Kinda scary, right?
While this may look more like something you’d wear to a Halloween party, altitude masks are becoming increasingly popular as companies claim they can provide the same benefits as altitude training.
But is this fad or fact? Can these masks really replicate training at elevation?
Coach Claire answers in today’s daily podcast!
Audio Transcript
Claire: Hi everyone. This is Coach Claire and welcome to the Runners Connect, Run to the Top Extra Kick podcast.
Today, we have a great question from Patrick via email.
Patrick asks, “What is your opinion on elevation training masks? Do they actually produce results or would they just make for a good Halloween costume?“
Thank you for your question. Now we all know that elites train at altitude , to give their bodies a competitive edge to race at sea level.
Altitude training boosts your natural levels of EPO, which is a hormone that can help create more oxygen carrying red blood cells.
More red blood cells means more oxygen goes to your muscles and the more oxygen that can be moved into your muscles, the more fuel they have to help you run faster.
Not everyone has the time or the money to jet off to Flagstaff or to Kenya for a month. How can you replicate the benefits of altitude at sea level?
Of course capitalism has an answer for you, another must have product that will shave minutes off your marathon time, the elevation training mask.
Sounds cool, right? If you’ve never seen one of these before, we’ve got a graphic for you in the show notes or on our website at runnersconnect.net.
It’s not quite the full on Darth Vader mask since it only goes over your nose and mouth, but the idea is that you strap this mask on to your face and then you go for a run.
The air you breathe in is restricted because there’s valves on the side of the mask and it forces you to breathe harder with each breath.
If you’re forced to breathe harder , your respiratory muscles grow stronger and you’re able to crank out personal bests with your new super buff lung power. Only problem is, it’s about as ridiculous as it looks.
If simply restricting your airflow actually worked to increase performance, every runner would be poking a couple holes in some duct tape and slapping it over their mouths.
It’s certainly a lot cheaper than the 80 bucks that you’re going to shell out for one of those masks. The science has simply not proven that these masks work at all.
One four-week study in runners did show market gains in direct tests of their respiratory muscle strength and endurance, basically, how hard they could breathe, but they showed no change in their performance.
All these guys are running around town with these sci-fi masks on their faces and the sad part is they can’t even show off their huge lung muscles.
A much better investment would be to spend the 80 bucks on a few dumbbells and to get into a strength training habit two or three times a week.
There is a ton of scientific research to back up the effectiveness of strength training on performance and just not enough at all for elevation training masks.
Now let’s get on to the more important part of your question. Would an altitude training mask make a good Halloween costume?
I’m sorry Patrick I’m also going to have to say it’s doubtful on this one as well, because first of all hardly anyone but some real running nerds or maybe some cyclists would know what in the world is on your face.
I’m sure you get some people thinking you are some sort of space traveller or Ebola worker or a really bad version of Hannibal Lector. I got to say no on both counts Patrick, but thank you for asking.
Another investment that is a lot more beneficial than an altitude training mask is a subscription to Audible. See what I did there? Just try it out for free for 30 days at runnersconnect.net/audible.
To send in your running question, no matter how strange it might be, go ahead and send it in on our website. Visit runnersconnect.net/daily, hit the record button and send your question over.
Finally, I want to thank our sponsor.
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Hope you enjoyed today’s episode and have a great run today.
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