Exercising At Altitude
High altitude sports training
Exercising at altitude improves muscular endurance and increases fitness through intensified aerobic and anaerobic training sessions. By training under a state of intermittent hypoxia, people can prepare for competitions or sports in a professional fashion. Doing so will cause one's breathing economy to improve and trains the ability for the body to stay saturated with oxygen while performing at a high altitude.
This will result in less fatigue afterwards and quicker recovery. You will be able to increase the intensity of your training regimen and go to the next level. Low oxygen training can help you improve repeated sprint performance, increase anabolic hormonal responses and increase red blood cell mass. Studies done on elite male triathletes show an incredible increase in VO2max of 7% and a 7.4% increase in mean maximal power output/kg bodyweight (Wmax). These results were achieved after just 10 days of exercise training at a simulated altitude of 8000ft/2500m.
What does altitude training do?
- Increase VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold
- Increase Power output and Speed
- Enhance Endurance and Stamina
- Reduce Recovery time
Other benefits to hypoxic training
There are, however, plenty of additional benefits to altitude training. The exposure to low oxygen air will challenge the body and will cause physiological reactions such as an increase in capillarization for greater oxygen delivery to the tissues, muscles and brain. It can also decreased your average heart rate and blood pressure and stimulate the metabolism of fat.