What is the actual goal of hypoxic training. I used to do a lot of these pyramid breathing sets when I used to swim in a group. It seems that Doc Counsilman used to believe that it simulates altitude training but now it seems they found out it doesn't.
Why are these exercises still done? Does it have another benefit like being able to hold your breath longer while doing a sprint or expand your lung capacity?
I use them sparingly, but when I do I am usually trying to get the swimmers to calm down or go easy. In the summer when we train for open water swims over an hour I will have people start a main set breathing every third stroke for the first 5th or quarter of the set. Then on race day I encourage them to use the same strategy to avoid going out too hard early in the race. I follow the same strategy myself in races over 90 minutes or so.
I sometimes do them looking to work on efficiency. Extra hitches and giddy ups in your stroke make it much harder to do them, I will ask the swimmers to breathe every 3 or 5 looking to eliminate any unnecessary movements in their stroke.
I use them sparingly, but when I do I am usually trying to get the swimmers to calm down or go easy. In the summer when we train for open water swims over an hour I will have people start a main set breathing every third stroke for the first 5th or quarter of the set. Then on race day I encourage them to use the same strategy to avoid going out too hard early in the race. I follow the same strategy myself in races over 90 minutes or so.
I sometimes do them looking to work on efficiency. Extra hitches and giddy ups in your stroke make it much harder to do them, I will ask the swimmers to breathe every 3 or 5 looking to eliminate any unnecessary movements in their stroke.
