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Learning from Lance
Written by Dr. SkibaAlright, I admit it. I am a Lance Fan. I can't help it. I'm a fellow testicular cancer survivor, so when I see my brother-man who has lost one of his boys going up a mountainside like a bat out of hell, I can't help but cheer. Physiology aside, it seems to me that his remarkable performance is the ultimate defiance of what was once an almost universally terminal disease. Yet, we cannot deny that his remarkable physiology is what makes these seemingly superhuman efforts possible. Ed Coyle has been lucky enough to get Lance into a laboratory several times over the years and measure many of his physiologic parameters.
Basically, Lance was put on an ergometer (that's a stationary bike with some fancy electronics to you and me), and his maximal oxygen uptake, power output, and efficiency were measured. His body fat percentage was measured. They tested his lactate threshold. Dr. Coyle was then able to compare this data to to information obtained from testing Lance earlier in his career. I found the data and comparison very interesting.
In the mid 90's, Lance's weight varied between 76 and 80 kg (167 and 176 lbs), while his fat-free body mass was around 70 kg. So, Lance was carrying between 6-10 kg of fat, even though he was a world class cyclist. His maximal oxygen uptake was measured at around 6.11 liters per minute, or 81.2 mL per kilogram of his body weight. Post-cancer, there was a dramatic change here, which Coyle reports is responsible for perhaps half of his performance improvement. Lance lost 4-7 kg of his body weight/body fat (about 10%). As he re-trained post-illness, he was meticulous with his diet to ensure he did not carry any extra weight into the race season. Thus, he is able to use more oxygen per kilogram of body weight that he did before.
The second important point is efficiency. Lance's efficiency (that is, the amount of power he makes using a set amount of oxygen) improved by 8% over the years. Taken together, we find that Lance's power output per kilogram of body weight increased to the tune of 18%. In 1992, he was able to generate about 374 watts at his LT. In 1999, that number rose to 404, a significant improvement. The interesting point here is the proposed mechanism of this increase in efficiency. Coyle hypothesizes that this could reflect a conversion of fast twitch to slow twitch fibers. His earlier work has shown that efficiency is positively correlated with slow twitch fiber percentage. However, it is important to note that the research showing it is possible to convert fast twitch muscle fibers into slow twitch muscle fibers with endurance training has only been done in rats. I don't deny it is possible, I'm just saying that there isn't any human research to look at. Finally, Coyle notes that Lance's cadence has increased over time, which also may correlate with an increased number of slow twitch muscle fibers.
The question is: what can we learn from this? Well, there are a couple of important points. Firstly, to increase efficiency, you need to train a lot. Although we may not achieve the degree of improvement someone like Lance is capable of, there is no reason to believe that the average athlete will not improve his/her efficiency through consistent application of training. Secondly, it is important to come as close to optimal body weight as is possible. Every pound you lose is a pound you are not hauling up a hill. Your VO2max (when calculated relative to body weight) goes up when you lose fat mass. It must. This will translate into a real, tangible performance benefit. Put down the chalupa and step away from the counter.
Until next time, happy training!
References:
Coyle, EF. Improved muscular efficiency displayed as Tour de France Champion Matures. J Appl Physiol, in press. (3/17/2005).
