LEWIS: Altitude Training

Question 0

Commonly practiced in:

Answer 0

Hypoxic rooms, which cause the athlete to live in high altitude and train in low

Question 1

Definition:

Answer 1

Training performed at high altitude to prepare an athlete’s body to cope with a reduced supply of oxygen

Question 2

Hypoxic rooms helps to counteract the acuteness of high altitude training, as the athlete can maintain their:

Answer 2

High haematocrit levels by occupying the rooms whilst they sleep

Question 3

At high altitude the partial pressure is reduced even though:

Answer 3

The air still contains the same percentage of oxygen

Question 4

3 main stages of altitude training are:

Answer 4

Acclimatisation
Primary training
Recovery

Question 5

Acclimatisation is the phase it takes to:

Answer 5

Acclimatise to the atmosphere, this is an immediate phase and can range from 3-10 days

Question 6

Primary training is:

Answer 6

Lasts between 1-3 weeks with an aim to progressively increase the training volume until the athlete reaches the volume and intensity

Question 7

Recovery lasts for:

Answer 7

2-5 days and is designed to prepare the athlete for the return to sea level and to allow the athlete to recover from the fatigue produced by high-altitude training, by gradually reducing thee training volume and intensity

Question 8

9 Benefits are:

Answer 8

• Increase in RBC and haemoglobin due to triggering of EPO - enables more oxygen to be transported by the blood to the muscles
• Increased diffusion rate
• Capillarisation
• Increases myoglobin levels
• Muscles acting as buffers- reduces likelihood of fatigue
• increased oxidative enzymes in mitochondria
• increased muscle cell mitochondria
• improved aerobic performance
• increased VO2 max

Question 9

13 Drawbacks are:

Answer 9

• Have to be higher than 8000ft
• Too high can lead to HAPE
• Hyperventilation
• Faster HR
• Decreased stroke volume
• RBC goes back to normal within a few days at sea level
• reduced oxygen levels = reduced training effect and possible drop in fitness
• wasting time on travel
• altitude sickness
• psychological problem of being away from home
• repeated travel = stressful
• increased fatigue due to travel
• limits to amount of EPO production

Question 10

Upon return to sea level, there are 3 more phases:

Answer 10

• Positive
• Progressive return to sea-level training volume and intensity
• Fitness peak

Question 11

Positive phase occurs during 1-4 days this is when there is an increase in the

Answer 11

Oxygen carrying-capacity of the blood

Question 12

Progressive return to sea-level training volume and intensity, during which the probability of good performance is reduced, this may be due to the

Answer 12

Altered fitness levels and coordination losses while training at altitude

Question 13

Fitness peak occurs 15-20 days after return to sea level and is the optimal time for Competition due to:

Answer 13

• Increased oxygen transport
• improved economy
• maintenance of breathing adaptations

Question 14

Some athletes live permanently at high altitudes only returning to sea level to train or compete. This is known as the

Answer 14

Live high train low principle