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Understanding performance diagnostics and optimizing training: Your path to new best times
You have just completed a performance diagnosis and are holding a report with values such as IAS, VO2max, VlaMax and training recommendations for four different zones. But what do these numbers and abbreviations actually mean for your training? How do you implement the recommendations in everyday life, especially if you already have an existing fitness routine? This article answers the most common questions and helps you take your endurance-oriented training to a new level.
The basis: What was measured in your performance diagnostics?
During your performance diagnostics, a step test was carried out on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer. After each exercise level, your heart rate and blood lactate concentration were measured. These values are key to creating your individual performance profile, which includes the values below. It is important to know that, in particular, parameters such as VO2max and VlaMax based on measured lactate and heart rate data from our software Calculates and therefore represent precise models, but not direct measurements of these specific physiological capacities, as would be provided by spiroergometry for VO2 max, for example.
IAS (Individual Anaerobic Threshold)
This is an important reference point. Put simply, the IAS marks the area where lactate formation and breakdown are barely in balance. Training at this threshold is intensive and improves your ability to maintain high speeds or performance over a longer period of time. The IAS is shown with the associated heart rate and power (in watts on the bike) or pace (when running).
VO2 max (maximum oxygen uptake)
This value indicates how much oxygen your body can utilize per minute at most. A high VO2 max is an important indicator of your endurance performance — the size of your “motor”, so to speak. VO2 max values apply to amateur athletes from around 55 ml/min/kg for men and 50 ml/min/kg for women as very good. Values below 40 ml/min/kg (men) resp 35 ml/min/kg (women) indicate potential for optimization. In high-performance sports, VO₂max values are significantly higher: Tour de France winners such as Tadej Pogačar reach up to 88 ml/min/kg, top triathletes such as Daniela Ryf are in the range of 70 ml/min/kg.
VlaMax (maximum lactate formation rate)
VlaMax describes how quickly your body can produce lactate under stress. A high value means a high ability to provide a lot of energy anaerobically (without oxygen) in the short term, which is important for sprints or very intensive, short loads. For endurance athletes, a lower, easy-to-control VlaMax combined with a high VO2 max is often desirable in order to conserve carbohydrate stores. This value describes the economy of your “engine.” The following applies to VlaMax: For endurance sports such as triathlon or marathon, a low value ideal. Good VLAMAX values are 0.3—0.4 mmol/l/s (men) and 0.2—0.35 mmol/l/s (women). Sprinters or track cyclists often have significantly higher values of 0.7-1.0 mmol/l/s, which, however, can lead to faster lactate buildup and thus to lower exercise tolerance over longer distances. A useful combination is therefore a high VO₂max and low VlaMax, especially for long-distance athletes.
Output/pace for a given lactate concentration
These values indicate at which output or pace your blood lactate level reaches specific lactate concentrations. The range around 2 mmol/l lactate is often referred to as the aerobic threshold or LT1 and marks the transition to more intensive fat metabolism training. 3 mmol/l is another indicator of exercise intensity on the way to IAS. One criticism of this, however, is that fixed lactate thresholds such as 2 mmol/l for the aerobic threshold or 4 mmol/l for the anaerobic threshold often fall short, as they ignore the considerable individual variance in metabolism, training status and even the form of the day and therefore do not represent universally valid physiological markers, contrary to what was originally postulated. Modern performance diagnostics therefore rely on individualized threshold concepts, such as the Individual Anaerobic Threshold (IAS) we also use. These analyse the personal course of the lactate curve in order to identify specific turning points. Such tailor-made approaches make it possible to determine training areas much more precisely, which leads to more effective training management, optimized adjustment stimuli and better tracking of performance development, instead of relying on blanket guidelines that are unsuitable for many athletes.
Recommendations on training intensities
- Regenerative training/KB (compensation area): Very easy training for active recovery and promotion of regeneration.
- Extensive basis GA1 (basic endurance 1): Aerobic training improves fat metabolism and overall endurance. This is often the biggest part of an endurance athlete's training.
