High Altitude Training

[kilbluff1985]

So this year is the first time Essendon is doing this and i'm on a Bombers facebook page and have people asking if it works and saying there is no scientific proof etc

I keep telling them it does work and listed the benefits of High Altitude Training and said clubs would not do it if it did not work.

Are they right in questioning it? or am i right in saying it does work/help

if anyone has an article or something proving it works for me i would appreciate it

[Tominator]

People are questioning it because they don't know themselves..

I know it helps your lung capacity and stuff like that, and I can definitely see why so many clubs are embracing this,  but I'm no expert in it

[CrowsFan]

Basically what happens is the higher you go away from sea level the less oxygen there is in the air. Oxygen as we all know is what is required to do work. As there is less oxygen in each breath there is less oxygen to move to your muscles. To overcompensate this your body increases it's lung capacity and starts to produce more red blood cells, which are what carry the oxygen through your body. More red blood cells means more oxygen transported to muscles, which means you fatigue slower.

When you then move back to sea level there is a lot more oxygen in the air, and since you have increased your red blood cell count you can transport more of it around your body to stop fatigue. Eventually you body readjusts to the altitude and your body stops producing as much red blood cells and you go back to normal, but before that you certainly have an advantage as you can work harder and fatigue less.

So in simple, yes high altitude training works.

[monstrum]

Theres heaps of studies out there u just need to search. It does make a differance which is evident in kenyan marathon runners who are all from mountain country, ALOT of the best endurance athletes over timecome from high altitude climates. Alot of cyclists/triathletes snd endurance athletes sleep in altitude tents. Do the research you will find heaps of studies. Apparently though the effects dont last very long 2-3 weeks.

Nike have a place i think in oregan for the nike run team where its a altitude house but at sea level so that the athletes can live at altitude but train at sea level. This apparrntly has an enhanced effect. Because athletes can still perform during their training sessions. ( obviousley at altitude theres limited oxygen to breathe so your sessions can and will suffer )

I think the basic premise is that living at altitude somehow makes the body produce more red blood cells which is what carry's oxygen to the cells in the body. (Same effect as blood doping/EPO) im far from an expert but iv read alot about it in the past and im pretty sure thats the jist of it

[monstrum]

http://altitudetraining.com/

Surely something here lol ;)

[Scrads]

Well I reckon it works and I don't see why all the clubs shouldn't be exploring the benefits of it.

[kilbluff1985]

Cheers guys posted some of the info on there hope it helps them understand.

[quinny88]

Im sure that it would work or clubs wouldnt do it but what I would like to know is how beneficial can it be considering it is only done for a 2-3 week training camp 3 months before the footy season?

[Ziplock]

Im sure that it would work or clubs wouldnt do it but what I would like to know is how beneficial can it be considering it is only done for a 2-3 week training camp 3 months before the footy season?

maybe it gets their body in shape for pre-season?

[quinny88]

Im sure that it would work or clubs wouldnt do it but what I would like to know is how beneficial can it be considering it is only done for a 2-3 week training camp 3 months before the footy season?

maybe it gets their body in shape for pre-season?

Yeah must do, like I said they wouldnt do it if it wasnt highly beneficial

[Mailman the 2nd]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altitude_training

It gives the players a temporary boost.

To have a real long time boost to have the sort of advantage that we know from many African countries (e.g. Kenya) you'd have to be living and training at high altitude for like a year.

Hence why many clubs don't use it.

[quinny88]

This is an interesting article on Port Adelaides performance manager saying high altitude training is "overated"
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150390/default.aspx

Not sure if this is just because they cant afford it though lol.
But he seems to be the type to know what he is talking about considering he was the head of fitness at Liverpool FC

[Hawka]

This is an interesting article on Port Adelaides performance manager saying high altitude training is "overated"
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150390/default.aspx

Not sure if this is just because they cant afford it though lol.
But he seems to be the type to know what he is talking about considering he was the head of fitness at Liverpool FC

He isnt wrong, useless, works but only a short period of time and not proven to help that much
Clubs are better of doing Kokoda something the hawks do
Lots of fitness plus the bonding between the players and coaches as well the expirence walking the track has helped alot of the players