Creatine and the APFT: A Theory

[selfcritical]

How so?
Forcing the body to acclimate is a pretty common strategy.
It's one of the reasons the Olympic training center is at altitude.
Hypoxic tents, altitude training, and the aforementioned snorkel etc are nothing new.
I've done some underwater rock running, that sucks big time.
You do repeats of this, sometimes with increasing depth, with only one breath between each run.

The adaptations to altitude come from LOW oxygen demand periods. Living there is what triggers it, not training there.

http://www.sportsci.org/traintech/altitude/wgh.html is an example, but almost every paper on "live high, train low" will say the same thing. Here's the quote.
"Living and training at altitude is less effective than living at altitude and training near sea level, because the lack of oxygen at altitude results in detraining through reduction in intensity of training."

These results have been validated and duplicated many, many times over. The reason we have a traditional association with altitude training is because generally the people there have been living at altitude as well(sleep chambers make sense here too, because you don't train in your sleep), so of course they associated the positive gains in endurance with living there. By restricting oxygen during training, you get all the negative effects (detraining) and none of the positive effects (increased hemoglobin, mitochondrial enzymes, etc). So you're just engaging in bro-science if you wear the retarded snorkels or training masks.

[Cassius]

So what you're saying is that Phrost should LIVE in a snorkel, and TRAIN without it?

I like this idea even better.

[ChenPengFi]

1) What the Cassius said.
2)

Living and training at altitude is less effective than...

doesn't equate to the latter not being effective.
3) I'll go one further, living at altitude, wearing a snorkel all the time AND doing hypoxic training would be best.
4) Does the military test for EPO? Blood doping?

[Cassius]

In practice, the military will not test anyone for any sort of performance enhancing substances unless there are multiple witnesses testifying to its use. I shudder to use the popular BS meme, but in this case it is appropriate: Video or it didn't happen.

[selfcritical]

1) What the Cassius said.
2)
doesn't equate to the latter not being effective.
3) I'll go one further, living at altitude, wearing a snorkel all the time AND doing hypoxic training would be best.
4) Does the military test for EPO? Blood doping?

No, it wouldn't. Did you not read? THe paper(and dozens of other studies like it) establish that training at altitude is actually a negative, because your body decreasing intensity to compensate. Resistance to hypoxia isn't the primary determinant of endurance. That's why the currently most effective scheme is Live High, Train Low. You want MORE oxygen available during higher intensity work, so that your aerobic system is producing more of the total power.

Seriously, google "Live High Train Low" on google scholar

[ChenPengFi]

You are moving tho e goalposts.
We were responding to this:

By restricting oxygen during training, you get all the negative effects (detraining) and none of the positive effects (increased hemoglobin, mitochondrial enzymes, etc).

But anyhow:

The important factor in haematological adaptation in athletes at moderate altitude is hypoxia.

http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/1439...5GNiQRsP2CRU.6

Thus the present study indicates no effect of 2 wk of altitude training on VO2 max but provides evidence to suggest an improvement in short-term exercise performance, which may be the result of an increase in muscle buffer capacity.

(my bold)
http://jap.physiology.org/content/68/2/496.short

In conclusion, work capacity at altitude was increased more by training at altitude than at sea level. Work capacity at sea level was at least as much improved by altitude as by sea level training.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/j24548623l183141/

[mrh80]

1.) What the ChenPengFi said.

2.) Given the time required for an old codger like Phrost to achieve a 100 on the run event (13:36, I believe), acclimating his muscles to tolerate some degree of oxygen starvation is going to help.

So 1.5 or 2 miles in 13.36 and all this talk of using low oxygen training, lol. Seriously forget the damn snorkel and just run.

[Cassius]

So 1.5 or 2 miles in 13.36 and all this talk of using low oxygen training, lol. Seriously forget the damn snorkel and just run.

It's 2 miles, and I agree with you. It's how I train for the APFT. But that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun at Phrost's expense, seeing as he is old and slow.

[ChenPengFi]

So 1.5 or 2 miles in 13.36 and all this talk of using low oxygen training, lol. Seriously forget the damn snorkel and just run.

Yes but pedantry is de rigueur here...

[Permalost]

When I was training to become a kung fu teacher, I had to run 2 miles every week and continuously improve. My final goal was to finish in under 13 minutes and I did. For training, I did hill sprints instead of distance running, figuring that a fast two miles isn't best developed by jogging many miles.