Fitness for altitude change comparison

[Jason Snyder]

....in layman's terms, the air is not as dense at higher altitude.

 

[Cory Arola]

Not exactly............The important effect of this decrease in pressure is this: in a given volume of air, there are fewer molecules present. This is really just another way of saying that the pressure is lower (this is called Boyle's law). The percentage of those molecules that are oxygen is exactly the same: 21%. The problem is that there are fewer molecules of everything present, including oxygen.

So although the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere is the same, the thinner air means there is less oxygen to breathe.

Thanks for saying it better than I could!

 

[Poser]

I don't know much about the masks, but I do know that in order to wear one, you'd be seen wearing one and that would seem a little bit like blasting Bro Country out of your car windows. I think I'll skip the mask

 

[Archerm]

The masks are only good for the time you wear them. As soon as you remove them you are back to where you started. I have been training at a much lower altitude since the eighties and I train like I hunt without the altitude. Best advice is to take your time the first few days. I drive and This helps because I am gradually getting higher in altitude over a period of time. I am never in a rush when I get to the trail head at 7500ft, everything from there is straight up!! Take your time.

 

[bourbon]

I don't know much about the masks, but I do know that in order to wear one, you'd be seen wearing one and that would seem a little bit like blasting Bro Country out of your car windows. I think I'll skip the mask

haha, agreed. I asked about them because I recently saw someone wearing one while running on the beach. It was about 110 degrees with 400% humidity. I think he was trying to commit suicide as he did not look very happy.

 

[Jeff Martin]

I think their is a huge misunderstanding to the purpose of the mask. It is not to simulate lower oxygen levels in higher altitude. (like 99% of people think) The purpose is to strengthen your breathing system (lamen terms) My wife is a respiratory therapist. If you listen to Ben Greenfield Fitness podcast, he spends a lot of time on this and he too understands the real purpose.

 

[xcutter]

This is all good stuff. I appreciate everyone's input.

A trainer at my gym said to start trying to do cardio breathing more through my nose to simulate how you will breathe on the mountain.

More restriction to breathe? Do you think this would be a good practice?

 

[Jason Snyder]

I think you'll get a whole lot more benefit out of running hill repeats till you're ready to puke instead of trying to breathe through your nose.

 

[xcutter]

I agree. I told the trainer I would pass out if I had to run and breathe through my nose. LOL.

 

[Bar]

I agree. I told the trainer I would pass out if I had to run and breathe through my nose. LOL.

Just like hiking with a heavy pack in the mountains with your mouth open. Sounds like a good simulation.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Doesn't sound accurate to me. In my experience if your in good shape in the first place your body will acclimate quickly to the elevation. I just climbed Mt. Shasta last weekend and although I don't do much above 11K generally my body adapted quickly and I didn't feel much loss in stamina.

 

[BroodBuster]

Google "Marshawn Lynch training mask." He wears it during pre game workouts. It's supposed to reduce oxygen simulating higher altitudes. There's a nice SI article on it. Not sure if it increases oxygen in the blood stream though which is what acclimization does.

Best thing to do to prepare for high altitudes is to pre hydrate. And rest if you get any symptoms and re hydrate.

 

[blackdog]

I think you'll get a whole lot more benefit out of running hill repeats till you're ready to puke instead of trying to breathe through your nose.

I'm a flatlander living at 300' and heading to Arizona this fall to hunt up to around 9500'. I'm pretty much taking the path stated above. Jog about a mile to a set of stairs that are about 40 yards long on a 35 degree incline. Run up and down those until I'm on the verge of puking, then turn around and jog home, hoping I got one more than the time before. Seems to be helping. Throw in some weights a couple days a week and the treadmill with a loaded pack on the others and i'll be as prepared as best I can. No way in hell I'm adding a Hannibal Lector mask to my training!! ;-)

 

[Jason Snyder]

Google "Marshawn Lynch training mask." He wears it during pre game workouts. It's supposed to reduce oxygen simulating higher altitudes. There's a nice SI article on it. Not sure if it increases oxygen in the blood stream though which is what acclimization does.

Best thing to do to prepare for high altitudes is to pre hydrate. And rest if you get any symptoms and re hydrate.

The article does accurately explain how the mask increases breathing efficiency. You have to learn to breathe correctly, utilizing your diaphragm.

This really doesn't do anything to simulate altitude acclimatization though. As stated earlier, the biggest physiological gains/changes in your body come from living at altitude. Your body makes hormonal changes that stimulate increased RBC production to hlep you more efficiently function in the less dense air found at high elevation.

A short duration training period of oxygen deprivation does not stimulate the body to make these same changes. It has to be constnad and over a duration of time.

Most of us will be able to derive the same benefit from HIIT. Anyone that's done this type of training has likely learned to breathe correctly using their diaphragm, and knows the importance of full exhalations to maximize tidal volume of their breathing.

Hydration is critical.

 

[Finch]

Would you guys recommend getting prescribed Diamox or an equivalent altitude sickness prescription prior to leaving the flatlands?

 

[KMD]

Train how you'll hunt.
I live @ 60ft ASL, and here's what I'd recommend doing:
Load up the pack with ~25 lbs and hit the local high school bleachers. Alternate some up/down climbs with a 1/4 mile loop around the track. Start slow and work up. Find a pace where you can keep moving without blowing out of air. Its nothing to cover 6-8 miles a day while hunting, so that would be a good distance to work toward peaking at...

Once or twice a week, load your pack with what you'll expect to resemble a loadout of meat. 60-90 lbs will suffice, depending on body type. Do the same routine, as if you were hunting the mountain everyday.

Let your body tell you when its time to increase weight/distance. Challenge yourself, but don't be a hero about it. Give your body time to recover & condition itself to that type of work. In a couple months time, you'll be ready to roll at a "hunters pace" in the mountains at elevation. I remember reading that a backcountry elk hunt is more a marathon, than a sprint. Truer words were never spoken! So, have your body prepared for day in/day out of the same monotonous up/down distance travel...

For the last 3 years, our camps have been in the 10,400-11,200ft range. I jump on a plane @ sea level and we get right after it in the backcountry. Sure, the air is thin and breathing gets faint on a long hike in, but the human body is a wonderful machine & will kick into gear to get itself acclimated. Within a day, I feel pretty dang good. I also chug WA drinks and stay as hydrated as possible at all times...

Again, listen to your body and don't be a hero. Everyone has their own pace, so do what you can now to prepare your body for the work. If you do that sufficiently, your body should snap to & get itself re-programmed to high elevation rather quickly...

Have fun!