Whether you like cycling, running or any other endurance exercise: knowing your FatMax zone will enable you to train your fat oxidation and boost your endurance performance. This blog contains everything you need to know about FatMax. From theory to practical application. Let’s dive right into it!
FatMax is the maximum amount of fat that an athlete can “burn” per hour. It is often expressed in energy (kcal) per hour. FatMax is also a training intensity: the intensity at which you burn the highest amount of fat.
The FatMax can differ vastly from one athlete to another. Important factors that together have a huge influence on the FatMax are: VO2max, VLamax and body composition.
When looking at an individual athlete, the fat burning rate (or better: fat oxidation rate) depends on the exercise intensity.
As a result, you get a concave (upward; n-shaped) parabola:
In endurance sports like (marathon) running, triathlons, open water swimming and cycling, a high FatMax is associated with a high performance. That is because using fat as a fuel saves carbohydrate stores (glycogen).
Saving carbohydrate stores ensures you don’t run out of glycogen unnecessarily fast. That is a good thing, since once you do run out of glycogen, fatigue will develop quickly. In other words: burning more fat during endurance events delays fatigue.
Watch the video to learn more about fat and carbohydrate combustion:
We collected the 3 best training tips to increase fat combustion. Two of them will increase fat combustion immediately and one will increase FatMax over time. We’ll dive into training and nutrition.
Get 3 tips on how to increase your fat combustion via our free whitepaper:
Knowing the importance of FatMax and the fact that the maximal fat metabolism is highly individual, leaves us with the question: how can you determine FatMax? The determination of FatMax is done via a FatMax test.
When using the INSCYD software, your have multiple options when it comes to testing. You can do a lactate (field) test, a spirometry (lab) test, a test that only requires power (cycling) or GPS (running), or a combination of the above. All tests will give you an accurate FatMax and FatMax intensity.
Athletes can easily find an INSCYD coach and perform a (remote) FatMax test. Coaches can become an INSCYD coach, test and discover the FatMax of their athletes and create the best FatMax trainingplan. Start now!
After performing an exercise test, the INSCYD software creates your individual fat combustion graph. You now know exactly how much fat you burn at any given exercise intensity. You also know your FatMax (kcal/h) and FatMax intensity (e.g., speed or pace in running and swimming; power in cycling).
INSCYD also offers you an individual FatMax training zone, which is also known as “zone 2” for improving mitochondrial functioning. This training zones is +/- 10% of the FatMax intensity. Ride/run/swim/exercise in this FatMax zone and you are sure you’ll burn the most fat. Knowing the FatMax zone allows you to train fat combustion more efficiently.
This scientific paper shows that on average, in a group of 300 healthy men and women, the highest individual fat oxidation (FatMax) equals 27.6 grams of fat per hour (range: 10.8 – 60.6). This equals 248 kcal/h (range: 97 – 545).
To give you an idea about the training level of the group: average VO2max was 46.3 ml/kg/min.
On average, FatMax occurred at an exercise intensity of 48% of VO2max (range: 25 – 77). This was equivalent to 62% of max heart rate (range: 41 – 91).
Notice the wide ranges in FatMax and FatMax intensity? This means that you can use these comparison numbers to compare with your own FatMax, but you cannot use the comparison group data as a guideline for your own training.
Men had a significantly lower FatMax than women at a significantly lower exercise intensity.
Average FatMax men: 0.44 grams of fat per kg fat free mass per hour, occuring at 45% of VO2max. This equals 4.0 kcal/FFM/h. Their average VO2max was 50.7 ml/kg/min.
Average FatMax women: 0.50 grams of fat per kg fat free mass per hour, occuring at 52% of VO2max. This equals 4.5 kcal/FFM/h. Their average VO2max was 41.4 ml/kg/min.
You can find your fat free mass (FFM) in the INSCYD report.
In a scientific research with more well-trained athletes (N=18, average VO2max=58.4 ml/kg/min), the average FatMax equaled 36 grams of fat per hour (324 kcal/h). The FatMax intensity was 64% of VO2max, again with a wide range: 42 – 84% of VO2max.
Use this normative FatMax data to compare with your own FatMax and to understand what to work on to get the ideal metabolic profile, depending on your goal.
