1RM snatch & another repeat of a 2023 CrossFit Games workout!
Monday:
Strength:
Heavy Sandbag Cleans
Conditioning:
For Time:-
30 Sandbag Cleans
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
30 Sandbag Squats
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
4 x Carpark SB Carry
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
RX = 70 / 50kg
Tuesday:
Strength:
L Sit Hold + Handstand Hold + Pike Raises + Low Ring Plank Hold
Conditioning:
Partner Workout - 20min AMRAP
500m Ski
20 Burpee Box Get Over 40
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Deficit Handstand Push Ups + Deadlifts
Conditioning:
Diane
21 - 15 - 9
Deadlift 100 / 70kg
Handstand Push Ups
Thursday:
Strength:
Front Squat
Conditioning:
For Time
120 Wall Balls 9/6kg
120 Calorie Row
Friday:
Strength:
Heavy Snatch
Conditioning:
It's Friday. Show up, and we will have a good time!
GYMNASTICS
The focus this week is on pull-ups, Chest to Bar and ring dips! We will break down these movements and provide options for all levels and abilities!
PURE STRENGTH
Monday's session will focus on paused front squats and then single leg work to build the quads. Wednesday, we will work to a tough set on the incline press and then some amrap pressing with some RDLs and some tricep pump work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus
OHS squat: 1-1-1-1-1
1 snatch pull into 1 snatch into a Heavy snatch for the day.
Threshold training will often play a significant role in an athlete’s endurance program. A focussed threshold block, when properly implemented, can increase fitness levels in cyclists, runners and swimmers.
What is threshold training?
To most people, any type of ‘threshold training’ involves the maximum intensity someone is able to hold for up to 1 hour (if they’re cyclists or runners) or1-1.5K in the pool. However, we actually have two different thresholds and they’re both really important to understand.
The difference between lactate thresholds and ventilatory thresholds
You may have heard about the 1st threshold and 2nd threshold, or LT1/VT1 and LT2/VT2… these terms have become a lot more popular recently thanks to distance athletes using lactate measuring devices on YouTube.
LT simply means lactate threshold or turn point and VT means ventilatory threshold or turn point.
The first threshold comes around when exercise intensity initiates a disturbance in physiological homeostasis, intake of oxygen (O2) increases as does amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaled. This usually coincides with the lactate concentration in the blood rising above normal resting levels.
Once this turn point is reached, we can simply define the exercise intensity as moderate. If you continue to exercise moderately or increase effort, you will soon find yourself closer to or at a vigorous intensity.
At this point, you’re working above the disturbance line of physiological homeostasis and on your way to reaching the 2nd threshold or the top end of vigorous activity.
Here we begin to breath in greater amounts of O2 but we stop being able to exhale the same volume of CO2 - this is called your maximum tidal volume. Lactate in the blood stream also rises and will continue to rise above 4mmol/L (depending on definition). If intensity remains the same at this stage you are unable to clear as much lactate as is being made and eventually exercise will cease.
Threshold training example for distance running
Let’s break this down into a simple example.
Think of the 1st threshold as your marathon or Ironman 70.3 distance intensity (Ironman distance for the extremely trained person), a fit person can hold intensity at or close to the 1st threshold for 3-4 hours without a drop in performance.
If using a zoning system think of this as the top of your zone 2 or bottom half of zone 3, you may also hear it referred to as ‘tempo’.
The 2nd turn point is what most people understand to be ‘threshold intensity’ or 10k run pace, sprint distance triathlon or a 40km cycling time trail. A fit person can exercise at or close to the 2nd threshold for 40 – 60mins. This intensity can also be referred to as zone 4.
How to implement threshold training
Hopefully the different thresholds make a bit more sense now... but how can we use threshold training to help us exercise more effectively?
Coaches often prescribe training zones or intensities for sessions, using power meters, heart rate, speed or pace to determine an athlete’s threshold. Each method has their own benefits and limitations, though they all share one thing in common – they are predicting and not measuring.
The only true way to calculate lactate threshold or ventilatory threshold is with a lactate meter or ventilation device.
Should you exercise above or below your lactate threshold?
When exercising below the 1st threshold we get physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, we can do more training hours here as essentially, we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also a benefit of adaptation. When exercising between the 1st and 2nd thresholds we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
This is why many coaches utilise the 80:20 rule.
Improve endurance performance with the 80:20 rule
If we want to increase our endurance performance, or ability to sustain pace, speed or watts over longer distances we should be very mindful of spending most of our time below our 1st threshold.
