Training mask

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A U.S. Air Force soldier wearing a respiratory restriction mask to exercise cardio function

A training mask is an aid to increasing physiological performance. It should enable users to train the respiratory muscles by restricting the air supply. She will u. a. used by asthmatics, athletes and soldiers. The effect is partly controversial.

Mode of action

The original idea behind it was to offer a handy device that should simulate altitude training . As is well known, this increases the number of red blood cells, improves the athlete's oxygen transport and thus creates a measurable temporary performance advantage when they return to sea level.

The use of such training masks could not convince in scientific studies in this regard, since no effects on hemoglobin , hematocrit or oxygen transport were recorded. The masks had no influence on the oxygen concentration of the inhaled air. They only make it difficult to inhale and exhale and thus train the respiratory muscles of the user.

Nevertheless, advantages also became evident: the entire respiratory muscles , consisting of the diaphragm , the intercostal muscles and the auxiliary muscles , must - like any other muscle - be trained progressively in order to achieve maximum performance. The so-called Respiratory Muscle Training (RMT) is a special training method that was developed to specifically strengthen the respiratory muscles. RMT has been shown to improve strength, speed and endurance in athletes.

Training masks allow the user to strengthen the respiratory muscles without being tied to stationary equipment . By making breathing more difficult, these units have a direct influence on cardiorespiratory fitness, which can be reflected in athletic performance. This is particularly important for top athletes for whom the lung system can become a limiting factor.

The advantages of a training mask are not limited to top-class sport: During a high-intensity six-week training program, "moderately trained" subjects were able to significantly improve their endurance (VO 2 Max) and strength values using a training mask .

However, some critics doubt that training the cardiorespiratory system actually has a positive effect on athletic performance. Better lung fitness is not synonymous with better performance values. A study on athletes showed no improved endurance performance - presumably because they were already trained.

An extensive meta-analysis by Gigliotti et al. (2006) came to the conclusion that controlled, rigorously designed studies show a clear effect on relevant performance markers. However, the background to these processes has not yet been fully understood and further research is required.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gore, CJ, Clark, SA, Saunders, PU (2007). Nonhematological mechanisms of improved sea-level performance after hypoxic exposure. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Sep; 39 (9): 1600-9.
  2. ↑ Klusiewicz, A., Borkowski, L., Zdanowicz, R., Boros, P., & Wesolowski, S. (2008). The inspiratory muscle training in elite rowers. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 48 ​​(3), 279.
  3. ^ McConnell, A (2013). Functional benefits of respiratory muscle training. in: Respiratory Muscle Training: Theory and Practice. Elsevier
  4. ↑ HajGhanbari, B., Yamabayashi, C., Buna, TR, Coelho, JD, Freedman, KD, Morton, TA, Palmer, SA, Toy, MA, Walsh, C., Sheel, AW, Reid, WD (2013) . Effects of respiratory muscle training on performance in athletes: a systematic review with meta-analyzes. J Strength Cond Res 2013 Jun; 27 (6): 1643-63.
  5. ^ McKenzie, DC (2012). Respiratory physiology: adaptations to high-level exercise. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
  6. ↑ Porcari, JP, Probst, L., Forrester, K., Doberstein, S., Foster, C., Cress, ML, Schmidt, K. (2016). Effect of Wearing the Elevation Training Mask on Aerobic Capacity, Lung Function, and Hematological Variables. J Sports Sci Med 2016 May 23; 15 (2): 379-86
  7. ↑ Inbar, O., Weiner, P., Azgad, Y., Rotstein, A., & Weinstein, Y. (2000). Specific inspiratory muscle training in well-trained endurance athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 32 (7), 1233-1237.
  8. ↑ Williams et al. (2002). Inspiratory muscle training fails to improve endurance capacity in athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002 Jul; 34 (7): 1194-8
  9. ↑ Gigliotti, F., Binazzi, B., Scano, G. (2006). Does training of respiratory muscles affect exercise performance in healthy subjects? Respiratory Medicine Jun 6; 100 (6): 1117-1120