Preparation: No eating 2 hours prior to test. Sport drink and water are permissible.

Do only low level training (Zone 1 or 2) for 2 days prior to testing Do not do any training the day of testing. If testing will be performed in more than one sport, 48 hour rest is recommended between tests.

What you will need: A heart rate monitor that can give you your average heart over 30 min.

Bike protocol: The Bike course can be flat or a consistent climb, preferably with no stop signs. Warm-up for 15 minutes of cycling, move through the different gears, try to keep the cadence above 90 RPMS.

Increase the tension, and stand up a few times, and also do a few sprint. After 15 min, you are ready for the test! Start out in a gear that you can maintain 90 RPMS in.

Run test protocol: We want to know our heart rate training zones for running as well. This is best if done on a flat uninterrupted path, trail, or on the track.

Warm up 15 minute warm-up of easy running, finish with a few quick 20 seconds bursts to get your heart rate in the correct training zone.

Now you are going to do a 30 minute Time Trial. This means you are going to ride as hard, and as fast as you can for 30 min. 

10 minutes into the test, start the heart rate monitor and record the last 20 min of the time trial.

Your average heart rate for the final 20 minutes is your Lactate Threshold or LT.

You should finish knowing you gave it everything you had. Now cool and walk easy for 15 minutes.

Now to determine you zones take you LT number and multiple it by the Zone percent.

Zone 1: Active recovery

65-75% of LT_____________

In this zone you are burning primarily body fat for energy. You should be in this zone for recovery rides, for warm-ups and cool-downs and also for the easy portion of long rides. Training in this zone helps to build your endurance for tours and ultra races.

Zone 2: Aerobic

75 - 85% of LT______________

In this zone you are burning a mix of fat and glycogen (carbs) for energy. Training in this zone will improve your ability to transport oxygen. You should be in this zone much of the time during rides over three or four hours, except for climbs in zone 3.

Zone 3: Threshold

85-95% of LT_______________

In this zone you are burning primarily glycogen for energy. Training here will improve your efficiency burning carbohydrates. You should be in this zone most of the time when climbing. You will have better endurance if you can climb in zone 3 and ride the flats and rollers in zone 2, instead of climbing at a higher heart rate and then taking a long time to recover in zone 1.

Zone 4:

Lactate

95 - 105% of LT_______________ I

n this zone you are burning glycogen for energy, but without enough oxygen, so you are going anaerobic. Training in this zone builds speed and your tolerance for lactate acid and over time raises your lactate threshold. This training is hard on your body and it takes a day or two to recover.

Zone 5:

VO2

>105% of LT_________________

In this zone, you are working completely anaerobically. Short efforts in this zone will increase your VO2 max, the ability of your body to transport oxygen to the working muscles. Now read the article on LT Training to see how you can apply this to your training, and make it your best year ever!