Does exercise training at altitude improve sea level performance?
Many scientists, athletes, and coaches have been intrigued by the similarities of altitude acclimatization and training effects. Does living and training at altitude (with the associated changes in red cell mass and cellular changes in mitochondria, etc.) lead to an increase in the maximal aerobic exercise capacity (VO2 max.) upon return to sea level? The answer is “it depends”. It is the net balance between the benefits of the acclimatization effects and the negatives of a reduction in training intensity and deconditioning from hypoxia that are the ultimate determinate of the outcome of altitude training in endurance athletes. Controlled studies have NOT shown any advantage of TRAINING at altitude compared to a similar TRAINING program (the same absolute VO2 max. being achieved at both altitudes) at sea level. Are there any strategies that can use altitude to benefit a training program? The answer to this question is YES. But it requires balancing the acclimatization benefits of an in
