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EFFECTS OF SIMULATED ALTITUDE TRAINING ON AEROBIC FITNESS

Abstract

Kelly D. Barns, Haley F. Grueber, Erik S. Gustafson, Amanda E. Hall, Katherine E. Hickman, Hayley D. Parker, & Jessie N. Stapleton. Missouri Baptist University, Saint Louis, Missouri; e-mail: haleygrueber@gmail.com

A method that is used to facilitate improvements in an individual’s aerobic fitness is altitude training. Most increases in aerobic fitness within altitude training are seen at 8,000 to 10,000 feet (Goods et al., 2014). The most recent device in altitude training is the Elevation Training Mask 2.0. PURPOSE: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which an individual’s aerobic fitness was increased while training with the Elevation Training Mask 2.0 compared to a control group training without a mask. METHODS: Nine female participants’ (mean age = 21 years) ran a VO2Max test to measure their aerobic fitness baseline. Each participant was then randomized into either an experimental or control group. Both groups completed the same evidence-based High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) three days a week for four weeks. The experimental group wore the Elevation Training Mask 2.0 during HIIT, while the control group wore no breathing apparatus. The resistance upon the mask was increased from 3,000 feet to 6,000 feet during week three of training. After four weeks of training, the participants’ aerobic fitness was again assessed using a VO2Max test. One participant dropped out of the study due to musculoskeletal injury. The data was analyzed with paired t-tests and Cohen’s d effect sizes were computed. RESULTS: There was no significant differences across the experimental and control group’s relative change in VO2max scores (t(6)=-0.05, p<0.48) with little to no effect (d=0.03). Within the experimental group from pre to post VO2max there was a moderate positive effect size (d=0.54) but there was no statistical significance (t(8)=-0.86, p<0). CONCLUSION: The Elevation Training Mask 2.0 did not significantly increase the individual’s aerobic fitness over the course of four weeks when compared to the control group at a 3,000 to 6,000 feet elevation setting. However, effect sizes indicated a moderate effect within the experimental group for increases in aerobic fitness. The Elevation Training Mask 2.0 shows promise for facilitating increases in aerobic training when used in conjunction with an evidence-based HIIT training protocol.

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