Elevation training happens in high altitudes -- 7,000-8,000 feet above sea level. When exercising in these altitudes, less oxygen is delivered to your muscles, getting you used to breathing “thinner” air. This improves elite athletes' performance in competitions at lower altitudes.
Elevation training makes your body put in more effort during workouts. This feeling of overexertion is caused by altitude-induced hypoxia. This happens when your muscles don’t get enough oxygen to burn fuel and create energy.
The longer you train in high altitudes, the more red blood cells your body produces as you get used to the altitude. These extra red blood cells boost your muscles as more oxygen is available. This improvement only affects the performance by 1 to 2 percent, but seconds mean everything when competing.
What Are the Benefits of Elevation Training?
In elite and well-trained athletes, high altitude training has many benefits. Elevation training and using a training mask may help elite athletes gain an edge in competition.
Some athletes who live in higher altitudes use a method called “live high, train low.” Living in a high-altitude location lets you acclimate to the thinner air. Then when you compete in a low altitude location, you’re more likely to get an energy boost from the extra oxygen reaching your muscles.
Your athletic performance at lower altitudes can be enhanced through training in natural or fake altitude environments, training at different altitudes, or using a high altitude training mask.
What Is a Training Mask for Elevation Training?
Elevation training masks are designed to simulate altitude training and are supposed to improve the following:
- Aerobic capacity
- Endurance performance
- Lung function
These masks are not recommended unless you are an Olympic or elite athlete.
Other things to avoid are hypoxia sleep chambers and high-altitude training rooms.
For you to see noticeable results, you’d have to spend hours with these devices.
Should I Try Elevation Training?
If you’re not an elite swimmer or runner aiming for a few seconds’ advantage over a competitor, you will most likely see minimal benefits from elevation training.
High altitude training can also have negative effects on your blood viscosity, muscle blood flow, cardiac output, and protein synthesis. These different effects may impact you based on the sport, your performance level, nutritional support, fatigue level, training type, and psychological state.
