One of the most popular indices reflecting the workload applied is the concentration of lactate in blood. In order to interpret its values correctly, they are related to the maximum ones. Lactate concentrations may also be used to control exercise intensity, e.g. at the anaerobic threshold. More recently, the so-called lactate curves have become popular; they reflect the dynamics of e.g. identical exercises performed in a given sequence and may thus serve as an interesting marker even without relating it to other physiological or biochemical variables. This study aimed at assessing the training efficacy from the exercise-induced changes in lactate concentrations in identical training units of a mesocycle. A group of cyclists (n = 18) from various Lower Silesian clubs participated in the study. Their mean age was 23,5 years, body mass - 63 kg, and body height - 176 cm. In the first microcycle the measurements were conducted in all training units, while from the microcycle 2 through 11 a single training unit was selected, namely that in which highest lactate values were found initially. Lactate was determined enzymatically in the capillary blood by using LP400 device (Dr. Lange, Germany). The athletes performed repeated maximum exercises lasting 2 min, separated by intermissions during which the heart rate did not exceed 120 beats/min as monitored with sport tester devices. Such a monitoring enabled a relatively accurate prediction of the direction of changes of the variables the training was aimed at. Namely, athletes who could perform more exercise bouts at higher lactate concentrations, attained highest increments of the so-called speed endurance, i.e. cycling velocity in 2 min. Those athletes who exhibited a high variability of this parameter and attained lower lactate levels achieved also lower speed endurance.
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