What is Lactic Acid?

Answer:
First, picture yourself in a boat on a river....

No not that kind of acid. Lactic acid is a chemical compound that plays a key role in many of the body's biochemical processes.

During high intensity exercises such as heavy weight training or sprinting, lactic acid is produced at a faster rate than the muscle tissue is able to remove it.

Because of this the concentration of lactate begins to rise. This is the burning sensation that we feel when we are performing an intense set with weights. Because the thigh muscles are so powerful, I tend to really feel the lactic acid when I do leg work such as squats or leg extensions.

As a food product, lactic acid is found primarily in the products of sour milk like yogurt cottage cheese.