The lactate test, a dreaded fitness test that players at Liverpool Football Club used to endure on the first day of pre-season, has been replaced this summer by a new test called the six-minute race test (6MRT). While the lactate test measured the highest intensity at which a player could train or compete before reaching high levels of blood lactate, the 6MRT evaluates maximal aerobic speed. In simpler terms, it assesses aerobic endurance fitness, which is the body’s ability to use oxygen as an energy source.
The 6MRT requires players to run as fast as possible for six minutes around a 400-meter track to cover the maximum distance possible. This data helps the performance staff plan training and conditioning programs based on each player’s results. Slot, the new head coach at Liverpool, emphasizes pushing players to their limits during this test, urging them to “go all in.”
The decision to change from the lactate test to the 6MRT can be attributed to new staff, new practices, and preferences. Ruben Peeters, the lead physical performance coach who followed Slot from Feyenoord, emphasized the importance of the test and encouraged the players to give their best effort. The 6MRT provides similar data to the lactate test but adds variety to the players’ pre-season routine and presents them with a different challenge.
By replacing the lactate test with the 6MRT, Liverpool’s coaching staff aims to keep things fresh for the players and provide them with new challenges. Although the test may be grueling for the players, it helps assess their fitness levels and allows the performance staff to tailor training programs accordingly. As fans, we can appreciate that it is the players who have to endure this rigorous test, not us.