VLamax, instructions for use
Everyone has heard of VO2max, often considered the ultimate measure of endurance in athletes. For those who enjoy short, intense bursts of exercise, calculating VLamax is also essential. But enthusiasts of long events that require constant strength should also take an interest. Not to improve it, but rather to reduce it. Here's why.
Like everyone else, you know cyclists who can ride at a steady pace all day long but are unable to sprint or catch up with a breakaway. Others seem to crawl during the last few miles of a long Ride but find a way to explode into a breakneck sprint once the finish line is in sight.
Both types of athletes can be very fit and have high VO2max values, but differences in VLamax—the maximum rate of lactate production—can play a big role in the strengths and weaknesses of runners with similar aerobic abilities. Here's how it works and what you can do if you want to change your profile.
The basics of VLamax
Your VO2max is your maximum aerobic capacity or, if you prefer, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume and use per minute. VLamax is the maximum amount of energy you can produce through anaerobic glycolysis or your anaerobic capacity.
Athletes with high VLamax can produce a lot of power through anaerobic glycolysis and excel in short, high-intensity efforts and events. Conversely, those who excel in long-duration endurance events often have lower VLamax values. They rely on the aerobic system for a greater proportion of their energy at moderate intensities, but have less capacity for high-power efforts that rely on energy from anaerobic glycolysis.
We have been able to test VO2max in physiology labs for a long time, and now, with INSCYD's new testing protocols and software, a certified trainer can establish your detailed metabolic report, measure your VLamax (and your VO2max), without you having to go to a lab or anywhere else. Then, armed with this new knowledge, they can implement a training program to optimize your VLamax based on your goals.
Increase or decrease VLamax?
Like VO2max, VLamax can be "trained" to a certain extent; you don't become a sprinter when you've always been a pure climber. First, you need to determine whether you want to increase or decrease your VLamax.
If you want to perform better on steep hills, short races, and high-intensity events such as e-races, cyclocross, and criteriums, or keep up with cyclists who push the pace, then you want a higher VLamax. The downside is that the more you rely on anaerobic glycolysis, the more you rely on carbohydrates for energy. You'll have the power to make big efforts, but only if you keep your carbohydrate intake high.
If you want to maintain consistent power all day long for epic hikes, long climbs, and gravel races, you want a VLamax Plus Socks. The advantage is that you'll be a fat-burning machine that will rely less on limited glycogen stores and exogenous carbohydrates (anything not already in your glycogen stores: food, bars, performance drinks, etc.) during exercise.
How to increase your VLamax
Before rushing to increase your VLamax, be aware that this comes at a price: a very high risk of lowering your FTP (threshold). If you're aiming for short, intense events, that's fine.
Also, it is important to remember that high aerobic capacity is always the top priority. A powerful aerobic system produces more energy from fat, which reduces the energy input from anaerobic glycolysis at lower and moderate intensities, and is essential for reintegrating the byproducts of anaerobic glycolysis into normal aerobic metabolism. So, if you have a solid aerobic capacity base and want to increase your glycolytic power, here are some protocols to try.
• High carbohydrate availability: especially for high-intensity training and fast group rides or electronic races, make sure you consume enough carbohydrates in your daily nutrition strategy to start training with full glycogen stores. Consume plenty of exogenous carbohydrates during rides lasting more than an hour.
• Long sprints: You want to activate fast-twitch glycolytic muscle fibers, make them work to their maximum, and then stop before the aerobic contribution to energy production increases. 30-second sprints are good for this, as are longer sustained efforts (up to 60-90 seconds). Prolonged efforts such as 4-minute power intervals, while still high in intensity, have a higher aerobic contribution.
• Targeted strength training: once again, the goal is to stress fast-twitch glycolytic muscle fibers. Programs focused on improving anaerobic capacity involve heavier weights, fewer repetitions, and less recovery time between sets.
How to lower your VLamax
Many endurance athletes have naturally low VLamax values. This may be a coincidence, an effect of the types of exercise they do, or they may have been attracted to endurance sports because they naturally had rather low VLamax values. Why work proactively to reduce VLamax even further in their case? VLamax testing reveals that some athletes produce more energy through anaerobic glycolysis than others at low and moderate intensities. For these athletes, the greatest benefit is reducing their dependence on a constant flow of carbohydrates to perform well at even moderate intensities. Here's how.
• Consistency and low intensity: Not only should you spend more time cycling at a comfortable pace, but you should also do so more frequently. Repetition is important because sporadic exercise, even when performed at a relatively low intensity, draws more energy from anaerobic glycolysis.
• Low carbohydrate availability: start longer endurance rides with partially depleted muscle glycogen stores. Increase your hours of sleep and keep the intensity of your training low (Z1-Z2). In short: lots of sleep, light training. Train in the afternoon or evening, eat little or no carbohydrates in your evening meal, and schedule an aerobic Ride in the morning.
• Delayed carbohydrate intake: Experience has taught "sugar-burning" cyclists to eat early and frequently if they want to perform well. This keeps VLamax just high enough. You will still need to eat during rides longer than 60 to 90 minutes, but try to delay carbohydrate intake until after the first 60 to 90 minutes and lengthen the normal interval between subsequent snacks. Your body will develop the reflex to tap into fat reserves before seeking fuel from carbohydrates.
• High gear intervals: Sustained intervals at low cadence and high force recruit slow-twitch muscle fibers and can stimulate fast-twitch type IIa fibers—which have greater aerobic metabolism capacity than type IIb fibers—to act more like slow-twitch fibers.
With all the other performance metrics available, do we really need VLamax? Yes, because it provides a nuanced look at how you produce power across the entire intensity spectrum. This can help you move beyond the "climber versus sprinter" mindset and expand your possibilities and options on the bike.
* This text is loosely based on an article by Chris Carmichael published in Road Bike Action.