Training at High Altitudes

[Jayson]

High altitudes mean less air pressure - so it's tougher to breathe. However, though, people have found this to be an advantage with athletic training. O.K., which one of you have trained at a high altitude? Myself, I live in the mountains, but not really high up. However, I have lived quite high up in the South Korean Gangwando Mountains once; however, I doubt if the altitude of my exact location was even 5,000 ft, much less the 8,000 feet where altitude becomes a challenge to breathing.

Anyway, in my area, the Blue Ridge and Clinch generally seem to have towns in the 2,000 to 3,000 range - with only notable exceptions (Mt. Rogers or Mt. Mitchell) reaching above 4,000 ft.

 

[Alexandoy]

I have a friend who is a track and field athlete. He trains in the mountain province with a high altitude. He said that thin air would give his lungs the test and it also gains him stamina. He is a marathoner and I believe that what he really needed was stamina hence he trains in the high altitude places.

 

[Concentrix]

Training at high altitude was proven beneficial to the athletes. At high altitude, there are fewer oxygen molecules per volume of air thereby reducing the number of red blood cells, which delivers oxygen to the working muscles. Since a human body is adaptable, a hormone, erythropoietin(EPO) is released to increase the production of oxygen-carrying blood cells. Through this, athletes' physiology changed and use these acquired benefits on their big event.