A great general rule of thumb (used by a lot of coaches) is the 80:20 rule. Simply put, 80% of time training is easy and 20% of the time training is very hard. There’s a lot of research that backs up this type of training, but let’s take a minute to understand why it works so well.
Exercising below the 1st threshold causes physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, so we can do more training hours here as we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also has the benefit of adaptation.
If you exercise between the 1st and 2nd thresholds, we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
The only exception to this rule is when doing event specific training, particularly for marathons or half Ironmans.
In these events a lot of time is going to be spent in zone 3, at or between the 1st and 2nd thresholds. It’s smart to train at that intensity to understand realistic paces and power – you definitely want to know what you’re up against! This block might only last for 6-8 weeks during a build up towards the race.
Outside of these events and thinking for an everyday amateur athlete, it’s important to understand where on the threshold scale your coach wants you to be. Ensure when your program requires you to be above the 2nd threshold you go hard and when below the 1st threshold you go easy!
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - HARD WORK
Join our in-person sessions for the summer will be on Tues, Fri, and Sun.
Tuesday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Sports City
Session: Track Tuesday
This is a speed session with the wider InnerFight Endurance community & coaches to help you run fast. This week we have consecutive 500m repeats off a 90 sec rest.
Friday*
Time: 5:59am
Location: Kite Beach
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be heading back to the canal bridge for our monthly hill reps.
Sunday*
Time: 5:29am
Location: Love Lakes
Session: The Long Run
The team will meet in AQ for a 10km or 14km run around love lakes. Keep the pace nice and easy here and remember to bring water.
*Track Tuesday, Coffee Run, and Sunday Long Run will host male and female runners.
Our Monday and Wednesday LRC sessions will return on Monday 26th August.
In the final two weeks of the block, we are spreading the tests out. This week, we start off with a repeat strength test, 15 minutes to find a 1RM sandbag clean into a grindy sandbag workout. Tuesday, we finish our straight arm strength progressions into a 20-minute partner couplet. Wednesday, we look to find a new 1RM front squat into a very tough quarterfinals repeat from 2021. Thursday, we took a look at benchmark Diane. Finishing the week off with a 1RM snatch & another repeat of a 2023 CrossFit Games workout!
Monday:
Strength:
Heavy Sandbag Cleans
Conditioning:
For Time:-
30 Sandbag Cleans
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
30 Sandbag Squats
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
4 x Carpark SB Carry
50/35 Cal Assault Bike
RX = 70 / 50kg
Tuesday:
Strength:
L Sit Hold + Handstand Hold + Pike Raises + Low Ring Plank Hold
Conditioning:
Partner Workout - 20min AMRAP
500m Ski
20 Burpee Box Get Over 40
Wednesday:
Strength:
A) Deficit Handstand Push Ups + Deadlifts
Conditioning:
Diane
21 - 15 - 9
Deadlift 100 / 70kg
Handstand Push Ups
Thursday:
Strength:
Front Squat
Conditioning:
For Time
120 Wall Balls 9/6kg
120 Calorie Row
Friday:
Strength:
Heavy Snatch
Conditioning:
It's Friday. Show up, and we will have a good time!
GYMNASTICS
The focus this week is on pull-ups, Chest to Bar and ring dips! We will break down these movements and provide options for all levels and abilities!
PURE STRENGTH
Monday's session will focus on paused front squats and then single leg work to build the quads. Wednesday, we will work to a tough set on the incline press and then some amrap pressing with some RDLs and some tricep pump work.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Snatch Focus
OHS squat: 1-1-1-1-1
1 snatch pull into 1 snatch into a Heavy snatch for the day.
Non coached Monday Ride
There will be a non coached Monday ride for our athletes. Working on the ability to push at the end of a ride with some repeated efforts. Turn Upto the loop and look for the InnerFight kit.
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba
Track Tuesday
Back to some basic hard work this week! 500’s with 90s rest. A great run set!
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Sports City Track
Walker Wednesday
A classic FTP set this week, 5 X 8min @ FTP with 2min recoveries. Will need big legs for this one!
Start time: 05:59am
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Online
The Coffee Run
This week we are back to the hill efforts, with around 150m repeated of effort and coaches on hand to give feedback on your form! What could be better!?
Start time: 05:59
Session Length: 1 hour
Location: Common Grounds, Jumeirah Beach Track
The Saturday Ride
This ride will be around 85km with the mandatory Zads stop. It should take roughly 2.5 hours and is the very best way to start your Saturday.
