Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure

Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: Livewire on September 06, 2007, 06:55:28 PM

Title: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Livewire on September 06, 2007, 06:55:28 PM
I yanked this from ESPN.com:

Best sleeper player: Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez. Is the guy serious about football? Let's see, at Ohio State he slept in a tent that simulated low-oxygen conditions so he could improve his body's ability to function better when winded. That serious enough? Plus, the guy can catch.

Would this be a good thing for athletes to do?  For bodybuilders?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Hedgehog on September 06, 2007, 06:59:32 PM
I yanked this from ESPN.com:

Best sleeper player: Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez. Is the guy serious about football? Let's see, at Ohio State he slept in a tent that simulated low-oxygen conditions so he could improve his body's ability to function better when winded. That serious enough? Plus, the guy can catch.

Would this be a good thing for athletes to do?  For bodybuilders?

It's similar to EPO or blood doping, but done in a natural way, and not to such extreme levels. Actually what he's doing, is simulating living on high altitude.

It's been deemed un-ethical by sports bodies to build apartments that has this function, but it was done in the early 2000's, but many endurance athletes trains on high altitude.

Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Livewire on September 06, 2007, 07:02:54 PM
It's been deemed un-ethical by sports bodies to build apartments that has this function, but it was done in the early 2000's, but many endurance athletes trains on high altitude.

I'd nevre heard of such a thing.  that's hilarious.  I wonder two things... how many elite athletes do this without anyone knowing.  And how long until a company comes out with a $500 home thin-oxygen kit that every JV high school football player in America has to have?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: SteelePegasus on September 06, 2007, 07:03:36 PM
It's similar to EPO or blood doping, but done in a natural way, and not to such extreme levels. Actually what he's doing, is simulating living on high altitude.

It's been deemed un-ethical by sports bodies to build apartments that has this function, but it was done in the early 2000's, but many endurance athletes trains on high altitude.

training at high altitude is mandatory if you hope to be competitive in a marathon.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: G o a t b o y on September 06, 2007, 07:04:31 PM
Go train for a few weeks at altitude... same thing.  I spent a week and a half in Breckenridge, CO earlier this summer, and cardio was much easier for a short time after I returned back home.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: swilkins1984 on September 06, 2007, 08:09:30 PM
I yanked this from ESPN.com:

Best sleeper player: Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez. Is the guy serious about football? Let's see, at Ohio State he slept in a tent that simulated low-oxygen conditions so he could improve his body's ability to function better when winded. That serious enough? Plus, the guy can catch.

Would this be a good thing for athletes to do?  For bodybuilders?

Nah, damages your brain and makes you kill your family.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: WOOO on September 06, 2007, 08:11:19 PM
useless for building muscle
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Cap on September 06, 2007, 08:15:28 PM
where can I buy one for home? are they cheap?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: shiftedShapes on September 06, 2007, 09:11:51 PM
Go train for a few weeks at altitude... same thing.  I spent a week and a half in Breckenridge, CO earlier this summer, and cardio was much easier for a short time after I returned back home.

wrong, the ideal is sleep high, train low.  However, this is is only for endurance training.  It has not been researched for hypertrophy.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: G o a t b o y on September 06, 2007, 09:17:56 PM
wrong, the ideal is sleep high, train low.  However, this is is only for endurance training.  It has not been researched for hypertrophy.

Did I say it was for hypertrophy?  ::)

I said cardio was easier after I got home.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Rearden Metal on September 06, 2007, 09:30:58 PM
I've recently moved from NYC to the mountains in CO and it's been an interesting adaptation. I'm weaker by almost 20% on most movements and the lactic acid burn is more intense here too.

I'll be interested to see how much of a boost I will get when I train at sea level again.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: shiftedShapes on September 06, 2007, 09:35:34 PM
Did I say it was for hypertrophy?  ::)

I said cardio was easier after I got home.

read my post carefully.  I corrected you about training at high altitude.  It is good for endurance, but training low and sleeping high is even better.

