209 High Altitude Endurance Training: Effect on Aerobic Capacity and Work Performance

Levine, B D; Engfred, K.; Friedman, D. B.; Kjaer, Michael; Saltin, Bengt; Clifford, Philip S.

doi:10.1249/00005768-199004000-00209

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…However a specific advantage of this adaptation for performance at sea level has been more difficult to confirm. Levine et al (17) carefully addressed the question of exercise intensity during altitude training without acclimatization, by studying 21 fit but untrained subjects. One group trained at sea level at 70% VO2max; two altitude groups trained at 2500 m either at the same relative workload (70% altitude YO2max) or the same absolute workload as the sea level control group.…”

Section: Hypoxic Exercisementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies in untrained subjects without controls (2,15) are particularly hard to interpret because of the obvious training effect that may occur independent of altitude exposure. When control groups performing similar activities at sea level have been included (13,17), altitude training has not been superior to equivalent training at sea level for enhancing either sea level or altitude performance (17). Under these circumstances, the adaptations of training itself far exceed any additional benefit conferred by altitude.…”

Section: Altitude Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Practical Approach to Altitude Training

Levine¹,

Stray-Gundersen²

1992

Int J Sports Med

130

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Altitude training may improve performance by a number of mechanisms. Acclimatization may improve both oxygen delivery and extraction. Hypoxic exercise may increase the training stimulus thus magnifying the effects of endurance training. Conversely, high altitude decreases VO2max and reduces the workloads at which training occurs. At altitude, base training is performed at a slower velocity and lower oxygen uptake (lower absolute workload) compared to sea level, though heart rate is similar and lactate is higher (probably greater relative workload). Interval workouts are performed at a lower absolute workload at altitude and are associated with lower peak heart rates and blood lactate concentrations. Red cell volume is increased during altitude training, as long as iron stores are normal. We suggest that for performance at altitude, acclimatization and/or hypoxic exercise is preferable; for performance at sea level, living at altitude (acclimatization) with sea level training may be the optimal strategy. However neither approach is a substitute for a carefully designed training program including appropriate rest and nutrition.

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Section: Hypoxic Exercisementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Altitude Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Practical Approach to Altitude Training

Levine¹,

Stray-Gundersen²

1992

Int J Sports Med

130

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“…However, the scientific literature shows little agreement on the benefits of altitude training in preparing an athlete for competition at sea level. A number of studies have reported an increase in sea-level exercise performance and maximal oxygen uptake ( _ V V O 2max ) following exposure to high altitude (2,300 m, Terrados et al 1990;2,315 m, Burtscher et al 1996; 2,500 m, Levine et al 1990), but others have observed no such change (2,500 m, Levine and StrayGundersen 1992; 2,500 m, Emonson et al 1997). Methodological deficiencies in the designs of the studies, such as the omission of a proper control group, use of an inappropriate training load, or the unsuitable timing of the retest, may be concerned in these conflicting results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of intermittent training in hypobaric hypoxia on sea-level exercise: a cross-over study in humans

Hendriksen¹,

Meeuwsen²

2003

Eur J Appl Physiol

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The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of intermittent training in a hypobaric chamber on physical exercise at sea level. Over a 10 day period, 16 male triathletes trained for 2 h each day on a cycle ergometer placed in a hypobaric chamber. Training intensity was at 60%-70% of the heart rate reserve. There were 8 subjects who trained at a simulated altitude of 2,500 m, the other 8 trained at sea level. A year later, a cross-over study took place. Baseline measurements were made on a cycle ergometer at sea level, which included an incremental test until exhaustion and a Wingate Anaerobic Test. Altogether, 12 subjects completed the cross-over study. At 9 days after training in hypoxia, significant increases were seen in maximal power output (.W(max))(5.2%), anaerobic mean power (4.1%), and anaerobic peak power (3.8%). A non-significant increase in maximal oxygen uptake (.VO(2max)) of 1.9% was observed. At 9 days after training at sea level, no significant changes were seen in .W(max)(2.1%), .VO(2max) (2.0%), anaerobic mean power (0.2%) and anaerobic peak power (0.2%). When comparing the results of the two training regimes, the anaerobic mean power was the only variable that showed a significantly larger increase as a result of training at altitude. And, although the differences in percentage change between the two training protocols were not significant, they were substantial for as well as for anaerobic peak power. The results of this study indicate that intermittent hypobaric training can improve the anaerobic energy supplying system, and also, to a lesser extent, the aerobic system. It can be concluded that the overall results of the cross-over study showed predominantly improvements in the anaerobic metabolism at variance with the previous study of our own group, where the relative .VO(2max) and .W(max) increased by 7%.

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“…With living at moderate altitude and training at low altitude or sealevel, athletes theoretically should acquire beneficial effects of altitude acclimatization, particularly stimulation of the oxygen delivery system, e. g., increase in total body hemoglobin content (Hb tot ) for maximizing oxygen transport and utilization. A detraining effect, as it is usually caused by reduced V O 2 max, and the consequent reduction of training intensity under hypoxic conditions does not occur and therefore a reduction of the working muscle mass can be prevented [13,25,27,44]. Additionally, disadvantages of training at altitude, such as differences in tem-perature, inconvenient training conditions or emotional stress can be avoided.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Erythropoiesis and Performance after Two Weeks of Living High and Training Low in Well Trained Triathletes

Dehnert

Hütler²,

Liu

et al. 2002

Int J Sports Med

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The purpose of our study was to evaluate hematologic acclimatization during 2 weeks of intensive normoxic training with regeneration at moderate altitude (living high-training low, LHTL) and its effects on sea-level performance in well trained athletes compared to another group of equally trained athletes under control conditions (living low - training low, CONTROL). Twenty-one triathletes were ascribed either to LHTL (n = 11; age: 23.0 +/- 4.3 yrs; VO 2 max: 62.5 +/- 9.7 [ml x min -1 x kg -1]) living at 1956 m of altitude or to CONTROL (n = 10; age: 18.7 +/- 5.6 yrs; VO 2 max: 60.5 +/- 6.7 ml x min -1 x kg -1) living at 800 m. Both groups performed an equal training schedule at 800 m. VO 2 max, endurance performance, erythropoietin in serum, hemoglobin mass (Hb tot, CO-rebreathing method) and hematological quantities were measured. A tendency to improved performance in LHTL after the camp was not significant (p < 0.07). Erythropoietin concentration increased temporarily in LHTL (Delta 14.3 +/- 8.7 mU x ml -1; p < 0.012). Hb tot remained unchanged in LHTL whereas was slightly decreased from 12.5 +/- 1.3 to 11.9 +/- 1.3g x kg -1 in CONTROL (p < 0.01). As the reticulocyte number tended to higher values in LHTL than in CONTROL, it seems that a moderate stimulation of erythropoiesis during regeneration at altitude served as a compensation for an exercise-induced destruction of red cells.

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209 High Altitude Endurance Training: Effect on Aerobic Capacity and Work Performance

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

A Practical Approach to Altitude Training

A Practical Approach to Altitude Training

The effect of intermittent training in hypobaric hypoxia on sea-level exercise: a cross-over study in humans

Erythropoiesis and Performance after Two Weeks of Living High and Training Low in Well Trained Triathletes

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