INTRODUCTION: LT expressed relative to absolute work output, e.g. as watt (LTW) among cyclists, show positive correlation with performance level (1). In contrast, the importance of LT expressed as %VO2max (LT%) in endurance sports has been unclear. Elite athletes are expected to have higher LT% than non-elite athletes (2), and data from cyclists imply differences between elite and regional athletes (3). On the other hand, another study in a small cohort of cyclists did not find a correlation between LT% and performance (1). The aim of the study was to assess whether there are differences in LT% between a large cohort of endurance athletes representing three different sports at the elite, national and regional levels. METHODS: LT and VO2max data were collected from 292 athletes in three different endurance sports (75 long-distance runners, 95 cross-country skiers and 122 cyclists). LT was defined as the warm up [La-]b value (i.e., measured after the lowest running velocity) + 2.3 mmol · L-1, using the Arkray Lactate Pro LT-1710 analyzer. Performance level was divided into elite (N=71), national (N=158) and regional (N=63), based on history of competition level. A General Linear Model (GLM) with Tukey`s post hoc test was performed to detect possible differences in VO2max and LT% between the three groups divided by competition level. A p-value ‹ 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: In total, the average VO2max among elite, national and regional athletes were 71.1 ± 6.5, 64.2 ± 8.0 and 58.1 ± 6.4 mL·kg-1·min-1 respectively, with significant differences between the three groups (p‹0.01). However, LT% were 79±6, 80±7 and 80±7 % respectively, with no significant differences between either of the three groups. In the order elite, national and regional level, VO2max results for males were 72.1±6.1, 68.0±7.1 and 60.6±5.5 mL·kg-1·min-1 respectively, with significant differences between all groups (p‹0.01). VO2max results for females were 64.8±5.2, 58.2±5.1 and 55.4±6.2 mL·kg-1·min-1 respectively, with significant differences between all groups (p‹0.01). LT% results for men were 77.9±6.3, 79.0±6.8 and 78.9±7.4% respectively, with no significant differences between groups. LT% results for women were 84.4±4.7, 82.6±5.4 and 81.9±6.7% respectively, with no significant differences between groups. CONCLUSION: This study showed that LT% was similar between elite, national and regional endurance athletes, and therefore supports studies indicating that LT% is not a performance determining variable in endurance sports.
© Copyright 2022 27th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Sevilla, 30. Aug - 2. Sep 2022. Julkaistu Tekijä Faculty of Sport Science - Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Kaikki oikeudet pidätetään. / Kääntänyt https://www.DeepL.com/Translator