Int J Sports Med 2001; 22(1): 8-16
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-11332
Physiology and Biochemistry
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Individual Anaerobic Threshold: Methodological Aspects of its Assessment in Running

B. Coen2 , A. Urhausen1 , W. Kindermann1
  • 1 Institute of Sports- and Preventive Medicine, University of Saarland, Saarbrücken, Germany
  • 2 Olympic Center Saarbrücken, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

The present study was designed in order to examine the objectivity and reliability of the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) as well as its resistance against several interfering factors: missing exhaustion, preliminary exercise, longer step duration, and lower speed increment. 87 male and 24 female runners and triathletes were examined. They performed both the original test procedure (IAT3/2; 3 min step duration, 2 km · h-1 increment until volitional exhaustion) and either a retest or one of several alternative test procedures (submaximal, preliminary exercise, 5 min step duration, 1 km · h-1 increment) to be compared with IAT3/2. The graphic determination of the IAT is characterized by a low inter-observer-variability without significant differences between 4 independent blinded examiners. Both the lactate performance curve (p = 0.07) as well as the heart rate performance curve (p = 0.05) show a slight shift to higher velocities during the retest. The IAT shows an identical running velocity during the retest, the heart rate tends to be lower, and the lactate concentration is significantly (by 0,26 mmol · l-1; p < 0.05) lower than during the first test. Both a low degree of exhaustion (3 - 6 mmol · l-1 lactate; IAT3/2¿ shortened by 180 s) and an extension of the step duration from 3 to 5 min do not lead to significantly different velocities at the IAT. Moderate preliminary exercises (approximately 4 mmol · l-1 lactate) do not influence the velocity at the IAT, the heart rate is significantly higher. A reduction of the speed increment from 2 to 1 km · h-1 significantly increases the velocity at the IAT by 6 %. It is concluded that the determination of the IAT is highly objective, reliable and insensitive to changes of the incremental graded testing protocol, such as a previous warm-up, an extension of the step duration from 3 to 5 min as well as a lower degree of exhaustion. Significant differences may only arise from changes in the speed increment.

