VO2 Max vs Lactate Threshold: The Difference, How To Test Them and Why It Matters For Athletes

This week I want to talk about two physical characteristics that are somewhat related but also very different; vo2 max vs lactate threshold. For those of you who have a background in pure aerobic-based sports like running, rowing, cycling, and long-distance skiing you may be familiar with the term VO2 max. 

You also may be familiar with the term lactate threshold because the two are intertwined, but lactate threshold tends to be the topic of discussion in more high-power sports where efforts are shorter and/or must be repeated. 

These include football, wrestling, lacrosse, hockey, and mid to long-distance sprinting to name a few. Improving either of these characteristics requires very different training prescriptions because although they are related, they are measures of two very different metabolic processes.

What Is VO2 Max?

Your VO2 max is defined as the maximum oxygen consumption that your body is capable of and is measured in milliliters per kilogram per minute. When your body breathes in oxygen, it is delivered via the bloodstream to mitochondria in the muscle cells and is then used to develop Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) via aerobic metabolism. 

The magnitude that your body can use this oxygen and make ATP is termed your VO2 max. VO2 max is a representation of the level of cardiovascular fitness that an athlete has. Thus, it is trained via aerobic means. For instance, any training that lasts over 3-4 minutes, and is at a pace that is maintainable and repeatable.

Having a high VO2 max is indicative of a high level of aerobic capacity and in general, those athletes with above-average VO2 maxes will perform better in long-duration, low-intensity events. VO2 max can be affected by age, gender, and altitude.

If we control for altitude, the average person between 20-35 years of age will have a VO2 max of about 40-42 ml/kg/min. With training, athletes can push VO2 max values to a “good” status with a VO2 max of 49-56 ml/kg/min. With consistent, dedicated training athletes can approach and attain an “excellent: status with a VO2 max of 56 mL/kg/min.

Endurance athletes would want to perform a VO2 max test so that they can prescribe training intensities to improve aerobically. Once you have a max established, training at certain percentages of this number will dictate which adaptations occur. For example, training at high percentages of VO2 max will accumulate lactate and thus bring an athlete closer to their lactate threshold and improve their ability to clear it from the blood. Lower percentages will allow for longer training durations and help to raise the magnitude of the VO2 max.

There are a few ways to test an athlete’s VO2 max. The first, and best way in my opinion is a maximal test referred to as a graded exercise test. In a graded exercise test, an athlete is exposed to increasing levels of exertion until they are forced to stop due to exhaustion. This is superior to sub-maximal tests because it brings the athlete to their maximum and leaves no room for an estimation error. 

The next way to measure VO2 max is to perform a sub-maximal test where the athlete works at the fastest pace they can maintain for the duration of the test. Once a score is obtained it is put into a test-specific formula to estimate their maximum oxygen consumption. Examples of submaximal VO2 max tests include the “Yo-Yo” test and Cooper’s 1.5-mile run test. 

The debate over why sub-maximal VO2 max tests may or may not be inferior to maximum VO2 max tests is beyond the scope of this blog but in a nutshell, sub-maximal tests leave more room for error because you are not directly measuring oxygen uptake but they are more practical for testing.

What Is Lactate Threshold?

The lactate threshold (also known as your anaerobic threshold) is defined as the point during high-intensity exercise where the liver can no longer clear lactate faster than the production of lactate in the blood. Lactate or lactic acid, is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism and is responsible for the burning sensation that athletes may feel when they are working at high efforts. 

The lactate threshold occurs at a percentage of an athlete’s VO2 max based on their training status. It will occur in untrained individuals at about 50-60% of VO2 max and about 70-80% of VO2 max in trained individuals.  Contrary to popular belief, lactate is not responsible for fatigue in the muscle and can be used as an energy source in certain types of muscle tissue like cardiac muscle tissue.

The body wants to maintain a certain pH in the blood of about 7.4. When lactate accumulates in the blood, levels of hydrogen ions start to rise and drop pH to acidic levels. This blood acidity is a fatigue factor. The body will try to correct this one of two ways – first, the body will increase respiration rate to expel hydrogen ions in the form of CO2. 

This is why you start to breathe faster and deeper exercise starts to get hard. This is known as the respiratory threshold.

Secondly, the body will decrease its output. If the muscles slow down and are producing less lactate, the liver can “catch up” in its ability to filter lactate out of the blood. In any sport, if you slow down you lose the event, game, or match so the lactate threshold is worth testing and improving.

The lactate threshold is considered more indicative of success in both high effort short duration sports and lower effort longer duration sports. The reason is that individuals that can perform at a higher percentage of their VO2 max can simply perform more work over a shorter time and maintain a higher power output. 

