Training - Training Effect - EPOC as a Measure
EPOC as a Measure
EPOC is a physiological measure for training load
Training with a training load that is too low does not improve fitness and training with too high load may lead to overtraining over time. Therefore it is important to measure your training load.Information about Training
EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) is a physiological measure of training load. The amount of EPOC achieved exercise is proportional to the training load and recovery required. This is also recognized in the scientific literature *.
EPOC has excellent qualities to be a key tool for training:
- The higher the exercise intensity is and the longer the duration, the higher is the build-up of EPOC
- Exercise type is not restricted: intensity level may vary during the session, breaks are allowed and everything will be taken into account.
- EPOC integrates the effects of the whole training session.
- Current physiological state is directly reflected in EPOC accumulation: if one is not recovered from the previous exercise – this will result in higher EPOC.
* “the cause of Excessive Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) is the general disturbance to homeostasis brought on by exercise” (Brooks & Fahey 1984).
Conventionally, EPOC is measured only after the exercise as the excess oxygen consumption during the recovery period. See figure above. This requires expensive equipment for breathing gas analysis and controlled laboratory environment. Now, for the first time, EPOC can be accurately and reliably pre-predicted based on just the measurement of heart beat data during exercise, and not requiring any monitoring at all of the recovery period. Correlation has been shown to be 0.89 between measured and pre-predicted EPOC. Read more about validity from our EPOC white paper.pdf.
EPOC has several advantages as a measure of training load:
- Objective, physiology based and scaled measure
- Based on a series of laboratory studies; scientifically validated
- Better than lactate
- The heart beat data collection and analysis based on Firstbeat method is non-invasive, comfortable and safe
Example workouts
Workout 1: Easy walking for 45 minutes
- This workout maintains the current fitness level. Although improvement in fitness was not achieved, this workout builds foundation for harder training and better cardiorespiratory fitness in the future.
Workout 2: Warm-up for 10 minutes and running at moderate speed for 40 minutes
- This workout improves fitness if repeated 2 - 4 times a week. This kind of workout does not cause any special recovery requirements.
Workout 3: Warm-up for 10 minutes and very fast running for 30 minutes
- Dramatic increase occurs in fitness after this kind of exercise, if an adequate recovery is applied-after the exercise. Exercise at this level should be performed only occasionally.
Read more about using EPOC and Training Effect in Training Principles