Summary
Lactic acid training leverages the burn caused by lactate buildup to stimulate muscle growth, endurance, and fat loss. This high-intensity approach involves multiple repetitions at moderate weights, pushing your body to adapt and grow stronger. While the training is effective, it requires proper recovery, a disciplined diet, and a clear mindset to handle the intensity.
Now if I were to tell you that the pain in your muscles, the agonizing cramps you face after a hard work-out is good for you, you wouldn’t believe me and why would you? Pain is what indicates that there’s something wrong happening with the body, something that shouldn’t be.
But hold on! It’s actually really good for you if you give it a second thought. To put it simply, that pain is caused by the lactic acid that is forming in your muscles due to anaerobic respiration and it is the same reason to making your body stronger and tougher as time passes by.
What is lactic acid training?
Lactic acid is the chemical your body produces when you exert your muscles. This chemical, better known as lactate can help in generating a growth hormone which is responsible for increasing the muscle mass of your body.
So in short, if you go ham in the gym, you can see yourself grow a lot of muscle mass relatively fast. The way this training is done is to do 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 25 repetitions on an exercise with about 30% of your rep max.
This action will give you a serious burn in your muscles because of all the lactate that is being produced from constant repetitions.
The good
Lactic acid training can be a great entry point if you are looking to do strength training since this type of training puts your muscles under a lot of tension, testing your muscles aerobically.
If you can suck in the excruciating burn, then lactic acid training will help you get those massive gains in no time.
The bad
Lactic acid training can be sometimes seen as a double-edged sword because although it can be a great way to train, it is human nature to lose intensity when you are doing a prolonged workout with multiple repetitions.
Also, you will need to give your body a long time to recover to avoid any injuries, in which case you will have to ask your trainer about your rest days.
5 things you should know about lactic acid training
1. It makes your muscles grow
The lactic acid that is storing up in your body doesn’t tend to go to waste, it works as a catalyst to get rid of fat and build endurance which in turn toughens up your muscles and makes them last longer as you perform your daily work-out.
Think about that before you search up ways of getting rid of the chemical that is only trying to make you stronger, we all know the feeling of pain is pretty crappy but you’ll learn to love it when you get the athletic body you have been dreaming of.
2. It is not injurious to health
That is actually when you follow the set of rules and instructions that your trainer/source gives you. You need to do this training not more than 4 days in a week, because your muscles have to find the time to recover with the heavy training they have been going through.
Yes, lactic acid is good for you, but like anything else, it requires a certain amount and should not exceed the limit.
3. Misconceptions
Before starting to train we should get rid of the misconceptions that have their roots driven into our brain.
The particular chemical we are referring to does not acidify blood like we think it does, that is why lactic acid training has a really bad reputation.
The world needs to know that lactic acid is not actually lethal when it comes to our body and the training should be encouraged to athletes who are serious about their training and want to become the best.
4. Keeping up
Without a doubt, the most feared factor about this particular training is that you will have to keep up. If you really want to reach that goal then you would have to push your limits and break through the intense training.
It requires stamina, courage, and willpower. This training will keep you up at night in pain, so we suggest to go ahead with it when you have a clear mindset to achieve your goal.
5. Diet
This factor is very important when it comes to any kind of exercise or training. Keeping tabs on your diet because it’s a matter of fact that whatever you will eat will definitely affect your body in one way or another and if you do not eat according to what is prescribed, naturally the results will vary.
They will be far from what you had set on in your mind, if you eat a lot of junk food then of course it will take a lot of time to get what you want to achieve but if you eat healthily and what is sorted out for your nutrition and training then of course you will get the best results possible.
Key Takeaway
Keep in mind we listed these facts just to help you consider what you want to do before planning ahead. There are many more things you would have to cover that we are not, after all, we are only scratching the surface. Get in touch with a trainer if you want to continue with this training and do some research; and if doesn’t work out, there might be a different sort of training that would be perfect for you.
FAQs
What does lactic acid training do?
Lactic acid training promotes muscle growth, endurance, and fat loss by leveraging lactate buildup in your muscles. This process stimulates the release of growth hormones, enhancing strength and muscle mass over time. It’s an effective way to push your limits and achieve faster results when done with proper recovery.
How do you train the lactic acid system?
To train the lactic acid system, perform high-repetition exercises with moderate weights and minimal rest between sets. Activities like circuit training, sprint intervals, or exercises lasting 20-90 seconds at high intensity target this system. The key is to maintain continuous effort to maximize lactate production and adaptation.
What exercises increase lactic acid levels?
Exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, and burpees significantly increase lactic acid levels due to their compound nature and high energy demand. Adding resistance and performing multiple sets with short rest periods can further amplify lactate buildup for better results.
What exercise builds lactic acid?
High-intensity anaerobic exercises such as sprinting, cycling sprints, or weightlifting with multiple reps are excellent for building lactic acid. These activities require quick bursts of energy, leading to increased lactate production in muscles and a powerful training stimulus for endurance and growth.