- Intensive GA2 basics (basic endurance 2): Training in the transition area to the anaerobic threshold improves lactate tolerance and specific endurance.
- Threshold training EB (development area): Training at or just below the individual anaerobic threshold (IAS) to improve maximum continuous performance.
- forecasts: Based on your physiological values, realistic target times for competitions such as the Alpe d'Huez cycling marathon or running distances of 1500m to the marathon can be estimated.
conclusion
Your performance diagnostics and the resulting values are a powerful tool for making your training individual and effective. Understand the importance of your personal zones and thresholds and use them to plan your training sessions in a targeted manner. Combine basic training with specific intensive stimuli and don't forget the supporting measures such as strength and flexibility training. With a well-thought-out approach and continuity, you will be able to sustainably improve your performance. If you have any questions about the structure of your training or are interested in training planning, you can find more information about our Packages and prices or you can send us a short message via whatsapp. Good luck!
faqs
Combining endurance, HIIT, and strength training can be very effective, but requires good planning to avoid overtraining.
Set priorities
- What is your main goal? The distribution of time between types of training should be based on your goals. If you want to build muscle mass, the distribution of training time will be different than if you want to complete an IRONMAN. If you want to complete a triathlon on the sprint distance, your training will also look different than on the IRONMAN distance due to the shift in the proportional course lengths.
Timing of units
- Strength training and endurance training on the same day:
- Option 1 (endurance focus): Endurance training first, then (with an interval of a few hours or immediately afterwards if it is a lighter strength session) strength training. This can increase fatigue during weight training.
- Option 2 (force focus or time saver): Strength training first, then a loose to moderate endurance session (KB or GA1). Intensive endurance sessions after heavy strength training are usually not recommended, as pre-muscular fatigue can severely impair the quality of the endurance session.
- HIIT and endurance training: These are often difficult to combine on the same day, as both are very demanding for the cardiovascular system and metabolism. If possible, plan on separate days. If it has to be on the same day, then with a significant time gap (e.g. HIIT in the morning, relaxed endurance session in the evening) and only when you are very well regenerated. Make sure that the overall load is not too high.
- HIIT and strength training: Can be combined It is often recommended to do strength training before HIIT when the focus is on building muscle or maximum strength. If HIIT is the focus, it can also be done first.
weekly planning
- Plan intensive sessions (HIIT, threshold training, VO2 max intervals) with sufficient distance from each other (at least 48 hours).
- Do weight training sessions on days when no intensive endurance session is planned, or at a significant interval.
- Use loose endurance sessions (KB, GA1) for active regeneration on days after intensive exercise.
- Plan at least one full day of rest per week (depending on training workload and training experience)
- Example week (3-4 endurance sessions, 2x strength, 1x HIIT):
- Monday: weight training
- Tuesday: Endurance (GA1, longer)
- Wednesday: HIIT (from the gym routine)/or easy KB session
- Thursday: weight training
- Friday: Endurance (intensive: EB intervals or VO2 max intervals)
- Saturday: Endurance (GA1/GA2, medium duration)/or rest day
- Sunday: Day off/or loose KB/GA1 unit
Intensive training is an important element in pushing your performance limits. Intervals are the method of choice here. The type of intervals depends on your goal, your fitness level, your training experience and the values from your performance diagnostics:
threshold intervals
- EB zone, training at IAS
- Objective: Improving performance at your individual anaerobic threshold.
- Design: Stress phases of approx. 3-10 minutes at your IAS performance/PACE or just below. The breaks should be active (easy trotting and pedaling in the KB range) and long enough that you can complete the next interval again in good quality (often around 50-75% of the exercise duration).
- example: 4 x 8 minutes at IAS, with 4-5 minute breaks each time.
VO2 max intervals
- Objective: Increasing your maximum oxygen uptake.
- Design: Shorter, very intensive intervals (around 2-5 minutes) at an intensity well above your IAS (often in the range of 105-120% of IAS performance or a pace that you could maintain a maximum of around 5-8 minutes). The breaks are usually active and are similarly long or slightly longer than the load phases to ensure a high quality of the intervals.
