Vo2 Max and LIP testing in elite
and non elite athletes
SHERRIDEN BYRNE AND TRACEY YOUNG
Introduction
 VO2 Max & Lactate Inflection Point (LIP)
 Determinants of LIP
 Relationship between LIP and VO2 Max
 Gender differences in LIP
 Gender Differences in VO2 Max
 Differences between trained/untrained athletes, Chronic
adaptations to exercise
 VO2 Max and LIP test procedure
 Results discussion
 Conclusion
Lactate Inflexion Point (LIP)
 The Lactate Inflection Point is the point at which
lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream
as it is being produced faster than it can be removed.
 If exercise intensity increases beyond the LIP then
the athlete has to reduce or stop muscle effort.
 When exercising below the LIP intensity any lactate
produced by the muscles is removed by the body
without it building up. The lactate threshold is a
useful measure for deciding exercise intensity for
training and racing in endurance sports.
Lactate Inflexion Point
bp0.blogger.com/.../E5_KlzXmnAA/s400/lactate.JPG
Relationship between LIP and Vo2 Max
 LIP is normally expressed as a percentage of an individuals
VO2 Max therefore reflects the maximum capacity of the
aerobic system.
 For example, if Paul’s VO2 max occurs at 24 km/h on a
treadmill test and a sharp rise in blood lactate
concentration above resting levels is seen at 12 km/h then
the LIP is said to be 50% VO2 max.
 If Joey’sVo2 Max occurs at 30 km/h and a sharp rise in
blood lactate concentration is seen at 22 km/h what would
the LIP be?
 Who do you think is more likely to be a trained athlete and
why?
Determinants of LIP
 Training: Trained athletes have a higher LIP relative
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to their VO2 Max as LIP occurs at a higher intensity
of exercise.
Age
Heart Rate
Stroke volume
Haemoglobin concentration
Bicarbonate levels
Gender differences in LIP
 2 Volunteers: Male and female
 Who would have a better Lactate Inflexion Point?
Why?
 Little or no difference is seen in the Lactate Inflexion
Point results in equally trained/untrained men and
women.
 Reflects state of fitness not gender
Gender Differences in Vo2 Max
• Two volunteers: male and female
•Who would have a better Vo2 Max
and why?
•Healthy untrained women 15%30% below the scores for men
• Trained athletes 10%-20%
•Differences attributed to
•Body composition (body fat)
•Blood’s haemoglobin
concentration
•Lung Volume
•Heart size
btc.montana.edu/Olympics/physiology/pb02.html
Trained/untrained differences
Chronic adaptation to exercise
•Lung volume increases
•Vo2 Max increases up to 30%
•Recovery heart rate returns to
resting levels faster
•Lactate Inflexion Point increases
•Stroke volume increases
•Blood volume increases
•Haemoglobin count increases
•Volume of left ventricle increases
after aerobic training
•Hypertrophy of left ventricle occurs
after anaerobic training
•Max heart rate remains the same
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/lactatethreshold.html
Trained/untrained differences
Chronic adaptation to exercise
 As the exercise intensity draws closer to VO2 max
sharp increase in blood lactate accumulation
 fatigue occurs
 lactate threshold is broken.
 In world-class athletes lactate threshold typically occurs at
70-80% VO2 max.
 In untrained individual’s it occurs at about 50-60% VO2
max
 Generally, in two people with the same VO2 max, the one
with a higher lactate inflexion point will perform better in
endurance events.
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Trained/untrained differences
Chronic adaptation to exercise
Assistants
 Warm up – calculate 20% HR and warm up on treadmill
 Timer
 Speed setter
 Heart rate monitor
 Recorder
Heart rate
 Perceived Rate of Exertion
 Anecdotal comments
 Lactate measurement
 Enter results into computer
 Cool down
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Test Procedure
 Warm up on treadmill until their HR is approx 20%
of their Vo2 Max
 Start the test – treadmill at 3% incline
 After 5 minutes
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Straddle the treadmill
Increase the treadmill by 0.5km/hr
Take blood lactate reading
Take heart rate reading
Ask the subject for their PRE
 Continue to increase treadmill speed and take
readings until termination
Results
Conclusion
 Trained/untrained
 Chronic adaptations