Key result
V˙Lamax correlates strongly with sprint power but adds minimal value over power output alone.
Why the study?
VLa max is considered an indicator of maximal glycolytic rate but lacked scientific validation as an accurate estimate of glycolytic rate.
Cross-Sectional (n=11)
V˙Lamax correlates strongly with power output during short, high-intensity efforts, but provides minimal extra information over using power output from the isokinetic test alone.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
VLa max should not yet guide glycolytic estimates in athletes; Level 5 data leaves open its added value over power output alone.
V˙Lamax estimates an athlete’s maximal-glycolytic rate. This study aimed to determine the relationships between the V˙Lamax and cycle ergometry efforts with a high-glycolytic energy contribution and the influence of V˙Lamax and VO2max on respiratory compensation point. Eleven national-international endurance cyclists (VO2max = 70.7 ± 5.9 ml·kg−1·min−1) completed a 15-s isokinetic-test with pre- and postlactate measurements to determine V˙Lamax, a 1-min maximal effort, and a ramp test to exhaustion in a single test session. The main findings showed strong relationships between V˙Lamax and the mean absolute (r = 0.83, p = .002) and relative (r = 0.88, p = .0004) power during the lactic interval of the 15-s isokinetic-test. This relationship weakened when comparing V˙Lamax with mean absolute (r = 0.52, p = .098) and relative (r = 0.29, p = .393) power during a 1-min maximal effort. Combining the V˙Lamax and V˙O2max data through multiple regression resulted in a positive effect on the estimation of respiratory compensation point. It was concluded that the V˙Lamax is a relevant indicator of maximal glycolytic rate. However, this metric currently lacks scientific validation as an accurate estimate of glycolytic rate and provides minimal extra information over using the power output from the isokinetic test alone. Practitioners may simply measure power over glycolytically demanding efforts to understand the maximal glycolytic rate of their athletes.
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Clark et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy endurance cyclists (n=11). V˙Lamax was evaluated on Correlation between V˙Lamax and mean absolute power during the lactic interval of a 15-s isokinetic-test (r = 0.83, p=.002). V˙Lamax correlated strongly with mean absolute power during the lactic interval of a 15-s isokinetic test (r = 0.83, p = 0.002), but provided minimal extra information over power output alone.
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