Optimize Running Cadence to Improve Performance

Article originally published on HVMN.org (https://hvmn.com/blog/training/optimize-running-cadence-to-improve-performance) and authored by Brady Holmer on March 12, 2019

Nutrition, training, recovery. These three pillars of training are non-negotiable, and most athletes work hard to optimize them. However, there may be smaller tweaks you can make in running technique to reach higher levels of performance if you’ve hit a plateau.

Running cadence may be the next tool you can use to achieve a new PR.

The Importance of Cadence

Music has tempo. Songs have a unique beat you feel, a strong vibe to which you can’t help but nod your head.

Runners, like music, have tempo–called cadence.

Cadence, also known as stride frequency, is the number of steps taken per minute while running. While stride length refers to how long each particular step is, cadence measures the number of times your feet hit the ground.

Cadence is a highly-researched topic in sports science. Given its influence on many aspects of running (like injury risk, foot strike patterns, and oxygen consumption), cadence is something you should learn to train and optimize in order to reach new running levels.

How to Determine Running Cadence

Finding natural running cadence is simple, and can determine whether you might benefit from an increased or decreased step frequency. All you need is a stopwatch. Many running watches now come with a function that measures cadence for you, removing the need to count steps on your own.

While running with a natural cadence, count the number of steps taken in one minute. At the end of 60 seconds, the number of steps taken is your cadence. Another option is to count how many times your right foot contacts the ground in one minute, and multiply by two.

Don’t try to artificially manipulate your run cadence during this test; find your natural cadence. You can even repeat this measurement as you run at different speeds. This allows you to observe stride rate changes as you run faster or slower. Measure cadence on different runs, like a long tempo or a quick interval workout, and see the difference from a recovery run.

180 Steps per Minute: The Gold Standard?

Anyone familiar with running has probably heard of the long-held belief that 180 steps per minute is the ideal stride frequency, developed by legendary running coach Jack Daniels. Daniels observed that, on average, the elite runners typically run at a cadence of ~180 steps per minute. Since runners love to mimic what the elites do, it comes as no surprise this number was accepted as cadence dogma.

This number may represent an optimal cadence for some, but doesn’t serve as a rule of thumb for running cadence. Running cadence is influenced by a multitude of individual factors, and runners at all levels will have varying cadences, even at the same speed. Don’t stress if your running cadence isn’t near the magic number of 180 steps per minute.

Cadence can even depend on footwear. One study compared running cadence in a barefoot condition and a standard shoe condition, finding that cadence was around seven steps per minute greater (184 vs 176 steps per minute) when barefoot than in standard running shoes.1

World records and Olympic medals have been achieved in various distances with cadences as low as 170 and as high as 212. Individual variation in cadence exists. However, there probably is an individual optimal frequency for each runner. Finding and training this cadence can occur with practice and a bit of fine-tuning.

Running Cadence and Performance

Given the large variation even within a single runner, a simple measure of steps per minute might seem to have no performance relevance. Isn’t increasing stride rate just a matter of running faster? Turns out, running cadence has more of an impact on physiology and running form than you may think.

Sub-optimal running cadence can negatively impact performance.

A run cadence that is too low results in long strides and a greater risk of injury. A cadence that is too fast leads to choppy strides and sacrificed efficiency.

Metabolic Cost

Efficient use of oxygen during endurance sports is critical for performance. Even though freely-chosen cadence is found to be efficient for most, any shift closer to optimal leads to a reduced V02 (oxygen cost) at the same running speed. Efficiency increases along with running cadence.

Studies found most recreational runners self-select a running cadence resulting in an increased energetic cost of running. Basically, runners aren’t self-optimizing cadence. When forced to run the “optimal” cadence, running cost for novice and elite runners was reduced around 1% - 5%.2 This boost in performance is considerable when talking in terms of seconds and minutes saved during a race. Those small percentages may make the difference between a decent race and a great one. Cyclists using H.V.M.N. Ketone performed 2% - 3% better in a 30-minute time trial, going 400m further.3

An optimal cadence also minimizes heart rate at the same speed, suggesting a lower energetic cost and effort of running. A study suggests that runners who increased their running cadence above their self-chosen cadence can immediately reduce HR. In this study, 164 steps per minute was found to be the most efficient.4

Synchronizing Cadence with Heart Rate to Improve Efficiency

The idea that running efficiency (and hence performance) can be improved by coupling stride rate to the heart rate during exercise is known as “cardiolocomotor synchronization.” Essentially, it means timing your foot strike to occur in line with the contraction and relaxation of your heart.