Enough about the theory. It’s time to increase FatMax by training! Here are the three most important rules to follow for increasing fat oxidation rates. The whitepaper discusses both the training aspect as the nutrition aspect. No pseudoscience – just clear physiological facts…steeped in science.
If you coach or lab and you are not sure how to apply FatMax to your training or lab setup? Schedule a free 1:1 consultation with our INSCYD team, available in your own language! We’ll help you get the most out of FatMax for optimal endurance performance. Book your consultation now!
With INSCYD, you can tailor training programs with unparalleled precision, ensuring your athletes achieve their peak performance faster and more efficiently.
Don’t let your athletes settle for anything less than their absolute best. Book a Free Demo with INSCYD today and experience firsthand how you can elevate your coaching game.
Athletes why train with generic plans when you can have a program tailored to your unique physiology? INSCYD is the key to unlocking your full potential. Find your dedicated INSCYD coach or lab here.
Already have a coach? Experience INSCYD in action with your coach and redefine your training approach.
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Florian Wellbrock has continued to make waves in the swimming world with his recent achievements. He pulled away for an 18.7-second win in the Open Water 10K at the World Championships, showcasing his dominance in the sport. This win was Germany’s second in two 10K races in Fukuoka, marking a significant milestone for the country…
Many labs and coaches use lactate threshold graphs to measure progress in their athletes. However, when analyzing a lactate threshold chart, it’s important to know exactly which factors cause a shift in the lactate curve. After reading this article, you will understand why a right shift in the lactate curve can be a bad thing.…
In this blog, Certified Sports Nutritionist Coach Sofi Marin (INSCYD user since 2017) explains how she translates INSCYD data into specific nutrition advice. After all, who knows better how to use INSCYD than an INSCYD user? Translating INSCYD insights into specific nutrition advice With INSCYD, I have clear and specific data to support and justify…
Polarized training began as an observation of how elite endurance athletes train: 80% at low intensity, 20% at high intensity. But is polarized training better than pyramidal training for you? Let’s find out! Knowledge is power in the world of athletic training. By sharing this comprehensive article on polarized and pyramidal training, you’re empowering your…
Bernat Xamena after his sub-3h Marathon success Do you want to run a marathon in under three hours? Easy: you only need to run those 42.195 km (26.2 miles) at an average pace of 4:15 per km and smash it in 2 hours and 59 minutes. Of course, it’s not quite that simple: your body…
Muscle Glycogen and Exercise: all you need to know Glycogen is the most important energy substrate during exercise, especially at higher intensities. Since most races require such high intensities, glycogen is important to every athlete who wants to be strong, fast and become a winner. Regardless of the intensity at which you exercise, at some…
A Functional Threshold Power (FTP) test is easy to perform, you only need a power meter. However, the insights you get from knowing your FTP are also limited. In this article we share what science has to say about FTP. We also introduce a very similar test protocol that gives you a full view of …
Werden ChatGPT und andere KI-Tools den menschliche Coach ersetzen? Hier sind 3 Möglichkeiten, wie man neue, innovative Technologien nutzen kann und sich gleichzeitig unersetzlich macht. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Email Trainerwissen vs. ChatGPT Bevor wir uns mit den spezifischen Coaching-Qualitäten von ChatGPT befassen können, ist es wichtig zu verstehen, woher es sein Wissen bezieht. Laut…
In this podcast, Colby Pearce and Sebastian Weber talk about the magic of cycling: having a strong aerobic metabolism that burns the lactate, produced by the (anaerobic) glycolytic metabolism. Are you able to recover from repeated accelerations? Colby Pearce during the podcast: “The glycolytic metabolism produces lactate – and a well trained aerobic metabolism consumes…
Peak and fade intervals are a key component in the training regimens of elite athletes. These Peak and Fade Intervals start at a very high intensity and gradually decrease, offering a unique approach to training. This article not only delves into the science behind Peak and Fade Intervals but also covers pre-loaded intervals, another effective…
When you want to go fast, you need carbohydrates as a fuel. Once you start running out of carbs, you’ll automatically slow down …
Because of the relatively short duration of swim races, the anaerobic energy production plays a huge and significant role. It therefore makes sense to learn more about this race winning energy system, that not many coaches take into account. A French national team member gets his lactate sample taken after an exhaustive exercise to determine…
