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A COMPUTATIONAL METHOD FOR

DETERMINATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL ANAEROBIC
THRESHOLD

W. KEITI~ PKUSACZYK, IRA JACOBS,~ TIMOTHY BOWDEN~ and

TOM M. hkLELLANt
GE0(ENTERS. Inc., Fort Washington, MD 20744. and Naval Health Research Center.
San Diego. C,1 921X6-5122. U.S.A.: and tDefence and Civil Institute of Environmental
Medicine, North York. Ontario. Canada M3M 3B9

Abstract-The individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) has received attention recently in the field
of exercise physiology. The IAT is defined as the point during progressive exercise when lactate
elimination from rhe blood is both masimal and equal to the diffusion from the working muscles.
It ha> been theorized that an individual can maintain exercise for relatively long periods when
working at the IAT A common method for determmation of the IAT is to perform a visual
detcrminati~m from plots of lactate concentration versus power output. This paper briefly
dcscrlhes the theoretical hasis for determination of the IAT and presents an algorithm for its
;~ccuratc calculati~m

Excrcisc Individual anaerobic threshold IAT

INTRODUCTION

During progressively incremented muscular exercise, blood lactate (LA) concentration

remains relatively constant at low exercise intensities (i.e. below -50-60X of peak
oxygen uptake). At some point. however, as the excercise intensity increases, blood LA
concentration begins to increase in an exponential fashion, determined by both LA
production in the exercising muscles and LA efflux to and removal from the blood. The
increase in blood L.A concentration has been hypothesized to represent an increasing
reliance on anaerobic metabolism (glycolysis) for energy transduction to the active
musculature [ 11.
The individual anaerobic threshold (IAT) has been defined as the metabolic rate
during muscular exercise at which the elimination of blood LA is both maximal and equal
to the rate of diffusion into the blood [2,3]. The IAT has received more attention
recently [A. 5. h] because, theoretically, the IAT occurs at the exercise intensity an
individual can maintain for a relatively long period with stable blood LA concentrations.
Typically, the I.4T is determined from plots of the exercise and recovery LA
concentration versus power output (or oxygen uptake) by performing a visual best fit
to the data [ 71. Visual determination is subject to individual error, both in construction of
the tangent line and in the certainty with which the precise point defining the IAT is
determined. The purpose of this communication is to present a mathematical algorithm
to f.dciIitate the precise calculation of the IAT based on LA concentrations during a
progrcssi\,c exerciscx test and subsequent standardized recovery period.

METHODS

III our laboratories, the IAT is determined during progressive, load-incremented

bicycle ergometer exercise to the point of voluntary exhaustion. The test begins at a
power output of 60 W, and then increases by 30 W every fourth minute until the
328 W. K. PKUSACZYKei al.

prescribed pedaling frequency (60 rpmf cannot be maintained. Twenty ,~l arterialized
blood samples are obtained during the last 15 set of exercise at each power output via
sterile lancet puncture from an ear lobe made hyperemic by the application of Finalgo@.
Samples are subsequently assayed for LA concentration. The incremental exercise test is
followed immediately by 12 min of standardized recovery exercise at 60 W; blood
samples for LA analysis are obtained at the end of min 11 3, 5, 8, and 12 of recovery.
Individual data points for both exercise and recovery LA concentrations are plotted as
a continuous function against time. Although the time at which the IAT occurs can vary
among individuals, the dynamics of a LA concentration versus exercise intensity curve
are constant. The increasing portion of the exercise LA concentration curve (i.e. above
baseline concentrations) is fit with a single exponential function. The recovery LA curve
is fit with a third-order polynomial function using least-squares techniques.
Subsequently, the time at which the recovery LA concentration equals that at the end of
exercise (peak exercise LA) is calculated (x,,, y,,); and the time and LA concentration
coordinates that define the IAT can be determined. The IAT coordinates must: (a)
satisfy the equation describing the exponential exercise LA curve; and (b) are defined by
the line passing through point (x,,, y,,), with the slope defining the tangent to the exercise
LA curve at the IAT. The time coordinate at the calculated IAT can then be converted
to an equivalent oxygen uptake based on the linear regression calculated among these
variables during the incremental exercise test.

