What is your take on altitude training?

[Billaridoo]

We had 14 Scandinavian mid-distance and cross-country athletes here at the backpackers over Dec'16/Jan'17.

 

They spent 3 weeks working through a grueling altitude training regime, one of four altitude sessions per year for them.

 

I am often asked by our cycling guests what the benefits are of altitude training other than increased red blood cell and oxygen advantages. Answers after a few Google searches have varied.

 

Personally, living at 2100m above sea level makes me feel like a champ when I'm at lower alt. First day/night or two at lower alt, I feel like the Duracell bunny.

 

What is your take?

 

 

[V12man]

Natural EPO... should be banned....

[The Guy in Pink]

It's Magic! I live , work and train  at about 2450m above sea level (8000ft) for almost 9 months of the year.  When I go home and ride with my friends  I cannot understand why they battle so much on the hills.

[Tatt]

I absolutely bleed for the first 8 days when I head back to the Midlands.. The farm house is at 1475m and we cycle up to around 2000m. 

[dave303e]

as long as the altitude training doesn't invlove a mask in a gym...

[Jurgens Smit]

as long as the altitude training doesn't invlove a mask in a gym...

 

I've actually wondered whether there is any actual benefit to that mask. Obviously the simulating altitude part is bs, but training in a oxygen deprived state is pretty interesting.

I sent a mail to Jon Tarkington(Cycling coach based in Boulder) regarding hypoxic and supplemental O2 training, this was his answer:

 

"Hypoxic and/or O2 deprived intervals will always impair short term performance but they have significant benefits in preparing athletes for time at altitude and also with acclimatization once they are at altitude.

They have little to no benefit outside of those parameters. It is the time at altitude and that adaptation which is paramount.

 

Supplemental O2 work shows its benefits immediately, the athlete will produce more watts at VO2 max with additional O2. The downside is that it takes longer to recover from such high intensity at altitude.  They do a great job in maintaining VO2 output efficiency while at altitude and preparing athletes for sea level competition."

 

When training one of the US National champs he would have the athlete wear that mask and do hypoxic intervals until a certain point, after which they would start doing the supplemental oxygen intervals.

[jcza]

Wearing the ETM during a 6-week high-intensity cycle ergometer training program may improve performance variables, such as VO2max, PPO, VT, PO at VT, RCT and PO at RCT.

Wearing the ETM did not improve lung function, inspiratory muscle strength, or stimulate changes in hemoglobin or hematocrit levels.

The ETM does not simulate altitude, but works more like an respiratory training device.

 

Full study here - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4879455/