High Altitude Training Mask

The training mask, also known as the high altitude mask. One notable champion seen utilising the high altitude mask is ‘Saul’ Canelo Alvarez, and if you’ve seen the latest Rocky movie Creed, you may have noticed that it the elevation mask was used in the training montages. It’s a great way of extending the intensity of your training to get ahead of the competition. It also allows you to decrease the amount of time you need to train, as it improves the quality of your training sessions.

Aims

Primarily, the function of the mask is to increase stamina by increasing heart and lung capacity, which of course is exactly what you want to do if you want to avoid being fatigued when you’re in the boxing ring. Simply, the elevation mask replicats high levels of altitude by limiting the amount of oxygen that you’re able to breathe in. This is an artificial method of copying conditions in areas thousands of feet above sea level. This strengthens your heart and lungs, as they become accustomed to working efficiently under the conditions where you are receiving relatively little oxygen. This is one of the reasons why Mexicans tend to have such good stamina. Cities such as Mexico City, are 7,000 feet above sea level, and typically, people from such areas are fitter than people from places at sea level.

Benefits

With the high altitude mask, you’re able to increase the stimulated height with 6 available caps that regulate oxygen intake into the mask. It takes about 1-4 weeks in the gym to truly get your cardiovascular endurance accustomed to each level of the mask. It depends mostly on the nature of your training. After putting it on at first, you’ll instantly realise that it takes much more effort and strength from your lungs to breathe in the same way that you do when you’re not wearing it. Your heart will feel the effects of increased strain when you’re training. As time goes by though, this strained feeling will subtly decrease  and you’ll even start to wonder if the mask is still working It’s only after you change the caps and increase the stimulated height above sea level that you realise that it is in good working order as the strained feeling comes back whilst you’re breathing.

Caution

I’d strongly advise using the elevation mask more for cardio-based training, such as running or heavy bag, as those activities aim to increase cardiovascular endurance and increase the capacity of your heart and lungs. This is in agreement with the primary aims of the mask. To get the full benefits of the mask, it’s necessary to use the mask at least two or three times a week. You don’t have to use it every time you train, but if you go long periods without using it, your development will be stop-start.

Best Uses – Weight Training?

I’ve seen people using the elevation mask whilst weight training, or doing bodyweight exercise sessions, but the aims of those type of workouts is to improve muscular strength and endurance, essentially targeting muscles for the most part. This may not beneficial because what those types of workouts target, is different to what the high altitude mask targets.  When doing activities such as weight training, really you want to be able to do as many reps as you can because this will enhance muscle strength. However, the training mask  decreases the amount of oxygen going to your muscles , which limits the amount of reps or duration that your muscles will be able to work for, when in reality you want to be doing as much as you can. So for those who were planning to use it for weight training, calisthenics and anything else unrelated to aerobic values, it may not be worth the investment. However for athletes who are looking to use it for boxing, running, and other activities that require strength in the heart and endurance in the lungs, I’d strongly recommend it. After a couple of months using it, personally I noticed a significant improvements to my cardiovascular threshold. In fact, I started to find I couldn’t run without my mask because my fitness had improved to the going where running without it would take me ages before I’d get tired.

Caution

When using the mask is training, do not rush increasing the level, because you can risk serious injury. Trust me. I done this myself when I was using it while sprinting, and I ended up tearing cartilage in my chest. And yes, it is as painful as it sounds. It’s not totally concrete that the training mask caused it, but I’m pretty sure that it was a result of the induced pressure on my chest from the mask on my chest which caused the injury whilst I was running at high intensity. By investing money in new and adventurous training equipment you’ll instantly be putting yourself ahead of other people, who will simply train in the exact same way as everyone else, so no need to over-do it and risk injury.

Final Note- Are They Doing It?

Remember, champions actively seek out ways to get ahead of their rivals and no investment is too big if it’s a smart, well-thought  decision that will help ensure a victory. The mask isn’t entirely cheap (£70/ $80USD) and this is what puts many people of. But this is fine, this is what will ensure that you’ll be one of a few, in the case that you do decide to buy it. That feeling is irreplaceable, to know that you’re investing in your victory more than your potential opponent. Besides, what else are you going to spend it on? So many people make the mistake of buying pretty things of no actual value that don’t help develop them. Don’t allow your opponent to do what you are not. The best way to counteract this is to simply do everything possible to ensure you’re doing more than your opponent to get a victory.