Hypoxic training.

discus

I don't know much about it, and the internet seems full of contracdictory **** about it - don't wear a mask, do wear a mask etc. I remember my swimming coach banging on about it years ago, having us increase the number of strokes between breaths. Anyone got anything they can throw at me thats usable in a non-professional setting?

Brian?

Train at altitude?

deadlybuzzman

Wanderlei Silva an MMA great used to make his own DIY training mask by attaching a snorkel to a headguard and doing circuits.
I googled training mask just now and him and a bunch of other athletes are cheerleaders for an actual product called training mask

meijin

see http://fellrnr.com/wiki/The_Science_of_Altitude_Training and related pages for some ideas

discus

deadlybuzzman wrote: »

Wanderlei Silva an MMA great used to make his own DIY training mask by attaching a snorkel to a headguard and doing circuits.
I googled training mask just now and him and a bunch of other athletes are cheerleaders for an actual product called training mask

I remember vaguely that Barry Oglesby was saying that wearing a mask isn't actually hypoxic training in the original sense, can't remember if he actually said that but I haven't looked for the thread yet! I have a gas mask, wondering if that'll do the same thing - a lot of lads in work will go hard on the threadmill wearing a gas mask and swear by it.

Train at altitude?

Not really an option, I live in the scotish lowlands of all places!

rain on

discus wrote: »

I remember vaguely that Barry Oglesby was saying that wearing a mask isn't actually hypoxic training in the original sense, can't remember if he actually said that but I haven't looked for the thread yet! I have a gas mask, wondering if that'll do the same thing - a lot of lads in work will go hard on the threadmill wearing a gas mask and swear by it.

I've seen people on MMA boards say the same thing alright - that wearing a mask reduces the amount of oxygen you get but you're still getting the same percentage of oxygen relative to your total air intake, or something along those lines. Apparently the relative amount of oxygen is what's important for hypoxic training. I've no sources for that sorry!

Mellor

rain on wrote: »

I've seen people on MMA boards say the same thing alright - that wearing a mask reduces the amount of oxygen you get but you're still getting the same percentage of oxygen relative to your total air intake, or something along those lines. Apparently the relative amount of oxygen is what's important for hypoxic training. I've no sources for that sorry!

You are right about the training mask isn't the conditions, but its not because the relative amount/percentage of oxygen.
Altitude training has the same oxygen relative to your total air, the same percentage. But the reduced pressure, and lower air density means that there is physically less oxygen (and air) per m³, this is what causes the effect. So the ratio isn't really important. But you can also simulate the effect by reducing the oxygen in normal pressure air. That was probably what they were talking about.

The training mask is adding resistance to airways. I'd say it provides benefits, but its a totally different mechanism to altitude training. More like the resistance trainers swimmers/cyclists use etc.