Usefulness of training camps at high altitude for well-trained adolescents

Effect of an Eleven-Day Altitude Training Program on Aerobic and Anaerobic Performance in Adolescent Runners

Background and Objectives: We evaluated the effect of an eleven-day altitude training camp on aerobic and anaerobic fitness in trained adolescent runners. Materials and Methods: Twenty adolescent (14–18 yrs) middle- and long-distance runners (11 males and 9 females; 16.7 ± 0.8 yrs), with at least two years of self-reported consistent run training, participated in this study. Eight of the subjects (4 females/4 males) constituted the control group, whereas twelve subjects (5 females/7 males) took part in a structured eleven-day altitude training camp, and training load was matched between groups. Primary variables of interest included changes in aerobic (VO₂max) and anaerobic (30 s Wingate test) power. We also explored the relationships between running velocity and blood lactate levels before and after the altitude training camp. Results: Following 11 days of altitude training, desirable changes (p < 0.01) in VO₂max (+13.6%), peak relative work rate (+9.6%), and running velocity at various blood lactate concentrations (+5.9%–9.6%) were observed. Meanwhile, changes in Wingate anaerobic power (+5.1%) were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Short duration altitude appears to yield meaningful improvements in aerobic but not anaerobic power in trained adolescent endurance runners.