Originally Posted by
terrymorse
So does LT1 training zone provide
selective improvements, or is it simply the zone that
maximizes those adaptations? Or neither?
I recently listened to San Milan's video interview with Dylan Johnson, and I took away a couple of points he made about sub-LT1 training:
- working just below LT1 maximizes the lipolytic system activity
- if you do a hard effort during a zone 2 ride, you body produces hormones that turn off lipolysis, reducing the training effect
- if you want to include a hard effort during zone 2 ride, save it until the end of the ride
I assume all that is true and lactate itself is the signal to turn off lipolysis, as far as I know. The question seems to be whether training in that zone provides a specific and necessary stimulus for the development of those energy systems or, alternatively, it doesn't really matter: You metabolize just as much lactate when you're really honking and there's no convincing indication that you can improve your lipolytic capacity just by burning fat all day. In support of that view are the many data on the high efficiency of high-intensity interval training for improving aerobic capacity in athletes and untrained individuals.