# Oxygen debt training



## Ladder Guy (Apr 13, 2013)

With the new addition of oxygen debt masks and hypoxic masks being used to push our fitness to a level akin to training in higher altitudes, I was wondering if anyone has recommendations on a mask type or system to use or not use. We used to use the old gas masks but it can be a pain sometimes getting them from supply.
Some of my buddies and I were talking about this yesterday but didnt have any concrete knowledge or experience with the area.


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## DAVE101 (Apr 13, 2013)

Since your asking about recommendations about what to or NOT to use, don't use any of them. The _only_ reason you would use them is if you will be expected to perform in a hypoxic environment (i.e. competing at altitude or job requiring the use of mask). Training at a higher intensity will always be superior to training at a "higher altitude".


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## Crusader74 (Apr 14, 2013)

This has been covered before and there is an extensive thread in the fitness forum.. Check it out.


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## Etype (Apr 14, 2013)

From what I understand, it's your cardiovascular system that is usually the weak link in aerobic fitness. That's why improve aerobic fitness is a result of increased mitochondria and capillary density. It's not your lungs that are having the problem, so making it harder to breath in and out (exercising your diaphragm) isn't going to mean much with the mask off. With a little bit of breath control training, it's easy to keep your respiratory rate under control with high intensity exercise, but your heart rate is going to be, for the most part, uncontrollable. Heavy breathing is just as much to expel CO2 as it is to intake oxygen.


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## pardus (May 11, 2013)

http://www.shadowspear.com/vb/threads/training-mask-anyone-use-it.11132/


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