I'll be watching comments here as I've wondered about those too - I seem to remember reading mixed reviews so anyone who has actually used one - please speak up
They dont work. That Training Mask Doesn't Do What You Think It Does "But here's the thing: "The adaptations you would get with altitude are not what you get with the mask," Arent says. "It doesn't increase red blood cell production. It doesn't increase your oxygen-carrying capacity." The mask doesn't actually lower the concentration of oxygen in the air, the way altitude does. It simply lowers the amount of air you can breathe. The mask feels kind of like training at altitude: By decreasing the volume of air you can breathe and by capturing expended air, making you re-breathe air that's richer in carbon dioxide, it makes exercise harder. The mask "does not appear to act as a simulator of altitude, but more like a respiratory muscle training device," according to a 2016 study. "
I read that it effectively makes you train like you have asthma, plenty of research showing it does not work the same altitude training as articles above. So no training benefit except to feel like what it's like to try and progress with asthma, or similar breathing conditions.
Clearly if you want to do sprint swimming they're beneficial! I wonder if developing pulmonary strength would be worth it as far as fighting goes. I'm assuming pulmonary strength has to do with getting more air in your lungs quicker, or getting more air in your lungs when there's a force preventing it or making it harder to do. So getting a last gulp of air prior to a choke sinking in, or breathing while fighting out of a choke. Maybe give you a few more seconds to work with prior to passing out? (all of this is speculation on my part)
I think a lot of heart and lung increases come simply from aerobic work and deep breathing exercises but who knows
I agree. This isn't something I think anyone but maybe elite athletes might consider, and very specific elite athletes. If you're not one of those and are wearing one, you just look either really dumb, or really cool depending on who is looking and judging you : P.
A lot of people in my sport (HMB/Bohurt) swear by them as we have to deal with restricted breathing in heavy medieval helmets plus carrying a lot of extra weight whilst running around an arena fighting, my club does sometimes make us spar or do fitness circuits in a soft full contact helmet taped up to restrict breathing which I hate, can't say I have seen any benefits apart from as a form of torture... I have seen the negative talk regarding them and that has personally stopped me going out and buying one although I have noted Bass Rutten is plugging his own brand of breath trainer, If I thought it would give me an edge I would use one.
The science is wholly on the side of don't buy it, but Bass is trying to make money and its hard to do in the strength and conditioning community by following the science because what works is what's always worked and not gimmicks But gimmicks make money because people want to believe there's an edge out there that only...insert latest fad here...can give them
I would always side with proper testing, the restricted breathing training I have done was nothing but torture, only benefit I could see was some exposure to dealing with restricted breathing when in armour so that new fighters do not panic on the field so could be of some benefit for other sports who also deal with this although I bet that is a pretty small list. I am a fan of Bass but sad he is selling out like this IMO.
Unfortunately Bas isn't the only one and he may actually feel it has benefit he wouldn't be the only one selling a product he believes in but which the science is a bit iffy.... Everything from kettlebells, stability balls and flossing bands to foam rollers can be included in the above along with an awful lot of training and diet methods and supplements
What about shake weight? That has to be the best gimmick out there I can understand how in this scenario it might help you mentally condition for wearing a helmet, much like training with a gumshield in to get used to it.
My wife has one! Weighs less than a bag of sugar... Just an expensive door stop IMO. Mental preparation is essential, not only with the breathing but dealing with a much limited scope of sight. Almost every fighter gases pretty quick on their first time fighting in a steel helmet from experience so I agree it is more mental conditioning and learning how to control your breathing more than anything. No expert by any means just my observations from my time in the sport.
I spent 2 1/2 months in Bolivia, mostly in La Paz (3,500m above sea level). I felt great when I got back to sea level. I really think I noticed a difference, even though I wasn't engaged in any serious training, just a lot of walking and a bit of climbing.
Living high and training low is the recommended way to go, spending a lot of time at high altitude is needed, not simply trying to mimic it in and hour training session
