To investigate effects of 1, 300 meters altitude on swimming training, several physiologic parameters were examined in eight female high school swimmers before, during and after living and training for six days at 1, 300 meters altitude.
Variables included peak heart rate (peakHR), rate of perceived exhaustion (RPE) and blood lactate concentration (BLa) associated with 200m swimming at submaximal and maximal speeds were measured 2-3 days before, during and 1-2 days after altitude exposure. Blood samples were collected before, during and after altitude exposure.
On day 1 of altitude exposure, peakHR and RPE at submaximal speeds increased from pre-altitude values while BLa didn't change. At maximal speed, swimming speed and BLa decreased, RPE increased, and peakHR didn't change from pre-altitude.
During altitude exposure, for the first three days of altiude exposure for peakHR and for all six days for RPE, the same submaximal speeds elicited greater values than pre-altitude.
Post-altitude BLa at submaximal speeds was reduced compared to pre-altitude. Maximal heart rate, RPE, and BLa at maximal speed didn't change pre- to post-altitude. However, mean values of them decreased from pre-altitude.
Erythropoietin was elevated above pre-altitude on day 2, and reticulocytes increased post-altitude significantly from pre-altitude.
These results indicate that the relative workload increased during the training at 1, 300 meters. There also appeared to be some stimulation for erythropoiesis.
In summary, this study found that 1, 300 meters altitude increased the difficulty of swimming training and six days at 1, 300 meters produced mild stimulation of erythropoiesis in these female swimmers