- example: 5 x 3 minutes in the VO2 max range, with 3-4 minute breaks each time.
- Relation to VLAMax: Athletes with a very high VlaMax produce lactate very quickly in these areas. Here, it may be useful to keep the interval a bit shorter at first or to extend the breaks in order to better manage lactate accumulation. Training to reduce VlaMax (e.g. fasting training in the GA1 range, specific strength endurance sessions) can help make these intervals more effective.
High-intensity intervals (HIIT)
- High-intensity intervals (HIIT) with focus on anaerobic capacity/VlaMax (use sparingly for pure endurance athletes):
- Objective: Improving sprint performance, lactate tolerance at very high intensities.
- Design: Very short, maximum or almost maximum sprints (e.g. 15-60 seconds) with long, complete recovery breaks (several minutes).
- example: 6-10 x 30 second all-out sprint with 3-5 minute easy break.
- Relation to VLAMax: This type of training can tend to increase VlaMax. For pure long-term endurance athletes, this is often not the primary goal, but can be useful for improving final spurts or for specific competition requirements.
Race-pace intervals
- Objective: Improving speed consistency, efficiency and energy balance at the desired competition pace.
- Design: Longer intervals with planned race pace, e.g. 2-3 × 20-30 minutes, embedded in longer sessions. Depending on the length of the competition, the intensity is (just below) or at the IAS.
- example: 3 × 25 minutes at Ironman pace with 10 minutes of easy pace in between.
- Nutrition & material: Ideal for simulating competition nutrition (e.g. gels every 20 minutes) and testing clothing, equipment and food systems.
- Note: Not intended as an “all-out” unit, but for physiological and mental adaptation to racing dynamics. Here, it may be advisable to drive through music/podcasts etc. without distraction in order to also train your mental “ability to suffer.”
Important at all intervals:
- Warm-up: At least 15-20 minutes in KB to the lower GA1 range.
- Cool down: Loose run/exit for at least 10-15 minutes.
- Progression: Slowly either increase the number of intervals, the duration of the intervals, or shorten the breaks. Don't overwhelm yourself.
- frequency: 1-2 intensive sessions per week are sufficient for most ambitious amateur athletes.
- Nutrition: Intensive endurance sessions in particular should be adequately supplied with easily digestible carbohydrates. This can be in the form of carbohydrate gels/drinks/bars. However, cheaper options such as gummy bears are also suitable for training. Longer intervals in areas of the target race pace in particular are ideal for training the diet with high amounts of carbohydrates in order to avoid nausea/stomach cramps etc. on day X.
Pure endurance training is often not sufficient for optimal performance development and injury prevention, so the following elements should be included in the training:
weight training
- Why Strengthens muscles, tendons and ligaments, which results in better power transfer, greater resilience and reduced risk of injury. Strong core muscles are essential for stable posture and efficient movement. In addition, strength training, especially with heavy weights, is one of the most important preventive factors for osteoporosis prophylaxis.
- How often? 1-2 times a week, ideally on days without intensive endurance sessions or with a few hours apart.
- What Focus on functional exercises that target multiple muscle groups (squats, lunges, deadlifts, pull-ups, dips, core stabilization exercises such as planks, push-ups, rowing exercises). Specific exercises for legs and hips can be useful for cyclists, and for runners also for the foot and lower leg muscles.
Mobility (mobility training)
- Why Maintains or improves the range of motion in the joints, can relieve tension and contribute to more economical movement.
- How often? Regularly, ideally daily for a few minutes or as part of warm-up/cooling down.
- What Dynamic stretching exercises before training (e.g. leg swings, arm circles) and static stretching exercises with a long holding period after training, in the evening with rest and time or on separate days (holding the stretching position for 20-30 seconds). Focus on hip flexors, back of thighs, buttocks, calves, chest and shoulder muscles.
