Performo Simulated Altitude Training Tips


This page gives you more insight into how PerformO can help you, and how you can get the most out of it.
I therefore encourage you to read on.  The information on this page can be downloaded as a PDF for viewing anytime by clicking here.

History

  • Mexico City 1968: Held at 2240m, the Mexico Olympics were controversial with sprinters smashing world records and endurance events being dominated by athletes who were born and bred at altitude.
  • Despite having won only four medals in Olympic history, African athletes from altitude regions dominated endurance events from 1500m to the marathon
  • Munich 1972: African success is enjoyed at sea level and Finnish runners also triumph.
  • Boulder Colorado 1974: American marathon champion Frank Shorter shifts to the 1600m ski-town, Boulder Colorado to train. Today, more Olympic and world champion runners, triathletes, cyclists and skiers have come out of Boulder than any other town in the world.
  • Montreal 1976: The Africans boycott but the Finnish distance runners continue to dominate.
  • Twenty years later it was disclosed that top Finnish runners had instituted blood doping - not by taking a drug but by re-injecting blood conditioned by high altitude training then stored until shortly before competition. Blood doping of any description is now banned but the benefits of altitude training were again substantiated.
  • LA 1984: American cyclists completely dominate the LA Olympic road race. With next to no history in the event at the top level, this extraordinary performance was later attributed to blood doping.
  • USA 1988: Altitude simulators are being used in the US through the use of hypobaric chambers and nitrogen tents. They do not catch on due to the cost and the psychological drawbacks of being cooped up for long periods
  • Kenya 1990: African athletes dominate distance running but are alarmed by rumours of an undetectable drug that produces altitude-training effects. Within two years the red cell boosting drug 'EPO' has made an impact on all endurance sports. World records are slashed almost daily and athletes never seem to need a recovery or build up period. By the late 1990s the world record for 10,000m had been slashed by 34 seconds in less than eight years - whereas the same improvement prior to that had taken almost 30 years.
  • New Zealand 1991: Dr John Hellemans begins trailing altitude training for athletes and New Zealand dominates the 1998 world triathlete championships after training with a squad in the French Alps.
  • Russia 1996: Scientists develop the Hypoxicator - a machine for simulating the rarefied air typical of high altitude. Unlike the nitrogen tents and hypo baric chambers, the simulator allows the athlete to gain short periods of exposure to rarefied air through a mask
  • Auckland 2001: Altitude Science Ltd designs the BodyO2 programme. Based on the solid state BodyO2 Altitude Simulator, elite athletes in many codes add SAT using BodyO2 to their training. PerformO uses the same equipment, the ESRIO.
    Today there is general agreement in the scientific and sports worlds of the efficacy of altitude training and in particular, of simulated altitude training. Because it is natural and safe, SAT is accepted by the Olympic Standards Committee.
  • Ongoing research by many organisations including Altitude Science Ltd, is focused on determining how to refine the protocol for different codes and individuals to gain the greatest possible beneficial effect.

(This 'History' courtesy of Michael Jacques, NZ Multisport, Dec/Jan 2003/04)

 

Basic physiology

What is Intermittent Hypoxic Training?

Hypoxia refers to the lack of Oxygen. Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT) therefore, refers to intervals of breathing lower concentrations of Oxygen.  During intermittent hypoxic training individuals breathe hypoxic air through a hand held mask. The concentration of Oxygen is adjustable so that each individual can maintain an effective and more importantly safe level of circulating Oxygen in the body. Sessions of intermittent hypoxic training last approximately one hour.

Why use Intermittent Hypoxic Training?

The theory behind IHT is similar to the idea of live high-train low altitude exposure.

The body responds to altitude exposure by increasing haematocrit, haemoglobin, red blood cell counts and erythropoietin (EPO) levels. These haematological changes allow the body to transport Oxygen more efficiently. Having the ability to feed more Oxygen to muscle tissues allows one to work harder before beginning to create lactate. Studies have indicated that these changes can also be seen with intermittent exposure to hypoxic air.

This process begins as a response to less Oxygen per fusing body tissues. Erythropoietin is a hormone secreted by the kidneys that is sensitive to the amount of Oxygen reaching the tissues.

If there is inadequate Oxygen available, erythropoietin is released and signals the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells (erythrocytes) to carry Oxygen throughout the body. As a result, haemoglobin and haematocrit levels rise.

So, the underlying theory is that if one artificially evokes these blood parameter responses by breathing air with lower concentrations of Oxygen than ambient (room) levels, Oxygen carrying capacities with increase.


Applications of intermittent hypoxic training that have been suggested are:

  • Enhanced athletic performance/training capacity: Increased erythropoietin, red blood cell count, haemoglobin and haematocrit levels increase Oxygen carrying capacity. Increased Oxygen delivery to body tissues has been associated with increased performance and training capacity (for endurance & resistance trained athletes).
  • Maintain fitness while injured: Haemoglobin levels have been shown to decrease with detraining. Intermittent hypoxic training may allow you to maintain certain aspects of your training, such as higher haemoglobin levels while rehabilitating an injury.
  • Prepare for high altitude competitions: The adaptation process that occurs with IHT can also allow you to prepare for competitions at altitude without the stress & expense of travel

What are the advantages of Intermittent Hypoxic Training in comparison to conventional altitude training?

Although cardiovascular benefits may be obtained from training at high altitude, it is difficult to maintain speed training regimens. In essence, it is more difficult to train hard at high altitude.

Travelling up and down from a mountain home to lower elevations for training bouts can be both stressful and expensive & can lead to performance declining.

