I breathe through both nose and mouth while running/training in order to get adequate oxygen. As such, I was wondering if I only breathe through the nose, does it simulate high altitude conditions of less oxygen. Will it help me train for altitude or faster acclimatization?

I live at sea level.

No. I'm sure many people will reply with suggestions, but for average person the only way to acclimitize is to be in good shape and get high.

ashish wrote:Will it help me train for altitude or faster acclimatization?

No. No relationship at all between your breathing techniques at sea level and training/acclimatization.

I am in a slow internet cafe in Namche, so I can't get some links but I think it possibly could be of some help. The so-called hypoxic breathing methods while training may help prepare your lungs for high altitude...maybe not.

radson wrote:I am in a slow internet cafe in Namche, so I can't get some links but I think it possibly could be of some help. The so-called hypoxic breathing methods while training may help prepare your lungs for high altitude...maybe not.

Then why are you in an internet Cafe?! Go climb, but that's probably what you've been doing there anyways.

i like to speculate about this with no substantiation

when you breathe at sea level, you get 100% oxygen saturation into the blood without having to breathe in deeply...so you don't tend to breathe in as deeply as you can.

by not breathing in deeply, some of the alveoli (bridge from lung to blood) do not open up all the way and do not transport oxygen as well. this is not a problem at sea level.

however, when at altitude you start breathing more (overbreathing, hyperventilating, whatever). I think naturally you increase ventilatory rate by increasing number of breaths, not how deep you breath. so you are still being inefficient with opening up the alveoli.

plenty of people have noted you should try to breath deeper at altitude, and I think its because of this. the problem is, if you are not used to breathing that deeply, perhaps the respiratory muscles are not in great "endurance condition" and therefore may fatigue after some time.

if you practice these straw breathing techniques, perhaps it would improve your respiratory endurance? then maybe it is of benefit. again, I have no data to back up, just thoughts.

this brings back a question, do swimmers deal with altitude better than non swimmers? i speculate because they may have better respiratory strength...

I speculate that the best preparation for the hypoxia due to altitude is breathing with your head firmly implanted in your posterior.

I think Ze's got it down!

Ze wrote:i like to speculate about this with no substantiation

plenty of people have noted you should try to breath deeper at altitude, and I think its because of this. the problem is, if you are not used to breathing that deeply, perhaps the respiratory muscles are not in great "endurance condition" and therefore may fatigue after some time.

I can't substantiate this either but I know that pressure breathing often helps me at altitude. I believe the rational is that it forces more carbon dioxide out allowing more oxygen to be taken in. Also, it uses different muscles so it's a nice change when your working hard and it takes your mind off of how exhausted you are.

http://www.bodyresults.com/e2altitudecoping.asp

Ze wrote:i like to speculate about this with no substantiation

when you breathe at sea level, you get 100% oxygen saturation into the blood without having to breathe in deeply...so you don't tend to breathe in as deeply as you can.

by not breathing in deeply, some of the alveoli (bridge from lung to blood) do not open up all the way and do not transport oxygen as well. this is not a problem at sea level.

however, when at altitude you start breathing more (overbreathing, hyperventilating, whatever). I think naturally you increase ventilatory rate by increasing number of breaths, not how deep you breath. so you are still being inefficient with opening up the alveoli.

plenty of people have noted you should try to breath deeper at altitude, and I think its because of this. the problem is, if you are not used to breathing that deeply, perhaps the respiratory muscles are not in great "endurance condition" and therefore may fatigue after some time.

if you practice these straw breathing techniques, perhaps it would improve your respiratory endurance? then maybe it is of benefit. again, I have no data to back up, just thoughts.

this brings back a question, do swimmers deal with altitude better than non swimmers? i speculate because they may have better respiratory strength...

I think this is basically correct. The body naturally compensates at altitude by changing your respiratory patterns, you don't have to think about it.

Swimming is an anaerobic sport. Even top swimmers tend to have a lower VO2 max than other aerobic athletes. Swimming is not a good way to get in shape for mountaineering, but it can be a part of an overall exercise program.

Autoxfil wrote:I speculate that the best preparation for the hypoxia due to altitude is breathing with your head firmly implanted in your posterior.

I think Ze's got it down!

I realize you can't contribute anything intelligible so glad you can add some humor.

Sierra Ledge Rat wrote:I think this is basically correct. The body naturally compensates at altitude by changing your respiratory patterns, you don't have to think about it.

Swimming is an anaerobic sport. Even top swimmers tend to have a lower VO2 max than other aerobic athletes. Swimming is not a good way to get in shape for mountaineering, but it can be a part of an overall exercise program.

swimming is like running, it can be very anaerobic or aerobic. sprinting is anaerobic, but long distance will be aerobic and those swimmers will tend to have quite high VO2max values.

Yeah, if I swim crawl for one hour straight without resting, I'm pretty sure that's an aerobic activity.