Timing the foot strike to occur during diastole (when the heart relaxes) is hypothesized to improve blood flow, reduce stress on the heart, and lower the energetic cost of running. Elite male distance runners who adopted cardiolocomotor synchronization reduced their heart rate when their foot strike occurred during the relaxation phase of the heart, compared to a foot strike during contraction.5

Direct timing of these two processes may require invasive measurement, however, studies have shown most trained distance runners approach a 1:1 ratio of cadence and heart rate.6 You can use this rule of thumb to experiment with cardiolocomotor synchronization. Use a HR monitor during your runs, and manipulate your step rate to match your watch. This might be more applicable at intensities above 160 bpm since it will correspond more naturally to your run cadence.

There is direct evidence that synchronization works for performance enhancement. A pilot study of runners who synchronized cadence to heart rate led to an average improvement of 35 seconds in a five-kilometer race.6 They used an adapted headphone set linked to a heart rate monitor so they received real time feedback of how they should change stride length to match heart rate and weren’t too distracted. Seems like a cool way to hack a PR.

Fatigue Impacts Cadence

You’ve experienced the feeling of muscle fatigue in the late stages of a race. While hurtful to performance, muscular fatigue can also impact running cadence.

Studies in which participants have undergone “fatiguing” treadmill runs observe a decrease in stride frequency as runners become more fatigued.7,8 A lower cadence is accompanied by an increase in stride length (overstriding). In the same study, lowering cadence resulted in decreased loading forces even with the presence of overstriding. This might represent a fatigue-induced loss of capacity to produce optimal force and thus maximize performance capabilities. This comes at a sacrifice to running economy.

These findings highlight the importance of cadence awareness. In the race’s final miles, it may be important to mentally note stride rate at various points to see when you might unconsciously decrease cadence.

Manipulating cadence reactively when tired can prevent performance declines brought on by fatigue. When the number of steps you take starts to decline, take notice and change your running form.

Running Cadence and Injury Prevention

Runners sustain injuries, many of which stem from biomechanical factors related to cadence. These include stride length (overstriding) and problems that arise because of large loads placed on joints, tendons, and muscles that lead to overuse injuries.

Preventing Overstriding

Overstriding refers to the foot landing too far in front of a runner’s center of gravity. Some definitions propose that running form categorized by overstriding occurs when the landing foot spends too much time ahead of the center of gravity. Overstriding reduces running efficiency and places greater loads on joints and tendons, increasing risk of injury.

As cadence increases, stride length decreases; a quicker cadence is a way to prevent overly-long strides.

This is one of the ideas behind barefoot running, which naturally reverts runners to a quicker stride rate. Studies have indicated quicker cadence (even in normal running shoes) may mimic some of the beneficial effects of barefoot running, including shorter stride length and a foot strike closer to the center of gravity.

Light on Your Feet

Reductions in total load placed on the foot (plantar loading) were observed in runners who modified cadence to be 5% faster than preferred stride frequency.9 Specifically, a faster cadence led to reduced ground contact time, contact pressure, and force variables placed on the heel and metatarsal foot regions. A two-hour half marathon involves over 20,000 foot strikes–the stress adds up. Any small reduction in force per foot strike means your feet will thank you later.

Coordinating Gait

With each stride, parameters such as stride length and knee flexion undergo significant variability. Small changes in running technique can occur even within a single long run. For optimal efficiency, runners need to coordinate the movements of each individual leg component during all gait phases.

Inconsistency in gait coordination (higher variability) is seen in neuromuscular disorders and is also associated with higher incidence of running injury. Increasing running cadence has been shown to decrease measures of coordination variability (a good thing),10 theoretically decreasing risk of injury.

The Bee’s Knees

Manipulating running cadence to be 5% - 10% faster results in less mechanical energy absorbed at the knee by 20% - 34%, with lower loads correlating to increased cadence.11 Hip joint loading was also reduced when cadence increased by 10%. This is because a higher cadence reduces running kinematic variables such as center of mass, breaking impulse, and knee flexion angles. Even subtle increases in step rate (in this study, between 8 - 17 more foot strikes per minute) can significantly reduce loading on joints.11

How to Train Your Running Cadence

Should you change your running cadence? It depends. Many studies show whatever cadence runners freely adopt very likely is their optimal cadence (or even least something close to it).

