| Author | Message | ||
     Jove New member Username: Jove Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2008 |
Hi Juerg, I'm interested in the protocol used for the LBP test rather than the standard step test. I've read the section on the LBP test on your website, but I'm still not clear on the exact protocol used (how long the steps last, whether they are based on wattage or heart rate etc.) The graph on your website shows a line connecting the 2 mmol (140 heart rate) to the 6 mmol (~175 heart rate). How were these points determined? Any advice on the protocol for determining LBP and the interpretation of the results would be great! Thanks, Jeff | ||
| Juerg New member Username: Juerg Post Number: 417 Registered: 04-2006 |
Hallo Jeff, Thanks for the question. Small problem . We do not really have a written protocol , as in a physiological test you may have to "react" sometimes , depending on the bodies reaction of a specific person. So I can give a one protocol I would use on one of my athletes and will tell you why we do what in a specific part of the test. The reason of this so called "reactions" is due to the fact , that each person may react different in the second part of a FaCT test and if you follow a fixed protocoll you may end up with no result. Here a short explaination why. Person A is a very highly trained endurance person with many years of basic endurance. Therefor possibly much higher mitochondria density than let's say a down hill skier. Possibly there is a major difference in the muscle fiber situation with Person A likely much higher % of STF fibers compared to the downhill skier. Additionally there may be a major difference in capillarisation in this 2 people. So as you can imagine there may be in fact a very big difference in the % this two people can push oxygen dependent from thei maximal heart rate or maximal wattage or maximal lactate. This example exactly is the reason why we strongly believe, that research and publications done with groups by comparing the intensity on % of max VO2 may be at least starting with some questions on the value of thsi tests. Now to your question and the protocoll. Person A ( endurance guy ) may have at the end of the first part of FaCT a maximal tested lactate of 3.8 ( all out ) and this is a real number from an athlete we tested and he was a 2.11 marathon runner, or another top cross country skier in Calgary with 4.1 maximal tested lactate. Now in both this cases if you follow a 5 min step length protocol and you drop them in the second part down to 50 % performance you will "loose" the result immediately , as they will have a very low and some times real LOW reading on the analyzer, due to the very effective recycling ability of the lactate in this athletes. Si here you will follow a person specific protocol with different timings due to the individual lactate dynamic. In case of the down hill skier and as well a real test you may have a maximal tested lactate of 16 - 18 mmol/l and now you have in the second part no rush at all to see the change in lactate dynamic and you have no time pressure what's however. So the following "Protocol" is a very basic start and you can change it accordingly to your body . Part One step test. 3 - 5 min steps on the way up based on wattage or speed or any other physical number. Start very slow so you don't miss the LLL or the HRV as this a 2 nice informations you may like to have for specific training ideas.. Example If you have a bodyweight above 65 kg you make 20 watt steps other wise if you are less heavy or a beginner you make 10 watt steps. This for your first time testing and based on your result you than adapt a new protocol for you. Start by body weight to watt ratio 1 if a beginner and 2 if an advanced person. so 70 watt as a beginner 120 - 1 30 watt as an advanced person. So this will give you the performance line . Example 60 wattage 94 HR 70 98 80 101 90 114 100 126 110 135 120 146 130 154 140 158 Now the person like to stop and now you take the first lactate sample. Why : You hope it was an intensity where the person was in the oxygen independent zone as well and we will see some lactate accumulated in the blood. Now the second test starts. 140 158 lactate 8.4 Now you drop to about 50 % performance which in this case is 70 wattage So you go to 70 wattage and now you stay there for 3 - 5 min. Now here you have to make an initial decision. Check HR steady and if the heart rate drops fast. se HJR by 70 wattage in the first part and you reach this HR after 3 min you take already a first sample. if it drops slow you take it after 5 min. Let's assume it dropped slow so after 5 min 70 wattage HR 120 and lactate 5.8 Now you immediately go and try now to raise the HR by 5 - 10 beats , which , based on the first part of the test will be 10 - 20 wattage higher. So you add 20 wattage and check the HR trend . stay for 3 - 5 min till the HR stabilized on the "target" HR of 125 - 135 and after 5min take a sample so 90 wattage HR was at the last min by app. 131 . now let the person go for another min with the same wattage till you have the result and than decide whether you take another sample or you go again 10 beats up by increasing again by 10 - 20 wattage. Now you keep this going till you have the LBP. True it sounds complicated but once you did that 3 - 4 times and you really think in the tests physiological informations you will easy understand why there is no set protocol. Wrong : there is a set protocol after the first one or 2 tests on you for your self and from that moment on , you always test the same so you can see intra-individual changes in a lot of different areas. This than is the nice feature of Herb's overlapping soft wear , as you can exactly see where the performance line is drifting towards, as well as how the lactate dynamic will change depending on the type of training you do. This shifting will than help you to understand what training intensity will change in your body what system and in which direction. The shifting of the performance line , as well the changes of the lactate "picture" over 5 - 10 tests will actual tell you how your body adapts to your training idea. The bad thing on this test is, that it will tell you ,whether the program you follow is really changing your body in the direction it supposed to do or whether it just looked great on paper , but in reality it does not achieve the desired effect. If you visit this forum regular you will see more and more what I mean. This question you had is really the weak part of our test idea , we don't have a blind protocol, which does not mean , that we can not repeat the results. We actual can do that very easy and I have people we test since over 10 years and it is fascinating to see , which people actually do a structural training compared with people who follow a functional training plan. I am not a good sales person , but if you really need a clear outlined idea on the test system check out the fact-education website from Dr. A. Sellars in Vernon and contact this website for more educational infos. www.fact-education.com See on our main page the direct link. If you like to get more into self study and thinking , well take a chance and test yourself with the ideas you get from this Forum and sent me the initial test results and we can set up on here you individual protocol. As more test you do as more you will see what we mean with no cook book approach . After over 10.000 test I still learn in each single test some new ideas and tricks. Have fun and come back if more info needed. Juerg | ||
| Andrew New member Username: Andrew Post Number: 51 Registered: 04-2006 |
Thanks again for the referral Juerg. The FaCT-Education staff have been busy running courses this Spring. We have just returned home form Mallorca, Whitehorse, and New York, where we ran successful certification courses for a number of great coaches and athletes. The courses offer a unique opportunity to discuss openly the theories and limitations behind a number of different "protocols", and practice the FaCT testing principles on volunteer athletes throughout the week-end. We believe this is the best way to really understand the testing process. It is the practice of the test itself where most of the learning takes place. We are setting dates for more courses this summer and fall, including a Level II course in Seattle in October/November. If you are interested in attending our courses, please feel free to contact us, and we can perhaps bring the course to you. We need a minimum of 5 participants, and a suitable location for the lecture and practical sessions. sellarsandrew@mac.com | ||
| Robh New member Username: Robh Post Number: 89 Registered: 12-2007 |
As a first timer to testing and spending 4 months studying this forum I agree with Andrew comments about doing the course ti appreciate the FaCT ideas. Rob |