From what I understand, breath control training largely provides little (if any?) physiological training effect other than from the work itself (which is hindered anyway, making it a waste of time for training any of the energy systems).
I assume there is room to mentally adapt and learn how to manage hypoxic suffering. But other than developing a strong aerobic base and increasing level of conditioning, can one actually have room to improve their hypoxic capacity specifically through hypoxic training?
Thank you!
I can't claim to answer this with any sort of scientific accuracy, but I'd say yes.
Back in the day as an age group swimmer, before we started to do hypoxic work, I had to breathe on the first stroke coming off the wall in free. It wasn't that I was dealing with hypoxic suffering, it was that I had to get air. After a few months of hypoxic training (after I moved up groups, my new coach was reallllly into hypoxic work and anything that made you suffer), I was able to make it anywhere from 3-5 strokes off the wall before needing to breathe.
That being said, I don't think I've ever noticed a substantial drop in breathing outside of the turns as a result of hypoxic work--no matter how much hypoxic work I do, I always seem to take approximately the same number of breaths per 50/100 as I do sans hypoxic work. I might take the breaths later in the race, but the number is always about the same, maybe a shade less with hypoxic training.
I can't claim to answer this with any sort of scientific accuracy, but I'd say yes.
Back in the day as an age group swimmer, before we started to do hypoxic work, I had to breathe on the first stroke coming off the wall in free. It wasn't that I was dealing with hypoxic suffering, it was that I had to get air. After a few months of hypoxic training (after I moved up groups, my new coach was reallllly into hypoxic work and anything that made you suffer), I was able to make it anywhere from 3-5 strokes off the wall before needing to breathe.
That being said, I don't think I've ever noticed a substantial drop in breathing outside of the turns as a result of hypoxic work--no matter how much hypoxic work I do, I always seem to take approximately the same number of breaths per 50/100 as I do sans hypoxic work. I might take the breaths later in the race, but the number is always about the same, maybe a shade less with hypoxic training.
