Is VO2 Max intervals Anaerobic running?

If you can run it without breathing then it is anaerobic. For example flying forties are anaerobic. Longer repeats are largely dependent on your aerobic system. So what you would call a VO2 max workout is aerobic.

Anaerobic isn't necessarily in the absence of oxygen, it's just done without it. The first 40 seconds of exercise are typically anaerobic. Plenty of oxygen, but what is the point of using weak sissy oxygen for energy when there's plenty of mighty phosphates and not enough lactate to prevent powerful anaerobic glycolysis?

You are using both systems. You never exclusively use only one.

3k-5k race pace is primarily aerobic.

Canova>God wrote:

If you can run it without breathing then it is anaerobic. For example flying forties are anaerobic. Longer repeats are largely dependent on your aerobic system. So what you would call a VO2 max workout is aerobic.

wouldn't 40s be alactic or glycolitic or some other word I don't really know the definition for?

and lactate threshold is supposed to be what, 99% aerobic? but isn't vo2 max used to measure maximium aerobic output, too? but you can only maintain it for 6-12 mins?

so it's like your max aerobic power that you can't sustain for a long time... ugh. confusing.

Look at it as a continuum.

When you reach your ___ threshold (insert "aerobic," "anaerobic," or "lactate" here), oxygen starts to be signally and strongly at a deficit, and so the anaerobic side of your system starts to jump into high gear and pick up the aerobic side's slack. Say this is at the center of the continuum.

The VO2 Max is simply the measure of the potential maximum amount of oxygen you can consume. This will tend to be reached slightly before the ___ threshold -- it is before the anaerobic side becomes predominant (not percentage-wise, but in terms of how oxygen, or rather lack of it, is affecting your body). It is reached slightly before the ___ threshold because at that point you are the most aerobic you will be while running, and you are also working the hardest you will be while running in an aerobic-predominant state -- thus you will be breathing the most amount of oxygen in, and your body will be making the most use of it.

P.Revere,

I think you have explained it somewhat of the best. Thanks for the response.So, around your lactate threshold pace, the anaerobic system starts to come into play slightly. This makes sense. However, you said that VO2 MAX will tend to be reached slightly before the lactate threshold. I don't know if I am understanding that or agree with that. If running workouts at lactate threshold is around 80-90% of VO2 MAX, how would VO2 MAX be slightly reached?

I can understand that the anaerobic system slightly begins to come into play at lactate threshold though. So, once you get up to your VO2 MAX 98-100%, you would be doing anaerobic work?

When running at VO2max, you will be generating ATP from a combination of (anaerobic) glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. You have to remember that glycolysis creates NADH+H to be used in oxidative phosphorylation. So, glycolysis, krebs, and the ETC all work together.

Somewhere, early in biology, we were taught anaerobic metabolism occurs in the absence of O2. Sure, it can, but (anaerobic) glycolysis usually occurs to meet an immediate demand for ATP, or when the demand for ATP out-paces the production of ATP from oxidative phosphorylation.

Keep in mind, it takes 1-2 minutes to reach steady state O2 consumption -- if you run "VO2max" intervals shorter than that, you won't be reaching VO2max. The first minute or more of these intervals will be "anaerobic."

Lactate threshold may fall anywhere between 70 and 90% VO2max. So, if running at 100% VO2max -- lactate will accumulate. What does this mean? Demand for ATP is outpacing the ability to produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis is being used extensively.

Youngrun865 wrote:

P.Revere,

I think you have explained it somewhat of the best. Thanks for the response.So, around your lactate threshold pace, the anaerobic system starts to come into play slightly. This makes sense. However, you said that VO2 MAX will tend to be reached slightly before the lactate threshold. I don't know if I am understanding that or agree with that. If running workouts at lactate threshold is around 80-90% of VO2 MAX, how would VO2 MAX be slightly reached?

I can understand that the anaerobic system slightly begins to come into play at lactate threshold though. So, once you get up to your VO2 MAX 98-100%, you would be doing anaerobic work?

The systems are not mutually exclusive. As P.Revere suggested, you can think of it as a continuum. When you start running, all three systems are active. The anaerobic alactic system will quickly run out of fuel, but the remaining two systems will continue to provide energy simultaneously. If you are running slowly, the aerobic system will provide the bulk of your energy needs, but the anaerobic glycolytic system will also be contributing. As you go faster, the aerobic system's contributions become a smaller percentage of the total energy output.

You are correct that the lactate threshold occurs before 100% VO2max is reached. You are generating energy anaerobically before reaching LT, but at LT your body can no longer completely buffer the hydrogen ions being produced.

Youngrun865 wrote:

P.Revere,

I think you have explained it somewhat of the best. Thanks for the response.So, around your lactate threshold pace, the anaerobic system starts to come into play slightly. This makes sense. However, you said that VO2 MAX will tend to be reached slightly before the lactate threshold. I don't know if I am understanding that or agree with that. If running workouts at lactate threshold is around 80-90% of VO2 MAX, how would VO2 MAX be slightly reached?

I can understand that the anaerobic system slightly begins to come into play at lactate threshold though. So, once you get up to your VO2 MAX 98-100%, you would be doing anaerobic work?

That was my mistake, Youngrun, I had it reversed in my last post - the lactate threshold is reached before the VO2 Max on the continuum.

As myself and iCoach have stated, for all intents and purposes, the aerobic and anaerobic systems are always working together. The reason your VO2 Max comes after the LT - despite the fact that once you reach LT, the anaerobic side is coming more strongly to the forefront - is because even though the percentages have shifted, you are breathing your hardest, and so that compensates for the percentage shift. Thus, you are inhaling and making use of your maximal amount of O2. I find Daniels' vVO2 also useful.

Thanks for the help with understanding this!

OHSAA FAN wrote:

3k-5k race pace is primarily aerobic.

So is 800m.

NTHXC wrote:

Keep in mind, it takes 1-2 minutes to reach steady state O2 consumption -- if you run "VO2max" intervals shorter than that, you won't be reaching VO2max. The first minute or more of these intervals will be "anaerobic."

What about long series of fast/slow intervals, like 10x100x100

It is? Most of the research disagrees with that.

Karma Police wrote:

It is? Most of the research disagrees with that.

800m is 60-70% aerobic. 99.9% of research agrees with that.

Karma Police wrote:

It is? Most of the research disagrees with that.

Nope. Gastin has the 800 at 66% aerobic.

Time to find some new research.

Bad Wigins wrote:

What about long series of fast/slow intervals, like 10x100x100

Well, you could theoretically reach VO2max by running strides like 10x100m(100m) as long as the recovery is fast enough and you're continuously running.

But if you run 100m hard in 15s then jog 100m in 30s, I do not think you will be able to reach VO2max... The interval is too short and recovery too slow/long.

muh ee 2 wrote:

Karma Police wrote:

It is? Most of the research disagrees with that.

Nope. Gastin has the 800 at 66% aerobic.

Time to find some new research.

That percentage depends on the amount of TIME it takes one to run the 800. The slower you are, the more aerobic it is.

the 50/50 point is somewhere right around 100 seconds--about the WR for the 800.

Also, Gastin's information comes from a review of the literature, not one study.

You won't get very far in the absence of oxygen.

Both aerobic and anaerobic energy production rates increase with intensity.

VO2max is just the point where one stops increasing.

VO2max intervals involve large amounts of aerobic and anaerobic energy.