Our bodies might automatically adapt to changes in various running conditions, muscular factors, and fatigue to find the sweet spot of stride frequency that works for us.12

Running cadence is reflexive. Miles of training hardwired a specific running cadence into your brain and biomechanics. Any attempt to change cadence must be systematic and approached with caution.

Rules of the Road

Research indicates most runners benefit from increasing cadence by 5% - 10% above their current self selected running cadence.11 This change is also shown to reduce running injuries.

To determine what your increased cadence looks like, take your current running cadence (for example, 170 strides per minute) and take 5% (or 10%) of this number.

170 x .05 = 8.5

Add this number to your current cadence to determine your new, higher running cadence.

170 + 8.5 = ~178 strides per minute for a 5% increase in cadence.

Developing a quicker cadence requires more than just willing your feet to move faster. The following drills and techniques for training cadence can be implemented into your running routine a few times per week. Perform these drills after a sufficient warmup or after a workout to improve running cadence and ingrain new patterns into your brain.

Music

Find songs with tempo corresponding to what your optimal running cadence should be. A simple search for “180 bpm songs” gives a slew of examples you can add to your playlist. Research shows runners spontaneously entrain stride rate to the tempo of music they are listening to, even when the changes in the beat aren’t noticeable.13

Metronome Training

Setting a metronome to your desired running cadence may also be a useful drill to train a faster or more natural stride frequency. While running on a treadmill or outside, synchronize your cadence with the metronome and foot strikes with the ticks. At first, it may be ideal to use a metronome intermittently during runs. Run with the metronome cadence for one minute and alternate this with your “natural” cadence for several minutes.

Hill Sprints

Running on an incline requires shortening stride length and naturally increasing cadence. Training faster cadence using hills minimizes impact forces (compared to downhill or even-ground running), which can reduce injury risk associated with higher intensity and higher impact running.

High Knees and Quick Steps

A higher running cadence means your feet will need to contact the ground quicker. Two key concepts here are faster turnover and lower ground contact time, and drills can be done five or six times weekly, either before or after a workout.

High knees involves bringing your knees to about chest level (or 90 degrees), moving your feet up and down as quickly as possibly. Focus on arm movement too, as quicker arm movement will also help entrain quicker steps and faster turnover. High knees can be done in place or while moving forward (slowly) for 20 yards at a time.

In quick steps, find a ~20 yard stretch of asphalt or turf (a football field works perfectly). While lifting feet only slightly off the ground, progressively move forward, trying to increase the speed of your foot contact to achieve a faster turnover every five yards.

The Optimal Frequency is the One Which Suits You

We’ve dismissed the notion of 180 steps per minute as the magic running cadence number. So...what actually is the optimal stride frequency? Ultimately, there is no single number. Most studies find a general range of between 160-190 steps per minute as the naturally adopted frequency for recreational runners and elite athletes.

Most runners have room for improvement. The optimal stride frequency for many runners is probably 3% faster than their preferred cadence. Running economy isn’t usually affected by the 3% reduction in stride length that comes with increasing cadence, but any change over 6% might be detrimental.14

There may be an energetic benefit from increasing stride rate and consciously changing your stride frequency depending on the type of runs.

It may take around 6 - 8 weeks for the muscle memory of a new cadence to take effect. Try to run around 50% of your weekly training mileage at the cadence for which you’re aiming. And start slow; rather than immediately bumping up cadence to 10% above normal, start with 2% - 3% per week until your reach 10%.

Find Your Rhythm

As you experiment with different running cadences, a new natural cadence will likely develop after the proper patterns and changes have become habitual. While efficiency might take a hit when first transitioning to quicker strides, eventually you will be able to sustain a higher stride rate with more efficiency and less effort.

In the spirit of self-experimentation, running cadence is an investment strategy with proven benefits. Find your rhythm.

Scientific Citations

1.Warne J, Moran KA, Warrington GD. Small Step Frequency Changes Due to Footwear Condition Have No Effect on Running Economy. Sports Medicine International Open 2018; 02(02): E41-E45.

