Coaches of elite runners generally take one of two sides. "They either believe an athlete should compete within 48 hoursof coming back from altitude or in the 18- to 22-day range afterreturning," said Robert Chapman, exercise physiologist in theSchool of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at IndianaUniversity Bloomington. "But there is little scientificevidence showing why these coaches' opinions are valid." His study, which was discussed at the American College of SportsMedicine annual meeting on May 31 suggests that both camps might beright. About the study: Six elite distance runners lived in Flagstaff, Ariz., for 28 daysat an altitude of 2,150 meters. They followed a "live high,train low" altitude training program, which means thatalthough the athletes lived at a high altitude, they trained at1,000 meters to do harder and faster workouts a few times per week.After returning from the 28-day camp, the runners were tested overthe course of 26 days. Researchers focused on testing heart rate,running economy and mechanics. Physiological data shows that what most coaches say is true.Several variables showed that 48 hours is a good time to competebased on breathing results, while Day 7 and 13 showed moredifficulty. Chapman said this might be attributed to a concept referred to asventilatory acclimatization. "At altitude, a person breathes more, and that extra breathingstays with you when you come back down from altitude. Extrabreathing uses more muscles, more energy, and the body has to workmore to regulate blood flow," he said. This study suggests that an athlete may perform best at 18 to 22days because the extra breathing goes away and the body getsre-acclimated to a lower altitude. "This research will help athletes plan for majorcompetitions," says lead author Abby Laymon, graduate studentin the School of HPER's Department of Kinesiology. "Forexample, if an athlete is training for the Olympic trials, they cancount backwards and plan their workout accordingly to perform theirbest after altitude training." This study joins four others from IU that focus on altitudetraining. Future studies will determine why the physiologicalchanges occur post-altitude. The study, "Time-course of changes in cardiorespiratorymeasures post-altitude training: Implications for competitiveendurance performance," was discussed May 31 during the HighAltitude/Hypoxia I session. Co-authors are Daniel P. Wilhite, Joseph W. Duke, Jonathon L.Stickford, Joel M. Stager and Timothy D. Mickleborough, all fromthe School of HPER's Department of Kinesiology. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Magnetic Promotional Items , Magnetic Kids Toys Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit Personalized Fridge Magnet today!
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