Competing at high altitude

[Bear-Jitsu]

This may be a stupid question, so no hard feelings if you vocalize the stupidity of it, but does high altitude still have a strong impact upon performance even when you're fighting indoors in a facility that has conditioned air?
This struck me when watching Frankie Edgar's fight. He usually has superb conditioning, but he seemed to gas. Also, Goldberg and Rogan mentioned it several times.

 

[Monger]

does high altitude still have a strong impact upon performance even when you're fighting indoors in a facility that has conditioned air?

Unless they're pumping oxygen in, yes.

 

[IronMaidenfan#1]

Yes, big difference.

 

[Ziltoid]

It kind of sucks that they even held an event there just for that reason. I mean, you can tell just about everyone was out of their element and fucks them all up. the only one who doesnt have a problem is Anthony Johnson since he lives there, lol so he's used to it.

 

[Bear-Jitsu]

I wonder how Kenny would have held up if the fight had gone into the 3rd round. It seemed like being in Colorado for the 2 weeks leading up to the fight did well for him.
I'm still shocked that Edgar looked as tired as he did. I just assumed that he would be the type of guy to train at high altitude.

 

[Bear-Jitsu]

Oh, and what's with the Aussie Death Carriage avs?

 

[mustang]

Oh, and what's with the Aussie Death Carriage avs?

Its in support of Brad Morris who will be competing at UFC 83

And yes, high altitude does affect one's performance.

 

[physicaltherapy]

I wonder how Kenny would have held up if the fight had gone into the 3rd round. It seemed like being in Colorado for the 2 weeks leading up to the fight did well for him.
I'm still shocked that Edgar looked as tired as he did. I just assumed that he would be the type of guy to train at high altitude.

I just moved to Broomfield/Westminster, CO. I was actually gonna get tickets for that show. That arena is literally an 8 minute drive from my house.

I moved from New York (almost sea level) and I gotta tell you, the altitude REALLY affects you. I've been practicing BJJ for a couple of years and I'm in decent shape. Moving my crap out of the relocubes up 2 flights gassed me out. I rolled at a local gym 3 days after I moved in and I got EMBARRESSED by high level white belts. I was still pulling x-guard sweeps and fancy shit but there was no OOMPH behind my moves. It felt like my attempts were pathetic. These guys were literally barreling right through me. Everyone was making fun of me because I was huffing and puffing. I even had my PeriWO drinks and that shit didn't help. There's no substitute for red blood cells.

A month later, I went snowboarding at Loveland ~11K - 12K feet (2 miles up). I was at the continental divide (or at least I think it was). I got dizzy from the lack of O2. It literally took me 30 minutes to go down 1 trail because I had to keep taking rest breaks.

 

[Chonbody]

I just moved to Broomfield/Westminster, CO. I was actually gonna get tickets for that show. That arena is literally an 8 minute drive from my house.

I moved from New York (almost sea level) and I gotta tell you, the altitude REALLY affects you. I've been practicing BJJ for a couple of years and I'm in decent shape. Moving my crap out of the relocubes up 2 flights gassed me out. I rolled at a local gym 3 days after I moved in and I got EMBARRESSED by high level white belts. I was still pulling x-guard sweeps and fancy shit but there was no OOMPH behind my moves. It felt like my attempts were pathetic. These guys were literally barreling right through me. Everyone was making fun of me because I was huffing and puffing. I even had my PeriWO drinks and that shit didn't help. There's no substitute for red blood cells.

A month later, I went snowboarding at Loveland ~11K - 12K feet (2 miles up). I was at the continental divide (or at least I think it was). I got dizzy from the lack of O2. It literally took me 30 minutes to go down 1 trail because I had to keep taking rest breaks.

That sounds fucking awful.

 

[Tre5sev]

Hell yes it does!!
I just returned from Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado which has an 8000ft elevation. Just walking up the stairs to my room gassed me out! It was awful! But this is exactly the reason I would make that the place to work on my conditioning.

 

[mustang]

I just moved to Broomfield/Westminster, CO. I was actually gonna get tickets for that show. That arena is literally an 8 minute drive from my house.

I moved from New York (almost sea level) and I gotta tell you, the altitude REALLY affects you. I've been practicing BJJ for a couple of years and I'm in decent shape. Moving my crap out of the relocubes up 2 flights gassed me out. I rolled at a local gym 3 days after I moved in and I got EMBARRESSED by high level white belts. I was still pulling x-guard sweeps and fancy shit but there was no OOMPH behind my moves. It felt like my attempts were pathetic. These guys were literally barreling right through me. Everyone was making fun of me because I was huffing and puffing. I even had my PeriWO drinks and that shit didn't help. There's no substitute for red blood cells.

A month later, I went snowboarding at Loveland ~11K - 12K feet (2 miles up). I was at the continental divide (or at least I think it was). I got dizzy from the lack of O2. It literally took me 30 minutes to go down 1 trail because I had to keep taking rest breaks.

Damnn that sounds pretty shitty man but good example of how much altitude affects you.

 

[ronin0352]

Yeah, I grew up in Colorado, I love it. I can be in horrible shape and take a trip somewhere else and not be the least bit worried. Back to the original question though, like Monger said the only way being inside would help is if they were pumping in O2. Kenny was very smart, and apparently the only one on the card that was. The only way you can prepare for fighting in a higher altitude is to train at a higher altitude and stay there even when not training. The key is to get your body used to the lack of O2 all the time, not just go to altitude, train and then go home where you can breath better.