Richard Appleton's LBP test 09-09-08

[Robh]

Thanks to Richard for allowing me to post his results to show you guys that LBP testing is not so straight forward. All will be revealed...

[img]http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/sbc205/Ric1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/sbc205/Ric2.jpg[/img]

[Robh]

[img]http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/sbc205/Ric3.jpg[/img]

I’ve attached the raw data I recorded during the level 2 test.

The test I preformed on Richard tested my brain as it was not your classic LBP test. Like Paul Tunnel, Richard got a low lactate value of 4mmol and his lactate values dropped down to resting levels of 0.8/0.9mol @ HR155. This is where I started to scratch my head and ask Richard some questions. With Paul’s test he was showing signs of fatigue like very deep breathing at the end of the ramp test but Richard wasn’t showing any signs of this so why the low levels of lactate?

Couple of reasons :-

1. Body could not produce lactate
2. I dropped his HR too low and this allowed his body clear the lactate and use it as fuel.

To prove theory 1 I made Richard do 1min full on effort. If his body couldn’t produce lactate anymore due to empty liver his lactate value wouldn’t really go up. A the end of this 1 min effort his lactate value was 9.6mmol. So obviously his body could produce lactate. Now at this point I could have saved the test by letting Richard bring his HR back down from the 1min effort to HR 155 and start taking samples again. But unfortunately I made the mistake of ending the testing as at the time my brain wasn’t functioning correctly plus having a cold was clouding my judgement. I did tell Richard I wasn’t happy with the test and needed to speak to the guys at FaCT.

The conclusion from Andrew Sellars @ FaCT-Educatiuon.com were :-

For sure his LBP is higher than 150, and probably higher than 155. You were given a few good hints when he said he has seen 195 when riding, and he reached 180 with only 4mmol of lactate. Remember we gave a couple of different "guides" to help you figure out how "low" to bring him after the first lactate sample (and Juerg is going to give you some more).

1) 20 beats below his estimated LBP..based on what you see when you watch his step test. Notice things like body position changes, change in respiratory pattern, appearing less efficient, asking more questions etc. All hints that he is at or above his LBP.

2) Using RPE you can bring him back to the highest HR where he recorded RPE=4.

It is important to watch the lactate trends, and change your intervals depending on what you see. So, there are a few ways you could have "saved" this test.

1) You could have taken bigger HR steps in the second portion of the test once you realized how quickly he was clearing lactate at 140...so taken samples at 140, 148, 156, then taken smaller samples when the clearing trend slowed down 160, 165, 170.

2) Once you had him go all out for 1 minute, and proved he still had glycogen stores available, you could have repeated the LBP portion by taking him to 150, 155, 160, 165. More pokes, but probably would have given you great data, and the athlete a really good demonstration of how the body can move lactate into the blood stream and remove it repeatedly in the same workout.

3) Once again, you can do a follow-up test to see if he can sustain HR=155 with stable feeling, and if you have time, you can stand by and watch him ride for a while, checking his lactate after 15 minutes to see if remains stable. If it does, push him a little harder, and retest. This is the modified version we discussed after your first test, when the athlete did not believe you. This time you are trying to prove it to yourself, because you did not believe the athlete...we all learn from these types of tests. Keep it up. We certainly have had the same "learning experiences" in the past

[Robh]

Ok, it’s Wednesday morning the day after the test and after reading the comments from Andrew & Juerg on the forum :-

http://www.fact-canada.com/discus/messa ... 1221192948.

With not being happy the the results and being given advice from FaCT I offered Richard 2 choices :-

1. To a power/HR relationship test using Huw’s wheel @ home @ HR 160/HR165 by riding in those 2 HR’s for 30mins and letting me know the results. If there was a drift I could work out his LBP. As when you ride above LBP with a fixed HR your power drops.
2. Come back to do a modified LBP test free of charge.

