One-Hour Workout: Bike Lactate Ladder

This workout teaches the athlete to manage the "pain" that comes with lactate threshold/functional threshold-type work.

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Every Tuesday we’ll feature a different coach’s workout you can complete in 60 mins (or less!).

This week’s bike workout comes from Lauren Updyke, a USAT Level I coach for Base Tri-Fitness in Columbus, Ohio. This workout teaches the athlete to manage the ‘pain’ that comes with lactate threshold/functional threshold-type work,” Updyke says. Athletes who know their lactate threshold (LT) heart rate or Functional Threshold Power (FTP) through field tests can use those numbers, or simply used perceived exertion (on a scale of 1 to 10). For athletes using heart rate, Updyke notes that it will take 1–2 minutes for heart rate to reflect desired range.

Warmup: 8 mins easy, include several spin ups (100+ RPM) 
Perceived Exertion Heart Rate Power
4 mins 8 LT FTP +/- 5 watts
2 mins easy 1-3 Zone 1 Zone 1 – Recovery
6 mins 8 LT FTP +/- 5 watts
2 mins easy 1-3 Zone 1 Zone 1 – Recovery
8 mins 8 LT FTP +/- 5 watts
2 mins easy 1-3 Zone 1 Zone 1 – Recovery
8 mins 8 LT FTP +/- 5 watts
2 mins easy 1-3 Zone 1 Zone 1 – Recovery
6 mins 8 LT FTP +/- 5 watts
2 mins easy 1-3 Zone 1 Zone 1 – Recovery
4 mins 8 LT FTP +/- 5 watts


Cooldown
: 6 mins easy

More one-hour workouts.

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