Some of our technologies seem so ground-breaking, that it might seem too good to be true. Questions we often hear are: “how come INSCYD is able to measure the VLamax while others fail to do so?” or “How is it possible that the Cycling PPD only needs 4 all out efforts, but still results in…
Yes, power has advantages over speed and heart rate. But if you want to fully exploit its potential, you need to know how your running or cycling power is composed. How much power is coming from the aerobic vs the anaerobic energy system? And which fuel source contributes most to your power output? In this…
Salenstein, Switzerland. June 3rd 2020 . INSCYD and Belgian Cycling have just signed four-year cooperation agreement. This partnership includes all divisions of the national cycling association, i.e., INSCYD will support the disciplines road cycling, mountain biking, cyclocross, BMX and track cycling in their pursuit of maximum performance. Expert education for coaches After a several months long…
Whether you’re considering becoming a coach or are already an experienced coach, we honestly can’t imagine a better way to test our physiological software than by using it on yourself (as a coach) before using it on your athletes. That’s what coach Florian Heck, 28 years old from Tri2gether (Trier, Germany), did with INSCYD. INSCYD…
Whether a VO2max of 50 is good depends on your age and gender. Moreover, while average VO2max values tell you something about your health, athletes should compare their VO2max with other athletes, not the general population. That’s why in this article we provide numerous VO2max comparison charts, based on age and gender, for both athletes…
One-man coach Toll Tollmahawk more than doubled his athlete coaching and testing business in just 4 months. In this article he shares how he did this, via 3 actionable tips. Toll Tollmahawk My need to better understand it kick started my business Tollmahawk Plus. My goal is to enable all athletes – whether they are professionals, weekend…
The way training zones are determined and used hasn’t changed for decades, as if nothing happened in sport science lately. It’s time to throw them out of the window and start creating training zones that actually matter. Let’s start right away. TRAINING ZONES MOST COACHES USE – AND WHY IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE Currently,…
In this webinar, we share which performance metrics make the difference in swimming, how you can measure those and how you put them into practice. Watch the webinar: Agenda timestamps: [01:29] Physiological testing in swimming: which metrics are of interest? [02:40] VO2max – Maximum aerobic performance. How to test VO2max without measuring it during the…
(Tägerwilen, Switzerland, 8 March 2019) – INSCYD, the world’s most advanced software for performance analysis, and SEG Racing Academy partnered up for the next three years. Talent Support & Identification SEG Racing Academy is an U23 development team that competes at continental level with the aim of educating and developing riders to the next step.…
When Mika Luoto – coaching monitor of the Finnish Triathlon Association – heard about INSCYD years ago, he was very skeptical. Will it add value? Is their field test without any lactate or oxygen measurement reliable? In this interview he explains how comparing his own lab test results with INSCYD results convinced him to work…
Improving your VO2max or increasing your threshold is a time consuming process that we talk about all the time. Not this time. In this article we share 3 training tips that will increase your triathlon performance in a time efficient manner. Are you looking to increase your triathlon performance? Or maybe even preparing yourself for…
Are you still using training zones based on a percentage of FTP, Anaerobic threshold or fixed lactate concentrations? Do you get the feeling that two athletes training in the same zone don’t show the same adaptation to the same training? If this sounds familiar then it is time for a change! https://youtu.be/hZELSARsJtA With INSCYD’s new…
Sometimes you need that extra advantage to win against your competitors. Sometimes you want to teach your team the intricacy of human physiology. And sometimes you just want to develop your squad and bring the youngsters to an elite level. It doesn’t matter what your goal is: INSCYD will help you to achieve it. The…
Want to reduce your VLamax so you burn less carbohydrates and increase your anaerobic threshold? Here are 5 training tips on how to decrease VLamax, talking about: training intensity, frequency and nutrition! PS you can also download the tips in PDF. Having a high VLamax will make you go faster in any sprint or attack*.…
Just because INSCYD is well accepted in cycling – with partners like Team Jumbo Visma, Movistar and Alpecin-Fenix – doesn’t mean INSCYD is limited to cycling. In fact, the first INSCYD license purchased ever was in swimming – via the French Institute of Sports INSEP. If you are a coach, test lab or federation, who…