They can work at higher intensities before they hit the point where their liver can no longer clear lactate from their blood faster than the muscles produce it. In mono-structural sports, this looks like an athlete running an 800-meter run at a faster pace than another athlete. In a sport like a hockey, it looks like an athlete can sprint for 30 seconds, slow down for a second, and then sprint again at the same speed because his body cleared the lactate from his blood quickly enough allowing him to repeat his effort.

Testing lactate thresholds can be done directly and indirectly. To test it directly, an athlete will perform a graded exercise test, similar to VO2 max testing, at increasing efforts where a blood sample is taken to measure lactate in the blood.

Once the athlete reaches exhaustion, these measures are graphed and the point at which lactate in the blood spikes due to an inability to clear it faster than it is produced is considered the lactate threshold. This is not always ideal because lab equipment and the ability to collect blood samples mid-test is not always an option. 

Indirectly, a field test can be performed where an athlete runs for thirty minutes at a maximum maintainable pace and records heart rate at 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 30 minutes. The average heart rate of these three scores will be a relatively accurate assessment of the lactate threshold. The reason is that theoretically, in order to maximize distance traveled you would need to work at a pace at or just below the threshold for the whole test, and heart rate is directly related to work.

What Does This Mean For Athletes?

I hope you guys can see now that VO2 max and lactate threshold are two very different measures of capacity but are also related to one another. VO2 max is an athlete’s ability to maximally consume oxygen while lactate threshold is a determination of the point at which lactate cannot be cleared as fast as it is accumulated. Although different, the lactate threshold occurs at a percentage of VO2 so the two are related measurements. 

An argument can be made for either value and the role they play in endurance sports performance. However, I believe that improving the lactate threshold, for the majority of athletes, will be more beneficial for success than VO2 max improvement. If the VO2 max is equal between two athletes, the athlete that can work at a higher effort and percent of their VO2 max will most likely be victorious. 

If you’re an athlete, regardless of if you are a long-distance runner or a professional football player, you need to be concerned with your ability to clear lactate from the blood so that you can essentially outwork your opponent.

I’ll provide you guys with an analogy that helped me learn the difference between these two values when I was first introduced to them. The best way to look at the two values in my opinion is to think of VO2 max as a bucket and lactate threshold as water in the bucket. A training program to improve VO2 max increases the size of the bucket and training to improve lactate threshold increases the water in the bucket.

If you’re thirsty, you want a big bucket to allow you to drink the most water, but, you need to fill that bucket with as much water as possible to quench your thirst! If you have a High VO2 max that’s great, but if you can only work at 50-60% of it then it doesn’t do you much good!

The Best Way To Increase VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold

The best way to increase VO2 max and/or Lactate Threshold is going to depend on several factors. These factors include your training goals, your proficiency on certain machines, the available space you have to store equipment, and your ideal price point. All work is going to benefit you with regards to increasing your VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold but you can most definitely optimize the time it takes you to do so and how well it will carry over to your performance goals by picking the right training modality.

This is because of a concept called the SAIDS principle. This means your adaptation to exercise will be specific to the demands of that exercise. For example, if you are a Runner, you may not want to train on a Rower because the adaptation to this exercise won’t carry over as well as if you trained on a Treadmill.

Training Your VO2 Max

Proper training of your VO2 max and enhancing your endurance performance involves a strategic approach tailored to enhance your cardiovascular fitness. Training programs aimed at optimizing VO2 max typically revolve around establishing training zones that challenge your body’s aerobic metabolism over sustained periods. For endurance athletes, incorporating workouts like tempo runs at higher percentages of your maximum heart rate can effectively push your lactate threshold while also elevating your VO2 max. 

These efforts are considered a form of threshold training and aid in increasing your body’s maximum oxygen uptake and, subsequently, the power output attainable during exercises. Furthermore, engaging in longer-duration sessions, such as a 30-minute time trial, offers a robust assessment of your aerobic system and helps establish a threshold testing baseline to monitor improvements. 

Properly structured training plans, along with occasional field tests or threshold runs, are integral for athletes seeking to elevate their VO2 max effectively.

Training Your Lactate Threshold

Elevating your lactate threshold demands a nuanced approach, especially for athletes engaged in the highest intensity of sports. A training program designed to enhance the lactate threshold often involves a blend of workouts, including threshold sessions and tempo runs where running speed approaches an unsustainable level. These exercises help athletes acclimate to higher exercise intensities without surpassing their lactate threshold pace, thereby bolstering their ability to perform at increased effort levels for extended durations. 

Additionally, field tests or threshold runs allow athletes to gauge their lactate threshold range and calibrate their training based on their body’s anaerobic energy production capacities. For endurance athletes, balancing endurance events with specific threshold testing sessions aids in refining their body’s ability to manage lactate production and waste product removal, crucial for prolonged performance at elevated intensities.

