INTRODUCTION: Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowsports in general, are normally practised at altitude. Most skiing resorts are located at an altitude of appr. 800 - 3500 m. Here the oxygen concentration varies from appr. 19 % to 13 %. Regulations for Professional labour in a hypoxic Situation comparable to an altitude of 2500 - 3500 m (13-15 Vol. %) allow persons only to carry out moderate work with a duration of max 2 hrs. Altitude training in many sports normally uses altitudes of 2000 - 2500 m with a duration of 2 to 3 weeks. Even a common stay of e.g. 2 weeks in winter holidays already violates rules for Professional work under hypoxic conditions on the one hand and fulfils the criteria of altitude training on the other. Furthermore it is well known that especially alpine skiing and snowboarding can be characterized through high external forces due to high skiing velocities, rough and bumpy slopes with icy surfaces and small radii fulfilling the criteria of Vibration. Comparable with the regulations for Professional work under hypoxic conditions there are also clear limitations for exposure of human body to Vibration (ISO 2631). Real Vibration load in alpine skiing often exceeds these limits. METHOD: Obviously there are many physical and physiological effects of mechanics and hypoxia that have a potential threat for biological structures and functions. As exercise and training in sports, esp. in high performance sports, can partly be understood as a more or less calculated destruction of biomasses with subsequent up-regulation of biological form and function, both Stimuli can also be regarded as beneficial for performance and can be analysed with a broad range of mechanical and physiological methods. RESULTS: Both Stimuli have been intensively studied in lab and in the field with various interventions. With modern analytical tools the chain of stimulating effects can be followed through in various biological Subsystems. Results from research with following topics will be presented: Effects of Vibration load and training on - Strength and flexibility - Cardio-vascular functions - Muscle, bone and cartilage - Pro- and anti-angiogenic factors - Oxygen uptake Effects of hypoxic exercise and training on - Cardio-vascular parameters of endurance - Mesenchymal stem cells - Vascular- and angiogenesis - Variability of hematologic parameters CONCLUSION: The results from own studies and literature suggest that hypoxia and Vibration are powerful Stimuli due to the protective biological counter-regulation. From that point of view the combination of these Stimuli together with a better understanding of the underlying biological principles of Stimulation could lead to new insights and improvements of training.
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