While research published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine shows that they can improve overall respiratory compensation threshold (the amount of time you can exercise without getting winded) and power output at respiratory compensation threshold (the level of intensity you can handle without getting winded), the evidence demonstrated that hypoxic masks do not simulate changes in hemoglobin or hematocrit levels, both of which increase when you’re at altitude. That said, don’t rely on these masks to improve all areas of athletic performance. And if you don’t want to show up to the group ride wearing one, you can play around with it during indoor training in the privacy of your own pain cave. Sure, it may make you look like you should be cast in the next Batman movie, but Hackett says it could also help you become familiar with the sensations you’ll feel at high altitude, including breathlessness, increased respiratory effort, and a higher rate of perceived exertion. Which is why Hackett suggests experimenting with a hypoxic mask, like Training Mask 3.0. So if you practice differentiating between the two, by the time you ride at elevation, you’ll be able to tell whether you’re feeling breathless or if you need to back off your effort level. Remember, there’s a distinct difference between what it feels like to be breathless, and what it feels like when you’re working too hard. ![]() “But if you get some experience with it during training, you can get used to that feeling of discomfort. Typically, that would be a sign for many to back off, but only because they don’t realize they just need to breathe more. “If you’re not accustomed to high altitude, you might be blown away by the sensation of feeling breathless,” explains Peter Hackett, M.D., director at the Institute for Altitude Medicine in Telluride, Colorado. The first thing you can do: strap on a hypoxic mask. If a weekend trip to higher elevation is out of the question-be it in your race destination or another location at similar altitude-you have to make the most of your sea level training. So, while we’re not saying you have to move to Colorado for the entirety of your altitude training, it wouldn’t hurt to book a mountainous vacation in the midst of it.
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