FAQ

What’s the relationship between lactate threshold and VO2 Max?

The relationship between lactate threshold and VO2 max reveals valuable insights into an athlete’s physiological performance. VO2 max refers to an individual’s maximum oxygen consumption during exercise, showcasing their cardiovascular fitness. As an athlete’s VO2 max increases, their lactate threshold tends to elevate, enabling them to sustain higher exercise intensities before lactate accumulation hinders performance.

But it is important to note that building your VO2 max and maximally growing your lactate threshold will require endurance training that is focused on different energy systems. Where as VO2 max is typically developed at lower intensities while the exercise intensity of lactate threshold training is much higher. 

This correlation implies that athletes with higher VO2 max levels can work at greater exertion levels while delaying the point at which their bodies accumulate lactate faster than they can clear it. Elevated VO2 max values often correlate with an increased ability to operate closer to one’s lactate threshold, contributing to enhanced endurance and improved performance across a spectrum of athletic activities. Understanding this relationship helps athletes optimize their training strategies by focusing on improving both their VO2 max and their ability to manage lactate accumulation during exercise.

What’s the relationship between lactate threshold and heart rate?

The lactate threshold, a point during high-intensity exercise, correlates closely with an athlete’s heart rate response. As an athlete pushes closer to their lactate threshold, their heart rate tends to increase, reflecting the body’s efforts to supply oxygen to the working muscles and manage lactate levels. Monitoring heart rate during threshold testing or field tests serves as a reliable indicator, allowing athletes to identify their lactate threshold and corresponding heart rate zones accurately. 

This insight empowers athletes to fine-tune their training by adjusting their effort levels to stay within specific heart rate zones, effectively optimizing their ability to perform at or near their lactate threshold.

What’s the relationship between lactate threshold and ventilatory threshold?

The lactate threshold and the ventilatory threshold provide crucial insights into an athlete’s physiological response to exercise. Both thresholds signify pivotal physiological transitions during exertion. The lactate threshold denotes the point at which lactate accumulates in the blood faster than it can be cleared, impacting performance. 

On the other hand, the ventilatory threshold signifies the point at which ventilation significantly increases due to an increase in carbon dioxide production. These thresholds often align closely, with the ventilatory threshold occurring near or slightly preceding the lactate threshold during high-intensity exercise. Monitoring these thresholds aids athletes in understanding their body’s responses to exertion, enabling them to fine-tune their training intensity and duration.

What’s a good Lactate Threshold?

Determining what constitutes a “good” lactate threshold varies depending on an athlete’s training status and sport-specific requirements. In general, a higher lactate threshold signifies an athlete’s ability to perform at increased intensities before experiencing an accumulation of lactate that impedes further exertion. For untrained individuals, a lactate threshold typically occurs at about 50-60% of their VO2 max, while elite athletes can push this threshold to approximately 70-80% of their VO2 max. 

A “good” lactate threshold is often indicative of an athlete’s efficiency in managing lactate production and clearance during high-intensity efforts. Nonetheless, what constitutes an optimal lactate threshold can vary among sports and individual physiological factors. Athletes aiming for peak performance frequently strive to improve and elevate their lactate threshold to enhance their ability to sustain high effort levels and perform consistently at intensified intensities specific to their sport.

What’s a good VO2 Max?

Determining what qualifies as a “good” VO2 max involves considering various factors, including an individual’s age, gender, and athletic background. Typically, a higher VO2 max reflects an individual’s superior cardiovascular fitness and oxygen utilization during exercise. For adults between 20-35 years old, an average VO2 max might range from approximately 40-42 ml/kg/min. 

Athletes engaged in dedicated training regimens can elevate their VO2 max substantially, reaching values considered “good” at 49-56 ml/kg/min and even achieving an “excellent” status at around 56 mL/kg/min. However, what constitutes a “good” VO2 max varies widely among athletes, with elite performers often possessing notably higher values based on their sport’s demands and specific physiological adaptations. Ultimately, achieving and maintaining a VO2 max relevant to an athlete’s specific sport and training goals is paramount, as it significantly influences their endurance and performance capacities.

Wrapping up on VO2 Max Vs Lactate Threshold

You now have all the tools necessary to understand the relationship between these two metrics. Although they are different they are closely related and regardless of whether you are an athlete working to get to the next level or an elite athlete at the top of your game in endurance sports understanding how to train these characteristics is vital to your success. 

There are many different approaches to training your VO2 max or Lactate threshold but in my experience using interval workouts or high-intensity interval training will put you in the sweet spot to elevate your performance to the highest level. Now get out there and start training and if you feel like you need some professional help I encourage you to book a risk-free consultation to see how my 1:1 Pain-Free Performance Program can provide the exact training plan that you need.