Freediving and high altitude training

[loady20tl]

Hi all, first post so be nice.

I'm just starting off in the world of free diving and am really interested in the physiology behind some training techniques.

I'd like to know if anyone has any experience of whether training at altitude can positively benefit a freediver? It makes logical sens to me that HA training would be of benefit but I can't find much info out there at all about the subject and so assume it's pretty new thinking.

I'd be gratefull for any links to more information or any personal experiences you may have had.

Cheers

Tom

 

[efattah]

I know of two divers who lived/trained at altitude and they had remarkable performances at sea level.

 

[Simos]

Annelie does high altitude training as far as I know:
Annelie Pompe "Life requires living"

Also I think Anna VB does snowboarding seasons, must help:
Anna von Boetticher

 

[loady20tl]

Eric, Simos - thanks for your replies.

The relationship between HA training and increased Haemoglobin levels, or increased ability for O2 to bind is well studied - just look at long distance runners or Kentucky Derby horses!

What I'm interested in, in particular, is whether the act of freediving itself can act as a sort of HA training and increase, over time, the amount of Haem in the blood.

I'll do a bit more digging, but be good to have any more thoughts.

Cheers

Tom

 

[Johan Andersson]

That apnea training might induce some changes similar to high altitude exposure/training has been discussed. Some examples of publications in line with these thoughts:

Apnea: a new training method in sport? [Med Hypotheses. 2010] - PubMed - NCBI
Increased erythropoietin concentration af... [Eur J Appl Physiol. 2008] - PubMed - NCBI

 

[loady20tl]

Great, thanks Johan - a bit of bedtime reading for me there!

 

[Hypoxicmatt]

I have worked with a couple free divers using simulated altitude training. The training allows you to train as if you were in the mountains, without leaving the sea. The systems aren't cheap, but in the long run, they are cheaper than spending much time in the mountains.

 

[efattah]

In my opinion 'hypoxic machines' or altitude tents are a waste of money, since a freediver can achieve much better blood quality with freediving training alone. Consider that training at altitude, or using a hypoxic machine or hypoxic tent will get your hematocrit up to about 50% or maybe 52% if you are lucky, with a hemoglobin level of around 18g/dl.

Consider then Sebastien Murat who did intensive FRC dynamics every day, and his blood reached a hematocrit of 63% and hemoglobin level of 21g/dl, far higher than anyone would get even on mount Everest.

Plus there is reason to believe that these exercises produce a different kind of blood, with different fibrinogen/viscosity. The high altitude athlete needs to pump his blood very fast through his body. The freediver's blood pumps very slowly.

Using the same FRC exercise that Murat used my hemoglobin increased from 14.8g/dl to 17.1g/dl, and was still increasing when I had to stop the exercise due to lack of time.

 

[loady20tl]

Thanks again chaps for the replies - this is really interesting stuff, especially the Murat example Eric provided.

There may be a basis for a different training regime for long distance running competitions based on this. I wonder if anyone practices such a thing in training for a race?

 

[Simos]

Thanks again chaps for the replies - this is really interesting stuff, especially the Murat example Eric provided.

There may be a basis for a different training regime for long distance running competitions based on this. I wonder if anyone practices such a thing in training for a race?

If you are talking about freediving training, I think it'd be more relevant for short distances Tom where the body needs to work unaerobically.

 

[michelefucarino]

Consider then Sebastien Murat who did intensive FRC dynamics every day, and his blood reached a hematocrit of 63% and hemoglobin level of 21g/dl, far higher than anyone would get even on mount Everest.


Using the same FRC exercise that Murat used my hemoglobin increased from 14.8g/dl to 17.1g/dl, and was still increasing when I had to stop the exercise due to lack of time.[/QUOTE]

Eric, could you tell us something more about those FRC exercises? Is it about repetitions on very short distances? or something more similar to "maxiumu att."? recovery time etc..

I also had hemoglobin increasement from 16 to 17.3 but that was at the end of a period where I was training with mainly maximum attempts or however long distances..