Altitude Training
     
                    "Training at altitude works for everybody" 
                              Alexander Polunin, 
                     Chief Endurance Coach of the former USSR
     
     There is no doubt among athletes and coaches that altitude
     training enhances sea level performance.  However, due to
     the lack of strong scientific support there is still disagreement
     among sports scientists as to it's benefits.   The following
     guidelines are thus based more on the practical experiences
     of various coaches from around the world1 than on hard
     scientific evidence.   
     
     
                   Why train at altitude?
     
     1)   To induce physiological adaptations which improve
          performance at sea level.
     
     2)   For performance at altitude
     
   >> At what altitude should one train?
     
     Consensus among top coaches is that athletes should train
     at between 6,000-7,000 ft.  Training above 7,000 ft makes it
     difficult to achieve the same absolute workloads as at sea
     level.
     
     
   >> When should altitude training be worked into the season?
     
     Two periods of training at altitude during the season are
     recommended:  
     
          a) at the start of the pre-season (this should be mostly
             aerobic training) 
          b) prior to the major championships of the season
             (anaerobic and race specific training).  There should 
             be at least seven weeks and no more than 3 months of 
             sea level training between the altitude bouts.
     Upon descent, time is needed before the adaptations
     acquired at altitude translate to improvements in
     performance.  The amount of time varies from athlete to
     athlete, however one can typically expect the following:
     
       - poor performance: day 1-day 8
       - normal performance: day 8-11 through day 14
       - maximum performance: day 14 through day 24.
     

  >> What is a good length of time to train at altitude?
     
     Generally, coaches agree that the optimal training duration at
     altitude should be three weeks in duration.  However, two
     weeks has also been shown to be of benefit.
     
     
  >> Other Considerations
     
     Heart Rates:  Sea level heart rates are difficult to use as an
     indication of intensity at altitude.  Resting heart rate can be
     higher by 10% for the first week, while maximum heart rate
     can be as much as 10% lower.  Heart rate is only a loose
     relative guide to recovery at altitude.  
     
     Rest to Work Ratio's:  Rest periods, especially for high
     intensity sets, should be extended (15-30%) to ensure
     sufficient numbers of quality repetitions.  
     
     Nutritional:  A multi-vitamin-iron preparation should be taken
     daily during the training program at altitude.  Iron
     supplements should be taken starting 2-3 weeks prior to
     coming to altitude (200-300mg/day).  It has been shown that
     iron uptake by red blood cells is increased by nearly 100% in
     the first few days at altitude.  Normal iron stores during this
     time are not sufficient to meet iron demand for hemoglobin
     synthesis2.    
     
     Rest:  When training at altitude, athletes fatigue quicker and
     require longer recovery periods.  Thus, it is important for
     athletes to get adequate rest.  Naps are worth including in
     the schedule.   
     
     Dehydration:  This can be a problem at altitude.  Plasma
     volume has been shown to decrease by as much as 25% in
     the first 8-10 days at altitude.  After 3 weeks, it is still below
     sea level values2.  It takes about six days at sea level for it to
     normalize.  Athletes should thus be encouraged to increase
     their fluid intake, both at altitude and upon return to sea level. 
     Intake of diuretics, such as caffeine should be kept at a
     minimum.  
     
     Training Cycles:  Athletes should be allowed an initial
     adaptation phase at altitude of 2-3 days, with the main
     training emphasis being from days 10-19.  The final 2-4 days
     should consist of recovery type workouts, as should the first
     few days back at sea level. (see fig. 2)
     
     Sources:
     
     1.   Dick, FW.  Training at Altitude in Practice.  Int. J.
          Sports Med. 13:S203-S205, 1992.
     
     2.   Bergland, B.  High-Altitude Training - Aspects of
          Hematological Adaptation.  Sports Med 14:289-303,
          1992.
     
     3.   Orjan M.  High Altitude training in Swimming. 
          Presented at the 1993 European Championships for a 
          Swimming Coaches Clinic.