Richard choose option 2.. Here’s what I wrote to Richard this morning on email :-

Thursday's session proved to me your LBP was higher and I found it to be @ LBP 160. Here's my comments on yesterday's session. Lactate taken every 7-8mins :-

Power/HR/lactate/Resp rate/RPE

196/155/1.1/35/4
193/155/1.1/26/4
200/160/0.8/27/5
197/160/0.9/22/6
202/165/1.1/27/7
200/165/1.3/18/8

Observations @ HR 165 I noticed you wasn't looking so comfortable on the bike even though the bioharness showed a resp rate of 18 you were definitely breathing harder as I could hear it..Whilst testing your resp rate it was all over the place one minute it would be 35 then down to 18.

I had you riding for 16mins @ HR 165 and I asked you to ride for another 10 mins but you felt you couldn't hold that HR for any longer so I ended the test.

So I've concluded from the results your LBP is 160bpm because lactate started to rise from 1.1 to 1.3 and if I held you there, it would have risen more plus you were finding it hard to hold HR and breathing was heavy. In FaCT under LBP they do not see a HR & power drfit. Above LBP you have a choice you hold HR and let power drift or hold power and let HR drift as you body is now out of balance due too the accumulation of lactate.

After a brief cool down youI had you practice diaphragm breathing @ HR 130. In the previous LBP test on Tuesday your resp rate was 27 with focused breathing you were breathing @ 13 breaths per min. Also the waveform (inhaling/exhaling) on the bioharness was very noticeable unlike before...So my suggestion to you is to practice diaphragm breathing on the bike when your riding in the STF zone and even off the bike so you can have better control when you reach LBP and above.

Oh one other thing your performance was down today as I noticed for HR 165 yesterday it was 200W on Tuesday same HR it was 230W. Also a 4 watt increase doubled your perceived effort from 4 to 8 making me think you are fatigued.

I've been told when doing the LBP test it's different for every person and in your case it certainly was and next time I have a case like yours I will be better prepared and adjust the test accordingly.

[Toks]

I have to come clean Rob and say i haven't read one of your Fact Posts sorry!. Nevertheless I want to know is lactate balance point wattage comparable to Functional Threshold Power. Please don't point me to a big link or a essay's lot of reading cause I'm inherently lazy and won't read it. But I will appreciate it if you break it down for me cheers toks

[Robh]

No it's not the same thing....

[Robh]

To make it easy for you....

Does either your HR or watts drift when your doing your 1hour FTP (300W?) session? If it does your above your LBP.... Below your LBP no drift in watts/HR...There you go saved you a ton of reading & £30

[Robh]

In the States & Canada they charge between £60-£100 for this test..So bargain really

[Toks]

[quote="Robh"]To make it easy for you....

Does either your HR or watts drift when your doing your 1hour FTP (300W?) session? If it does your above your LBP.... Below your LBP no drift in watts/HR...There you go saved you a ton of reading & £30

[Michelle]

Toks you will love it. After all, who wouldn't love a ramp test then having their blood drawn by a finger vampire every 5 minutes or so

Still much better than the kind of generic lactate testing that Adam did

Much more useful to YOU, not some kind of fits-all-people-to-one-model type malarky (yes had mine done on Tuesday).

[Andrew G]

[quote="Toks"]Although I'm not sure why really

[Robh]

Just for Toks the level 2 test involves:-

1. Record your performance line in Watts v HR.
2. Record your recovery line Watts V HR.
3. Meausure a change in your metabolic system to determine LBP.
4. Find the point if possible when the body switches from FFA to Glucose fuel usage by observing trend in respiratory rate & oxygen saturation. If your erratic with your breathing make my job very hard. The human body is not like a motor engine which is predictable.
5. Monitor breathing pattern & respiration rate during the test using the Bioharness.

[img]http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t209/sbc205/Bioharness-Screen-2-1.jpg[/img]


As quoted by our Level I certified centre in Grand Forks, BC
This test is not about how strong you are.
This is not a pass or fail exam.
This test will not make your training easier.
By itself, this test will not make you stronger, lighter or faster.
It won’t put money in the bank, or put your kids through college.
The only thing this test will do for you is give you the knowledge to train smarter, race smarter, avoid over-training, and help guide you to build a faster stronger body.