The bit about endurance was a clarification directed towards the OP who presumably is interested in this for the sake of hypertrophy.  Now I can see why you would read my post the way you did, but it was not how it was intended.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: sgt. d on September 06, 2007, 09:35:48 PM
It's similar to EPO or blood doping, but done in a natural way, and not to such extreme levels. Actually what he's doing, is simulating living on high altitude.

It's been deemed un-ethical by sports bodies to build apartments that has this function, but it was done in the early 2000's, but many endurance athletes trains on high altitude.



Livewire why are you talking to yourself?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: phreak on September 06, 2007, 11:16:57 PM
where can I buy one for home? are they cheap?
Anyone can do it. You only need a plastic bag and a rubber band.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Eric2 on September 06, 2007, 11:23:19 PM
  I base true athletic performance on the common day. In otherwords......can you perform this well on any occasion without the need of say a bench shirt or lifting straps and, wraps. When will one ever be in a low oxygen enviroment during an athletic performance? Mt everest? Not many have made it.
    True athleticism is being abile to perform a givin physical task in a real enviroment that is common to the real world. Is it not? It should be.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Alex23 on September 06, 2007, 11:39:59 PM
Kinda went the other way...

I used to do Hyperbaric oxygen therapy to speed up recovery of an injury.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbaric_oxygen_therapy
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Get Rowdy on September 07, 2007, 04:00:58 AM
  I base true athletic performance on the common day. In otherwords......can you perform this well on any occasion without the need of say a bench shirt or lifting straps and, wraps. When will one ever be in a low oxygen enviroment during an athletic performance? Mt everest? Not many have made it.
    True athleticism is being abile to perform a givin physical task in a real enviroment that is common to the real world. Is it not? It should be.

If you train in a low oxygen environment, then do the real thing in a regular oxygen environment you'll perform better.

It's like walking around for a week with weights strapped to your wrists and ankles, then take them off after the week and it will be alot easier to move.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: JasonH on September 07, 2007, 05:16:10 AM
I've heard about this before but I heard that if you sleep or live temporarily in a low oxygen environment, and then return to normal oxygen levels, it has no benefits for the body because the body recovers too quickly for the lesser oxygen levels to take effect. That's just what I've heard, ot sure if it's true though.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: nycbull on September 07, 2007, 06:21:29 AM
Kinda went the other way...

I used to do Hyperbaric oxygen therapy to speed up recovery of an injury.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbaric_oxygen_therapy

Did  you ever roll over and find Michael Jackson next to you?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Alex23 on September 07, 2007, 10:12:02 AM
Did  you ever roll over and find Michael Jackson next to you?

It's pretty hard to rollover in those things butg I've had a feeling of being humped.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: nycbull on September 07, 2007, 10:47:52 AM
It's pretty hard to rollover in those things butg I've had a feeling of being humped.

hahhaha, I ve always wanted to do one of those floatation tanks...they say you halucinate and see God and stuff...any truth to that.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Alex23 on September 07, 2007, 11:18:03 AM
hahhaha, I ve always wanted to do one of those floatation tanks...they say you halucinate and see God and stuff...any truth to that.

I used to get those crazy "breakthrough" while in there. No kidding. Like finding the solution of some shit I was trying to resolve for weeks, remember where I left my keys etc...
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: nycbull on September 07, 2007, 11:27:05 AM
I used to get those crazy "breakthrough" while in there. No kidding. Like finding the solution of some shit I was trying to resolve for weeks, remember where I left my keys etc...

thats cool... how much does it cost to rent those for an hour...is it better to just buy one.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Alex23 on September 07, 2007, 11:35:33 AM
thats cool... how much does it cost to rent those for an hour...is it better to just buy one.

I think it's like 30k to buy one...

I used it when I was at Stanford. They had at least 2 I believe; one regular and one oversized for the linebackers/fatasses.

