# Metabolic training. What is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Training\ **Created:** [July 2, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/metabolic-training-what-is-this/85001 "2023-07-02T13:50:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 33
**Author:** ![Brennus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/brennus/32/1318_2.png) [@Brennus](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Brennus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 3:09pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/metabolic-training-what-is-this/85001/33 "2023-07-06T15:09:04Z")
> [@Clement32000](#): > > I try to know and understand what is “Metabolic training” that the pro cyclist are doing. Hi @Clement32000 ! Thanks for the heads up about that video. Interesting to give it a listen. When they are talking about ‘Metabolic training’ they are referring to improving fat utilization and lactate clearance. Or, as it is referred to in layman’s terms, ‘training’. When you’re a coach it’s hard to differentiate yourself…so sometimes you need some jargon to act as a ‘hook’ that grabs an athlete’s attention & focuses it on some type of work that is really just the same old thing that cyclists have been doing for decades. ‘Metabolic training’ means ‘training’. That’s all. Specifically they were talking about tempo work with the intent of improving the use of lactate as a fuel. As we have discussed on this forum many times in the past there are many different ways to upregulate lactate transport in the body. For more on that you can see my post about superfluous over/unders: > [@Over/Unders are superfluous to their stated purpose](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/over-unders-are-superfluous-to-their-stated-purpose/65092): > > Just reading Jesse Fortson’s article ‘5 Indoor Cycling Workouts to Get Faster’. Good article. Linked below. At #1 were ‘Over/Unders’ in the classic sense…a few percent above threshold for a little while, a few percent below threshold for a little while, repeat. I’ve said in the past that these aren’t my favorite workout for the stated purpose because ramp-test derived FTP has a margin of error that exceeds the variation in work rate of these classic over/under intervals. Heck, day-to-day va… For those that are interested in the Wakefield video, here is where they talk about tempo work: [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/1/7/1701840c61657e5496b97f07c4e3f5e082b56d7c.jpeg "4 KEY Training Sessions to SKYROCKET Your Cycling Performance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOOzXb9RNKg&t=796) --- _[View the full topic](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/metabolic-training-what-is-this/85001)._