Sports-And-Fitness

Endurance performance diagnostics

Synonyms

Endurance diagnostics, endurance analysis, analysis of endurance skills, endurance examination

introduction

More and more people are enthusiastic about endurance sports. Starting with the sporadic forest run to improve general fitness, through targeted endurance training to burn fat, to preparation for a wide variety of endurance competitions. However, when it comes to planning, implementing and evaluating training, many recreational athletes quickly reach their limits. The terms lactate, maximum oxygen uptake and heart rate are not foreign words to most athletes, but most amateur runners, swimmers and cycling do not know what to do with them. The desired goal is decisive for the use of various performance diagnostic procedures. Health athletes whose sole aim is to improve their general fitness will certainly not use sports science methods to determine lactate levels when they tackle the morning forest run. For performance-oriented track and field athletes and marathon runners, however, such examinations have become an indispensable part of training practice. More and more recreational athletes are also integrating special measuring methods in order to be able to examine their own performance more precisely in order to prepare optimally for a competition. Are you interested in performance diagnostics?

You can find further information under our topic: Sports medical examination methods

Test method for determining aerobic endurance capacity

Aerobic endurance means a gain in energy while consuming oxygen. One speaks of performance in the range of 2 mmol lactate / l / kg, which is discussed in more detail in the lower chapter. In training science, a distinction is made between sport-specific and sport-unspecific test procedures. With unspecific endurance tests, endurance is tested independently of the actual discipline. Runners can, for example, complete performance diagnostics on the bicycle ergometer. The type of sport always takes place in the discipline in which the athletes compete. A further distinction is made between laboratory tests and field tests. In a field test, the loads are tested directly during running, swimming, cycling, figure skating, etc., whereas in a laboratory test, the bicycle ergometer, rowing ergometer, treadmill ergometer etc. is used. Both examination methods have both advantages and disadvantages. While a field test is closely linked to the discipline and the competition conditions, the analysis proves to be difficult. It is the other way around with laboratory tests. In practice, stage tests are mostly used. See below

Heart rate limits

The heart rate is the simplest and most uncomplicated way of controlling the training from outside. Every athlete knows various heart rate tables in which the optimal heart rate for specific training goals can be easily read. However, this procedure is very imprecise. Such tables are assumed to be a universal athlete. The basis of all values is the maximum heart rate, which however is completely different for all athletes. It can happen that some athletes can easily complete longer distances with a heart rate of 190 beats per minute, whereas with others the maximum heart rate is reached at 178 beats. It is obvious that both athletes have different demands on the muscles at a frequency of 150 beats per minute. Sports scientists therefore claim that only a test of the lactate values and breath values can give an indication of the real stress / strain. However, these lactate tests are time-consuming and expensive and are therefore only used regularly in high-performance sport. Anyone who wants to measure and monitor their performance and increases in performance in the leisure sector should use other methods. In addition to the heart rate, it is possible to control running speed, driving or swimming speed in connection with the heart rate. Another decisive factor that is increasingly coming to the fore in the new training science is the subjective sensation during training. The human organism is so complex and variable that even daily fluctuations show immense differences in performance. Therefore, the training should not only be linked to quantitative measurements, but rather to personal feelings.

Why do you need endurance performance diagnostics

The question of the meaning of endurance performance diagnostics lies in the different ways in which the human organism can generate energy. If you run slowly, the required energy (ATP) is synthesized from free fatty acids and carbohydrates while consuming oxygen. If you increase the running speed or the training intensity, the organism gains the ATP from carbohydrates, but no longer with the consumption of oxygen, but without (anaerobic). The so-called lactate accumulates in the body. In laboratory tests or field tests, a lactate curve can now be determined in connection with running pace and heart rate, in order to be able to draw conclusions about performance and correct trainability. With the regular lactate test, the athlete knows how and with what intensities they have to train in the future in order to achieve certain goals. Essentially, it is about determining the aerobic and anaerobic threshold or the aerobic-anaerobic transition. This transition marks the point in time of the load intensity at which the organism changes its energy supply. The training of aerobic capacity can then be improved (The muscles are supposed to perform better with lower lactate values, lower heart rate and lower breathing rate). On the other hand, the anaerobic capacity should be improved. (The organism should be more tolerant even with increased loads in the anaerobic area and maintain performance even with higher lactate levels).

You can find out how you can improve your endurance performance in our article:
Endurance Performance - How To Improve It

Forms of endurance performance diagnostics

The most common form of endurance performance diagnostics is the step test on the running ergometer, bicycle ergometer or the field test. The intensity is very low at the beginning of the test and is increased steadily / continuously over the course of the test. By increasing the load and the associated increase in strain, lactate values and heart rate values can be linked to the performance intensity (Running pace, wattage) can be compared and evaluated using standardized tables. In order to get even more precise information, there is the possibility of spirometry / spiroergometry. The utilization of the oxygen is included in the analysis. (Respiratory gas analysis)

Measurement by spirometry:

Respiratory volume
Respiratory rate
Oxygen uptake
CO2 exchange
O2 exchange

Since the maximum oxygen uptake is the gross criterion for endurance performance, respiratory gas analysis is one of the most important, if not the most important, form of performance determination in endurance sports. However, due to the complicated measuring process, it is only used in selected areas.

Process of endurance performance diagnostics

Anamnese:
First of all, possible clinical pictures and the current state of health must be determined in a personal conversation. The cardiovascular system is examined at rest.

Measurements before the test:
The current resting metabolic rate / basal metabolic rate of the body in the relaxed state is determined by spirometry. In addition, the weight, height and body fat percentage (possibly BMI) are determined. Since in many cases the intention of the training is to lose body fat, the determination of the body fat is inevitable.

Note:
Reducing the percentage of body fat does not automatically mean weight loss. In most cases there is a percentage shift in favor of muscle mass.

Test execution:
During the test, the loads are gradually increased and the lactate levels are determined with each increase. This is done by taking blood from the earlobe. In spirometry, breathing gases are analyzed using a mask. However, this type of measurement is only possible in laboratory tests. The test person is connected to a computer during the entire test.

Endurance tests:

Cooper test
Conconi test

evaluation

Since the values are transmitted directly to a computer in a laboratory test, the evaluation is available immediately after the test. Significant conclusions can now be drawn on the basis of data curves. The experience of the test leader is particularly important for the assessment in order to be able to correctly interpret the sensitive values. The athlete can then use this evaluation to design the training plan in more detail.

In addition to a performance diagnostic examination, a running analysis can be used to determine running behavior.