2.Morgan D, Martin P, Craib M, Caruso C, Clifton R, Hopewell R. Effect of step length optimization on the aerobic demand of running. J Appl Physiol. 1994;77(1):245-51.

3.Cox, P.J., Kirk, T., Ashmore, T., Willerton, K., Evans, R., Smith, A., Murray, Andrew J., Stubbs, B., West, J., McLure, Stewart W., et al. (2016). Nutritional Ketosis Alters Fuel Preference and Thereby Endurance Performance in Athletes. Cell Metabolism 24, 1-13.

4.Van oeveren BT, De ruiter CJ, Beek PJ, Van dieën JH. Optimal stride frequencies in running at different speeds. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(10):e0184273.

5.Constantini K, Stickford ASL, Bleich JL, Mannheimer PD, Levine BD, Chapman RF. Synchronizing Gait with Cardiac Cycle Phase Alters Heart Rate Response during Running. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018;50(5):1046-1053.

6.Phillips B, Jin Y. Effect of adaptive paced cardiolocomotor synchronization during running: a preliminary study. J Sports Sci Med. 2013;12(3):381-7.

7.Hunter I, Smith GA. Preferred and optimal stride frequency, stiffness and economy: changes with fatigue during a 1-h high-intensity run. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2007;100(6):653-61.

8.Gerlach KE, White SC, Burton HW, Dorn JM, Leddy JJ, Hovarth PJ. Kinetic Changes with Fatigue and Relationship to Injury in Female Runners. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2005; 37 (4) 657-663

9.Wellenkotter J, Kernozek TW, Meardon S, Suchomel T. The effects of running cadence manipulation on plantar loading in healthy runners. Int J Sports Med. 2014;35(9):779-84.

10.Hafer JF, Freedman silvernail J, Hillstrom HJ, Boyer KA. Changes in coordination and its variability with an increase in running cadence. J Sports Sci. 2016;34(15):1388-95

11.Heiderscheit BC, Chumanov ES, Michalski MP, Wille CM, Ryan MB. Effects of step rate manipulation on joint mechanics during running. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(2):296-302’

12.Martin PE, Morgan DW. Biomechanical considerations for economical walking and running. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992;24(4):467-74.

13.Van dyck E, Moens B, Buhmann J, et al. Spontaneous Entrainment of Running Cadence to Music Tempo. Sports Med Open. 2015;1(1):15.

14.Moore IS. Is There an Economical Running Technique? A Review of Modifiable Biomechanical Factors Affecting Running Economy. Sports Med. 2016;46(6):793-807.

Lactate Threshold is Misunderstood

Originally published on HVMN.org (https://hvmn.com/blog/training/lactate-threshold-is-misunderstood) and authored by Nate Martins on April 11, 2019

If you want to start a debate in a group of runners, mention lactic acid and lactate threshold. The topics are two of the most confused and misunderstood in the running world. For the last few decades, lactate was presumed to be all bad–causing only muscle soreness and dashing dreams of personal records.

But that’s only half the story.

Lactate threshold is the exercise level at which lactic acid builds up in the blood. This accumulation of lactic acid is associated with fatigue, and most people assume the burning sensation of hard exercise is caused by lactic acid.

Endurance athletes specifically focus on lactate threshold as a measure of efficiency and fitness. For many, the goal of training is to maintain increased power and speed without crossing over this threshold. Most athletes want to stave off blood lactate accumulation, training so they clear it faster and produce less.

That’s why lactate is generally considered a four-letter-word, thought to be a waste product linked to muscle fatigue.

Research on the issue makes muddy waters more clear: producing and burning lactate provide essential fuel for cells throughout the body when oxygen is depleted.1

Lactate & Lactate Threshold Basics

There’s a nuance to lactate responsible for its bad rap.

Lactate: More Protons, More Problems

Lactate can be produced throughout the body naturally.2 It’s a result of rapidly burning carbohydrate when the demand for energy is high, and oxygen availability is low, such as during sprinting or other high-intensity workouts.

Glucose is the body’s most readily available fuel, easily transported around the body and broken down to support short bursts of intense exercise. Glucose gets metabolized by a process called glycolysis, resulting in pyruvate. There are two possible uses for pyruvate: anaerobic or aerobic energy production.

