Energy systems for 400m dash

[James_Smith]

@ASheaff

Some observations about anaerobic threshold (a concept which has is certainly controversial as to whether it actually exists within the scientific community)…

A lot of research has demonstrated that in relatively untrained individuals training at/near the anaerobic threshold does yield improvements in this parameter. However, in higher level athletes, training well below the ‘anaerobic threshold’ at larger volumes, in conjunction with smaller doses of training well above ‘anaerobic threshold’, is thought to be the better model for performance and improvement of ‘anaerobic threshold’. Sure enough, this has been shown to be the training pattern most successful endurance athletes.

In line with the high/low hypothesis, training at or near the threshold causes significant disturbance of the autonomic nervous system, while training well below it does not. Training well above the threshold does not significantly elevate this disturbance as compared to training at threshold. Thus, by training at threshold, you cause the same ANS disturbances as higher intensity work without the specificity.

Without considering this, I would argue that the anaerobic threshold is of little relevance to the 400m sprinter, as the speeds the athlete is traveling during competition (as Nik alluded to) are so far beyond the intensity level at which anaerobic processes begin to predominate. I do not believe that you could possibly delay these processes at these intensities. The will be significantly activated from the start. In fact, I would argue that you would want to increase the capacity to utilize glycolytic processes because the rates of ATP are so much faster than oxidative processes. Reducing glycolytic contributions would limit the energetic potential of the organism. The focus should be on increasing the glycolytic contribution by increasing the resistance to the byproducts of these metabolic products (i.e. through special endurance work).

I am not discounting the benefits of aerobic work. I just believe that specifically trying to improve anaerobic threshold is unwarranted.

Thoughts?

However, the increased resistance to the byproducts of glycolysis is most notably a function of their oxidation. Thus the greater the oxidative capacity the greater the working capacity of the organism under those conditions.

While the bioenergetic demand of the 400m no doubt relies upon the power and capacity of the glycolytic mechanism, which must be trained, it is clear that the metabolic byproducts produced by the glycolytic mechanism (most notably increased blood lactate concentration) be ‘oxidized’ as effectively as possible in order to sustain the highest possible working effort.

I think that we are all essentially in agreement although I still contend that knowing the AT is of value as is its elevation in the case of improved 400m times.

Do we all agree that the greatest speed + the greatest capacity to sustain the highest working effort under glycolytic conditions, which is facilitated by a strengthened oxidative capacity, equates to 400m potential?