Start time: 05:29
Session Length: 2.5 hours
Location: Bottom of the stick car park
The Sunday long run
This run will be around the iconic Al Qudra lakes. Come along and run a distance that's right for you!
Start time: 05:29
Session Length: 2.5 hours
Location: Al Qudra Lakes
Threshold training will often play a significant role in an athlete’s endurance program. A focussed threshold block, when properly implemented, can increase fitness levels in cyclists, runners and swimmers.
What is threshold training?
To most people, any type of ‘threshold training’ involves the maximum intensity someone is able to hold for up to 1 hour (if they’re cyclists or runners) or1-1.5K in the pool. However, we actually have two different thresholds and they’re both really important to understand.
The difference between lactate thresholds and ventilatory thresholds
You may have heard about the 1st threshold and 2nd threshold, or LT1/VT1 and LT2/VT2… these terms have become a lot more popular recently thanks to distance athletes using lactate measuring devices on YouTube.
LT simply means lactate threshold or turn point and VT means ventilatory threshold or turn point.
The first threshold comes around when exercise intensity initiates a disturbance in physiological homeostasis, intake of oxygen (O2) increases as does amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaled. This usually coincides with the lactate concentration in the blood rising above normal resting levels.
Once this turn point is reached, we can simply define the exercise intensity as moderate. If you continue to exercise moderately or increase effort, you will soon find yourself closer to or at a vigorous intensity.
At this point, you’re working above the disturbance line of physiological homeostasis and on your way to reaching the 2nd threshold or the top end of vigorous activity.
Here we begin to breath in greater amounts of O2 but we stop being able to exhale the same volume of CO2 - this is called your maximum tidal volume. Lactate in the blood stream also rises and will continue to rise above 4mmol/L (depending on definition). If intensity remains the same at this stage you are unable to clear as much lactate as is being made and eventually exercise will cease.
Threshold training example for distance running
Let’s break this down into a simple example.
Think of the 1st threshold as your marathon or Ironman 70.3 distance intensity (Ironman distance for the extremely trained person), a fit person can hold intensity at or close to the 1st threshold for 3-4 hours without a drop in performance.
If using a zoning system think of this as the top of your zone 2 or bottom half of zone 3, you may also hear it referred to as ‘tempo’.
The 2nd turn point is what most people understand to be ‘threshold intensity’ or 10k run pace, sprint distance triathlon or a 40km cycling time trail. A fit person can exercise at or close to the 2nd threshold for 40 – 60mins. This intensity can also be referred to as zone 4.
How to implement threshold training
Hopefully the different thresholds make a bit more sense now... but how can we use threshold training to help us exercise more effectively?
Coaches often prescribe training zones or intensities for sessions, using power meters, heart rate, speed or pace to determine an athlete’s threshold. Each method has their own benefits and limitations, though they all share one thing in common – they are predicting and not measuring.
The only true way to calculate lactate threshold or ventilatory threshold is with a lactate meter or ventilation device.
Should you exercise above or below your lactate threshold?
When exercising below the 1st threshold we get physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, we can do more training hours here as essentially, we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also a benefit of adaptation. When exercising between the 1st and 2nd thresholds we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
This is why many coaches utilise the 80:20 rule.
Improve endurance performance with the 80:20 rule
If we want to increase our endurance performance, or ability to sustain pace, speed or watts over longer distances we should be very mindful of spending most of our time below our 1st threshold.
A great general rule of thumb (used by a lot of coaches) is the 80:20 rule. Simply put, 80% of time training is easy and 20% of the time training is very hard. There’s a lot of research that backs up this type of training, but let’s take a minute to understand why it works so well.
Exercising below the 1st threshold causes physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, so we can do more training hours here as we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also has the benefit of adaptation.
If you exercise between the 1st and 2nd thresholds, we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
The only exception to this rule is when doing event specific training, particularly for marathons or half Ironmans.
In these events a lot of time is going to be spent in zone 3, at or between the 1st and 2nd thresholds. It’s smart to train at that intensity to understand realistic paces and power – you definitely want to know what you’re up against! This block might only last for 6-8 weeks during a build up towards the race.
Outside of these events and thinking for an everyday amateur athlete, it’s important to understand where on the threshold scale your coach wants you to be. Ensure when your program requires you to be above the 2nd threshold you go hard and when below the 1st threshold you go easy!