When there is plenty of oxygen, pyruvate is turned into energy in the form of ATP through the aerobic pathway. Without enough oxygen present, pyruvate has another fate: anaerobic conversion to lactate. So all that huffing and puffing during intense exercise is used (among other things) to fuel the metabolic reactions that make our muscles work.

The majority of lactate released into the blood is mopped up in the liver where it can be converted back into glucose via a process called gluconeogenesis, and then released back into circulation.1 For example, the brain can directly use it as fuel (along with other parts of the body).

Lactate itself isn’t at all that bad for the body. The bad part is the acid associated with it.

Lactate caries a proton (an acid) when it’s released, and the build up of protons decreases the pH of the blood. When the body gets more acidic, function becomes compromised because the protons interfere with energy production and muscle contraction.

All this time, athletes have been blaming lactate like it’s a referee. But they should be blaming those protons.

Still, generally, lactate is pretty much always associated with protons, so there is a strong relationship between high lactate and fatigue.

Lactate Threshold: Recycling is the Name of the Game

Blood lactate levels rise gradually as one exercises. The harder the exercise, the higher it climbs; this is an indicator of a shift in our energy production from aerobic (lots of oxygen) to anaerobic (less oxygen).

Before reaching the lactate threshold, blood lactate concentrations increase gradually. But upon arriving at the lactate threshold, the blood concentration of lactate begins to exponentially increase. Usually that intensity hovers around 80% of an athlete’s maximum heart rate, or 75% of their maximum oxygen intake–but you can also link it to speed or power.

Recycling lactate is true north of endurance training, which aims to maintain an intensity below the lactate threshold. When the recycling process can’t keep up, lactate produced by the exercising muscles begins build up in the bloodstream.

Well-designed training programs target both sides of the lactate threshold; there should be some training sessions working at or above LT. These sessions are harder on the body, but this forces adaptations that ultimately increase speed on race day.

Why Does Lactate Build Up Happen During High Intensity Exercise?

Lactate buildup is a result of the rapid anaerobic breakdown of carbohydrate.

Cells break down carbs and fats from our food to produce a molecule called ATP (the body’s energy currency), which is then used as energy by exercising muscles. ATP is produced from carbs through a three-step process: Glycolysis, Krebs Cycle and Electron Transport Chain (ETC). Products from Glycolysis feed Krebs which feeds ETC.

ETC is what generates most of our ATP. Energy generated from ETC is effective enough to sustain moderately-intense exercise...but the process doesn’t happen fast enough to keep up with the energy demand of high-intensity exercise. This means rapid-release energy from glycolysis is required to keep going. Glycolysis increases to supplement the difference but, as we know, this leads to lactate production.

Oxygen delivery rate also becomes limited during high intensity exercise. The ETC absolutely relies on oxygen for its function. We can’t breathe enough, or pump blood fast enough to our muscles when they are in overdrive to keep the ETC going. This necessitates oxygen-free energy production via glycolysis and lactate production.

That extra lactate (along with its acidic proton) ends up in the blood and decreases our pH. Our brains aim to keep a steady state of pH, and sensing this imbalance in pH, cause us feel nauseous. This leads to a feeling of fatigue, then a decrease intensity, then decreasing ATP demand, then glycolysis slows, leading to a better match between oxygen demand and oxygen delivery. Ultimately, this match allows lactate clearance from the blood.

Exercise above the lactate threshold can only be sustained for a limited amount of time: the body runs out of glycogen (stored carbs) to convert into lactate, and the increasing acidity of the blood causes fatigue.

Better athletic performance comes from training with LT in mind, geared to a higher production of speed or power at the lactate threshold.

How to Figure Out Lactate Threshold

Testing protocols to determine lactate threshold are sport-specific. Many consider the running speed at lactate threshold (RSLT) to be the best indicator of running fitness and the most reliable barometer of endurance performance.

In cycling, step-tests (where power is increased at regular intervals until you are exhausted) are the gold standard for measuring physiological performance markers, such as lactate threshold.

Upon completing the test and finding a personal lactate threshold, one can begin incorporating lactate threshold training to target specific adaptations for the body to make.

There are a few different ways to test for a personal lactate threshold, and factors to consider when doing so. It’s important to remember everyone is different, and lactate threshold changes in response to training (or sadly, de-training).

