Threshold Training (TT)

TT increases the aerobic system's maximum rate of ATP regeneration so more power can be produced aerobically.

This is achieved by raising your anaerobic threshold which is the point that you pass into anaerobic glycolysis, which means lactate build up, and a drop in performance.

For example you aim to sprint as far as you can in a single bout and at some stage you notice a loss of speed - you've hit your anaerobic threshold where lactate is now building up, you're going to fast to replenish it, a loss of speed follows.

You can find your anaerobic threshold by simply doing a 6min run and record your heart rate at each 60sec interval. Get the average of those 60sec intervals and you'll have your anaerobic threshold.

For most of us it will be around the 170bpm area.

To perform TT follow these recommendations:

- 2 - 5 sets per session

- 3 - 10mins per set

- keep your heart rate within 5 beats (+/-) of your anaerobic threshold

Be sure to stay within the heart beat zone because if you go too high then you'll enter into your threshold and it will be a waste of time. We're trying to extend our threshold so we can go harder for longer before we enter it, not train in it.

This method is taken from Joel Jamieson at www.8weeksout.com.