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Threshold training will often play a significant role in an athlete’s endurance program. A focussed threshold block, when properly implemented, can increase fitness levels in cyclists, runners and swimmers.
What is threshold training?
To most people, any type of ‘threshold training’ involves the maximum intensity someone is able to hold for up to 1 hour (if they’re cyclists or runners) or1-1.5K in the pool. However, we actually have two different thresholds and they’re both really important to understand.
The difference between lactate thresholds and ventilatory thresholds
You may have heard about the 1st threshold and 2nd threshold, or LT1/VT1 and LT2/VT2… these terms have become a lot more popular recently thanks to distance athletes using lactate measuring devices on YouTube.
LT simply means lactate threshold or turn point and VT means ventilatory threshold or turn point.
The first threshold comes around when exercise intensity initiates a disturbance in physiological homeostasis, intake of oxygen (O2) increases as does amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaled. This usually coincides with the lactate concentration in the blood rising above normal resting levels.
Once this turn point is reached, we can simply define the exercise intensity as moderate. If you continue to exercise moderately or increase effort, you will soon find yourself closer to or at a vigorous intensity.
At this point, you’re working above the disturbance line of physiological homeostasis and on your way to reaching the 2nd threshold or the top end of vigorous activity.
Here we begin to breath in greater amounts of O2 but we stop being able to exhale the same volume of CO2 - this is called your maximum tidal volume. Lactate in the blood stream also rises and will continue to rise above 4mmol/L (depending on definition). If intensity remains the same at this stage you are unable to clear as much lactate as is being made and eventually exercise will cease.
Threshold training example for distance running
Let’s break this down into a simple example.
Think of the 1st threshold as your marathon or Ironman 70.3 distance intensity (Ironman distance for the extremely trained person), a fit person can hold intensity at or close to the 1st threshold for 3-4 hours without a drop in performance.
If using a zoning system think of this as the top of your zone 2 or bottom half of zone 3, you may also hear it referred to as ‘tempo’.
The 2nd turn point is what most people understand to be ‘threshold intensity’ or 10k run pace, sprint distance triathlon or a 40km cycling time trail. A fit person can exercise at or close to the 2nd threshold for 40 – 60mins. This intensity can also be referred to as zone 4.
How to implement threshold training
Hopefully the different thresholds make a bit more sense now... but how can we use threshold training to help us exercise more effectively?
Coaches often prescribe training zones or intensities for sessions, using power meters, heart rate, speed or pace to determine an athlete’s threshold. Each method has their own benefits and limitations, though they all share one thing in common – they are predicting and not measuring.
The only true way to calculate lactate threshold or ventilatory threshold is with a lactate meter or ventilation device.
Should you exercise above or below your lactate threshold?
When exercising below the 1st threshold we get physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, we can do more training hours here as essentially, we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also a benefit of adaptation. When exercising between the 1st and 2nd thresholds we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
This is why many coaches utilise the 80:20 rule.
Improve endurance performance with the 80:20 rule
If we want to increase our endurance performance, or ability to sustain pace, speed or watts over longer distances we should be very mindful of spending most of our time below our 1st threshold.
A great general rule of thumb (used by a lot of coaches) is the 80:20 rule. Simply put, 80% of time training is easy and 20% of the time training is very hard. There’s a lot of research that backs up this type of training, but let’s take a minute to understand why it works so well.
Exercising below the 1st threshold causes physiological adaptions without a high cost. Lactate has not built up in the blood and therefore the metabolic cost is low, so we can do more training hours here as we recover quicker.
When training above the 2nd threshold, we get a high amount of metabolic and muscular damage which comes with a cost of needing longer time to recover but also has the benefit of adaptation.
If you exercise between the 1st and 2nd thresholds, we get the cost of metabolic and muscular damage but not quite the same benefit of adaption we get when at or above the 2nd threshold.
The only exception to this rule is when doing event specific training, particularly for marathons or half Ironmans.
In these events a lot of time is going to be spent in zone 3, at or between the 1st and 2nd thresholds. It’s smart to train at that intensity to understand realistic paces and power – you definitely want to know what you’re up against! This block might only last for 6-8 weeks during a build up towards the race.
Outside of these events and thinking for an everyday amateur athlete, it’s important to understand where on the threshold scale your coach wants you to be. Ensure when your program requires you to be above the 2nd threshold you go hard and when below the 1st threshold you go easy!
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - HARD WORK
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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