Let’s quickly establish the proven facts we know regarding lactic acid:
- Training to muscle failure is not necessary for increases in muscle size and strength.
- Lactic acid burn does not always accompany training to muscle failure.
- Lactic acid is not the cause of muscle failure, but actually provides extra energy to prolong effort.
- Lactic acid is not the culprit for post-workout pain, DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) is.
A recap of these points is important so they are fresh in your mind for what I’m about to say next with regards to the positive effects training for the lactic acid burn can have.
For the longest time, training to the ‘burn’ was seen as nothing more than superfluous. It had benefits no more than satisfying the zealous trainee that he/she had indeed trained hard enough. How could they not have? They felt a burning pain!
Few – including those who would train to the burn – would have truly dared to believe that doing so actually had benefits far greater than mere self-satisfaction and confirmation of a thorough session. Now, that’s all changed.
Hormones is the buzzword of today, and modern studies show lactic acid burn is linked to growth hormone release in all athletes.
This news is of particular importance to those who train with weights, because working the bigger muscle groups, such as the quads, lats, glutes and hamstrings to levels where lactic acid burn is felt, will produce the most growth hormone release for your efforts.
Once growth hormone is released, it’s not only the muscles which were worked to the ‘burn’ which benefit, but any other muscles which are currently in the process of rebuilding.
But, does growth hormone actually increase strength and performance?
It’s worth noting that although human growth hormone (the synthetic kind) is banned by athletic boards worldwide, it’s not currently testable, so many athletes are able to take it without being caught.
A 2008 study by Dr. Hau Liu of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center into growth hormone[1] concluded while growth hormone certainly helps to increase lean muscle mass, it doesn’t improve strength or athletic performance.
Logically then, the only possible way a corresponding increase in strength increase would not be made is if only the sarcoplasmic area of the muscle was increased in size, and not the actual fibres themselves.
Dr. Hau Liu even went so far as saying it may hinder physical activity and performance.
I’m sceptical. For me, I fail to see how an athlete would risk being banned for life from a sport for taking growth hormone if there weren’t some positive performance benefits to be gained from it. It just doesn’t seem to add up, for me.
Either way…
How to achieve ‘the burn’
Naturally, when lifting weights, one should always go as heavy as they can, whilst still aiming to complete their reps and sets in a good, controlled way.
Getting the burn is as simple as continuing to pump out reps without pause for as long as you can, ensuring you maintain the heaviest weight you can possibly lift at the same time.
Normally, going for the burn is only done on the last set when you give it all you’ve got until you can go no more. Drop sets and supersets, because of their relentless nature produce an excellent lactic acid burn.