Athletes engaged in strength sports, including crossfitters, at a certain stage of training are faced with the fact that they cannot fully reveal their potential and achieve maximum results for themselves due to insufficient aerobic endurance. Of course, it develops with the help of cardio (running, walking, stationary bike, etc.), but if the goal is professional sports, then you need to understand that extreme results require extreme training. In this situation, a CrossFit training mask (hypoxic mask) can help athletes.
The use of training masks in CrossFit is not uncommon these days. Many famous athletes confirm that it was thanks to their use that they were able to significantly increase their functional qualities, first of all, aerobic and strength endurance.
Oxygen masks for CrossFit and other strength sports are designed in such a way that their effect is comparable to climbing mountains with all the attendant signs: oxygen starvation and mild brain hypoxia. This simulation of natural high altitude conditions can significantly increase the intensity of your CrossFit workout.
Why use a training mask for CrossFit, how to get the most out of it and not harm your health at the same time - we will tell in this article.
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What is a CrossFit mask?
Crossfit training mask = a kind of trainer. It is made of high quality hypoallergenic materials, characterized by good ventilation, lightness and durability. The mechanism itself consists of the following elements:
- an elastic band fixed at the back of the head;
- 2 inlet and 1 outlet breathing valves;
- diaphragms for valves.
The hypoxic mask is designed in such a way that the inlet valves are partially closed during inhalation. This forces the athlete to breathe more intensely, due to which the diaphragm is strengthened and the feeling of acidification in the muscles working under load decreases. The degree of oxygen restriction can be adjusted using special membranes located on the mask. In this case, you can simulate highlands in the range from 900 to 5500 meters.
Note! You need to start using the mask with an imitation of the minimum height - it is important to first adapt to such a load and only then gradually begin to increase the training intensity.
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Tips for using and choosing a mask
Make sure you are in good health before using the mask while doing CrossFit. Check the cardiovascular and respiratory systems especially carefully. Remember! Frequent and too intensive use of a training mask can aggravate existing pathological health problems.
Recommendations for use
It makes sense to use a training mask only in those workouts during which we pursue the goal of developing our anaerobic endurance. This can be running or brisk walking, performing functional complexes of moderate severity, boxing, wrestling, etc.
You need to start using it with minimal resistance: this way the body adapts faster to a new pace of breathing. To tune your cardiovascular system to a comfortable heart rate, you should start with low-intensity cardio. Only after that you can start performing crossfit complexes with the additional use of a mask.
Do not under any circumstances force events - at first the load should be “introductory”: no work in a mask to failure. There should be enough rest time between sets, and the heart rate should not exceed 160 beats per minute. Therefore, it is recommended to use the heart rate monitor at the same time as the training mask.
At the first sign of malaise and hypoglycemia, the use of the training mask should be discontinued immediately. After that, you must definitely consume a sufficient amount of liquid (even better - isotonic drinks) and some simple carbohydrates. This will restore the energy balance of the body, restore breathing and bring your body back to normal.
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How to choose a mask?
It is worth buying a crossfit mask only if you are completely sure of its originality and correct functioning. Be careful and discerning in this matter: the market is flooded with cheap fakes of low quality materials, and there is no guarantee that the inlet and outlet valves of the device work as expected. If you buy a low-quality product or use a mask without preliminary testing, you risk losing consciousness due to lack of oxygen. Do not order masks from one-page landing sites - the probability of stumbling upon a fake product is close to 100%.
Even if you are the owner of an expensive branded mask - do not forget that it requires careful maintenance. The fabric should be washed from time to time, and the respiratory mechanism itself sometimes needs to be disassembled and wiped from accumulated dust and moisture. Better yet, use replaceable covers. A mask that is not properly cared for may, after a while, no longer properly adjust the valve overlap and the air supply may be noticeably impaired.
What exercises can you do with the mask?
The CrossFit workout mask is perfect for all workouts in which we develop aerobic endurance. First of all, this applies to jogging or brisk walking, cycling, walking on a stepper or ellipse, and other types of cardio exercise.
The use of a mask is recommended
It is advisable to use the training mask when performing technically simple exercises and crossfit complexes performed with the athlete's own weight. These exercises can be:
- various types of push-ups from the floor and on the uneven bars;
- different types of pull-ups on the bar;
- bodyweight squats;
- exercises for the press;
- burpee;
- jump squats;
- jumping on the curbstone;
- climbing a rope or working with horizontal ropes;
- double jumping rope;
- work with a hammer, a sandbag.
This is not the entire list of exercises in which you can use the training mask to improve your own performance, but just a few examples.
Exercises not recommended
Many gym athletes use a hypoxic mask in classic basic free weight exercises: deadlifts, bench press, squats, bent over rows, etc. Doing this is not entirely correct: the anaerobic type of training requires a lot of energy consumption, we need a sufficient amount of oxygen for good blood supply to working muscles.
It is extremely difficult to achieve such an effect in a training mask: it is difficult to achieve good pumping in it due to the low supply of oxygen to the lungs. It is also difficult to maintain the correct breathing rate, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure. The simultaneous use of a training mask and an athletic belt will be especially dangerous - it will be almost impossible to maintain a normal breathing rate in them. Therefore, it is better to save a training mask for anaerobic work and endurance development. The use of a mask for strength training is a controversial issue.
The benefits and harms of a crossfit mask
Like any trainer, a CrossFit mask can be not only useful, but also harmful to the body in conditions of improper use. Let's take a quick look at how an athlete can benefit from using a mask and what consequences it can have if used incorrectly.
The benefits of a crossfit mask
Moderate use, coordinated with a specialist, helps to conquer new sports heights: pulmonary and cardiac endurance increases due to an increase in the threshold of anaerobic metabolism, lung volume increases, aerobic fatigue occurs much more slowly.
Correct use of the training mask can lead to the following positive effects on the body:
- increased lung volume;
- reducing the feeling of acidification in the muscles;
- slower onset of anaerobic glycolysis and failure;
- strengthening the diaphragm;
- adaptation of the body to work in conditions of a limited amount of oxygen;
- acceleration of metabolism, high energy consumption.
What harm can a mask do?
Despite its many positive benefits, the CrossFit training mask can be dangerous if misused. Too intense training in it can lead not to positive, but to negative results, namely:
- deterioration of the cardiovascular system: frequent tachycardia and arrhythmia;
- regular physical activity in conditions of high blood pressure can lead to arterial hypertension and hypertension;
- when working with a limited amount of oxygen and with an increased heart rate, loss of consciousness and seizures are possible.
The use of a CrossFit training mask is contraindicated in athletes with pathological diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This category includes hypertensive patients, asthmatics, people with coronary artery disease, and many others. In any case, even a completely healthy person should consult with their doctor before using a training mask and find out all about the possible consequences.
