Sleep high – train low with a high-altitude tent

Altitude training has become an integral part of professional, successful competition preparation in almost all endurance sports. The reduced oxygen supply sets numerous positive adjustment processes in motion. Sleeping in a high-altitude tent has proven to be the most cost-effective type of high-altitude training. Sleeping in a high-altitude tent is particularly interesting for athletes who want to benefit from high-altitude training without changing their current training plan and training location.

You sleep in a high-altitude tent, whereby blood formation and breathing activity are primarily stimulated. After four weeks of eight to nine hours a day (1600-2550 m above sea level) in the high-altitude tent, the power plants of the muscle cells, the so-called mitochondria, multiply faster, so that the body gradually learns to deal more efficiently with the scarce resource - oxygen . The body does this by increasing the hemoglobin level in the blood.

Taken together, this leads to an increase in performance and also accelerates regeneration and fat burning. Altitude adjustment should be done in three phases: Day 1 to 7 at 1600 m, Day 7-14 at 2150 m, Day 14-31 at 2550m.

Tent & training with mask

The generator supplied with the high-altitude tent can be used not only for oxygen control in the high-altitude tent but also for IHT (Intermittent Hypoxic Training). When breathing purely through a mask with a hose connection, an altitude of approx. 4500-5000 m aimed at. I have the athletes do this passive breathing 2-3 times a week for 90 minutes. With the included oximeter the athlete can check the oxygen saturation and adjust the altitude so that the saturation drops to about 80%. This extra time with a mask results in a positive metabolic adaptation and positively accelerates the adaptation to altitude.

Benefits of sleep high train low

1) Increased oxygen uptake, increase in maximum O2 uptake by up to 6%

2) Increased lipid metabolism

3) Due to the lack of O2, oxidative processes are accelerated

4) Faster regeneration

5) With unchanged social environment

6) With the same everyday work, time gained compared to conventional altitude training

7) Cost savings compared to weeks of training at altitude.

8) Variety brings motivation.

Conclusion

Athletes are more open and willing to do breathwork or work with the mask if they are already sleeping in the tent every night and are 100% focused on their goal, regardless of whether they are pro or age group. It is important how the training and the sleep high-train low are adapted to each other during this time.