How to bring the benefits of training in altitude to your house without the hassle and expense of an altitude Tent.
At CSI, due to our professional affiliations, we are privy to new technology sometimes many years before it’s available to the public. Last year I was contacted by a company who makes a High Altitude training system (io) due to my affiliation as the team Doctor for the Professional cycling team, Successful Living. As you may or may not be aware of, Professional Cycling has been under the microscope for the past several years due to Blood doping and Drug abuse allegations. The purpose of blood doping is to enhance your RBC (red blood cell) production so that you can enhance your Oxygen Transport, thus increasing your Aerobic Capacity. The Natural way to do this is to live at Altitude and/ or, sleep 6-8 hours in an Altitude Tent. This new devise, out of New Zealand, is extremely advanced, managed by the Mayo Clinic, and requires 1 hour a day, breathing in a mask, for 15 sessions, 5 days on 2 off or 6 days on 1 off.
As you are aware of I have been involved with high level cycling for 20+ years and the last 3 years, National level motocross racing. Last year I asked the CEO of the company if I could run a trial study at CSI to prepare a few riders to race at Mammoth Mountain for their Annual Motocross race. Since this race is at 8,500’ I wanted to see how they would react after using the machine and also to see how simple it was to use. I chose three high level motocross athletes of three different age brackets. I chose a 40 year old Masters champion, a 12 year old National rider and my son Tyler who was 9 at the time. Since Motocross is an extremely aerobic sport I wanted to see if it would enhance their performance and decrease the effects of racing at Altitude. Well it did, all three made the podium and felt as if they were riding at sea level! Both the 40 year old and my son were blown away at how good they felt. My son has been to Mammoth as a skier since he was a baby and we were wondering at his age if the devise would be effective. Well it was, Tyler stated he felt as if he were riding in TO and was able to push harder when everyone else wore out.
Normally, when competing in altitude, such as Mammoth, you either show up the DAY OF competition or you go to the altitude you are competing at and live there for 2 weeks prior to the event. Your body will actually perform worse at the 4-6 day point. So, if you go up 3-4 days prior to the event you will perform worse than if you go up the day of due to the acclimatization process. Due to traveling, work schedules and time constraints going to altitude for 2 weeks is not practical for most people. With this therapy, you can go up any time and stay because you will already be acclimatized. You will not get the Headaches, breathing problems, weakness, fatigue and so on. The company name is io, and they are now available to you at your home. So if you’re into ANY aerobic sport, this devise can help you perform much better. It’s used not only by cyclist, triathletes, Motocross racers and mountaineers, but athletes in Soccer, Rugby, Lacrosse, Runners, skier, skaters, cross country skiers, hockey players as well pilots and asthmatics.
More on io Therapy
io works by using a sophisticated altitude simulator to force the body to react as if at altitude.
io causes your body to react to differing oxygen levels by producing a higher proportion of red blood cells. The more red blood cells you have, the more efficient your body becomes at transporting and using oxygen.
All you have to do is sit back, relax and breathe. The results – boosted energy levels, better performance in life and sport, enhanced health and relief from various conditions.
io specialising in the provision of the most advanced form of altitude training technology available. io’s technology is a masked based system delivering benefits of altitude in intervals, this provides greater benefits in a shorter time.
io has developed improved technology and over the last 10 years been researching and providing altitude training to World and Olympic champions through to the casual gym user. io’s sessions are each only 1 hour long with the session alternating from altitude to sea level during the hour session (at altitudes of between 18 and 26,000 feet increasing throughout the program). The io program has a base program of 15 sessions and then there are ‘booster’ sessions every 6-8 weeks these are 5 days long and again each session is only one hour.
io is a natural way to get an advantage and has been proven to aid with sports performance improving;
– recovery,
– speed,
– power,
– endurance to name a few benefits.
Research shows an improvement in overall athletic performance of between 4-8% across the board.( www.io-usa.com/research/view/sport ) Other benefits include aiding in the recovery from injury and maintaining fitness while injured through to assisting people with asthma or those starting out on a new fitness program.
This devise is an AMAZING invention and is a critical component in the preparation phase as well as the recovery phase. If you are serous about your sport, suffer from high altitude sickness, preparing to climb a big mountain or want a secret edge in your aerobic sport, Contact THE FACTORY in Westlake Village to set up an appointment to see this amazing devise in action. Contact Rob Bolton at 805-494-4464 and mention you want information on the IO therapy and other ways to enhance performance, that only the Factory can deliever.
Dr. Terry Weyman
www.gotcsi.com
