Aerobic Decoupling During/Across Intervals?

[d_diston]

Anyone know of any good resources relating to aerobic decoupling during intervals. For example, this is screenshot of a 5x5min @FTP:

There’s a general decrease of Power:HR across and within intervals. Does this indicate they are stretching for the athlete?

Thanks!

[jjmc]

Following. I’m interested in this discussion as well.

[d_diston]

I would imagine it’s got to do with VO2 Max slow component…

[jjmc]

Also something I’m curious to dive deeper into.

[Rizzi]

I’d argue decoupling is not intended to be used that way. Use it for steady power over long time.

If you want to read more:

Testing for Aerobic Decoupling

Another post! Sorry! I wondered if anyone on here knows of any workout that would be ideal for testing aerobic decoupling. I’m very much a complete amateur on this subject but would think it’s very handy for Ironman and especially to test the 0.70-0.75 intensity target. So ignoring cardiac drift that could happen during indoors due to heat and excursion. Would a longer step test be a good way of testing and perhaps seeing HR rise too much over a given power target? I know over a certain powe…

[tshortt]

@Rizzi

I’d argue decoupling is not intended to be used that way. Use it for steady power over long time.

Agree. I take this view one step further.

I think: is this a situation (interval, whole ride, etc) where I would WANT lactate to go up or NOT WANT lactate to go up. In training, there sessions where low lactate is what you’re after, and others where you’re trying to increase it.

On 30 min tempo intervals, I don’t want lactate to increase in a meaningful way; therefore don’t want to see significant amount of decoupling during the interval.

On the other hand, I would expect to see decoupling in the last intervals of a classic VO2max session, or Supra threshold intervals where you went long enough to be at VO2max.

Over unders. lactate up, then clear it (with certain types of O/U).

A variable intensity group ride: decoupling metric mostly meaningless (too many confounding variables)

[tshortt]

@d_diston

Does this indicate they are stretching for the athlete?

It can. Depends on context and whether or not you can get to the source/reason for decoupling.

“Coach I forgot to drink”
“Coach it was hot”

(for example)

Would not make any decision based on high decoupling in those cases.

But an indoor controlled temp, athlete hydrated practically a lab setting where cadence, power or HR held steady while others change? Yes.

[d_diston]

@Rizzi

I’d argue decoupling is not intended to be used that way. Use it for steady power over long time.

Agreed, it’s a useful metric for determining aerobic conditioning.

@tshortt

But an indoor controlled temp, athlete hydrated practically a lab setting where cadence, power or HR held steady while others change? Yes.

A metric based on Power:HR rate of acceleration/stabilization after the onset of work would be useful. Even for shorter intervals, as the rate of acceleration would give insight into aerobic fitness (i.e., if the O2 debt is being covered by glycolysis or not).

[tshortt]

@d_diston

A metric based on Power:HR rate of acceleration/stabilization after the onset of work would be useful. Even for shorter intervals, as the rate of acceleration would give insight into aerobic fitness (i.e., if the O2 debt is being covered by glycolysis or not).

I see what you’re getting at now and yeah, it might be an interesting/useful metric. I have had two coaches in last 4 years and whereas both looked at decoupling by manual inspection during high intensity work, not just for low intensity work (the point I was trying to make above), neither used any sort of rate of acceleration or decay.