What is elevation training mask

Even so, the benefit usually only lasts for a couple of weeks. When you use the elevation mask, you restrict the amount of oxygen flowing into your body even though it doesn't simulate the high-altitude training. According to research, there is no evidence that the masks increases the release of EPO and your oxygen-carrying RBCs production.

That is because the mask, in reality, does not lower the actual oxygen concentration in the air you breathe, it just simply lowers the amount of air you breathe in, thus reducing the air flow.

That means the amount of oxygen is the same, but the air you breathe in is less. And since endurance is not limited by the amount of air your body receives, but rather the amount of oxygen it receives, this form of restricted air does not work to improve your endurance. If you were to perform in places or situations where you had limited amounts of air, the mask might be a benefit.

But if not, you are solely limiting your access to air for no reason. It makes the exercise harder and will solely reduce exercise intensity and pace. Using the mask means that training will simply make training sessions harder for no reason.

However, there are studies that show that the masks had an effect on your respiratory muscles , i. However, inspiratory muscle training which sets to improve respiratory muscle strength can be trained without limiting your access to air while training. Simply said, your endurance is limited by your ability to use oxygen. Instead of focusing on limiting the amount of air you have while training, as would be done with an elevation mask, you should focus on increasing the efficiency and strength of the muscular system of your breathing muscles so you can extract more of the oxygen of the air you carry, which was the goal in the first place.

Research suggests that elevations masks function more like a respiratory muscle trainer than a tool that simulates high-altitude training. However, while the elevation mask might have an effect on strengthening your respiratory muscles, it also makes your body work unnecessarily harder at any given workload.

If you seek to improve your performance and your strength, you probably focus on improving your vital lung capacity, VO2 max, and anaerobic threshold.

The mask offers 16 breathing resistance levels and is made from medical-grade silicone. The headband is size-adjustable with a Velcro strap and features a reflective design making it perfect for runners and outdoors sportsmen and women. In addition, the sleeve is reinforced with double stitching for durability.

Power Spark offers a satisfaction guarantee on the product. In addition to its good price, this mask features a carbon-activated filtration system that filters air which is ideal if you are training on dusty trails.

With 16 adjustable breathing levels, the mask allows you to gradually progress the intensity at your own pace. The mask and headband construction are durable, made with high-quality nylon and medical-grade silicone. Headband elasticity provides a snug, yet comfortable fit to keep the mask in place at all times. With a whopping 24 breathing resistance levels, Fitgame provides the ultimate in altitude acclimatization. The mask comes with 4 rubber resistance washers that have to be inserted into the mask according to the instructions to create varying degrees of resistance.

The resistance is based on the manner the washers are inserted. You can change resistance 8 levels at a time without removing the mask, however, if you are increasing the load more than 8 levels, you will have to remove the mask and insert the washers accordingly to create the next set of intensity. This lightweight mask is suitable for all ages, genders, and workout types, designed with durability and comfort in mind! The breathable headband is adjustable with a Velcro strap to contour to your face and remain in place.

This training mask comes at a great price and is ideal for breathing training. The universal size is adjustable with a dual Velcro strap around the top and back of the head. The mask has 3 intensity levels allowing you to progress from easy through to hard in only 3 steps.

You can easily change these resistance levels without removing the mask for an uninterrupted workout. Whether you are doing respiratory training for swimming events, high altitude competitions, or summiting a mountain, using a training mask can help you achieve challenging goals and increase your physical performance.

Elevation training masks ETMs reduce the amount of oxygen available to your lungs and heart during training which in turn forces your body to adapt its physiological responses. Similarly, when you are underwater, or in a high altitude location, the oxygen your lungs receive is limited, requiring better breathing techniques and efficient use of the air that is available.

Of course, not getting enough air at all can be hugely detrimental to your health, this is why it is important to choose a good quality mask and use it correctly. This section will help you select the right training mask so you can reach your specific respiratory fitness goals!

When you wear a training mask your body starts to adapt to the reduced oxygen intake by making your lungs and heart work harder to efficiently distribute oxygen throughout your body. It will take some time of training for extended periods with the mask to have a noteworthy adaptation effect. Once your lungs have adapted to less oxygen and you train without the mask, your body will more efficiently use the available oxygen. This will give you a major boost and help you perform better.

Using the mask when training forces your heart and lungs to work harder. When you remove the mask for a race or game, your body uses oxygen more efficiently. Fans of altitude masks claim that using them can improve speed, endurance, and strength. This concept is based on the fact that some athletes, especially distance runners, train at higher altitudes.

Do training masks really work, though? And are there any real benefits to using elevation training masks? So far, research results are mixed. When I ran without the mask, I continued taking long deep breaths improving my endurance level which also increased my speed. But, just talked to a friend in the elite military and they are using them in exercise training. The research quoted here did not show any signifant downside or risk. Thanks for commenting Thomas. The masks certainly make our exercise feel harder.

And we often assume that when something is harder we are getting more out of it — the military can fall prey to that misconception as much as anyone. There is also some research which I link to showing that performance in resistance training is worse when wearing the mask.

So there may be a downside in terms of resistance training benefit. I was running with an N95 and noticed that my vo2 max as calculated by garmin watch had significantly improved! I was wearing the mask as there is smoke from wildfires in our neighborhood. The only thing that I had changed was wearing the mask. Now I understand that the vo2 max calculated by garmin is just an estimate based on heart, breathing rate and oxygen saturation, but the fact that the estimate was higher out of the blue while wearing a mask for a week or so was interesting.

Thanks for reading Mike! And I agree, calling it an altitude mask is not accurate, for the reason you state in your comment… but it is marketed as one. A very interesting book about breathing. Research about athletes using these techniques is in the book. A method where you have longer exhales than inhales.

Thank you for this. I already practice slow breathing through qigong breathe work. It seems that this may not benefit me much if anything no more than wearing a kn95 mask with another mask layer on top.

I used to get out of breath very quickly and would need to use the on-track adlibs or my hype-man to cover for the breath recovery. Now I have no issue with breath control during shows. I only found improvements in possibly my total lung capacity, and my ability to draw full lungs of air very quickly and efficiently without really having to think about it or purposely breath in that manner. Laughably enough, rather than these masks being an effective way to improve your physical weight training, cardio, etc.

Your email address will not be published. Altitude training masks — an unbiased review 29th September Exercise 18 comments. Critical Fitness on 10th July at am. Runner on 28th August at am. Thomas Buividas on 20th September at am. Critical Fitness on 21st September at am. Critical Fitness on 7th October at am. Mike on 19th November at pm.