Anaerobic lactate power is characterized by the athletic ability to produce high – intensity work for a relatively short period of time near or above critical levels of lactic acid in the blood (16 – 18 mM / l, heart rate). > 190 / minute). The energy source used is glycogen through anaerobic glycolysis.
The best athletes are able to cope with these conditions and perform without a significant reduction in their performance for a period of at least 35 – 50sec.
According to the above, the training of anaerobic lactate power should be designed in such a way that the duration and intensity of the exercises force the muscles to produce energy by metabolizing glycogen through anaerobic glycolysis (35 – 50sec / 200 – 400m and V = 80 – 90%).
Rest time is also extremely important and has the ability to upset the state of metabolism. In this case it should be of sufficient duration to provide the required time needed to reduce the concentration of lactic acid in the blood. This will be achieved by the reaction of lactic acid with the supply of oxygen, but also by its removal from cardiac function. The rate of decrease in the concentration of lactic acid in the blood is about 1mM / l per 2min.
To be sure of the strength of the metabolism and to maintain the quality of the next repetition, interval time should provide at least a 70% reduction in lactic acid concentration (usually a 50% reduction is equivalent to a heart rate of 120 bpm). Therefore a load that will bring production above the critical limits of 16 – 18mM / l, will need a 20 – 25 minute rest to reduce the concentration levels by 70% (to 4 – 5mM / l). Usually such a condition occurs with a heart rate <100bpm.
Better adaptation of the metabolism to such stimuli (hence more glycolytic energy) will result in increased quality training volume within the critical time of glycolysis. The total volume should be relatively low, but the volume should be high. Running 200 – 300m with intensity V= 85 – 90% or 400 – 500m with intensity V= 80 – 85% (performed in a set or more), will bring a concentration of lactic acid close to critical levels.
For example, an athlete with an individual performance at 200m 24sec, performing a 200m repetition with V= 90%, will bring a lactic acid concentration to 10 – 12mM / l. Rest time needed to achieve a 70% reduction will be about 14 – 15min. As long as the athlete is well trained she will be able to repeat 1x200m. This time, however, the added production of lactic acid will bring a new, higher concentration to 14 – 16mM / l. This value remains below the critical concentration levels again, so another iteration (1x200m) can be attempted. At this point, however, rest time of 14 – 15min will bring about a reduction of only 7 – 8mM / l, so the concentration of 6 – 8mM / l (heart rate 120 <100bpm) at the beginning of the third repetition (200m), during which another 10 – 12mM / l of lactic acid will be produced, eventually bringing to a concentration above critical levels, at 17 – 19mM / l.
To increase the volume of the training load a second set can be performed, but the break should be such as to bring about a reduction in the levels of lactic acid in the blood to 0 – 2mM / l. To make this possible the break will need to be at least 25 – 30min. Long breaks, however, can negatively affect the level of alertness of the Central Nervous System (CNS), muscle elasticity and joint flexibility.
It should be noted, however, that strenuous exercise resulting in high concentrations of lactic acid adversely affects neuromuscular fusion. If the training is aimed at learning a technique, then each new repetition should not be performed with lactic acid levels greater than 6 – 8mM / l.