INSCYD Testing

Over the summer of 2022, I was researching options for getting a more detailed understanding of my own, and some of my athletes, metabolism to allow me to prescribe even more bespoke training plans.

This was partly triggered by a conversation with one of my athletes following an FTP test that showed little improvement, despite a significant amount of high quality work being completed, with appropriate recovery time. The athlete in question, mentioned that the best FTP improvements she had made seemed to coincide with a lot of low cadence work, rather than the higher intensity work we had been doing. This got me thinking about how to get access to data that would allow me more knowledge on this subject when prescribing training sessions.

The options I considered…

1) Lab testing to give VO2 information (amongst other data)

2) Lactate testing (the current Norwegian phenomenon)

3) INSCYD Testing

I was fortunate enough to have taken part in all 3 of these options over the last 3-4 years, so had some knowledge as a starting point, but was keen to ensure that wasn’t the only basis for my decision making, so I did some internet work, and discussed with other athletes and coaches that had used some or all of these 3.

1 Lab Testing

Pros –

· Reasonably easy to get hold of around the UK, and prices reducing.

· Done properly, provides very accurate VO2 data and therefore threshold power / pace data

· Usually you get threshold based training zones prescribed

Cons –

· Not everyone can give all out efforts with the breathing mask on (especially running)

· Treadmill calibration issues when giving threshold / VO2 speeds

· Power meter calibration / comparison to your own power meter when giving power data

· Needs to be repeated at the same place on the same equipment with the same facilitator to make future tests comparable

2 Lactate Testing

Pros –

· Can be done at home, no travel / lab involved

· Can be repeated as often as required

Cons –

· Expensive - £350 for an analyser, £45 for 25 test strips

· Can’t be easily shared amongst athletes when geographically separated

· There is a real art to taking the blood samples, without either getting sweat in the sample (which has a very high lactate concentration and distorts results) or “milking” the puncture site which affects the blood retrieved and distorts the sample

· A 3rd party is usually required to do the sampling (its very hard to get a genuine, good quality sample by yourself)

· There is still a level of interpretation required to establish LT1 and LT2

· “All” you get is LTI and LT2, there is still some interpretation required to get training zones

3 INSCYD Testing

Pros –

· Can be done remotely using a power source for the bike and a GPS source for the run

· Information is directly appropriate to your power meter

· Data can be input into the software and reviewed for accuracy / quality before accepted. Acceptance is the point at which the cost is incurred

· Low cost for the athlete - £100 per test

· The only option that provides information on VLAmax…the performance of the glycolytic system and a key enabler to endurance or sprint performance

· Training zones provided based on the full metabolic profile, not % FTP etc

Cons –

· Athletes cannot access directly – only coaches have access to the software

· You have to trust the data that comes out (on the basis that you check the quality of the data going in)…..understanding the algorithms that provide the data takes a lot of time, and requires some sports science knowledge

In the end, after several video calls with INSCYD to ensure I understood well enough how to manage the incoming data and interpret the reports, I went with INSCYD.

What has INSCYD shown us so far

After the bike or run test has been completed, analysed, accepted and interpreted, the INSCYD software provides a range of data including VO2max (aerobic capacity), VLAmax (anaerobic capacity) and Threshold. The important things to note are:

1) You can only improve your threshold by changing your VO2max or VLAmax

2) It is usually, always good to have a higher VO2max

3) Depending what sort of athlete you want to develop, influences what you want to do with the VLAmax

4) Working to improve aerobic capacity can impact the anaerobic capacity (in a good or bad way) and vice versa!

We have been able to prescribe specific training sessions now that will develop Threshold in the right way for the given athlete – depending on their current metabolic profile, and the desired end state of their profile.

The software gives specific zones to work in and information on how to assess how long intervals and rest periods should be – initially based on lactate accumulation and combustion.

There is also a lot of information available in the report on carb dependency and carb requirement at various powers / paces, which is obviously helpful in planning nutrition before, during and after training and racing. This includes intensities to run / ride at should you wish to improve fat dependency and reduce carb dependency.

We have just completed the first round of tests with 10 athletes, and we have developed a strategy for them for the next 3 months. We will test again then to see what improvements we have made in the 3 key markers. The proof of the success of INSCYD will be in the results of the second test…..but the stage is set, the athletes are committed and the work will be done.

Blog number 2 will be available in January and will feature the progress we make…..

If you want to chat about this, please drop me a note via the “contact” page and I will gladly expand on any of the points in this blog.