Maximilian Hoflich on Training Intensity and Testing

What this episode covers

Endurance Innovation is now on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/enduranceinnovation]! Have a peek at our page and show us some love. 148 Maximilian Hoflich * 3:30 meet Maximillian Hoflich of Polite Coaching * 6:15 the very basics of beginning an endurance training program * 9:15 starting to think about eliciting specific metabolic responses during training * 10:00 stimulus response model * 10:45 the 3-zone model of intensity * 12:30 a muscle fiber utilization model of training intensity (in a 3-zone model) * Zone 1 - exclusively type 1 (slow twitch) * Zone 2 - beginning to use type 2a (aerobic fast twitch) on top of type 1 * Zone 3 - heavy type 2a use as well as potentially some type 2x in very intensity bursts * 18:30 the value of developing the aerobic system for endurance athletes * 19:30 why bother controlling and monitoring training intensity? * 21:45 defining 'the'magic' zone 2 * 23:45 determining the top of zone 2 (VT1, LT1) * First appearance of excess CO2 during a VO2 test using a metabolic cart * First lactate rise observed during a lactate step test * 32:45 goals for lactate values during ironman training * 35:30 triggering an improvement in Z2 power  * High volume training * Substrate availability can be used to enhance shorter bouts of Z2 training * 37:30 using a combination of power and HR to gauge progress in Z2 training * Using this metric to gauge training load during longer efforts - up to 80% of HRmax for Z2 work in fit individuals * Confounding factors * HR-limited Z2 validation testing * 42:30 the role of RPE * 44:30 training Z2 when training time is restricted * SOME CHO restricted training may be useful, but care must be taken - especially for female athletes * Using Z2 training during life-stressful situations * 49:30 defining the second intensity threshold (VT2, LT2, MLSS, CP) * It is possible to maintain work below this point for a relatively long period * Combustion of CHO increases rapidly as athletes approach this threshold and more type 2a muscles are used * These 'thresholds' are more of a range than a fine inflection point * 56:15 determining MLSS * All-out time trials >30 minutes * Lactate minimum test following a max-effort ramp test * 63:00 training to improve time to exhaustion at MLSS * Sweet spot intervals at the lower edge of the estimate of MLSS * Over-unders * Some low cadence work  * ideally, stressing the type 2a fibers to improve their endurance * 67:30 work above MLSS - aka VO2max or HIIT  * Improving VO2max ceiling * Most effective workouts for accumulating time above 90% VO2max may be longer intervals such as fast starts * Short HIIT intervals like 30-30s may be less useful for long-endurance athletes with limited anaerobic / glycolytic capacities  * 74:30 should we be doing training in the aero position or sitting up - especially during VO2max intervals Follow Maximilian on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/maximilianpolite/]and get in touch through his website [https://polite-coaching.com/].