Memory effect fat vs glycogen source
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Dear all,
I wonder if there is any research (or anecdotal evidence) pointing to a memory effect when it comes to the source of fuelling during workout.
Let’s say we do one workout, e.g. 1.5h, and we spend one hour in Z1 and half an hour Z3. Does the order of the type of workout matter? Is the fat adaptation different if we start with the Z3 workout and end with the Z1 workout or vice-versa, i.e. start with Z1 and end with Z3?
For example, if there is a memory effect at work, the metabolism might not easily get back to efficient fat burning after the Z3 workout, even though we spent the rest of the workout in Z1.
Maybe someone can say something about this topic?
Thank you very much
MatzeHi Matze,
I’ve heard Inigo San Millan talk about this on The Drive podcast. Youtube of it here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6PDBVRkCKc&t=2670s This is from #201, he’s also on #85 The detail in relation to the intrasession timing of higher lactate portion of the session starts at about 2hrs 15
The very short answer seems to be do the lower intensity first. Lactate inhibits lipolysis (plus other stuff), which is one of the things you’re trying to train at the lower intensities.
San Millan seems to have fully legitimate credentials, Prof of physiology at University of Colorado, ex pro cyclist and involved in coaching Tadej Pogačar. There’s nuance and difference in who calls what zone what etc, but my overarching takeaway of everything he says on these two podcasts is that there is overwhelming overlap between everything he & Peter Attia have to say, and what Scott & the team are preaching.
be interested to hear if anyone else has thoughts or real world experience with this to add any nuance etc.
Thanks
MarkI’ve listened intently to both those Drive episodes and feel San Millan does a great job of explaining the physiology around training the aerobic base. From my experience, I would say that where you place the higher lactate portion of the session depends on the training effect you are trying to achieve. If the workout is meant to focus on developing speed-endurance or power-endurance where the quality of movement, speed, and power is the focus then put the higher lactate portion soon after the warm-up. If the intention is to train mainly endurance like developing a kick at the end of a race put the higher lactate well into to the workout so that glycogen is somewhat depleted when the taxing bit comes on.
I have used both these methods extensively. In the overall training cycle, one must first develop the ability to: pull hard (in climbing), run fast (in running), ski fast (in XC skiing/skimo) when you are fairly fresh (like early in a workout) before trying to ski fast, run fast or climb hard when you are fatigued late in a workout. If you can run fast when fresh how are you going to run fast when tired? Like Tony Yaniro says: If you can’t pull the move, you have nothing to endure. So, the timing of these different stimuli is important.
The only exception I had to the way San Millan presented his whole Z2 talk was his failure to differentiate between how an elite athlete with a very well-developed aerobic base/high AeT would train vs how someone with aerobic deficiency would approach their training. Very different approaches are needed.
Scott
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