High Altitude Training.

[Digital_Damage]

I split the year between Florida and Northern AZ.

Just started a 6 week program @ 6,718 feet. First 2 days have been all bullshit, can't even bench without getting winded. Still have not acclimated, and man do you get sore.

They gradually increase the intensity as the weeks go by, Full hitt at week 4. All I want to do is sleep all day, lol.

Resting heart rate is +10 bpm vs 23' (Florida) like I'm use to.

Does anyone live and train above 6,500?

[travistheone]

I don't live up there but I have worked out pretty hard at altitude. It certainly makes it a heck of a lot more difficult.

[Jwknutson17]

I live at 6900 ft. Every exercise is at or in this altitude range. I don't notice anything different until I get to sea level and go for a run. I hit a few miles and think.... man I'm in shape. I don't notice anything different when lifting weights. I notice it more in cardio. I train pretty hard for hunting season, as that is usually at 9000-11500 pending what season and animal. That altitude really gets to you quick, especially when loaded down with gear.

[Cold/Bore]

I live at around 6500 ft now and used to train at a minimum of 7,700ft when I was in college (Gunnison, CO). I was a XC skier and distance runner. We routinely trained up to 10,000ft, and on occasion, higher. For endurance athletes, its best to compete immediately upon arriving at altitude or within a day or so, or wait for a couple of weeks until acclimated. If you're fit, you'll notice the change in elevation much less. For me, I usually noticed the huge change going to low elevation. I can remember how sore I felt after a racing at low elevation. My muscles were not used to being able to move so fast, but my heightened hemocrit level was able to transport so much more oxygen. It's one of the drawbacks of elevation training. You usually can't train at the same intensity so you lose some speed. Some of my teammates would occasionally drive down to Montrose, CO, where the elevation was 5800ft to do speedwork. Now if you can figure out a way to live high and train low, that would be ideal. Or just live at sea level and sleep in an altitude tent.

[Flankenstein]

Does anyone live and train above 6,500?

Yes, what's the question?

[WS6]

I split the year between Florida and Northern AZ.

Just started a 6 week program @ 6,718 feet. First 2 days have been all bullshit, can't even bench without getting winded. Still have not acclimated, and man do you get sore.

They gradually increase the intensity as the weeks go by, Full hitt at week 4. All I want to do is sleep all day, lol.

Resting heart rate is +10 bpm vs 23' (Florida) like I'm use to.

Does anyone live and train above 6,500?

Just to be clear, you mean REAL altitude, and not that face-mask thing? I gather that this is the case because you listed geography, but wanted to clarify.

[Digital_Damage]

Yes, what's the question?

not a question, just seeking commonality.

[Digital_Damage]

Just to be clear, you mean REAL altitude, and not that face-mask thing? I gather that this is the case because you listed geography, but wanted to clarify.

actual altitude, not mask gimmick.

[HansTheHobbit]

You might try Reishi mushroom. I've always acclimated quickly, but it's helped me in the past with allergy/exercise induced asthma symptoms. Funny thing, when I'm at altitude I can run like the wind, but at sea level I'm a stuffed up asthmatic mess when I run. I guess there's less crap in the air at high altitude. In any case, I've never tried Reishi for altitude sickness, but I could see it working that way. I think the way I feel at sea level in the midwest is like most people describe feeling at altitude.

There's a bunch of other stuff, too. Good old fashioned caffeine would probably work. B vitamins can amp you up a little, too. And you'll definitely want to avoid things that mess with your oxygen, like nitrates.