Lab Testing: Accurate But Expensive

The most concrete way to determine lactate threshold is to take a series of blood samples as exercise is conducted at increasing intensities. This type of lactate testing occurs at an exercise physiology laboratory, and tends to be expensive (but worth it).

In a lactate threshold test, athletes exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike while increasing intensity every few minutes until exhaustion. A blood sample is taken during the each stage of the test–similar to testing for ketones, through the fingertip or earlobe–illustrating blood lactate readings at various running speeds or cycling power outputs. Results are then plotted on a curve to show the speed or power at which the lactate threshold occurs.

However, lactate threshold changes as more training is done to build your aerobic base. So in order to maintain an updated understanding of your lactate threshold, you’d have to visit the lab again after a block of training.

During her time on the Great Britian Rowing Team, H.V.M.N. Research lead, Dr Brianna Stubbs, did lactate threshold testing every 2-3 months. She recounts the collective effort to find lactate threshold.

"The gym even got gory on step-test days, with athletes dripping blood from the testing holes in their earlobes."Dr. Brianna Stubbs

"Seeing results change over time was interesting," she said. "I recorded my highest power at lactate threshold toward the end of the winter training block, which made sense because that’s when we did most of our endurance work."

Do-it-Yourself Field Test: You Have a Few Options

Many endurance athletes choose to estimate their lactate threshold by measuring heart rate and/or VO2 max at different training zones (there’s even a portable lactate blood analyzer some use to further cement results).

VDOT (or VO2 max) Chart

• A VDOT chart is an adjusted VO2 max chart (created by esteemed running coach Jack Daniels) that uses some of your most recent run times (at max effort) to identify training pace that will maintain your lactate threshold. There are two corresponding chats that work together to illustrate max effort and training paces for different distances (we've simplified it above)

• For example, running at a 7:49 mile pace at max effort corresponds to a VDOT number of 36. That VDOT number illustrates the pace at which training should be done to maintain lactate recycling: 8:55. For a more in-depth analysis of interval training and different distances, refer to these charts here

Conconi Method

• Using a heart rate monitor set to a five second recording interval

• Begin running and increase speed every 200 meters until exhaustion. The goal isn’t to maintain a steady state of exercise, instead increasing incrementally to test yourself

• Plot heart rate against speed; the deflection point in the graph (where your heart rate goes up much more than your speed) roughly corresponds to speed at lactate threshold

Time-Trial Method / 30-Minute Test

• Research has shown that doing a 30 minute flat out time trial is one of the most accurate ways to find your lactate threshold without using fancy equipment3

• Start by warming up

• Then, on a track or treadmill, run for 30 minutes at the fastest sustainable pace. 10 minutes into the run, obtain and note your heart rate. Then, after the final 20 minutes of the test, obtain and note your heart rate again

• Add your heart rate at the 10-minute mark to heart rate at the 30-minute mark–that's your lactate threshold heart rate. And your average pace for the entire 30-minute test (assuming it was steady) is your lactate threshold pace

Both elite athletes and weekend warriors can benefit from understanding personal lactate threshold to maximize results. However, lactate threshold is impacted by training and changes over time. So keeping regular on these types of tests will indicate an improving lactate threshold through focused training.

Optimizing Lactate Metabolism

Lactic acid gets blamed for muscle soreness, but the production of lactate is an important metabolic process. The idea that lactate is pure waste and leads to fatigue is somewhat outdated. Nevertheless, a higher speed or power at lactate threshold is still one of the key goals of aerobic training.1

Different strategies can help minimize lactate buildup during exercise.

Warming Up: As Important as Cooling Down

Warming up is important to reducing risk for injury and minimizing potential lactate buildup. During a warm-up, heart rate increases, and blood vessels dilate, meaning there is more blood flow and more oxygen reaching your muscles.

When exercise intensity picks up the pace, there’s less mismatch between oxygen needs of the muscles and blood. Therefore, you don’t need to do as much anaerobic respiration, and you don’t build lactate early in the run.

Equally, cooling down and stretching immediately after a workout is especially important. Gentle exercise (slow jogging or spinning on a bike) or using a foam roller can help clear lactic acid buildup from the muscle by stimulating blood flow and encouraging lymphatic drainage.

