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20/03/2026

Most athletes spend years training without ever knowing their actual numbers.

Their zones are guessed. Their race pace is estimated. Their strength benchmarks don’t exist. And they wonder why progress stalls.

Ninety minutes in our lab changes that.

Lactate threshold. VO2 max. Strength. Jump power. Four tests. One session. A complete performance profile that tells you exactly what to do next.

Package 1: Endurance Audit - lactate thresholds and VO2 max
Package 2: Performance Audit — all four tests.

Full written report and training recommendations included.
📍 Northern Ireland · Led by Professor Stephen Patterson PhD
DM for package information

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19/02/2026

Beyond VO₂ Max: Understanding Durability and Physiological Drift in Prolonged Exercise

If you’ve ever observed your heart rate rising while your power output or pace remains constant, you’ve experienced what sports scientists call “physiological drift.”

While traditional fatigue resistance measures neuromuscular failure in short, maximal bursts, durability is the body’s resilience against the gradual deterioration of physiological variables during submaximal exercise lasting longer than 60 minutes.

Here’s why durability is a critical performance parameter:

• It’s an Independent Metric: Having a high VO₂ max or Functional Threshold Power (FTP) does not guarantee durability. 🔓 Research indicates that a “fresh” performance test cannot accurately predict your power loss after hours of continuous effort.

• Watch for Decoupling: A durable athlete maintains a stable ratio between their internal load (Heart Rate) and external load (Power/Speed). When your heart rate climbs but your power doesn’t, that’s “decoupling”—a key indicator that you are reaching your durability limits.

Evidence-based strategies to improve durability:
• 👟 Polarized Training: 10-week interventions show that both high-volume Low-Intensity Training (LIT) and High-Intensity Training (HIT) intervals similarly postpone physiological drifts.

• 🏋️ Concurrent Strength Training: Adding resistance training improves overall movement economy, directly benefiting your durability and high-intensity performance when fatigued.

• 🍌 Nutritional Mitigation: Carbohydrate availability drives durability. Exogenous ingestion during exercise actively ameliorates the decline of critical power and metabolic thresholds.

• 💧 Environmental Management: Core temperature (thermoregulation), hydration status, and genetic predispositions (like muscle fiber type) significantly influence how durable you remain under prolonged stress.

Save this post to integrate these evidence-based principles into your next training block! 📌

11/02/2026

Finding Your Redline: What Happens When You Hit the Wall? 🛑🏃‍♂️

Ever wondered why you can hold a certain pace for an hour, but if you go just slightly faster, you blow up in minutes?

Welcome to the concept of Lactate Turnpoint and Critical Power.

This infographic breaks down the “Redline”—that crucial physiological boundary that separates sustainable work from the “danger zone.” 📉

Here’s the breakdown:

🔋 The Battery Concept (W’):
Think of your energy above this threshold as a finite battery. Below the threshold, you can run or cycle for a long time (steady state). But the moment you cross that line (Critical Power/Speed), you are working on “borrowed time.” You start draining your anaerobic battery, and once it hits zero? Task Failure. You will stop.

🥵 What Happens Physically?
Above this threshold, your body loses its “metabolic steady state.” Your blood lactate levels and oxygen uptake (VO2) spiral upwards uncontrollably—even if you don’t speed up. It’s a countdown to exhaustion.

🔤 The Many Names of the Threshold:
Confused by the terminology? You aren’t alone! Scientists call this boundary by many names, but they often refer to the same heavy-severe domain boundary:
• LT2: Lactate Turnpoint 2
• VT2: Ventilatory Threshold 2
• MLSS: Maximal Lactate Steady State
• Anaerobic Threshold
• Critical Power

🧪 How Do You Find It?
Guessing isn’t enough for elite performance. As the graphic shows, there are several ways to test for this turnpoint, from the “Gold Standard” MLSS testing (multiple constant-load tests) to Ramp Tests and Critical Power modeling using all-out bouts.
Knowing your numbers means you can train right on the line to push it further out, or pace yourself perfectly for race day without blowing up.

💡 Question of the day: Have you ever done a lactate or ramp test? Let me know your experience in the comments! 👇

10/02/2026

The Gateway of Endurance: What is LT1? 🏃‍♂️🚴‍♀️

You hear about “Zone 2” all the time, but do you know the science behind the boundary?

Lactate Threshold 1 (LT1), often called the Aerobic Threshold, is the specific intensity where blood lactate first begins to rise significantly above resting levels. It marks the transition from the “Moderate Intensity Domain” to the “Heavy Intensity Domain.”

Why does this matter for your training?

