Altitude Training for Improved Cycling Performance
By Andy Lapkass - Expert coach
Feb 28, 2006, 10:48
Whether you’re planning
on ascending high into the Alps or Rockies, or just want more power for crushing your buddies
in sea-level criteriums and road races, breathing in the thin air of high
elevation may help you improve your performance. Cycling performance is largely
a function of oxygen uptake, delivery, and utilization by the body; and altitude
training, whether by traveling or sleeping in a tent, may help you bring more
precious oxygen to your working muscles.
The Physiology of
Altitude
As we ascend in
altitude, there is a drop in barometric pressure that is associated with a
decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen. This starts a cascade of decreasing
oxygen pressures in the lungs, arteries, capillaries, and, eventually, tissues.
The end result is an insufficient supply of oxygen to tissues (hypoxia) that is
especially apparent during exercise when the oxygen demands of working muscle
increase. Because the oxygen cost of work at altitude is unchanged from that at
sea level, to train or compete at the same absolute power requires adaptations
that overcome or minimize this decrease in oxygen supply.
In general, all the
various systems of the body respond and adapt to the hypoxic stress of altitude.
Some of these adaptations have the potential to enhance endurance performance,
while other changes may actually hinder it.
The body’s initial
response to altitude is to increase breathing rate and heart rate at both rest
and during submaximal exercise. In addition, blood is concentrated by reducing
the fluid or plasma component. Collectively, these changes improve oxygen uptake
by the lungs and its delivery to tissues. The disadvantages of these changes are
that perceived exertion at any workload is increased and circulating blood
volume is reduced.
With prolonged altitude
training and continued acclimatization further adaptations take place. Perhaps
the most sought after altitude adaptation results from kidney hypoxia that
stimulates release of erythropoietin (EPO). In turn, EPO stimulates red bone
marrow to increase production and release of new red blood cells (RBC). This
increase in circulating RBCs leads to enhanced oxygen carrying capacity of blood
and, therefore, improved oxygen delivery to tissues. At the same time, blood
plasma volume increases so that overall blood volume rebounds toward sea level
values.
Why We Train at
Altitude
Altitude training can be
an effective way of improving your cycling performance, at any elevation. Both
acclimatization to altitude and training at altitude have been shown to
stimulate the following adaptations:
·enhanced oxygen uptake in the
lungs
·increased red blood cell numbers to
improve oxygen delivery to tissues
·skeletal muscle changes which
improve oxygen use by muscle
·increased buffering capacity to
possibly delay the onset of fatigue
Taken together, these
adaptations improve cycling endurance, sustainable power, and speed. By
increasing the amount of oxygen your muscles can get and utilize, altitude
training increases the amount of work you can perform before you reach your
maximum sustainable power, as well as the work you can sustain when you get
there. When you’re climbing a mountain with the pack, these adaptations make it
easier to stay with the lead group’s pace, or give you the ability to push their
pace and put them under pressure. This is true whether the climb begins at
25 m or
2500 m
above sea level.
Before starting on an
altitude training program it’s important to understand that proper altitude
training is complex and success involves balancing some potential risks with
proper nutrition, training, and rest. Some factors that have to be considered
include:
a)iron status and ensuring adequate
iron stores for optimal red blood cell production
b)increased risk of
dehydration
c)poor sleep
quality
d)prolonged recovery times
e)a reduction of maximal training
intensity that may later negatively affect sea level performance
f)loss of heat acclimatization from
training in cooler temperatures
g)suppression of appetite
h)immune system suppression with an
increased risk of upper respiratory tract infections
Simply put, there is no
altitude training plan that will suit every athlete. An optimal program needs to
account for your unique physiology as well as the physical demands of your goal
event.
Live high, Train
Low
Training at altitude for
the purpose of improving sea level performance is perhaps one of the most
controversial topics in altitude training. Overall, research tends to favor the
Live High-Train Low (LHTL) protocol. The key component of LHTL training is that
interval workouts at sea level intensities are maintained, while still gaining
the benefits of altitude acclimatization by living at altitude.