In this post you learn 5 actionable steps to create a nutrition plan for training and racing. In fact, this is the exact process that partners like Alpecin-Deceuninck Cycling Team and the Belgium Triathlon Federation use to create a fueling plan. So if you want to know what and how much you should eat during training and…
VO2max intervals are a type of HIIT training that specifically aim to improve aerobic power (VO2max). Although many workouts increase VO2max aerobic power, VO2max intervals are often considered to last about 5 minutes. But why? Here’s how to create individually tailored VO2max intervals that work best for you. Spread the knowledge! Share this article with…
Some refer to zone 3 training as sweet spot training while others call it the grey zone. This article reveals what zone 3 training is and when you should or shouldn’t implement it into your endurance training program. Spread the knowledge! Share this article with your fellow coaches and athletes. Click the share buttons below…
Power vs. Duration respectively Speed vs. Duration analysis has a long history in sport science.Power-Duration relationships have become very popular and also very useful in managing training & performance in endurance sports – particularly in cycling. It provides a relatively easy way to get an idea of the performance of an athlete. Watch the webinar:…
There are many reasons why endurance athletes should want to increase their fat combustion. Riding many hours at FatMax (intensity at which you burn the most fat) might seem like the best way to do this. However, this is not always the case. It can even harm you and cause overtraining. Here’s what you should…
How many times have you looked at your power meter or heart rate monitor and wondered if you were going too far above your threshold? Although it is reasonable not to kill yourself ‘just because’ when you’re out training and racing, you might be surprised by how little you actually know about one of the…
The last weeks prior to an important race event are crucial. Use the wrong training strategy, and all the hard work is lost. Manage your training the right way and you’ll boost your performance by a few percent. In this use case, Benjamin Tilus, National Champion Coach and Founder of XLR8 Performance Lab, shares how to…
Carbohydrate and fat combustion rates are among the most important features INSCYD can offer for runners, triathletes, and cyclists. Here’s why: While fat combustion rates are a valid marker to monitor training progress and set training intensity zones, carbohydrate combustion is crucial not only in training – but even more in a race. Carbohydrate storage…
You can have a VO2max well above 70ml/min/kg, but still perform below expectations. You could even find yourself having a low anaerobic threshold (or FTP) and a low FatMax. That is because a high VO2max alone is not good enough. Here’s an example of a professional cyclist. By Sebastian Weber Swedish cyclist Hannes Bergström Frisk…
This webinar will teach you how to use a holistic approach, utilising biomechanics, aerodynamics, training and nutrition to tremendously increase the performance of a triathlete in no time. Learn how to use real world biomechanical analysis, nutrition strategies and efficient training programs to maximize value of your coaching and bike fitting service. High Performance Expert…
Salim Mohammned getting an INSCYD test done by Jo Spindler Hard work will always beat talent (if talent is not trained). But if you’ve got a good set of genes and a strong work ethic, then you’re on the road to success.And that is true at any given phase in life. Just take Salim Mohammed,…
Body composition in performance testing: stop ignoring it Body composition is highly important in athletic performance and performance testing. Although often ignored, body composition goes beyond weight and body fat. In lactate testing for instance, concentrations are expressed in mmol lactate per liter (mmol/L). But do you know which “liter” it is about? Let’s dive…
In the 2023 Tour de France, Jasper Philipsen, riding for the INSCYD partner Alpecin-Deceuninck team, has demonstrated his sprinting prowess by securing four stage wins and six podium finishes. Philipsen’s victories don’t stop there. He has been utterly dominant in the 2023 Tour de France, especially in the bunch sprints. Here’s what it takes to…
Can you compare indoor lab tests with outdoor field test? The comprehensive results of a complete physiological assessment can help you to plan your training sessions and nutrition more effectively. It’s a necessity for elite runners and it’s even a good idea for recreational runners that are training for a specific time in an upcoming…
Lactate testing becomes increasingly interesting once you understand the full mechanism behind it. Fortunately, more and more coaches and athletes understand what lactate is NOT: a waste product. Now it’s time to make sure you fully understand what it is!