I've been looking at just getting a tank + mask but you need a script  8)
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: nycbull on September 07, 2007, 11:44:28 AM
I think it's like 30k to buy one...

I used it when I was at Stanford. They had at least 2 I believe; one regular and one oversized for the linebackers/fatasses.

I've been looking at just getting a thank + mask but you need a script  8)

I have tried those mask things for sleep apnea..They are big as hell and uncomfortable...Some people swear by them. Im not sure if its hype...plus its not the sexiest look.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Alex23 on September 07, 2007, 11:47:58 AM
I have tried those mask things for sleep apnea..They are big as hell and uncomfortable...Some people swear by them. Im not sure if its hype...plus its not the sexiest look.

the mask you're talking about plugged to an oxygen tank?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: nycbull on September 07, 2007, 11:56:47 AM
the mask you're talking about plugged to an oxygen tank?


not sure, It went to some machine that pumped air. It was supposed to keep you airways open so you get more air at night, maybe it oxygenated the air, but I dont remember an O2 tank. Its for sleep apnea...

I did a sleep study once...had to sleep over at NYU hospital with all these wires attached to me. I never went back for the results, not sure why.. I dont think I could sleep with one of those machines even if I did have some form of sleep apnea.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Mike on September 07, 2007, 11:58:07 AM
  I base true athletic performance on the common day. In otherwords......can you perform this well on any occasion without the need of say a bench shirt or lifting straps and, wraps. When will one ever be in a low oxygen enviroment during an athletic performance? Mt everest? Not many have made it.
    True athleticism is being abile to perform a givin physical task in a real enviroment that is common to the real world. Is it not? It should be.

True athleticism is having the know-how and forseight to makes one's body as efficient as possible.  Would weight training to get stronger be any different than low-oxygen for endurance?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Alex23 on September 07, 2007, 11:59:11 AM

not sure, It went to some machine that pumped air. It was supposed to keep you airways open so you get more air at night, maybe it oxygenated the air, but I dont remember an O2 tank. Its for sleep apnea...

I did a sleep study once...had to sleep over at NYU hospital with all these wires attached to me. I never went back for the results, not sure why.. I dont think I could sleep with one of those machines even if I did have some form of sleep apnea.

What made you think you had sleep apnea in the first place?
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: BEAST 8692 on September 07, 2007, 12:10:53 PM
training at high altitude ie low oxygen causes the red blood cells to increase to provide more oxygen to the body, so when you return to normal altitude you have more oxygen in your blood.

mma fighters and boxers often take their training camps up to big bear to prepare for fight.

taking the drug, epo, is much more effective apparently, but much more dangerous too, as any tour de france cyclist will tell you.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: nycbull on September 07, 2007, 12:59:04 PM
What made you think you had sleep apnea in the first place?


I wasnt sleeping well, lots of tossing and turning, feeling tired when I awoke.. not myself..I have a partially devieated septum..I was heavier then too probably 10- 15 lbs..bulking...Im better now and ambien is great.

Lots of lifters have it and dont know it.
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Alex23 on September 08, 2007, 03:20:49 AM

I wasnt sleeping well, lots of tossing and turning, feeling tired when I awoke.. not myself..I have a partially devieated septum..I was heavier then too probably 10- 15 lbs..bulking...Im better now and ambien is great.

Lots of lifters have it and dont know it.

Indeed. I have a theory why... "valsalva maneuvre" like breathing all day long while lifting heavy.. must have some effect on the Thoracic diaphragm muscle reflex of some sort...
Title: Re: Sleeping in low-oxygen environment - good for athletic performance?
Post by: Mons Venus on September 08, 2007, 04:17:29 AM
read my post carefully.  I corrected you about training at high altitude.  It is good for endurance, but training low and sleeping high is even better.

The bit about endurance was a clarification directed towards the OP who presumably is interested in this for the sake of hypertrophy.  Now I can see why you would read my post the way you did, but it was not how it was intended.

Correct, sleep at altitude, train at low altitude for better athletic performance.