The High Altitude Myth

NAB777

All Australian
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Posts
893
Likes
653
AFL Club
Essendon
Thread starter #1
1) "We would be better off buying oxygen tents for the team to sleep in, rather than spending the money going to Colorado".

2) "The only time 'altitude training' works (for 15 days max) is when you sleep at altitude & train at sea level."

3) "Unless we are playing in a grand final at altitude 2-3 weeks after we return from Colorado, we are wasting time & money".

Discuss.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

fishardansin

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Posts
15,127
Likes
10,047
Location
coburg
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Australian cricket team
#3
West Coast have invested in those tents. Other stuff I've read recently suggests that the rest high train low method is best because you get the increased hemoglobin yet reduce and negative effects like muscle waste.

In fact I've read that if done everyday 15-30min is enough, obviously one TV show's length, if the oxygen levels simulate 6000m.

Who knows that they players don't do this as well? Collingwood has an altitude room and I think Carlton does too. Having a three week session and then followed up with regular simulations of altitude may work wonders.

Finally there is nothing wrong with the club sending a few over to see if there is any benefit. Essendon is a wealthy sporting club and as a supporter I'm glad they are trialling things like this. Even if any benefits are purely placebo I will be glad to know there is just a 1% difference if the boys were playing in a final that came down to the last few minutes.
 

Tommy08

Club Legend
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Posts
1,043
Likes
609
Location
Richmond
AFL Club
Essendon
#4
It's important to stipulate who it is you're quoting..

I'd say the psychological benefits are worth the trip even if the physiological benefits don't last.
 

EFC 1871

Hall of Famer
Joined
Oct 11, 2007
Posts
30,275
Likes
11,507
AFL Club
Essendon
#6
Have said all along that it's a fad, like Brisbane's hyperbaric chambers.

Don't care, though; AFL clubs know a shit load more about it than I do.
 

Bunk Moreland

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Posts
29,708
Likes
56,826
Location
Your girlfriend's dreams
AFL Club
Essendon
#7
I think as well as the altitude training, the idea is to get the team away together to bond etc. It’s away from supporters and the media where nobody knows who they are, so they can get a bit of privacy and do their thing to kick off the pre-season.

It’s just follow the leader stuff – Collingwood started it because they literally have more money than they know what to do with. Others have followed.
 

Jade

Smug lives here.
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Posts
32,925
Likes
48,346
AFL Club
Essendon
#8
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the club has sent 10-ish players to TEST whether altitude training is appropriate for us.

Don't really care if it has benefits or not at the moment. We'll see.
 

Orazio2Joe

Premium Gold
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Posts
11,103
Likes
5,310
Location
Sunraysia
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Arsenal, Chicago Bears, Utah Jazz
#9
Hire Michele Ferrari and Eufemiano Fuentes as club doctors. That is sure to increase performance :cool:

On topic though, I'd go False, False, False

#1. Taking the team to Colorado has more benefits than just fitness, i.e. team building.
#2. This is not the only way altitude training works, however studies have shown it to be the most effective way it works
#3. If this is actually the case, then it inherently makes #1 false, as the grand final is not played in an oxygen tent.
 
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Posts
4,714
Likes
777
Location
Mordialloc
AFL Club
Essendon
#11
I think the myths as to whether its worthwhile or not apply to both sides of the argument. There is clearly a lot of athletes/coaches that believe in it and continue to do it as well plenty that dont. There is no conclusive right or wrong answer.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

SDR223

Club Legend
Joined
Mar 12, 2009
Posts
1,622
Likes
104
AFL Club
Essendon
#13
Not sure how much of a myth this is but I've always said we have to try it.

Dane Swan's performance after coming back from Arizona in 2011 and Norths run home this year after spending the preseason doing some high altitude training lead me to beleive there it something there worth checking out.

I'm glad we're starting to spend money on trialling things, It's better than sitting on our hands like we did for too long with upgrading our training facilities.
 

Grey Smith Bar

All Australian
Joined
Mar 15, 2007
Posts
756
Likes
212
Location
The Mountains
AFL Club
Essendon
#15
I used to live in Colorado and Utah - altitudes between 6000' and 8000'.

I felt like Superman when I came back to sea level. Of course not being an athlete I just let it dissipate but I can definitely say that it makes a difference. It's like you only need to breathe once every few minutes.
 

un_eggs

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Posts
5,329
Likes
6,969
Location
un
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Liverpool
#16
Shiiiiiiiiiiet Placebo is a strong mental thang
Nothing like a good old-fashioned myth-bust to destroy the efficacy of a perfectly legitimate placebo.

They can spend their football dep cash any way they like so long as we see our team back on top of the ladder where we should be... the only altitude with any real benefit.
 

TheGreatBarryB

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Mar 20, 2007
Posts
18,708
Likes
17,882
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Texans, Astros, Leeds
#18
Think the bonding is probably more beneficial. 3 weeks seems like an extravagant wank IMO. In fact I think this is the greatest wankfest AFL clubs have ever made up. There's a lot guesswork with coaches and administrators.
 

Doss

Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Posts
70,943
Likes
96,294
AFL Club
Essendon
Admin #22
Why cant they go to Fall Creeks - Distance athletes use it during our summer - Doubt that you need to go overseas.
Falls Creek's maximum altitude is only around 1800 metres.

Pretty sure that, according to the boffins, you need to move above that (think it was circa 2500 metres ASL) for the effects of high altitude training (namely, increased production of haemoglobin) to really kick in.

Our highest mountain in Australia is only 2228 metres high! And we have nowhere at all where the altitude is over 2000 metres for a large, even area* (i.e an alpine plateau like the Bogong High Plains), which is critical as my understanding is that the subject needs to be consistently at or above 2500 for the desired effect to occur.

*in other words, no need to ascend (with the requisite descent to follow) peaks to attain the desired altitude.
 
Top Bottom