Modeling lactate threshold in young squad athletes: influence of sex, maximal oxygen uptake, and cost of running

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Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to investigate: 1. The influence of sex and age on the accuracy of the classical model of endurance performance, including maximal oxygen uptake (VO2peak), its fraction (LT2%), and cost of running (CR), for calculating running speed at lactate threshold 2 (vLT2) in young athletes. 2. The impact of different Cdetermination methods on the accuracy of the model. 3. The contributions of VO2peak , LT2%, and Cto vLT2 in different sexes.
Methods
45 male and 55 female young squad athletes from different sports (age: 15.4 ± 1.3 years; VO2peak: 51.4 ± 6.8 mL ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1) performed an incremental treadmill test to determine VO2peak, LT2%, CR, and vLT2. CR was assessed at
a fixed running speed (2.8 m ⋅ s−1), at lactate threshold 1 (LT1), and at 80% of VO2peak , respectively.
Results
Experimentally determined and modeled vLT2 were highly consistent independent of sex and age (ICC ≥ 0.959). The accuracy of vLT2 modeling was improved by reducing random variation using individualized CR at 80% VO2peak (± 4%) compared to CR at LT1 (± 7%) and at a fixed speed (± 8%). 97% of the total variance of vLT2 was explained by VO2peak, LT2%, and CR. While VO2peak and CR showed the highest unique (96.5% and 31.9% of total R2 , respectively) and common (– 31.6%) contributions to the regression model, LT2% made the smallest contribution (7.5%).
Conclusion
Our findings indicate: 1. High accuracy of the classical model of endurance performance in calculating vLT2 in young athletes independent of age and sex. 2. The importance of work rate selection in determining CR to accurately predict
vLT2. 3. The largest contribution of VO2peak and CR to vLT2, the latter being more important in female athletes than in males, and the least contribution of LT2%.
Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean journal of applied physiology
Volume123
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)573-583
Number of pages11
ISSN1439-6319
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21.11.2022

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