THE ALGORITHM
The generalized equation of the relationship between increasing blood LA concentra-
tion and time during progressive exercise is described by:
y=Aeh, (1)
with A >O and b > 0. There is also a point on the recovery LA concentration curve
(xc,,y,,), with y,, equal to the peak LA concentration during exercise, where y,,< A ebxll,
x,,> 0, and y,,> 0. The problem is to find the point (x, y) on the exercise LA curve tangent
line also passing through the point (x0, y,,) on the recovery LA curve. Figure 1 graphically
depicts a representative LA response to incremental exercise, as well as critical elements
of the IAT determination process.
By definition, the slope of the tangent to the curve at the point (x, y) is the derivative
of the function evaluated at that point, and is defined as:

5.0 - , Tangent Line

/
I
/
4.5 - I
Peak Exercise [LA] ------

4.0 -

3.5 -

Power Output (W)

Fig. 1. Example plot of lactate concentration vs. power output during exercise and recovery.
 Individual anaerobic threshold computation 329

y=bA ehr. (2)

Further, all lines passing through the point (x,,, y,,) are described by:

Y -yo=+-x,,), (3)
where m is the slope of the line. The line of interest passing through the points (x, y) and
(x,,, y,,) has the slope m = y' as described by equation (2). By substituting equations (1)
and (2) into equation (3), we obtain equation (4), which is expressed in terms of X:
A e-y,,=bA e(x-x0) (4)
or, rearranging terms to set equation (4) to zero:
A eh-y,,--bA e*x+bA ehx,,=O. (5)
Equation (5) may be simplified by dividing through by A ebxu+ (which, by definition, is
greater than zero). The resulting equation (6) is:

e-Il-b(x-x,,))_ YII _ b(x _ x,,) e-l --h(x--i(J)

= t).
A e hrll+ 1 (6)

Letting C = ( y,,lA e hXtb+1) and z = 1 - b(x -x,,), we may simplify equation (6) by substi-
tution to derive equation (7):
ze---C=O. (7)
The value of C may be calculated from the experimental data; however, the solution of
equation (7) for z is not unique for all values of C. From the fact that yo<A eQ, it
follows that C<e- and since x<x,,, the appropriate value of z will be greater than 1.
The solution of equation (7) for z at a given value of C is unique when z > 1.
The value of z may be obtained in two ways. The first requires creating a nomogram of
C versus z, as in Fig. 2. Once the value of C has been calculated from the experimental
data, the value of z can be determined from the nomogram. Then, using the substitution
equation for z and rearranging to solve for x, we have:
bX_z+ 1
x= (8)
h .

When the value of x has been determined, one can solve for y directly, using equation
(1).

Fig. 2. Nomogram of C versus z.

330 W. K. PRU~A~ZYK
et ul

A second solution for z uses Newtons method [8]. The iterative technique begins with
a guess at the value of z, z,. The value selected could be any number greater than 1. The
value of F(z,) = 2.,&e-~1
-- C is calculated and the derivative with respect to z determined.
From these values, a new guess at z, z,,_, is made using equation (Y):

F(G)
zn+,=z,------
Wz) I
dz
/:,,
This process is repeated until the difference between successive estimates of z is less than
an arbitrarily selected value that determines the desired level of accuracy. An appropri-
ate level of accuracy for the current iterative solution has been determined to be 0.0001.
The level of accuracy does not substantially slow computational operation and provides a
precise determination of 2.