 

The Consultation

By now you will have had a consultation with one of our team. The first thing would have been to fill in a client card. This is so we know who you are and that you don’t have any medical issues which would make Simulated Altitude Training unsafe. If we were unsure of anything then it is likely that we have asked you to see your GP before commencing the course to get confirmation that it will be safe. You should be reassured that behind the scenes we take advice from qualified Sports Scientists.

 

We would have also given a brief explanation of how the 15 day course works and what you would expect during this time along with an overview of the physiology of Altitude Training. During your course you are welcome to go over anything which wasn’t clear for you or any questions that you may have. All of our team are fully trained and have an in depth knowledge of Altitude Training.

 

The Course Itself

 

The mask:

You will be given your own mask which will be labelled stored in a separate food bag for hygiene reasons. We also periodically give them an antibacterial wipe. This is a medical grade constant positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask which will present the hypoxic air to your nose and mouth so that you can breathe normally.

 

The pulse oximeter:

Whilst on the course you will be asked to monitor your own blood Oxygen saturation levels, SPO2. Ordinarily at sea level this would be around 100% but as you breathe hypoxic air it tends to drop and on each day we will give you a safety limit that you should avoid dropping below. Please bear in mind that Pulse Oximiters are most accurate when your hand is at the same level as your heart and blood flow on your arms is not restricted, i.e. by pressure not being applied to the edge of the table. Therefore we advise that you lean forward onto the table with your left arm placed on the table for accurate results. If you have acrylic or varnished nails it may affect the reading. If you hands are cold or you have poor circulation it may also create spurious results so if this is the case please let us know and we can help

 

Sessions

Initially you will start your course at 4500 metres, or 12% Oxygen and this will progressively reduce during the 15 days to 9% Oxygen or 6600 metres, the rate will depend on the specific course you are on. At the same time we will advise of a minimum SPO2 that you should ensure you remain above. On the first day this is 90%.

 

Periodization

If you are using SAT to prepare yourself for going to high altitude, then you would have started this course 3 weeks prior to departure. Otherwise, you would use the initial 15 day course, ideally, during your base training for an event or when you decide to make a positive change to your health and wellness. In this case you will feel some benefit after the first 5 days and maximal benefit roughly 10 days after you complete the course. If you have an important race or event during this initial 3 weeks then please let us know.

Once you have completed your first course, we will advise when is ideal for you to come in for a top-up. If you have started PerformO for health and wellness reasons, then we would advise returning every 6 weeks for a 5 day top-up, which is exactly the same as the 15 days in terms of a starting and finishing altitude, its just we get you to 6600 metres quicker! Ordinarily its best to come in for a refresher 6 to 10 weeks after the initial course but we tend to look at your particular circumstances and work around an ideal timeframe to optimise your experience if you are using SAT for sports performance.

The best strategy with SAT is to use it early in your off season or when you have available time and then use top-ups timed to give you a peak prior to a specific event. Top-up courses then come in weeks when you have lower training volume rather than the harder weeks. Remember that while you are on the PerformO course you are effectively doing another 5 hours of training per week

 

 

 

Benefits you may feel

Everybody responds to Altitude differently, but with SAT there are no downsides. Below is a list of proven benefits that this initial 15 day course can give you:

 

  • Increase Power and Speed
  • Improve Stamina and Endurance
  • Improve breathing control during high intensity activity
  • Improve recovery time
  • Improve the immune system
  • Reduce fatigue
  • Improve mental agility
  • Maintain fitness during injury periods
  • Peak before competition at high altitudes
  • Pre acclimatize to altitude exposure
  • Assist with mild and moderate asthma
  • Reduce moderate stress levels
  • Improve metabolism
  • Reduce work sick leave
  • Improve aerobic and anaerobic conditioning
  • Reduce blood pressure and moderate hypertension.

 

Generally speaking many who have used PerformO also report increased energy levels, better sleep and a general feeling of well being. Some of these comments can be found in our testimonials at the end of this booklet.

 

Training whilst on the course.

Everybody will have different expectations from PerformO and this may relate to how much fitness training they are already doing. It is worth considering that if you are at the top end of training volume, say 25 or more hours per week then PerformO is an additional 5 hours which is significant and it is worthwhile moderating your training so that you don’t overdo it. Generally speaking though, you shouldn’t need to modify your training regime if you do 20 or less hours per week.

 

Because of the mechanisms involved with Altitude training, we strongly advise that you do not do strenuous exercise an hour either side of a PerformO session. This is because in the hour after a training session your body will need as much Oxygen as possible if it is to recover effectively – bear in mind that it is the recovery from exercise that makes you fitter and stronger, not the exercise itself. Also in the hour after the PerformO session, your body is likely still to be hypoxic. It is therefore unwise to do any exercise as you will not feel your best. After an hour or so your body should be fully saturated with Oxygen again and you are able to train as hard as you like. This is the beauty of Simulated Altitude Training over living and training at high altitude.

 

Diet/hydration

You do not need to modify your diet during a PerformO course if it is already ideally balanced. However we do suggest taking an Iron or ferretin supplement as this is required to support the growth of Haemoglobin. Please ask for more information if you are unsure, at your local Pharmacist.

 

Sickness.

As with any training programme your body is placed under stress when you are on a SAT course> if you start to feel under the weather, or catch a cold or the flu, then the best course of action is to come off the PerformO course until you are fully recovered and then restart at a later date. If you try and tough it out then you are likely to feel under the weather for longer and you may actually make yourself feel worse. It is wise to be ultra conservative when you are exposing yourself to high altitude.