INTRODUCTION: Altitude training and the effect it has on athletic performance continues to be a topic of controversy among athletes, coaches, and sport scientists. The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of the physiological responses and adaptations of top level athletes in various disciplines at different altitudes, as well as the ways in which these physiological adaptations may influence performance. METHODS: The list of reviewed experimental observations of the authors contains the systematic use of alpihouse and natural altitude at levels of 1,500-2,800 m (alpihouse 2,500-4,500 m) above sea level over a period of one to three weeks by top athletes in nordic skiing, rowing, and athletics. Extensive data regarding adaptations in the various Systems of the human body (e.g., pulmonary, cardiovascular, endocrine, skeletal muscle, etc.), as well as athletic performance enhancement in endurance-based sports were analysed. RESULTS: The effects of altitude training and their role in the preparation of nordic skiers in recent Olympic cycles were observed. Additionally, we observed systematic use of altitude training in other sports, such as athletics, triathlon, rowing, and swimming. The first and most obvious reason for the use of altitude camps is the preparation of athletes for competitions held in different heights above sea level. A more complicated issue is to describe significant effects and/or benefits of altitude training in preparation for competitions at sea level. However, as both the available data and our own experience and results showed, it is possible that these benefits do exist, Increases in red blood cell mass and hemoglobin raises an athlete's oxygen-carrying capacity and allows the athlete to train and perform more effectively upon return to lower elevations. DISCUSSION: As it is widely assumed, in endurance training the main factors of additional effect in middle altitude conditions (training at levels of 1,500 — 3,000 m above sea level) is first of all hypoxia, or reduced oxygen in the inhaled air resulting from lower athmospheric pressure (at the height of 2,000 m there is nearly 25% less oxygen in the air reaching the lungs thanat sea level), Besides hypocapnia, stronger UV-radiation, air ionization level, lower athmospheric humidity, and temperature also have to be considered. The controversial issue is that the effective training load used by athletes in altitude conditions should be reduced temporarily (volume and intensity), as compared to training at sea level. CONCLUSIONS: An example of an improved and balanced preparation System of nordic-skiers includes the complex utilization of the effect produced by the use of alpihouse for pre-acclimation and the systematic use of middle-altitude camps as part of their overall training. Altitude adaptation in preparation for title competitions at altitudes follows several phases: acclimatization, activation, stabilization, and specific preparation for competition lasting altogether from 15 to 25 days, depending on additional requirements of time-zone changes.
© Copyright 2007 4th International Congress on Science and Skiing. Published by University of Salzburg. All rights reserved.