SUMMARY
The algorithm described in this paper provides a method for the rapid, objective
determination of the individual anaerobic threshold (IAT). The algorithm can easily be
inplemented in a short computer program. Exponential and third-order polynomial
curve-fitting routines are available from a number of sources (e.g. [9]) that will provide
the coefficients of best-fit equations. Once the raw data have been entered, parameter
passing from exponential (exercise data) and third-order polynomial (recovery data)
curve-fitting routines to the routine employing this algorithm will allow rapid and precise
mathematical determination of the IAT. Once the time at which the IAT occurred has
been calculated, the relative oxygen uptake and/or power output at which it occurred can
be determined. Source code (BASIC and Pascal) for the IAT calculation routine. when
coefficients are known, is available from the authors. A fully functional program that
performs all curve fitting for exercise and recovery data and calculation of the IAT has
been developed for MS-DOS-based computers.

REFERENCES
1. J. S. Skinner and T. M. McLellan. The transition from aerohlc to anaerobic metaholism. Res. Q Exer.
Sport 51, 234-248 ( 1980).
2. H. Stegmann, W. Kindermann and A. Schnabel, Lactate kinetics and individual anaerobic threshold. Inr. .I.
Sports Med. 2. 160-165 (1981).
3. H. Stegmann and W. Kindermann, Comparison of prolonged exercise tests at the individual anaerobic
threshold and the fixed anaerobic threshold of 4 mmol/l lactate. Inr. J. Sporls Med. 3, 105-l IO ( 1982).
4. T. M. McLellan and I. Jacobs, Active recovery, endurance traming, and the calculation of the individual
anaerobic threshold, Med. Sci. Sport Exert. 21. 586-592 (1989).
5. T. M. McLellan. K. Cheung and I. Jacobs, Incremental test protocol. recovery mode and the individual
anaerobic threshold, ht. J. Sports Med. 12, 190-195 (1991).
6. S. Keith, 1. Jacobs and T. M. McLellan, Responses to training at the individual anaerobic threshold, Eur. J.
Appl. Physiol. 65,316-323 (1992).
7. T. M. McLellan, Ventilatory and plasma lactate response with different exercise protocols: a comparison of
methods, Inc. J. Sports Med. 6, 30-35 (1985).
8. C. H. Edwards and D. E. Penny, Calculus and Analyfic Geomefry. pp. 146-149. Prentice-Hall. Englewood
Cliffs, NJ (1982).
9. W. H. Press, B. J. Flannery, S. A. Teukolsky and W. T. Vetterling, Numerical Recipes: 7heArf ojScienrifit
Computing. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1986).

About the Author-W. KEITH PRUSACZYK received his Ph.D. degree in Exercise Physiology from
the University of Georgia in 1987. As a military officer, he served as a Physiologist in the Military
Ergonomics Division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick.
MA, U.S.A. Since 1990, he has been working at the Special Operations Division of the Naval
Health Research Center. San Diego, CA. Dr Prusaczyk works with U.S. Navy Sea-Air-Land
(SEAL) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel developing and evaluating biomedi-
cal techniques of performance enhancement. His research interests include exercise and environ-
mental physiology, thermoregulation in cold environments, and performance enhancement
methodologies.

About the Author-lRA JACOBS received his Doctorate of Medical Sciences degree from the
Department of Clinical Physiology at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. in 1981. He
 Individual anaerobic threshold computation 33
joined the Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine in Toronto in 1982 as a
Defence Scientist. Dr Jacobs has been the Head of the Environmental Physiology Section there
since 1987. He has published widely in the areas of exercise physiology and human physiological
responses to cold.

About the Author-Tndo-rw BOWDENreceived his Ph.D. degree from the Department of
Biophysics at the University of Western Ontario in 1978. He was a post-doctoral fellow and then
a Defence Scientist in the Human Factors Division at the Defence and Civil Institute of
Environmental Medicine from 1979 until 1989. Since then Dr Bowden has been a scientific
analyst in the Directorate of Scientific and Technical Intelligence at National Defence
Headquarters in Ottawa, Canada.

About the Author-TOM M. MCLELLANreceived his Ph.D. degree from the Faculty of Physical
Education at the University of Western Ontario in 1982. He has been a Defence Scientist in the
Environmental Physiology Section at the Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine
since 1987. Dr McLellans research interests are in exercise physiology and physiological
responses to physical exertion during heat stress.