As a sports performance coach, you’re well-versed in creating training plans and guiding your athletes to success. However, are you providing them with the metrics they truly crave? Our survey revealed that athletes are highly interested in 3 specific metrics, which most coaches often overlook. Here are these 3 metrics, along with tips on how…
In this webinar we are going to take a close look at using anaerobic threshold / FTP for prescribing training intensities. What might be the possible limitations and most common errors in using anaerobic threshold / FTP as the sole performance benchmark? Watch the webinar: Agenda: The physiological definition of anaerobic threshold Intensity in competition…
This webinar is about Training Zones and the new INSCYD Training Zone Builder (part 1). Watch the webinar: Agenda timestamps: [02:55] What are training zones and what are they used for: benefits and downsides [11:10] Examples of training zones in different sports and countries [19:40] Translating training zones to real life training: the challenges with…
Since august 2020 we proudly work together with Eden Reforestation Projects. For every INSCYD test sold, we plant a tree! By doing so, we try to support the re-forestation of our planet. We are happy to announce we planted over 2500 trees since we started this collaboration.
Diagnostics national coach Alexander Törpel (m.) works with fellow coaches Norbert Warnatzsch (l.) and Bernd Berkhahn (r.) at the Magdeburg federal base in Magdeburg. Digitization is also inevitable in the sport of swimming. In the field of sports science, it is now advancing particularly quickly in Germany since Dr. Alexander Törpel was appointed national coach…
In our previous article, we showed how to find out whether your runner should increase or decrease VLamax. Now it’s time to answers the final question: how to increase or decrease VLamax and How to increase VO2max in the meantime. By Benjamin Tilus Download full article in PDF Ben Tilus, National and State Champion coach…
Olympian and former professional triathlete, Jean-Christophe Guinchard, shares his 35 years of experience in coaching. He is the co-founder of JC Sports Coaching and a member of Sansego Tri club, a group of high-level coaches working together to provide the best for athletes. Today, he coaches 42 athletes, including triathletes and trail runners, and is…
Improving running economy is probably the most efficient way to shave off minutes from your 10k or (half) marathon time. At the same time, it’s an overlooked metric that is often wrongly measured. That’s why it’s time for a change! This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about running economy (RE): from theory…
Team Sportforum has one mission: to become the best amateur cycling team in Germany. Head of Performance, Luke Derksen, shares how they use INSCYD for talent identification, progress monitoring, predicting future performances and deciding on race strategies. Image: INSCYD Partner Team Sportforum About Team Sportforum Our mission is to become the best amateur cycling team in…
This case study is about an 800 meter National Swimmer who is not able to keep up with her teammate during training and racing. Observations and lactate measurements seem to indicate she needs to improve her aerobic energy system, but this turns out to be a false assumption. Read the article and register for the…
Sind Sie sich nicht sicher, welche Software Sie zur Leistungsdiagnostik in Ihrem Labor verwenden sollen? Werfen Sie einen Blick auf diesen Vergleich zwischen Mesics Winlactat (LC-Laktat) vs. INSCYD und entscheiden Sie, welches Tool am besten zu Ihrem Laktat- und/oder Spiroergometrie-Diagnostiklabor passt. Um Verwirrungen zu vermeiden: Mesics ist der Firmenname. Ihr Produkt heißt Winlactat. Bald wird…
Iceland is often associated with geysers, volcanoes, cold water and a generally hostile landscape. Although it’s an island, you hardly think of Iceland as a swimming country or destination. But even this remote country, home to more than 300,000 inhabitants, has its own swimming federation – the Sundsamband Íslands, SSÍ. And its swimmers have already…
Exercise Physiologist Tero Joutsen, PhD, rideson the treadmill during a 30min constant load test – the gold standard for validation of the maximum lactate steady state (AKA anaerobic threshold / FTP) Advertising claims are often designed to make more out of products than they actually are. INSCYD’s Power-Performance Decoder (PPD) software doesn’t have a claim.…
Chris Case and Trevor Connor of Fast Talk Laboratories performing an INSCYD test Salenstein, Switzerland / Boulder, Colorado, USA At INSCYD we celebrate all our new partnerships, and this is one we cannot keep to ourselves. We are happy to announce our new partnership with Fast Talk Laboratories! About Fast Talk and Fast Talk Laboratories…
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