Training to increase V02 max and lactate threshold is the key to super stamina.

Some truly believe that Lance Armstrong is some sort of athletic anomaly, but I beg to differ.

Lance Armstrong’s level of performance success with winning seven Tour de France in a row is worth its weight in gold, but what if I told you, you could also reach such a level?

Yes, it is a scientific fact that some people are born with genetic gifts for certain sports. For example, some sprinters tend to have predominantly fast twitch muscle fibers and some endurance athletes have more slow twitch muscle fibers. Regardless, we all have the ability to improve and even exceed our predetermined levels of athleticism, if we train accordingly – mentally and physically.

Increasing lactate threshold* with training has been shown to increase muscle efficiency by 5-30% in those from a beginner level of fitness to those at a more advanced level. When Armstrong’s career first began, he was considered only an average athlete with a pretty average level of muscle efficiency, but with applying specific training protocols for his sport, his body simply became what some consider superhuman.

While his muscle efficiency rate was pretty average when he first began, seven years later, there was a huge positive change in lactate threshold/VO2 max levels that came about specifically from training.

The S.A.I.D. Principle (specific adaptations to imposed demands) is the foundation for sport specific training. Specific adaptations are known to take place in the human body in response to specific types of stimuli. This principle is the basis for physiological changes due to the imposed demands of the specific training stimuli. The S.A.I.D. principle is something that was used throughout Armstrong’s training. Lance is definitely an exceptional endurance athlete, and therefore, his training would need to be specific to allow his body to work for long periods of time. You may be surprised, though, to learn that his training did not simply entail riding a bike.

In order to get to the next level, Armstrong’s training involved high intensity intervals and weight training. This helped to increase his VO2 max (the highest rate of oxygen consumption attainable during maximal or exhaustive exercise) and his lactate threshold to give his muscles more power to move faster using less energy. Doing sport specific aerobic training for hours on end to increase the capillary density of the muscles used while cycling and prepping his body in a similar way to how the race would occur all factored into Armstrong’s level of success.

Lance Armstrong – superhuman? Maybe. But most likely just a serious level of dedication, mental toughness, and a specific training protocol that anyone can do to exceed in their own levels of fitness.

*When increasing running pace or workload there is a point at which lactic acid begins to accumulate. This is a crucial workload, as lactic acid can inhibit muscle contraction and energy production and cause pain and a burning sensation. The point at which lactic acid begins to accumulate is called the lactate threshold.

References:
Astrand, P.O., and Rodaht, K. (1986). Textbook of Work Physiology:3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Wilmore, JH and Costill, DL. (2005). Physiology of Sport and Exercise: 3rd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

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