1️⃣ The “Forever” Intensity: Below this threshold, exercise is sustainable. Well-trained athletes can hold this pace for 2-4+ hours (think Marathon or Half-Ironman pace).

2️⃣ Physiological Signals: It’s not just about blood! Your body signals this shift through the “Talk Test.” If you can’t speak in full sentences, you’ve likely crossed the threshold.

3️⃣ Metabolic Steady State: Below LT1, your oxygen consumption reaches a steady state. Above it? You start drifting into the “slow component” of exercise, costing you more energy for the same output.

📉 Stop Guessing.
While the “Talk Test” is a great field indicator, the only way to know your exact zones is through physiological testing.

08/02/2026

Are you training in the right zone? 🚦

Understanding where your “Thresholds” are can change the way you race and train. Based on the physiology of performance, here are the 4 zones you need to know:

1️⃣ Moderate: The “All Day” pace. Minimal fatigue.
2️⃣ Heavy: The “Grind.” Hard work, but sustainable for a while.
3️⃣ Severe: The “Ticking Clock.” You are above Critical Power, and your energy battery is draining fast. 🔋
4️⃣ Extreme: Pure sprint/power. Lasts

03/02/2026

On a previous video we talked about the importance of LTP (lactate turnpoint) for Hyrox performance. Many people have been asking how we can improve this physiological construct. As discussed there are many similar terms eg LT2, maximal lactate steady state (MLSS), critical power and critical speed.

The following infographic gives some ideas of how to improve these concepts based on the scientific literature.

28/01/2026

These 3 have been working hard in their gym during their off season. Some nice improvements in strength and power numbers setting them up for their pre season training. Looking forward to seeing more improvements before the season kicks off.

If you want to work with us DM to see how we can improve your performance.

27/01/2026

⚽️ Are you fuelling for the win? 🍎💪

Research shows that between 23% and 89% of elite female soccer players may suffer from Low Energy Availability (LEA). Under-fuelling doesn’t just hurt your game—it increases injury risk, affects menstrual health, and lowers training response.

Here is your evidence-based fuelling cheat sheet:

⚡️ Carbohydrates are Fuel: Your intake should change based on how hard you train. Aim for 3–8g per kg of body weight daily.
• Light days: Lower end of the range.
• Match days: High intensity! Aim for 6–8g/kg to keep glycogen stores full.
• Pre-Match: Eat a carb-rich meal (1–3g/kg) 3–4 hours before kick-off.

🥩 Protein for Recovery: You need muscle repair, not just energy. Aim for 1.2–1.7g per kg of body weight daily.
• Pro Tip: Spread your protein out! Try to eat ~20g every 3–4 hours to maximize muscle synthesis.

💧 Hydration Strategy: Dehydration greater than 2% of body weight can ruin your technical skills and decision-making.
• Rehydrate: Drink 1.5L of fluid for every 1kg of body weight lost during play.

Don’t Forget Micros: Female players are at higher risk for Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin D deficiencies. Keep your bones strong and oxygen flowing!

Sources used:
1. Nutrition for Female Soccer Players—Recommendations (Dobrowolski et al., 2020)
2. Sports Nutrition Recommendations for Elite Female Soccer Players (Moss & Randell, Gatorade Sports Science Institute, 2022)

26/01/2026

Is your training actually moving the needle, or are you just guessing? 🧪📉

We took the lab data from 10 of our recent HYROX athletes and ran a Bidirectional Stepwise Regression to find out which physiological marker is the “master key” to a faster finish time. The results were clear: It’s all about the Lactate Turnpoint (LTP).

Swipe through to see the math behind a PR! ➡️

The Breakthrough:
Our model found that LTP predicts 63% of performance variance. In plain English? If you want to get faster, you don’t just need to “run more”—you need to push that specific physiological ceiling higher.

The “5-Minute Rule” ⏱️
Our regression equation revealed that for every 1 km/hr increase in your LTP, you can expect to shave an average of 4 minutes and 49 seconds off your HYROX time.

Wait, what about VO2 max? 🫁
Surprisingly, once we accounted for LTP, VO2 max became secondary. It doesn’t matter how big your engine is if your body can’t handle the “waste” at high intensities. High capacity is great; high utilisation is better.

It does always fit

One athlete had elite-level stats but a slower race time. This is the “Strength Gap.” Data explains 80% of the race, but your ability to stay efficient under a heavy sled or high-rep lunges covers the final 20%.

Stop the guesswork. If you aren’t testing your LTP, you’re training in the dark. Focus on:
✅ Intervals
✅ Lactate Clearance work
✅ Compromised Running sets

Ready to find your numbers and crush your next race?
DM us “ENGINE” to book your performance testing or discuss coaching options! 🧪🏃‍♂️💨

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