Getting High on VO2Max

[daveyj]

Rule of thumb we have always used is train hard in low elevations, and live and rest in higher elevations.

This seems to work for me. The idea is that you get a more thorough workout from a muscular standpoint, and are then forced to recover in a higher altitude environment. This isnt easy for folks that live at MSL.

[johngfoster]

Well said, daveyj.

Physical fitness at altitude can be tough to achieve if you don't live at altitude. Professional cycling is one of the most demanding disciplines out there for physical fitness. The champions all have high VO2 max's. Just look at Lance Armstrong's numbers. Bottom line is there is no free lunch. You have to train and develop your ability to transfer O2 from you lungs into your bloodstream. The ultimate endpoint is the delivery of O2 to your muscles. A number of factors come into play here: cardiac output (the more blood that gets pumped through your muscles means more O2 gets delivered) and hematocrit or hemoglobin concentration (the number of "box-cars" you have to carry the O2) are probably the biggest of many other factors.

One technique some professional cyclists use is to sleep in an "altitude tent". They live and train at sea level, but sleep in a tent that partially sucks the air out, to lower the air pressure to the equivalent of a high mountain altitude. While they sleep, the body is stimulated to produce more red blood cells and they increase the number of "box-cars" they have. These are also quite expensive.

All this won't do you much good if you don't have the pump to push them around with though. And you would want to do this under the supervision of a doctor as well. If the hematocrit gets much over 60%, the blood can start turning to sludge, and the risk of heart attack or other organ damage becomes a big issue.

If you have COPD or emphysema, this can be a limiting factor no matter how fit you are. It can cripple you literally. You loose valuable surface area in your lung tissue for oxygen exchange. Thus you don't get the O2 into the blood stream.

Bottom line: if you want to have fitness at altitude, you still need to train. Just train smarter.

[Coues Sniper]

Originally Posted by johngfoster

Well said, daveyj.
Bottom line: if you want to have fitness at altitude, you still need to train. Just train smarter.

Along those lines, one way to train and "cheat" is to do your aerobic training while wearing a snorkel. Maybe I'm just young (read: stupid) enough that it sounds like a good idea but it does restrict your O2 flow and get the heart rate going and somewhat resembles training at high altitude. Watch your heart rate carefully however