Can ‘live high, train low’ improve performance in elite athletes?
At high altitude, there is relatively less oxygen. To compensate for the low oxygen levels, living at altitude results in adaptations that improve oxygen delivery and utilization. Such adaptations could theoretically be beneficial for endurance performance.
In contrast, the low oxygen levels at altitude may limit the quality of training sessions.
Therefore, the live high, train low strategy has been developed. In this strategy, you live at altitude, but perform your training sessions at low altitude to get the best of both worlds (altitudes).
This study investigated the effect of the live high, train low strategy on running performance in a group of elite runners. Subjects participated in the study right after the USA Track and Field National Championships, meaning that they were at their seasons’ peak level.
For 4 weeks, subjects were living at 2500m, while performing their high-intensity interval training at 1250m. Subjects performed their low-intensity training between 1250 and 3000m. Running performance was assessed at seas level before and after the 4 weeks.
The 4 weeks of altitude living increased 3000m running performance by 1.1%. This was a personal best for one-third of the athletes. In addition, several blood markers of oxygen transport were elevated by altitude living.
A big limitation of this study (and most similar studies) was that there was no control group. It is possible that the athletes would also improve using a different training strategy or that the placebo effect played a role. However, the study did observe an improvement in elite athletes, whose performance is generally very difficult to improve. Therefore, the strategy has potential, but more and better studies are required to establish its efficacy.
Go to the next infographic in the endurance exercise series:
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