Nutrition and Supplements: Replenishment is Key

The key to dealing with high lactate production is dealing with the acid associated with it (that pesky little proton). Two “buffer supplements,” sodium bicarbonate and beta-alanine, work by mopping up that proton. This means lactate levels can go higher than before without triggering fatigue because the proton is taken care of.

Beta-alanine works inside the muscles to clean up protons before they affect muscle contraction. Compounding effects of beta-alanine powder (~5g per day) happen after several weeks, but studies show around a 2-3% performance boost.4

Sodium bicarbonate is better for short-term boosts in proton buffering. Bicarbonate is the main buffer usually binding protons to stop blood from becoming too acidic. About an hour before exercise, taking bicarb powder dissolved in water, at 0.3kg per body weight, has shown to improve performance.5 Be weary of stomach aches when first introducing bicarb. But there are bicarbonate gels that provide the same buffing effect without the side-effects.6

Lactate can only be produced by breaking down carbs. Sustaining an exercise intensity that is producing lactate means the depletion carbohydrate stores (glycogen). When the glycogen gas tank reads empty, we hit a wall.

Exogenous ketones can lower lactate production. By drinking pre-workout exogenous ketones, like H.V.M.N. Ketone, your body can use the ketones for energy instead of carbohydrates–glycolysis decreases and therefore, so does lactate production.

Having ketones as a whole new source of fuel means the body doesn’t need to dip into its existing carb and protein stores: athletes using H.V.M.N. Ketone show a decrease in the breakdown of intramuscular glycogen and protein during exercise, compared to carbohydrates alone.7

Exercise: Training Toward Adaptation

Regular training forces the body to adapt; what once felt like an unsustainable pace becomes easy. And adopting a training plan helps accelerate how that adaption will progress.

Looking at the whole body, the heart muscle gets stronger, building more small blood vessels. These small blood vessels mean more oxygen-rich blood can be transported to the muscles, requiring less demand for anaerobic respiration and lactate production.

On a muscular level, cells can produce more mitochondria, which are the site of aerobic respiration. This helps increase reliance on that energy system. Muscle cells also express more of the transport proteins for lactate, so lactate doesn’t build up inside the cells and compromise their function.8

Lactate threshold training switches up workout intensity, optimizing the body’s lactate response.

Peter Broomhall, who has been running ultramarathons for seven years, started incorporating lactate training into his regimen with his coach.

"I’ve trained with lactate threshold in mind this year more than any other year. It takes time to build up that threshold, but things like recovery become quicker. It compliments every aspect of training."Peter Broomhall

For runners, one way to work on lactate threshold is to breakdown a run into mile sections: the first mile or two should be run at a pace just below lactate threshold, while the proceeding mile section should be slower, thus allowing the body to process the lactate. Active recovery is more effective at clearing lactate than passive recovery.9 This allows a high volume of miles without going overboard.

Lactate, A Misunderstood Villain

Next time your running club gangs up on lactic acid, maybe you can remind everyone of its important role in helping our bodies produce energy quickly when oxygen is short.

We do know the combination of high lactate (and the associated increase in protons in the muscles and blood) can impact our ability to maintain peak athletic performance. But we now have a deeper understanding of blood lactate (and how to optimize it), thanks to monitoring tools outside the lab, structural training regimens and recovery techniques.

We’re altering how the body responds to lactate with nutrition supplements like H.V.M.N. Ketone and bicarb gels. And in the process, we’re rewriting the old story about lactic acid.

Scientific Citations

1.Patrizia Proia, Carlo Maria Di Liegro, Gabriella Schiera, Anna Fricano, and Italia Di Liegro. Lactate as a Metabolite and a Regulator in the Central Nervous System. Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Sep; 17(9): 1450. Published online 2016 Sep 1.

2.Matthew L. Goodwin, M.A., James E. Harris, M.Ed., Andrés Hernández, M.A., and L. Bruce Gladden, Ph.D. J. Blood Lactate Measurements and Analysis during Exercise: A Guide for Clinicians. Diabetes Sci Technol. 2007 Jul; 1(4): 558–569. Published online 2007 Jul.

3.McGehee JC, Tanner CJ, Houmard JA. A comparison of methods for estimating the lactate threshold. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Aug;19(3):553-8

.4.Hobson RM, Saunders B, Ball G, Harris RC, Sale C. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012 Jul;43(1):25-37. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

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