Since there are not many
places where you can live between 2,100 m (6,890 ft) and
2,700 m
(8,800
ft) for at least 8-10 hours a day, and descend to train
below 1250
m (4100
ft) for improved workout quality, many people use
artificial altitude environments to sleep at simulated elevation wherever their
home happens to be. These tents and rooms create a hypoxic environment for
sleeping, which may allow you to achieve many of the same benefits normally seen
from living high above sea level. It is very important to use a tent or room
properly, as many factors, including iron status, sleep quality, training
intensity, sleeping “elevation”, and individual variability govern whether you
will see significant progress or none.
For the LHTL method to
work, whether you’re actually traveling back and forth or climbing into a tent,
there are some factors you have to keep in mind:
1)You
need at least four weeks of LHTL training and living to reap any substantial
benefits and you’re most likely going to schedule this period as a lead-in to
competition.
2)Since you’re spending considerable
time at altitude each day, adequate recovery periods between workouts is
critical. You may need more recovery between interval workouts than you did when
you were sleeping and training in low-elevation
conditions.
3)Your sea-level competition should
take place within 2-3 weeks after LHTL training. Most athletes require at least
a week after a LHTL camp to feel “race ready.”
Competing at
Altitude
When preparing for
competition at altitude there are basically three choices, as listed below in
order of preference.
Arrive at altitude at least three
weeks prior to competition
This allows for adequate
altitude adaptation as well as time to develop a sound pacing strategy. The
first week at altitude should involve easy exercise to allow time for
acclimatization without the added stress of training. This minimizes the risks
of acute mountain sickness and its associated headache, nausea, poor appetite,
fatigue, disturbed sleep, and lethargy. The remaining 2-5 weeks constitute the
primary phase of altitude training and should incorporate the training
modifications listed below, based on an athlete’s standard, low altitude
program.
·Altitude: The recommended
training altitude is from 1,900 m (6,000 ft) to 2,700 m (8,800 ft), but should
also reflect the average actual competition altitude.
·Training Volume: Volume should be
decreased by 10-20 % of sea level values and gradually increased by 3-5% each
week.
·Training Intensity: Interval workout
intensity should be decreased by 5-7% over the first week and then increased by
0.5-1% per week.
·Recovery: Recovery time for
interval workouts needs to be doubled initially, and then decreased by 2-3% per
week. It should always remain at least 10% above sea level recovery times.
·Pacing: Due to the increased recovery time
at altitude following short, intense efforts, the ability to appropriately pace
an all-out effort is critical for performance at altitude.
Arrive two weeks prior to
competition
Arriving two weeks prior
to competition allows for adequate time to develop pacing strategies, improve
sleep quality and appetite, and take advantage of RBC changes. Oxygen delivery
to working muscles is generally improved over shorter stays, though there may
still be issues with decreased blood volume and buffering capacity.
·Altitude: The recommended
altitude is between 1,900 m (6000 ft) and 2,700 (8,800
ft).
·Training Volume and
Intensity: Both volume and intensity should
be decreased by 30-40% initially (first 4 days) and over the following 10 days
gradually increased back to 75-85% of sea level doses.
·Recovery: Recovery time for
interval workouts needs to be doubled initially, and then decreased by 2-3% per
week. It should always remain at least 10% above sea level recovery
times.
·Pacing: The focus of training should be
pacing strategies.
Arrive as close to race time as
possible
In this protocol there
is no time for acclimatization or adaptation to altitude prior to competition.
In fact, the goal is to avoid an altitude stimulus, which initially has
components that can potentially decrease performance. Basically, you’re getting
there and doing your event before the detrimental aspects of being at altitude
kick in. The major disadvantage to this protocol is that there is no time to
develop a sense of pace. However, if you have competed or trained at altitude
previously, then this disadvantage may be minimal.
In summary, altitude
training has a proven role in the enhancement of cycling performance. However,
just like any other training stimulus, there are right and wrong ways to use it,
certain periods of training when it is most useful, and a lot of individual
variability in how individuals respond to it.
Andy Lapkass is an Expert Coach for
Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. (CTS) and an experienced cyclist and
mountaineer who climbed to the summit of Mount
Everest three times. To find out what CTS can do for you, visit http://www.trainright.com/.
