Does High Intensity Training Improve Performance or only VO2max?

A meta-analysis on endurance athletes' training found that while high-intensity interval training (HIIT) above the maximal metabolic steady state (MMSS) significantly improved oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak), there was no detectable difference in time-trial (TT) performance. This suggests that although increased V̇O2peak is achievable through HIIT, translating it into enhanced TT performance may require a different approach or potentially longer timeframes. The findings may inform athletes on balancing low/intermediate intensity and HIIT sessions.

Study Summary – Reliability of Common Cycling Performance Markers

Here is a brief summary of our recent paper from the University of British Columbia Environmental Physiology Laboratory authored by my colleague Dr. Assaf Yogev and our colleagues. We think this is a paper that athletes & coaches can use to help understand uncertainty in performance data collection. The results here can be used as … Continue reading Study Summary – Reliability of Common Cycling Performance Markers →

Evaluating the Relationships between Muscle Oxygenation, Ventilation, and Lactate Thresholds

The next generation approach to metabolic profiling and training prescription will almost certainly not include breakpoints or thresholds at all, and will use more flexible methods of describing continuous physiological response profiles in real-time. I think that by defining the rules which our brains are already using to find patterns, we will be able to better understand the real physiological relationships for an individual athlete, and improve how we can apply insights to that individual athlete's training.

Why Perform Hard-Start VO2max Intervals?

Hard-start intervals use an initial hard effort at a power output above what would be sustainable for the intended interval duration, to enhance oxygen uptake and cardiac output. Let's talk about some of the reasons for why we might want to perform hard-start intervals, when they might be appropriate for our training, and when they might not be.

Workload, Intensity, and VO2max Trainability

Here are some of my current thoughts and questions on the topic of VO2max trainability, time near VO2max, hard-start and intermittent intervals, and adaptations toward capacity and efficiency.