Lactate threshold

Lactate threshold is used loosely for two points: LT1 (aerobic threshold, ~2 mmol/L), where blood lactate first rises above baseline, and LT2, the highest intensity sustainable without progressive accumulation. LT2 is often approximated by OBLA, a fixed ~4 mmol/L criterion, or by MLSS, the highest steady-state workload — these correlate but are not identical, and absolute values vary by protocol and individual. Training near these thresholds increases mitochondrial enzymes and lactate clearance, raising sustainable workload.