Nutrition and sleep
- Eat a balanced diet that covers your energy needs and provides enough nutrients for regeneration and performance. Please avoid fasting training (more for advanced users), ensure an adequate intake of protein and carbohydrates after exercise and, especially during longer and more intensive exercise, also adequate carbohydrate intake during exercise.
- Getting enough sleep (7-9 hours for most adults) is essential for physical and mental recovery.
A meaningful structure focuses on developing basic endurance, supplemented by targeted, more intensive stimuli. With 3-4 workouts per week, a plan could look like this:
Unit 1 — Basis
- approx. 60-70% of the total training time: Long, easy session in the GA1 area.
- Objective: Improving lipid metabolism, capillarization (formation of small blood vessels in muscles), economizing movement.
- duration: 90 minutes to several hours, depending on training level, sport and goal.
- Intensity: Heart rate and power/pace according to your GA1 zone. You should still be able to have a good time doing this.
Unit 2 - Intensity
- approx. 15-25% of the total training time: session with shares in the GA2 range or threshold training (EB).
- Objective: Improving lactate tolerance, increasing IAS, increasing specific endurance.
- Version A (GA2 focus): Longer intervals (e.g. 3-4 x 10-20 minutes) or rapid continuous running in the upper GA1 to lower GA2 range.
- Option B (EB focus): Shorter, more intensive intervals on your IAS (e.g. 3-5 x 5-10 minutes), with appropriate breaks. See also “How should I organise intensive training?”.
- Important: Always enter and exit for a sufficiently long time before and after intensive blocks (in the KB or lower GA1 range).
Unit 3 — Basics/Technology/Regeneration
- approx. 10-15% of the total training time: Shorter session, can be arranged variably.
- Option A (regeneration): Loosen up the KB section when you feel tired or after an intensive session.
- Option B (technique/driving game): Relaxed session with short, playful tempo increases or focus on technical aspects (cadence, running style).
- Option C (short GA1/GA2 unit): If you feel good, a shorter session in the low to medium GA1 range or even in the GA2 range
Unit 4 — Basis
- Optional when training 4x/week
- Can either be a second longer GA1 unit (recommended if the main goal is to improve long-term endurance).
- Or another, differently designed intensive unit (e.g. focus on VO2 max intervals, see below) if specific weaknesses are to be addressed and regeneration allows it. Be careful not to plan two very intensive sessions in direct succession.
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In general, the following applies: Listen to your body! Recovery is just as important as training itself. The values from your performance diagnostics (in particular heart rate and power/pace for the zones) are important control instruments, but you should always listen to how you feel. If a session feels too hard, it probably is - it's perfectly okay to adapt the training on bad days (and on good days) accordingly.
The question of “zone 2" is very common, as many popular training models (e.g. the 5-zone or 7-zone model) use this term. It is important that the “zone 2" in these models is not directly equated with the zone 2 in the 4-zone model.
In many 5-zone models (such as trackers from Polar, Apple or Garmin, for example), Zone 2 typically corresponds to light to moderate aerobic training, often in the range of 60-70% or 65-75% of the maximum heart rate. It is primarily used to develop basic endurance.
In your diagnostic findings, the “Extensive Basis GA1” zone most closely corresponds to what is often understood as “Zone 2" in the sense of classic basic training. However, this GA1 zone is not derived as a flat percentage of the maximum pulse, but calculated individually based on your lactate levels and your IAS. It is typically in a range where lactate levels are still very low (often around or below the aerobic threshold of approx. 2 mmol/l lactate) and the body primarily uses fats for energy production.
Die Individual Anaerobic Threshold (IAS) It goes well in the 5-zone model integrate to train in a more targeted way. The IAS is usually around 85-90% of maximum heart rate (HRmax) And is therefore in upper area of zone 3 or lower area of zone 4. In the 5-zone model, Zone 4 the so-called threshold area in which the IAS is optimally represented. Anyone who knows their IAS heart rate (e.g. from performance diagnostics) can call this as lower limit of zone 4 stored in his sports watch — for example with Garmin or Polar via user-defined HF zones. In this way, training can be controlled precisely at the individual threshold and progress can be measured in a targeted manner.