References

  • 1 Aunola S, Rusko H. Reproducibility of aerobic and anaerobic thresholds in 20 - 50 year old men.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1984;  53 260-266
  • 2 Beneke R. Anaerobic threshold, individual anaerobic threshold, and maximal lactate steady state in rowing.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995;  27 863-867
  • 3 British Standard Institution .Guide for the determination and reproducibility for a standard test method.  Precision of test methods I. BS5497. London; BSI 1979
  • 4 Brooks G A. Anaerobic threshold: a review of the concept and directions for the future.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1985;  17 22-31
  • 5 Coen B, Scharz L, Urhausen A, Kindermann W. Control of training in middle- and long-distance running by means of the individual anaerobic threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1991;  12 519-524
  • 6 Dressendorfer R H. Acute reduction in maximal oxygen uptake after long-distance running.  Int J Sports Med. 1991;  12 30-33
  • 7 Foster C, Cohen J, Donovan K, Gastrau P, Killian P J, Schrager M, Snyder A C. Fixed time versus fixed distance protocols for the blood lactate profile in athletes.  Int J Sports Med. 1993;  14 264-268
  • 8 Foster V L, Hume G J, Dickinson A L, Chatfield S J, Byrnes W C. The reproducibility of VO2max, ventilatory, and lactate thresholds in elderly women.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1986;  18 425-430
  • 9 Foxdal P, Sjödin B, Sjödin A, Östman B. The validity and accuracy of blood lactate measurements for prediction of maximal endurance running capacity.  Int J Sports Med. 1994;  15 89-95
  • 10 Heck H, Mader A, Hess G, Mücke S, Müller R, Hollmann W. Justification of the 4 mmol/l lactate threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1985;  3 117-130
  • 11 Heck H. Laktat in der Leistungsdiagnostik. Schorndorf; Hofmann 1991
  • 12 Heck H, Rosskopf P. Grundlagen verschiedener Laktatschwellenkonzepte und ihre Bedeutung für die Trainingssteuerung. In: Clasing D, Weicker H, Böning D (Hrsg) Stellenwert der Laktatbestimmung in der Leistungsdiagnostik. Stuttgart, Jena, New York; Gustav Fischer 1994: 111-131
  • 13 Heitkamp H C, Holdt M, Scheib K. The reproducibility of the 4 mmol/l lactate threshold in trained and untrained women.  Int J Sports Med. 1991;  12 363-368
  • 14 Hohorst H J. L-(+)-Laktat, Bestimmung mit Laktatdehydrogenase und DPN. In: Bergmeyer HU (Hrsg) Methoden der enzymatischen Analyse. Weinheim; Verlag Chemie 1962
  • 15 Jacobs I, McLellan T. Validity of the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT).  Can J Sports Sci. 1988;  13 60P
  • 16 Keith S P, Jacobs I, McLellan T M. Adaptations to training at the individual anaerobic threshold.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1992;  65 316-323
  • 17 Kindermann W, Simon G, Keul J. The significance of the aerobic-anaerobic determination of work load intensities during endurance training.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1979;  42 25-34
  • 18 Mader A, Liesen H, Heck H, Philippi H, Rost R, Schürch P, Hollmann W. Zur Beurteilung der sportartspezifischen Ausdauerleistungsfähigkeit im Labor.  Sportarzt u. Sportmed. 1976;  27 80-88 109-112
  • 19 McLellan T M, Skinner J S. Blood lactate removal during active recovery related to the aerobic threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1982;  3 224-229
  • 20 McLellan T M, Cheung K SY, Jacobs I. Incremental test protocol, recovery mode and the individual anaerobic threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1991;  12 190-195
  • 21 McLellan T M, Cheung K SY. A comparative evaluation of the individual anaerobic threshold and the critical power.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992;  24 543-550
  • 22 McLellan T M, Jacobs I. Reliability, reproducibility and validity of the individual anaerobic threshold.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1993;  67 125-131
  • 23 Neumann G, Gohlitz D. Trainingssteuerung im leichtathletischen Lauf mittels disziplinspezifischer Ausdauerstufentests.  Leistungssport. 1996;  26 63-67
  • 24 Prusacyk W K, Jacobs I, Bowden T, McLellan T M. A computational determination of the individual anaerobic threshold.  Comput Biol Med. 1993;  23 327-331
  • 25 Schütz W, Träger K, Anhäupl T, Schanda S, Rager C, Vogt J, Georgieff M. Adjustment of metabolism, catecholamines and beta-adrenoceptors to 90 min of cycle ergometry.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1995;  70 81-87
  • 26 Sjödin B, Jacobs I. Onset of blood lactate accumulate and marathon running performance.  Int J Sports Med. 1981;  2 23-26
  • 27 Stegmann H, Kindermann W, Schnabel A. Lactate kinetics and individual anaerobic threshold.  Int J Sports Med. 1981;  2 160-165
  • 28 Stegmann H, Kindermann W. Comparison of prolonged exercise tests at the individual anaerobic threshold and the fixed anaerobic threshold of 4 mmol · l-1 lactate.  Int J Sports Med. 1982;  3 105-110
  • 29 Urhausen A, Coen B, Weiler B, Kindermann W. Individual anaerobic threshold and maximum lactate steady state.  Int J Sports Med. 1993;  14 134-139
  • 30 Urhausen A, Weiler B, Coen B, Kindermann W. Plasma catecholamines during endurance exercise of different intensities as related to the individual anaerobic threshold.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1994;  69 16-20
  • 31 Weltman A, Snead D, Stein P, Seip R, Schurrer R, Rutt R, Weltman J. Reliability and validity of a continuous incremental treadmill protocol for the determination of lactate threshold, fixed blood lactate concentrations, and VO2max.  Int J Sports Med. 1990;  11 26-32
  • 32 Yoshida T. Effect of exercise duration during incremental exercise on the determination of anaerobic threshold and the onset of blood lactate accumulation.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1984;  53 196-199

B. Coen, Ph.D.

Institute of Sports- and Preventive MedicineUniversity of Saarland

66041 Saarbrücken

Germany

Fax: Fax:+ 49 (-681)-3024296

Email: E-mail:b.coen@rz.uni-sb.de