Abstract
[Purpose]The aim of this study was to determine the efficiency of the application of living high-training low (LHTL) on cardiac function and skeletal muscle oxygenation during submaximal exercises compared with that of living low-training low (LLTL) in athletes. [Methods]Male middle- and long-distance runners (n = 20) were randomly assigned into the LLTL group (n = 10, living at 1000-m altitude and training at 700-1330-m altitude) and the LHTL group (n = 10, living at simulated 3000-m altitude and training at 700-1330-m altitude). Their cardiac function and skeletal muscle oxygenation during submaximal exercises at sea level before and after training at each environmental condition were evaluated. [Results]There was a significant interaction only in the stroke volume (SV); however, the heart rate (HR), end-diastolic volume (EDV), and end-systolic volume (ESV) showed significant main effects within time; HR and SV significantly increased during training in the LHTL group compared with those in the LLTL group. EDV also significantly increased during training in both groups; however, the LHTL group had a higher increase than the LLTL group. ESV significantly increased during training in the LLTL group. There was no significant difference in the ejection fraction and cardiac output. The skeletal muscle oxygen profiles had no significant differences but improved in the LHTL group compared with those in the LLTL group. [Conclusion]LHTL can yield favorable effects on cardiac function by improving the HR, SV, EDV, and ESV during submaximal exercises compared with LLTL in athletes.
Highlights
Altitude and hypoxic training are common among many personal or team sports athletes and recommended by many coaches and scientists for normoxic exercise performance[1].Generally, normoxic exercise performance can be improved using three methods through altitude and hypoxic training[2]
The participants were randomly assigned by a blinded investigator to either the living low-training low (LLTL; n = 10) or living high-training low (LHTL) (n = 10) group according to their initial physical fitness level
Following the 4 wk of training at each environmental condition, there were significant interactions in the SV; further, the increase in the SV was significantly higher during training in the LHTL group than in the LLTL group (Figure 2)
Summary
Normoxic exercise performance can be improved using three methods through altitude and hypoxic training[2]. Living high-training high (LHTH) was the first design of living and training at 1500-4000 m in altitude environments that enhances erythropoiesis and exercise performance at sea level. LHTH has a major limitation, that is, failure to perform training of the same intensities (e.g., running speed), as compared with the sea-level training[3]. The efficacy of IHT for the enhancement of normoxic exercise performance is more of a matter of debate owing to the methodological differences, including in the dose of hypoxic stimulus, type and intensity of training, participant training status, and time-point of the measurement of exercise performance[7,8,9]
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