05/07/2020
Elementary Introduction into Altitude Training
Avid hikers, climbers, and backpackers are likely familiar with the shortness of breath that comes when sending and spending time in the mountains. Some may associate this with being out of shape or the steepness of the trail but there is an underlying reason for this struggle. As one goes up the mountain and increases their altitude, the less oxygen is available in the air. This means your lungs are working harder than normal just to keep up. Hemoglobin, a molecule in your blood that transports oxygen around the body and as you get higher into the mountains there is less oxygen to carry. The human body can make short term adaptations but ultimately performance begins to drop.
Heart rate, blood pressure, hydration, and respiration all change in the mountains as your body tries to make changes for the current situation, and unless you live in the mountains this issue will continue to arise each time you go for the summit. However, if you spend enough time or frequently are exposed to this struggle your body begins to adapt to change those issues into longer-term benefits.
The human body adapts to the stresses put upon it in order to survive. If you struggle to get and transport oxygen the body will create more workers to get the job done. The lungs start to open up and more red blood cells are created to carry precious O2 throughout your body and the working muscles. This not only makes time in the mountains easier but also improves sea-level performance. Many Olympians and endurance athletes spend time training at high elevation for this reason. As they struggle in the mountains their ground game becomes better thanks to the changes that have occurred.
However, not everyone is able to move to the mountains and spend their whole time training. In recent years “altitude masks” have grown in popularity to simulate the effects of training at high elevation however the effects aren’t always the same. The masks simply restrict breathing but the same amount of oxygen is present in each breath. A better method may be using a Live O2 Contrast System, but at $4000 it is feasible to have at home. Luckily, at OMATTA we have two systems and can use them for a variety of activities in order to spark the changes and increase your performance.
